English Language Interventions that Improve International Business Student Group-Work Performance

2017 ◽  
pp. 202-221
Author(s):  
Paul R. Alexander ◽  
Patricia M. Dooey
Keyword(s):  
Classroom Environment ◽  
Group Work ◽  
Work Performance ◽  
English Language ◽  
Intervention Programme ◽  
Academic Context ◽  
Language Support ◽  
Business Degrees ◽  
Support Mechanisms ◽  
Support Programmes

English-taught business degrees now represent an important part of the global education market. These attract students from all parts of the world, many whose first language is not English. Universities hosting these courses have developed language support mechanisms and programmes which have proven effective in supporting language needs in the academic context. However, these have not generally included specialised attention to group-work where the demands for communicating in English may be significantly more challenging than in a classroom environment. In this chapter, the authors consider the growth of English language support mechanisms in general, and outline a study that quantifies the impact of English in group work performance. They also detail the design of a short intervention programme focused on group-work that can improve the skills learned by students with English as a second language, and increase their performance significantly. They use this study to suggest mechanisms, and to propose improvements to English support programmes.

scholarly journals Experiences of healthcare workers displaced by conflict: lessons from past conflicts and implications

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
U Moqeem ◽  
O Mukhtar ◽  
A Abbara ◽  
S Jabbour ◽  
M Abouzeid
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
English Language ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Host Countries ◽  
Conflict Zones ◽  
Post Conflict ◽  
Open Coding ◽  
Support Mechanisms ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Systemic Support

Abstract Background Conflicts cause mass displacement, including of healthcare workers (HCWs). Understanding experiences of HCWs over the displacement trajectory, from push factors out of conflict zones, to barriers and facilitators in transit and host countries, is key to developing support mechanisms and informing policy discussions regarding return and reintegration. Methodology We systematically reviewed 6 academic databases and grey literature using combined search terms for HCWs, displacement, conflict, and experiences to identify English-language literature documenting personal or professional experiences of HCWs displaced by conflict, published between 1945 to 2020. Open coding and thematic analysis were used to identify emerging themes. Quality appraisal was conducted. Results 25 publications from academic journals, snowballed references, and grey literature from 10 geographical contexts and various types of HCW met inclusion criteria, many from conflicts in the Middle-East. 5 themes emerged: Conflict drives displacement: HCWs fled due to direct violence and deteriorating working conditions caused by increased workload, depleting resources, workforce attrition and attacks on healthcare. Giving back: Refugee HCWs were determined to continue working but had to do so informally or by working with humanitarian agencies. Personal and professional integration in host countries: refugee HCWs overcame barriers to relicense after which they reported disadvantage in job applications due to professional gaps and discrimination; many ended up working under-qualified jobs. Psychological toll on HCWs was pronounced. Prospects on return: HCWs desired to return to their home countries but feared political instability and violence. Conclusions Policies which support HCW retention during conflict, integration into host health systems, and encourage return post-conflict must be implemented. Further research is required to understand the individual and systemic support mechanisms required. Key messages Displaced HCWs experience many personal and professional challenges. Policies that support HCWs across the displacement trajectory and support return and post-conflict system rebuilding are required.

Another look at the Acceptability of Philippine English through the Lens of Basic Education Teachers

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-115
Author(s):  
Jenifer Mangalus
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
English Language ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
English Teachers ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Academic Context ◽  
English Classes ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Post Test

While there have been studies and awareness seminars conducted in the promotion of Philippine English (PE), still PE has not fully-penetrated in most public schools. Hence, the study sought to identify the acceptability of PE among English teachers from a secondary high school in Pampanga. PE’s levels of acceptability were determined using Torres and Alieto’s (2019) Grammatical and Lexical Acceptability Questionnaire. Pre -test result revealed that teachers have low acceptability level of the PE grammatical and lexical items   and that they are not aware of the PE. A webinar was conducted to introduce the PE among teachers and the post-test showed a significant difference to their acceptability level. Furthermore, teachers’ answers to the follow up questions imply that they are willing to introduce PE in the classroom, which they believe will help the students to be more conversant and become more confident in speaking the English language. It is concluded that teachers are open to incorporating the PE in their classes to further improve their students’ confidence in learning the language. The following recommendations were given: (1) Teachers should be provided with more seminars that will update them with the current status of Philippine English; (2) Teachers should be encouraged to consider the Philippine English in motivating students to be confident speakers in the English classes; and (3) School administrators and English teachers should promote the acceptance of Philippine English in the academic context.

