scholarly journals Establishing Online Synchronous Support for Self-Access Language Learning

2019 ◽  
pp. 323-338
Author(s):  
Shawn Andersson ◽  
Maho Nakahashi

This paper explores expanding a self-access language learning desk online. In 2017, Osaka University’s Center for International Affairs expanded its Language Support Desk to allow students from different campuses to access its services via online synchronous language support sessions that mimic the in-person ones. While there is an abundance of resources available to students online through online writing labs and online writing centers, most of these services only consist of reference materials with no option for advising or language teaching. Furthermore, the few universities that offer language learning services usually implement an asynchronous system through a delayed medium such as email. In this paper, we describe the implementation of online sessions at Osaka Unversity and highlight issues and opportunities for the future based on our experience and observations.

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 156-165
Author(s):  
Mazulfah Mazulfah

This paper demonstrates about the future and challenge of pragmatics in English language teaching. In pragmatics, meaning in communication has an important role and it can be categorized into two elements such as verbal and nonverbal. It depends on various contexts, relationship between utterers, and social factors. In English language teaching, pragmatic is very important because the four language skills in language learning such as reading writing, listening and speaking do not occur in isolation in communicative texts or activities. So through forming a good pragmatic competence for the language learner, should be considered. As English has played an indispensable role in global communication, it is important for English language users, both native and non-native, to use clear, comprehensible and educated English that allows smooth communication and avoids misunderstandings in social interactions. Pragmatic competence can facilitate language users to successfully achieve their communicative aims in intercultural communication. Consequently, pragmatic elements have noticeable important in communication between speakers because such elements can hinder inaccuracies and misunderstandings during communication so teachers should teach pragmatic competence in language English classes through different activities and tasks.Keywords: Pragmatics, English language teaching, language competencies. 


2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jack Burston

<p>This paper describes trends in instructional technology that are influencing foreign language teaching today and that can be expected to increasingly do so in the future. Though already an integral part of foreign language instruction, digital technology is bound to play an increasing role in language teaching in the coming years. The greatest stimulus for this will undoubtedly be the accessibility of Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL), made possible through the exploitation of mobile devices owned by students themselves. The ubiquitous ownership of smartphones and tablet computers among adolescents and adults now makes a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) approach a feasible alternative to desktop computer labs. Making this work, however, especially in a financially and technologically restricted environment, presents a number of challenges which are the focus of this paper.</p>


2022 ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
Kimberly Morris

This chapter examines the experiences of world language (WL) teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic, a time that required pedagogical pivots at all levels of the educational landscape. The objectives of this chapter are twofold: 1) to identify the main challenges encountered by WL teachers of different languages at distinct levels and with diverse teaching experience and 2) to highlight the successful practices these educators used to foster language learning during this disruptive time. To explore these goals, a phenomenological study was conducted with 27 WL teachers of Spanish, French, German, Chinese, or Russian in the K-16 context, including pre-service and experienced in-service educators. Thematic analyses of participants' responses for a semi-structured interview and survey revealed five salient themes related to their primary challenges and successes: engagement, community, comprehension, balance, and mental health. The lived experiences articulated by these WL educators have important pedagogical implications for (re)conceptualizing best practices in the future.


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 25
Author(s):  
Li Ma

As a national event, education is important issue, which has an influence on thousands of generations. How to teach students to learn knowledge and apply it at the same time has turns out to be a challenging work for numbers of teachers. To solve this problem, some inspiration could come from a method founded in 1980s, which is also called Task Based Language Teaching. As its key characteristics, TBLT makes students learn the knowledge through using the knowledge. In particular, taking execution and communicating interactively are explored as the method to achieve the language learning. This paper investigates the application of the TBLT in the Fourth Primary School in Awati County of Xinjiang. Problems existing in the implementation process are revealed and the underlying causes are analyzed. The results of this study can provide reference for other teachers to use task-based teaching method in the future.


English for Academic Purposes course focusing on the academic language needs of students is a subfield of English for Specific Purposes (ESP). It is a type of specialized course to integrate specific subject matter, language content, and material based on learners’ needs. The study aims to evaluate the British Council’s English for Academic Purposes (EAP) coursebook in terms of content, sequencing, learners’ autonomy, motivation, feedback and focus on language skills. Furthermore, the study tries to provide a general perception of the usefulness and effectiveness of the coursebook for undergraduate students. The EAP Students’ Manual coursebook is used as a primary source for the data collection. The researcher has chosen Nation & Macalister (2010) model of language teaching principles to analyze and discuss the data. The study found the coursebook a useful, effective and an appropriate source of English language learning in terms of the investigated aspects of the book. The findings report that the coursebook provides practice and practical usage in all domains of the academically required English language skills. It helps the students to build language competency and to be more independent learners. In addition, it provides an opportunity to the learners to think in the target language, use the language more practically and learn it in a natural type of environment. The study concludes and suggests that the content needs to be supplemented with English language audios and videos presenting the students relevant documentaries and helping material in order to make the coursebook and the learning process more useful, effective, interesting and motivating. Furthermore, the study recommends that while choosing /designing a coursebook for a certain course, it needs to be evaluated following the various criteria and language-teaching-principles suggested by different language researchers.


English for Academic Purposes course focusing on the academic language needs of students is a subfield of English for Specific Purposes (ESP). It is a type of specialized course to integrate specific subject matter, language content, and material based on learners’ needs. The study aims to evaluate the British Council’s English for Academic Purposes (EAP) coursebook in terms of content, sequencing, learners’ autonomy, motivation, feedback and focus on language skills. Furthermore, the study tries to provide a general perception of the usefulness and effectiveness of the coursebook for undergraduate students. The EAP Students’ Manual coursebook is used as a primary source for the data collection. The researcher has chosen Nation & Macalister (2010) model of language teaching principles to analyze and discuss the data. The study found the coursebook a useful, effective and an appropriate source of English language learning in terms of the investigated aspects of the book. The findings report that the coursebook provides practice and practical usage in all domains of the academically required English language skills. It helps the students to build language competency and to be more independent learners. In addition, it provides an opportunity to the learners to think in the target language, use the language more practically and learn it in a natural type of environment. The study concludes and suggests that the content needs to be supplemented with English language audios and videos presenting the students relevant documentaries and helping material in order to make the coursebook and the learning process more useful, effective, interesting and motivating. Furthermore, the study recommends that while choosing /designing a coursebook for a certain course, it needs to be evaluated following the various criteria and language-teaching-principles suggested by different language researchers.


2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ida Royani ◽  
T. Silvana Sinar

This study investigated the English students’ attitudes of IAIN Padangsidimpuan towards both English language teaching in terms of (a) language-centered, (b) learner-centered, and (c) learning-centered method; and learning English in terms of scales (a) attitudes toward long-term English learning, (b) interest in culture and communication, (c) perception about studying in school context, (d) images associated with English, (e) English learning activities, (f) exposure to English outside school, (g) self-rated four English skills, (h) self-reported academic English grade, and (i) identification of English role models. The data were obtained by questionnaire and interview from 10 selected students in which 4 male and 6 female students in 7th semester and were analyzed by steps provided by Gay, L.R and Airasian (1996). The result showed:  first, English students’ attitudes towards English language teaching had been found highly onlearning-centered method, followed by learner-centered method in second range, and almost negative view in language-centered method.Second, English students’ attitudes towards English language learningwere positivein scales; long-term English learning, interest in communication, and images associated with English.  Third, role of students’ gender on English language learning were not found. Reasons for this statement are (i) status of English as international language and (ii) equalization of getting education for male and female. Keywords: attitude, language teaching, language learning, and gender


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