scholarly journals Raising Student Consciousness About Machine Translation

2021 ◽  
Vol 2020 (1) ◽  
pp. 386
Author(s):  
Tim Newfields ◽  
Ivan Botev

With the rise of virtual assistants and the proliferation of digital translation software, such as Google Translate and Weblio that speed up the translator’s work, it is time to question what role, if any, machine translation services should have in foreign language classes. In this paper, the authors describe some activities designed to raise awareness about the use and misuse of machine translation within a task-based learning framework. Inspired by Sharwood-Smith’s 1981 notion of “consciousness-raising”, we outline three activities highlighting the benefits and problems of machine translation. An analysis of two translation exercises by 86 tertiary students in Japan indicated how many felt uncertain of the quality of their translations. Moreover, semi-structured interviews with six respondents following these activities underscored how students felt ambivalent about their translations. We conclude the paper with a discussion of some resources for EFL students seeking to improve their translation skills. デジタル翻訳ソフトの普及に伴い、外国語の授業で機械翻訳サービスが、もしあるとしたらどのような役割を担うべきかを問う時期にきている。本稿では、タスクベース学習の枠組みの中で、機械翻訳の使用と誤用についての認識を高めるためにデザインされたいくつかの活動について説明する。 本稿では、機械翻訳の利点と欠点を強調する三つのアクティビティーを概説する。日本の高等教育機関で学ぶ86人の学生によるふたつの翻訳演習の分析から、多くの学生が自らの翻訳の質に不安を感じていることがわかった。、さらに、これらのアクティビティーの後に実施した6人の学部生への半構造化面接から、多くの学生が翻訳の質を判断するのに苦労していることが明らかになった。締めくくりとして、翻訳スキルの向上を目指すEFLの学生向けのリソースについて考察した。

2020 ◽  
pp. 103-108
Author(s):  
Еkaterina Yu. Tolmacheva

The article defines the main qualities of the academic dialogue, highlights the criteria that ensure constructive communication in the educational environment. The specificity of constructive dialogue in teaching Russian as a foreign language at the faculty of pre-university training at the levels of A1 - B1 is characterized.


Author(s):  
Amal Msimeer ◽  
Eman Elmejie ◽  
◽  

This paper presents an experimental research study in which the two researchers aim to promote learner autonomy in language learning by means of learner-produced learning materials. The study was conducted at the Department of English in the Faculty of Arts in Misurata, Libya during the academic term-spring 2018. The participants were 50 Libyan students who major in English and they were all enrolled in semester 2 and studied Grammar II course. The participants were required to produce their own learning material which was about a particular grammar item. Semi-structured interviews with the participants were undertaken to know about their reaction towards the experience of taking responsibility to create a learning material, what autonomous strategies they were able to develop while designing the learning materials, what type of learning materials they were able to produce. The findings of the current study revealed that learner autonomy can be fostered in EFL classes in Libya and that Libyan students can develop some autonomous learning strategies. It is concluded that learner-produced learning materials can be a successful and an effective tool to promote learner autonomy in EFL (English as a foreign language) classes.


Author(s):  
Hiroya Tanaka ◽  
Akio Ohnishi ◽  
Ken Urano ◽  
Shinya Ozawa ◽  
Daisuke Nakanishi

This paper reports on the learning framework integrating a web e-portfolio and two mobile applications. It also reports on a preliminary study on how learners used different systems or materials to study for vocabulary tests in a particular general English course at a Japanese university, and how they recognized the usefulness of each system and material. Participants were 66 Japanese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students from two intact classes who completed a questionnaire survey at the end of the course. The results of the survey revealed that, although the participants generally evaluated the usefulness of the different systems and materials in a similar way, one of the mobile applications was most often used to prepare for the in-class vocabulary tests followed by the e-portfolio and the wordlist.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zainab Alsuhaibani

Online learning becomes the means of education during COVID-19. Blackboard is one of the learning management systems that has been widely used before and during the pandemic. This study focuses on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students’ use and perceptions of Blackboard. It explores and compares EFL students’ use and perceptions of Blackboard considering three phases: before COVID-19 in 2019, during online learning in 2020, and during online learning in 2021. A questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were used to collect the data. A total of 381 Saudi EFL students participated in the study. The results show that there are statistically significant differences in EFL students’ use of Blackboard between the three phases. EFL students’ use of Blackboard increased during online learning in 2020 compared to 2019, especially concerning the frequency of visiting Blackboard and the time students spent using it. Further, EFL students’ use of Blackboard increased significantly during online learning in 2021 compared to 2019 with regard to visit frequencies, time spent, and Blackboard tools used. Considering perceptions, the results indicate that there are statistically significant differences in students’ perceptions of Blackboard in terms of easiness and usefulness between the three phases. Interestingly, students had more positive perceptions of Blackboard before COVID-19 in 2019 and during online learning in 2021. The technical problems that students faced while using Blackboard during 2020 might have affected their perceptions. The study results of students’ use and perceptions of Blackboard are discussed in light of institutional policies and support.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lubna Alnaeem