scholarly journals The Relationship between Teachers’ Beliefs of Grammar Instruction and Classroom Practices in the Saudi Context

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bayan Alghanmi ◽  
Nadia Shukri
Keyword(s):  
Learning Styles ◽  
Teacher Development ◽  
Classroom Environment ◽  
English Language ◽  
Classroom Practices ◽  
Grammar Instruction ◽  
Grammar Teaching ◽  
Teachers Beliefs ◽  
English Language Institute ◽  
The Relationship

<p>Teacher cognition (Borg, 2015) of grammar instruction is a relatively new phenomenon that has yet to be explored in the Saudi context. While many studies have focused on the teaching of grammar in general (Ellis, 2006; Corzo, 2013; Braine, 2014), further research needs to be done - particularly when it comes to understanding teachers’ beliefs of grammar and grammar instruction as well as their practices in the classroom. This case study investigates the relationship between teachers’ beliefs of grammar and grammar instruction and their instructional practices. In the first stage, a sample of 30 teaching faculty members at the English Language Institute (ELI) at the University of Jeddah (UJ), in Saudi Arabia completed a survey discussing their beliefs related to grammar instruction. In the second stage, ten of these teachers were observed in classroom in order to explore the relationship between their beliefs and practices. In the third and final stage, open-ended questions were distributed to the teachers after the observations to better understand the factors that influence their beliefs. The findings reveal that teachers’ beliefs are indeed reflected in their classroom practices. Students’ proficiency level, attitudes toward the language, needs, learning styles, classroom environment, and teacher development are six factors that influence the transformation of teachers’ beliefs regarding grammar and grammar instruction into practices. These findings will help broaden the discussion on how to improve the quality of grammar teaching, particularly in the Saudi EFL classroom.</p>

scholarly journals Addressing the Need for Language Support for the Migrant and Refugee Community in the East Midlands, U.K.

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 61-73
Author(s):  
Cora Lindsay ◽  
Renata Seredyńska-Abou-Eid
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Adult Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Government Funding ◽  
Doctoral Study ◽  
Language Support ◽  
Refugee Community ◽  
East Midlands ◽  
Speakers Of Other Languages ◽  
Language Needs

For migrants and refugees, language is essential for dealing with officials, engaging with employment, receiving healthcare and feeling comfortable in a new environment. Despite this, there is no uniform approach to English language support for incoming migrants or refugees to the East Midlands. This paper discusses the situation regarding language provision for these communities and identifies the gaps in current language provision which derive from reductions in government funding over recent years. It looks at a mixed methods doctoral study that sought to identify the language needs of the Polish community in the region and describes a University of Nottingham initiative to address the gap in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) provision for adult learners, both migrants and refugees, in the Nottingham area.

scholarly journals Preparing Ell Writers for Becoming Multilingual Writers: Challenges and Strategies

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-140
Author(s):  
Lee Jin Choi
Keyword(s):  
Academic Writing ◽  
English Language ◽  
Writing Development ◽  
Multiple Identities ◽  
Academic Community ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
Academic Context ◽  
Multilingual Writers ◽  
English Speaking

Summary The increasing number of international students enrolled in higher education in English-speaking countries has presented the growing need to support their academic writing development. It, however, has often led to the hasty assumption that English language learner (ELL) writers need to quickly adopt the dominant academic writing conventions in order to succeed in an English-speaking academic community. Even though the growing number of scholars have started to pay attention to ELL writers’ diverse writing styles and multiple identities, little research and discussion have taken place on how language practitioners could engage ELL writers in developing their voices as multilingual and multicultural writers. By analyzing a qualitative interview with ten experienced writing consultants and instructors, this paper explores major challenges that ELL writers experience and different strategies that could effectively help them develop their voices as writers in the academic context where English is dominantly used as the medium of instruction. Findings show that while many colleges and universities in English-speaking countries still adopt a monolithic view and label ELL writers as ‘a troubled non-native writer’, it is crucial for writing consultants and instructors to acknowledge ELL writers’ multilingual background and help them to develop their unique voices and achieve sustainable development and progress.

