Formalizing Informal CALL in Learning English Language Skills

Author(s):  
Norizan Abdul Razak ◽  
Amr Abdullatif Yassin ◽  
Tg Nor Rizan Tg Mohamad Maasum

This chapter aimed at exploring how to formalize informal CALL in learning English language skills. The focus of the study was on learners' ICT skills and learning strategies and CALL elements. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with four learners. The findings showed that adult learners in this age of technology do not need any training to use CALL to study English language. Moreover, adult learners have acquired the learning strategies needed for studying English informally through CALL. In terms of CALL elements, the findings showed that there is a need to integrate the elements of behaviorist CALL, cognitive CALL, and constructivist CALL to make informal CALL more effective. Therefore, the focus should be directed to providing professionally-designed CALL tools that suffice the needs of the learners by those who have educational background about language teaching and learning. This will enhance informal CALL learning and make self-directed learning more efficient.

Author(s):  
Mohammad Abd Alhafeez Ali Ta’amneh

This study investigated students’ perspectives about the use of smartphones in learning English language skills. It discussed the benefits and difficulties of using smartphones in the process of learning. The sample consisted of one hundred and fifty-one students enrolled in the first semester of the academic year 2019/2020 in different English courses taught at Taibah University (Badr Branch). The researcher designed a questionnaire depending on the previous studies investigated the role of smartphones in the process of teaching and learning. The participants were asked to decide at which level they agreed with each statement. The researcher analyzed data through Statistical Package for Social Sciences by applying mean scores and standard deviations. The results according to the students’ answers were positive with moderate usage of their smartphones in their attempt to learn English. Moreover, the results showed that there were no difficulties faced by students during the process of learning through smartphones.


Author(s):  
Faiz Ushbah Mubarok ◽  
Atiqah Nurul Asri

Due to the pandemic condition, we rely more on the technology usage. Technology presents us plentiful advantages and features in the teaching and learning. Specifically in smart phones, android nowadays offer numerous applications of language learning in Play Store. This article shows the benefits of Android applications namely Duolingo, Busuu, Rosetta Store, and Memrise in learning English language. These apps enhance the user’s four language skills mastery using games, riddles and other various ways. By learning language independently, students may also their cognitive, meta-cognitive and affective skills. It aids learners to gain their goals in a fun and enjoyable ways. Further, it is also beneficial in terms of improving students’ motivation and confidence, easy and simple, practical and entertaining, and sustainability. 


2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-51
Author(s):  
Welliam Hamer ◽  
Ledy Nur Lely

This article aims at sharing information on how pictionary game is used to increase the learners’ vacabulary mastery in the process of teaching and learning. It is clear that vocabulary is one of components of English language. When the learners are reading, they need to master vocabulary related to certain topic. Therefore vocabulary is important thing in learning English. However, mastering English vocabularies is not easy. English is foreign language in which learning English is often considered to be difficult to comprehend. This problem can be seen from the unsatisfactory result when learning English. The learning processs commonly used in the classroom just puts the teacher as a center of learning. It means that the teacher always dominates him/herself to teach, not to focus on how the learners learn effectively. This makes the learners passive and less interested in following the course of learning. In fact the learners’ interest is the most important factor in the study. Interest can be developed if the learning process run with fun, vary, and conducive athmosphere. There are many factors that can support the existance of an increase in the study, i.e. teachers, learners, materials, media, methods, and other learning sources. One factor that can help the learners learn vocabulary is the use of pictionary game. In this study, pictionary game is a classic game of drawing and guessing pictures. Pictionary game can also increase the imagination of learners, where learners are asked to draw according to the word given by the teachers. Things that are needed to play pictionary game are a list or card of vocabulary items, whiteboard, calkboard, or smart board and markers. Pictionary game will help learners to get involved in classroom activities. Other advantages of using pictionary game can be concluded that it provides fun language practice in the various language skills.


