The effects of language and communication training on nursing students’ self-perceived communicative competence

2021 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-137
Author(s):  
Marilize Pretorius
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Students ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Training Programme ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Awareness Raising

Nursing students are typically unable to identify and label their language-learning needs accurately, which can impact on their learning behaviour and learning outcomes. Gathering information about learners’ perceptions of their communicative competence, as indicators of their learning needs, can guide pedagogic decisions made during training as well as being used to evaluate the effects of training. This study focuses on changes in nursing students’ perceptions of their communicative competence from before to after training. A pre- and post- training questionnaire on self-perceived communicative competence is used to investigate changes in nursing students (n=27) self-perceptions during an English language-training programme. The results show that the participants’ self-perceived communicative competence increases significantly from before to after training. However, while the Culture and Rapport components of overall communicative competence show significant increase from before to after training, the Comprehension component does not. These results indicate the effects of the training on the changes in learners’ perceptions of their communicative competence, which holds implications for the design and implementation of training, particularly in terms of awareness raising activities that can help language learners become competence accommodators.

scholarly journals LEARNERS’ STRATEGIES TO DEVELOP THEIR COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-279
Author(s):  
Durga Bhusal
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Affecting Factors ◽  
Language Learning Strategies ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
The One

Language Learning Strategies (LLSs) are specific actions, behaviors, steps, or techniques that the learners use them to improve their performance which is important for L2/FL learning and teaching. These strategies are as affecting factors on success or failure of the language learning process. Hence, this paper explores the English language learners’ learning strategies to develop their communicative competence within the theoretical stance of Oxford’s 1990 Language Learning Strategies (LLSs). The study is qualitative in nature where four participants were interviewed to understand their ontological perspectives and practices of different LLSs to enhance their communicative ability in English. The findings show the learners seemed to be usual strategy users. However, social, affective, and metacognitive strategies frequent strategies for developing their communicative competence. It further depicts learners are not always aware of the influence of consciously using language learning strategies for making their learning quicker and more effective. Thus, the teachers need to be the one who helps their students develop the awareness of language learning strategies and enable them to use a wider range of appropriate strategies for further success in their communicative competence.

scholarly journals What are the perceptions of stakeholders of an online ESOL programme?: The case of one intermediate school in New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Annette Tate
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Learning ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Intermediate School ◽  
Second Language Teacher

<p>Online teaching for English language learners in New Zealand schools is a recent phenomenon. Increasingly complex technologies allow expanding and far reaching options in the teaching practices of English, particularly to those students in remote geographical areas, or in schools with no qualified English as a second language teacher. This qualitative research project investigated the case of one intermediate school that adopted online English language learning to meet the learning needs of their English language learners. Stakeholders’ perceptions of barriers and facilitators to learning were reported and examined. Data indicated research participants formed three distinct groups according to the extent of their involvement in the daily programme; their communication about English language learning and the particular online programme they were using; and their understanding of the purposes and processes of the online English language programme. These three factors influenced stakeholders’ perceptions of the value of online English language learning. The more actively stakeholders were involved, communicated about and understood the online English language learning programme, the more they were convinced of its value. These findings suggest that stakeholders who have a more peripheral involvement may benefit from increased opportunities to connect with other stakeholders in the programme. Online English language learning is likely to be enhanced if formal and informal structures are developed to allow stakeholders to develop greater involvement, opportunities for communication and knowledge of the programme.</p>

scholarly journals Development of Oral Communicative Competence: A Teachers’ Perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-216
Author(s):  
Dr.Naureen Mumtaz ◽  
Dr. Uzma Quraishi
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Quantitative Approach ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Verbal Expression ◽  
English As Foreign Language

This study was an attempt to determine the point to which the English language textbook, “English for Class 8” prescribed by the Punjab Textbook Board fulfills the learners ‘language learning needs of English as foreign language in Pakistan. The study aimed to explore as to what degree the suggested textbook increases the likelihood of learning the language and the diligent effort to development oral communicative competence (OCC) among the target learners. A quantitative approach enabled the researcher to comprehensively answer the research question. The results indicate that the relevant course book fails to facilitate the target learners to acquire English as foreign language to enable them to use the language for communicative purposes.  The tasks presented in the textbook, do not focus on sociolinguistic and extended verbal expression in speech of the target language. By including tasks that challenge the learners to engage themselves in producing meaningful utterances, the present English language textbook can become even better a tool to develop speech proficiency.  

scholarly journals What are the perceptions of stakeholders of an online ESOL programme?: The case of one intermediate school in New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Annette Tate
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Learning ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Intermediate School ◽  
Second Language Teacher