This study attempted to examine the relationship between participation in extracurricular activities and levels of Communication Apprehension (CA) among English as a foreign language (EFL) students and explore the students’ perspectives of how extracurricular activities affect their communication skills. The study addressed the following two questions: a) what is the relationship between EFL students’ involvement in extracurricular activities and their level of Communication Apprehension?, b) What are the EFL students’ perspectives regarding the effect of extracurricular activities on their communication skills?. The participants were 40 EFL students among 80 who participated in extracurricular activities at the College of Languages and Translation at Imam Mohammed bin Saud Islamic University in Riyadh. The participants were asked to complete a Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA-24) to examine their levels of CA as well as a questionnaire about their attitudes toward extracurricular activities. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 8 participants to explore their perspectives in depth. The findings showed that most participants had moderate levels of CA and that 100% of the participants agreed that participation in extracurricular activities helped them reduce CA and improve their communication skills. The study also showed that extracurricular activities were more helpful than classroom activities in improving communication skills. This study is significant in that it shed the light on the importance of involvement in extracurricular activities and their role in improving EFL students’ communication skills and lowering CA levels. Thus, it is recommended to encourage EFL students to participate in extracurricular activities and consider including such activities in course requirements and teaching materials.


2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Setia Marito ◽  
Erwin Ashari

Machine Translation become as alternative to know the meaning of foreign language. Machine Translation was used to translate word, phrase, sentence, pharagraph. text translation  was made as a general description and a consederation to get understanding. Machine Transalation can be used as dictionary, too. It is easier to find word by using Machine Translation rather than dictionary. The purpose of using it; to ensure the meaning,  to know the meaning and to be more practice. But, Machine Translation leaded them to a confused situation, because sometimes the grammar and structure were different from what they knew and learned, so it made them confused deciding the correct one. Another effect was making them became lazy to open dictionary, to memorize new words.son their problem on using machine translation covers structure/grammar and several words such as idiom.Keywords: Machine Translation, Machine Translation Problems, Structure/Grammar Case.     


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-85
Author(s):  
Ribeh Najib Muhammad

The perception of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students toward the significance of distance learning practice in EFL teaching at university is essential to provide suggestions for enhancing distance learning practice in the context of EFL teaching. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate students’ perception towards distance learning practice at University of Muhammadiyah Gresik, especially in Words in Contexts class as the main course for learning vocabularies. Therefore, this study explored several aspects that needed in the implementation of distance learning practice. The subjects of this study were 34 first semester students of English education department who had applied distance learning practice. Questionnaire was used as research instrument to collect data from the respondents who had been selected. In addition, interview was also conducted to confirm the result of questionnaire. After the data were collected, they were analyzed using quantitative and qualitative analysis method. The finding indicated that students had average perception towards the implementation of distance learning practice, since distance learning practice provided advantages for their learning process. However, there were setbacks and problems such as students’ participation, internet connectivity, and material clarity that needed to be solved in order to improve the quality of distance learning practice.


Al-Lisan ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 230-241
Author(s):  
Sujarwo Sujarwo

Machine Translation (MT) refers to automatically trying to translate words, phrases, text, or speech from one language to another (Arnold et al., 1994). This study aims to analyze English as Foreign Language (EFL) students’ perceptions on utilizing machine translation (MT) in translating words, phrases, text, or speech. This research used descriptive qualitative method, 13 EFL students as respondents using this type of technology were described and analyzed. Data were gained from the analysis of the translation quality supported by machine translation procedures and questionnaires to 13 English students in translation subject. The results showed that, EFL students in the sixth and seventh semester of English education department of Megarezky University in translating words, phrases, texts, paragraphs had to recheck and rearrange to get a good translation by their own understandings. Machine Translation (MT) becomes another option to recognize the meaning of foreign language. Machine Translation can be used as dictionary as well. MT is incredibly useful and helpful, it can provide a general description to the users, it gives an inspiration or consideration to the users to understand the meaning.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (33) ◽  
pp. e16754
Author(s):  
Alla Guslyakova ◽  
Nina Guslyakova ◽  
Nailya Valeeva ◽  
Ludmila Veretennikova

The article covers the problem of project-based learning (PBL) in present-day foreign language classes. The main aim of this research is to identify how PBL method can be implemented in teaching a foreign language (for example, English as a second language) in a modern comprehensive school and to give recommendations on organizing a foreign language class with the help of PBL. The working hypothesis of the study says that PBL method can be a relevant and effective methodological technique allowing educators to improve the quality of school education and motivating young learners to work hard at L2 classes and study a foreign language better. For the effective analysis and estimation of project-based learning in teaching ESL a two-step experiment was conducted. Overall, the results of the study demonstrated the importance of introduction of project-based learning in foreign language classes as an essential component of the teacher’s work in the present-day education. They also proved that project-based learning should be a must in every educator’s pedagogical “piggy-bank” because PBL is an effective professional instrument which may overcome the latest demands and challenges of the third millennium society.


Author(s):  
Lien Thi My Tong

Plenty of meticulous research has been conducted to investigate the entire process for implementing group activities in language classrooms. Nevertheless, few detailed empirical investigations have been pursued in the sub-area of what influences the participation of English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) students in group discussions. Thus, the present study was conducted to examine the elements impacting the group-work participation of first-year EFL students at University of Languages and International Studies (ULIS), Vietnam National University (VNU). Ten EFL freshmen and four teachers of English participated in the study over a four-week period by attending semi-structured interviews. The findings highlighted a variety of elements discouraging the learners’ participation related to themselves, pedagogy, and culture and also revealed internal elements as the most significant.


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