Improving Learners' Speaking Skills with Podcasts

2009 ◽  
pp. 313-330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pete Travis ◽  
Fiona Joseph
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Web 2.0 ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Internet Telephony ◽  
Language Courses ◽  
Speaking Skills

In particular, this chapter looks at the potential role of Web 2.0 technologies and podcasting to act as a transformational force within language education. Using a case study approach, the researchers describe a project to create a series of podcasts called “Splendid Speaking” based on authentic speech recordings of English language learners from around the world. The aim of the project was to utilize a Web 2.0 technology, podcasting, to improve the speaking skills of upper-intermediate to advanced level learners. Central to this project was the question of how popular a podcasting service would be with the target audience of English language learners and teachers. The Splendid Speaking podcasts were enabled by the use of Skype, a free Internet telephony system, and other low-cost and free software to edit and publish the podcasts. It is hoped that teachers and curriculum planners reading this chapter will be able to evaluate the possibilities of creating podcasts to deliver elements of their language courses.

Flipgrid for Developing and Assessing English Language Learners' Speaking Skills

2022 ◽  
pp. 96-113
Author(s):  
Zeynep Çetin Köroğlu ◽  
Özlem Utku Bilici
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Lesson Plan ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Language Classes ◽  
Speaking Skills

Foreign language speaking skills as productive skills are considered one of the concrete shreds of evidence for language proficiency. For this reason, teaching and measuring foreign language speaking skills ability has great importance for all levels of education. Especially with the developing technology, there are various educational tools for teaching and measuring speaking skills in a foreign language. In the present study, the application of Flipgrid will be introduced and examined as one of these tools, and accordingly, a lesson plan will be prepared showing how the tool can be used in foreign language classes. It is thought that the current study will contribute to teachers' professional developments who are working in the field of foreign language education, to teacher educators, and to students who learn English as a foreign language.

scholarly journals The Struggling English Language Learners: Case Studies of English Language Learning Difficulties in EFL Context

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (11) ◽  
pp. 108
Author(s):  
Sultan H. Alharbi
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Learning Difficulties ◽  
English Language Proficiency ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Language Courses

The term ‘struggling language learner’ is one that is usually ascribed to students who are trying, without much success to master the English language in an academic setting. As a case study, this study was carried out to gain insights into the ‘struggles’ of the struggling English as a foreign language (EFL) learners. Ten students were selected from those with the 20th least percentile in their English language courses. Observation of and discussion with these categories of learners revealed that many language learners had a point at which they began to take learning English language more seriously. In such positive or negative situations, their language learning journey improved therefrom. The findings showed that 80% of the participants believed that their English language proficiency was ‘very good’, while 20% of these participants believed that their English language proficiency was ‘average’. Also, the findings indicated that there was a statistically significant association (i.e., p < .05) between English language proficiency of the learners and the following observable attributes: willingness to learn for educational purposes; willingness to learn for career development; and students’ continuation without losing focus. The study proposes a fresh evaluation of the problems faced by EFL struggling learners by bringing to light a multifaceted, meaningful consideration of their learning attitudes from socio-psychological point of view, offering a comprehensive account of these learners and their learning difficulties as well as their attitudes and outlook while taking lessons as freshmen at the university.  

Assessing English Language Learners: A Perplexing Puzzle

2008 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 45-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margo Gottlieb ◽  
Cristina Sanchez-Lopez
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Language Impairment ◽  
Specific Language Impairment ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Specific Language ◽  
Full Complement

Abstract The intersection of language education and special education is not clearly marked for linguistically and culturally diverse students; some qualify as English language learners; others as English language learners with disabilities or specific language impairment; still others with only disabilities or specific language impairment. It is often perplexing to try to decipher which category is most appropriate and, consequently, how best to serve these students. Assessment data, if reliable and valid, coupled with historical information, can help define the pathway to educational success for the fastest growing segment of our school population. This article shares the challenges facing educators of English language learners and attempts to show how proper assessment can guide educational decision making. We pose that for English language learners, assessment must entail the gathering of information from multiple sources on their language proficiency and academic achievement in both English and their native language. In that way, we obtain a comprehensive portrait of the students' full complement of knowledge and skills. Ultimately, English as a Second Language or bilingual teachers working along with speech-language pathologists need to collaborate in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data to afford English language learners optimal opportunities for success in school.