scholarly journals The power of dialogue and discovery

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 113-122
Author(s):  
Kalina Jastrzębowska
Keyword(s):  
Teaching Methods ◽  
Classroom Environment ◽  
Group Work ◽  
Mathematics Learning ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Innovative Teaching ◽  
Dialogic Teaching ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Academic Year ◽  
Number Talks

Greater emphasis must be placed on activities that promote innovative teaching methods in early childhood mathematics education in Poland. Our classrooms offer algorithmic and rote teaching methods, depriving students of important elements of successful mathematics learning. The aim of this action research was to investigate the relationship between a classroom environment that allows for dialogue and discovery and young children’s input into problem solving. Teaching six classes of elementary school within one academic year gave the author the opportunity to examine how dialogic teaching combined with a growth mindset approach can transform the attainment of knowledge, understanding and skills of learners, and how modern practices like number talks, solving open-ended tasks and group work can unleash students’ potential and activate them as thinkers and reasoners. The results confirmed that students who are challenged and offered concept-based learning opportunities not only genuinely engage in their tasks, but also help each other with deeper understanding of the concepts. They can cooperate with teachers in the creation of a new classroom in which students’ voices are heard and discoveries take place.

scholarly journals Problems in Creating Conducive Classroom Environment in Teacher Training Institutes

2017 ◽  
pp. 52-62
Author(s):  
Nadeem Khan Et al.,
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Training ◽  
Classroom Environment ◽  
Group Work ◽  
Research University ◽  
Good Relationship ◽  
Related Literature ◽  
Organization And Management ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Strongly Agree ◽  
Good Organization

The present study was designed to investigate the problems in creating a conducive classroom environment in teacher training institutes. The main objective of the study was to pinpoint the perceptions of teachers and students in creating conducive classroom environment. Teachers and students of the Institute of Education and Research, University of Peshawar were taken as population for conducting the research. Ten students each from different semesters and M.Ed were selected randomly as a sample. Similarly, 10 teachers teaching at the institute were also selected as a sample. So, 50 students and ten teachers constituted the sample size of the study. The questionnaire was prepared by a thorough study of the review of the related literature and mutual discussion among the experts. The strongly agree and agree were converted into agreeing, whereas, disagree and strongly disagree were changed into disagreeing. The data were tabulated and then analyzed through percentages. The main conclusions of the study are: Disrespect in the classroom leads to frustration, the climate of the classroom needs to be conducive, there should be no noise and interference, and teacher should value the language in the classroom and that there should be a proper methodology and use of A.V Aids in the classroom. The study recommended that the classroom can be made free of emotional frustration for the students as well as the teachers, good organization and management in the classroom is necessary for conducive learning environment, the classroom may be suitable for group work and activities, workshops and seminars can be arranged for the teachers and that there may be good relationship among the teachers and students.

scholarly journals Impact of Teacher-Learner Rapport on L2 Learning: A Study of Public Sector University, Sindh Pakistan

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 87
Author(s):  
Aisha Bhatti ◽  
Habibullah Pathan ◽  
Syed Waqar Ali Shah
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Classroom Environment ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Nonparametric Test ◽  
Research Paper ◽  
L2 Learning

Nowadays English language plays a crucial role in every field of educational institutes in Pakistan. It is considered as the base of education because the entire scientific studies are in English. The topic of this research paper is impact of teacher-Learner rapport on L2 learning. In today’s civilization having positive teacher-student rapport is more vital than ever before. The purpose of my research paper is to know learners’ point of view about impact of teacher-learner rapport on second language learning. Total 209 participants were selected through random sampling. There are three main public sector universities in Jamshoro, Sindh and among those universities I have selected UoSJ and MUET. The data was conducted quantitatively thus Kendall's tau-b correlation coefficient a nonparametric test was applied to measure the correlation between impact of teacher-learner rapport on second language learning proficiency. The study findings clearly depict that there is strong positive relationship between rapports and second language learning. Undoubtedly for successful learning and teaching outcomes, it is very essential to create rapport for positive classroom environment which provides the enormous opportunities and appropriate conditions to enhance and improve students’ classroom performance in L2 learning. Therefore, at higher/ tertiary level education, teaching and learning environment requires more attention on teacher-learner rapport because at this level learners are more aware and mature enough to understand the ways teacher behaves that directly impacts on leaner’s psychological nurturing and willful leaning.

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