Author(s):  
Robert Kennelly ◽  
Anna Maldoni ◽  
Doug Davies

This paper contributes to the growing body of knowledge that supports a disciplinebased approach to academic and language development. To address the academic literacy needs of both international English as an Additional Language (EAL) and domestic students, universities are moving from generic to embedded models of teaching. This project was motivated by the realisation that students had unmet needs in terms of the academic competence required for successful tertiary study. This demonstrates a lack of educational integrity on behalf of the universities to ensure that students gain sufficient academic and language skills for success in firstyear university study. This paper reports on the use of a teaching and learning model which demonstrates the effectiveness of embedding the development of academic and language skills within a particular discipline for EAL students and others. The unique contribution of this paper is that it uses a team-taught approach across two disciplines. It shows that discipline management specialists working in conjunction with English language specialists provide a reconsideration of teaching and learning strategies and modes of assessment that lead to better outcomes for both students and staff. Success of the programme was indicated by student assessment, attendance data, student evaluations, and reflection of peer teaching practices. Finally, the paper makes recommendations for the inclusion of embedded programmes in first-year university study using a diagnostic tool to determine specific student needs. Longitudinal studies need to be undertaken to ascertain specifically whether the benefits of discipline-based programmes are sustained in the longer term and additionally why many “at risk” students do not participate in the programme.


Author(s):  
Rini Lindawati

Most university students are struggling in learning English as Foreign Language. The utilization of an extensive reading strategy will potentially promote more striking influential impacts on EFL learners’ target language proficiency. The students' perceptions influence the success of teaching and learning English. The research aimed to know the students’ perception of Extensive Reading in EFL contexts. The researcher used the Qualitative Research method. This study was conducted in Universitas Islam Majapahit. The researcher selected twelve senior students of the English language education department who have already received the extensive reading subject in their previous semesters. The researcher collected the data through semi-structured interviews. The data were then analyzed by following Miles and Huberman’s (1994) framework. The results showed that the students had positive perceptions toward Extensive Reading practices. They considered if Extensive Reading is a reading activity for pleasure and information search where they can read material without any restraint. Besides, Extensive Reading also contributed to developing their comprehension and English skills such as listening, speaking, reading, writing, vocabulary mastery, and grammar. Moreover, Extensive Reading enabled them to enjoy the learning experience.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 114-126
Author(s):  
Md. Habibur Rahman ◽  
Md. Musrifur Jelane

Conducting needs analysis is a prevalent phenomenon in designing curriculum in language teaching and learning. This paper explored the English language needs of engineering students at the tertiary level of education in Bangladesh vis-à-vis four basic language skills. Moreover, this paper tried to shed some light on the gaps between learners’ present level of competence and target needs. This study followed the mixed approach (both quantitative approach and qualitative approach) to collect data through questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and focus group discussions. Under the random stratified sampling method, the study collected data from 99 undergraduate engineering students and 15 EFL teachers from different universities in Bangladesh. The findings of the study revealed that engineering students felt the ardent need for all the four major language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing). The findings also addressed the needs of the subskills regarding each language skill. Additionally, the offered courses were not adequately addressing the language needs of the students. Moreover, the duration and number of English language classes were not sufficient to meet the needs of the engineering students. Based on the findings, this study made some recommendations to minimize the gaps between engineering students’ present and target needs of the English language.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 6
Author(s):  
Mohammed Mahib UR Rahman

Language learning strategies (LLS) play a significant part in learning a second or foreign language. These strategies support and simplify the process of language learning for students. Hence, this study endeavors to investigate LLS applied by students at the Department of English Language and Translation, Qassim University in learning English language as a foreign language. The present study applied “Strategy Inventory for Language Learning” (SILL), which was established by Oxford (1990) to collect data. 30 students from level four took part voluntarily, and later data was analyzed to provide means, distribution of frequencies, standard deviation, percentages, and total scores of data set. The study discloses that EFL students were accustomed to the whole six LLS groups. Moreover, the study also reveals that some students used more LLS than other students, although the difference was significant across all students. These LLS groups are; “compensation, social strategies, affective, cognitive, metacognitive, and memory with a medium level of frequency use for over-all strategies (M = 3.49)”. The most repeatedly applied strategies by students of level four from these six strategies are as follows from the top “metacognitive, compensation, social, memory, cognitive, and affective strategies”. The findings would help teachers and students to be aware of LLS while in teaching and learning English as a foreign language.


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