scholarly journals WHERE LANGUAGE AND ENGINEERING MEET: FOSTERING EMERGING ENGINEERING IDENTITIES AMONG INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keely Cook ◽  
Raveet Jacob
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
First Year ◽  
Student Identity ◽  
Specific Content ◽  
Language Courses ◽  
The Impact ◽  
First Lego League ◽  
International English

  Abstract –This paper explores the impact of incorporating discipline-specific content into a university pathways program designed for first-year engineering English language learners.  In an effort to increase feelings of connectedness and encourage the development of student identity for students who must complete the bridging program before beginning full-degree studies, a collaboration with First-Year Engineering, FIRST Lego League and the Engineering IDEAS Clinics began whereby students worked with instructors, professors, and students from the Engineering Faculty as part of their language courses.  Student motivation and sense of faculty connection increased through the integration of these discipline-specific assessments and activities, and, overall the students reflected positively on these experiences.  

scholarly journals VirSbud: Key Characteristics, Applications, and its Future

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Radzuwan Ab Rashid ◽  
Saiful Bahri Mohamed ◽  
Mohd Fazry A. Rahman ◽  
Syadiah Nor Wan Shamsuddin
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Learning Materials ◽  
Key Characteristics ◽  
The Common ◽  
Common Problems ◽  
Speaking Skills

Learning a second language is not an easy task. Learners need to have enough support in terms of learning materials in order to be successful in mastering the language. One of the common problems faced by the second language learners is the difficulty to find the learning materials to develop their speaking skills. This is in contrast to the materials for the development of other language skills, such as reading and writing which are easily accessible from bookstores and resource centers. This paper introduces an innovative application named Virtual Speaking Buddy (VirSbud) which is specially designed to help second language learners develop their speaking skills. It is hoped that this application will be a useful resource to improve the standard of speaking skills among English language learners.

Learner perceptions and experiences of pride in second language education

2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 272-291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew S. Ross ◽  
Elke Stracke
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
English Language ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Language Learner

Within applied linguistics, understanding of motivation and cognition has benefitted from substantial attention for decades, but the attention received by language learner emotions has not been comparable until recently when interest in emotions and the role they can play in language learning has increased. Emotions are at the core of human experience, so a greater understanding of their impact on language learners is critical. In particular, the role and impact of positive emotions on learners and their learning experience has been overlooked in favour of a focus on issues of confidence and anxiety. One particular positive emotion that has a meaningful connection with the learning experience is that of pride. Drawing on qualitative interview data from tertiary English language learners in Australian universities, this article singles out pride as a means of confirming the critical role of positive emotions in language learning. The interviews revealed that pride had a significant impact on the experiences of learners. It was also discovered that within the notion of pride there exists a degree of dimensionality. Pride is felt in communicative contexts whereas a feeling of ‘non-pride’ can occur in learning contexts. The article also presents implications arising from the study concerning the place of emotions in language teaching and learning.

scholarly journals Olowalu Review: Developing identity through translanguaging in a multilingual literary magazine

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 109
Author(s):  
Alex Josef Kasula
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Only ◽  
Literary Magazine ◽  
Learning Policies

With the current trends in our globalized society, there is a clear increase in multilinguals rise; however, the understanding of multilingual identity and policy towards education stays relatively the same. Recent investigation in multilingualism in the US has shed light on the positive impacts of alternating policy in language education with regard to a greater understanding in how translanguaging and identity impact the language learner and language learning policies (Garcia & Wei, 2013). The following article describes the development of an online multilingual literary magazine, Olowalu Review, that aimed to provide English language learners in an English-only language policy a space to translanguage. Thus, having the opportunity to develop and express their multilingual identities. Goals and the development of the magazine are described in terms relating to current multilingual theory. While the outcomes and findings reveal how Olowalu Review enabled multilinguals to foster and exercise multilingual identities and skills, raise multilingual awareness, and act as an important multilingual artifact through an analysis of written submissions and interviews with authors. Pedagogical implications are discussed to empower language teachers, learners, or artists to develop the same or similar project for their own local, national, or global community. 

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