<p>Online teaching for English language learners in New Zealand schools is a recent phenomenon. Increasingly complex technologies allow expanding and far reaching options in the teaching practices of English, particularly to those students in remote geographical areas, or in schools with no qualified English as a second language teacher. This qualitative research project investigated the case of one intermediate school that adopted online English language learning to meet the learning needs of their English language learners. Stakeholders’ perceptions of barriers and facilitators to learning were reported and examined. Data indicated research participants formed three distinct groups according to the extent of their involvement in the daily programme; their communication about English language learning and the particular online programme they were using; and their understanding of the purposes and processes of the online English language programme. These three factors influenced stakeholders’ perceptions of the value of online English language learning. The more actively stakeholders were involved, communicated about and understood the online English language learning programme, the more they were convinced of its value. These findings suggest that stakeholders who have a more peripheral involvement may benefit from increased opportunities to connect with other stakeholders in the programme. Online English language learning is likely to be enhanced if formal and informal structures are developed to allow stakeholders to develop greater involvement, opportunities for communication and knowledge of the programme.</p>

scholarly journals “I Have Big, Big, BIG Dream!”

Refuge ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-163
Author(s):  
Li-Shih Huang
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Needs Assessment ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Oral Production ◽  
Data Content

This article reports on a study involving multiple sources of data that captured adult Syrian refugee learners’ unique language-learning needs by developing and implementing needs assessment surveys; conducting in-depth, semi-structured interviews with the learners and teachers; and analyzing the learners’ oral production. The insights gained from the analysis of direct data (the learners’ oral production) and indirect data (content analysis using NVivo 12 Plus of the learning needs reported by learners and teachers) are intended to inform the work of researchers conducting needs assessment as well as the practices that are applicable within and beyond the Canadian context of instructors and material developers working with English-language learners who are refugees.

Needs Analysis and Teachers' Perceptions: A Study of the English Undergraduate Students

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
Needs Analysis ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
English Learning ◽  
Visual Aids ◽  
Analysis Model ◽  
Classroom Activities ◽  
Teaching Aids

Needs Analysis in the context of language-learning-teaching is an important process to design a certain course and syllabus. It helps course designers to set objectives, choose content, method of instruction, appropriate teaching aids, and classroom activities for different courses. This paper reports the perceptions of the researchers on the English language learning needs of the English undergraduate students of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University Sheringal, Pakistan. The data is based on the researchers’ personal experience and first-hand observation of the population as the researchers have been teaching in the target context for about a decade. Furthermore, the researchers have always been in discussion with their students and colleagues about the target students’ English learning needs, preferred learning styles, motivation in learning English, interest, strengths/weaknesses, and attitude toward English learning in the target setting. Learners’ assignments, exam answer sheets, and presentations have also been used is a source of data collection. A needs analysis model proposed by Hutchinson and Waters (1987) has been applied in order to analyze the data. The results show that the students lack well grammatical sentences, have poor spellings, capitalization problems, limited vocabulary, unaware of collocations, poor/slow reading comprehension, and lack of effective presentation skills. Furthermore, most of the students have a lack of involvement in classroom activities and feel shy about speaking the English language. It was reported that the provision of authentic material, interesting activities, suitable audio-visual aids, relevant texts, language labs, and other logistic arrangements can better help them in learning the English language. The findings demonstrate that the students wished to have a learner-centered-course that helps them excel in their academic life and learning the English language.

The Analyses of Learning Strategies in English as a Second Language: Theoretical Classification and Measurement Test

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 118-129
Author(s):  
Asti Gumartifa ◽  
◽  
Indah Windra Dwie Agustiani
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
English Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Effective Learning ◽  
The Impact

Gaining English language learning effectively has been discussed all years long. Similarly, Learners have various troubles outcomes in the learning process. Creating a joyful and comfortable situation must be considered by learners. Thus, the implementation of effective learning strategies is certainly necessary for English learners. This descriptive study has two purposes: first, to introduce the classification and characterization of learning strategies such as; memory, cognitive, metacognitive, compensation, social, and affective strategies that are used by learners in the classroom and second, it provides some questionnaires item based on Strategy of Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) version 5.0 that can be used to examine the frequency of students’ learning strategies in the learning process. The summary of this study explains and discusses the researchers’ point of view on the impact of learning outcomes by learning strategies used. Finally, utilizing appropriate learning strategies are certainly beneficial for both teachers and learners to achieve the learning target effectively.

Teaching Adult Second Language Learners Who Are Emergent Readers

2011 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 120-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martha Bigelow ◽  
Patsy Vinogradov
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Formal Schooling ◽  
Emergent Readers ◽  
Print Literacy ◽  
Historical Issues

Some second language (L2) learners are unique in that they bring low print literacy and limited formal schooling to the language learning enterprise. A range of personal, economic, historical, and political circumstances bring them to highly literate, industrialized societies where print literacy becomes not only desirable but necessary to earn a living and participate in a range of everyday activities. This article is a review of current research related to this population of learners for the purpose of informing educators about their particular teaching and learning needs. While the emphasis is on scholarship focused on adult L2 emergent readers, attention is also given to related research with bi- and multilingual children and monolingual adults who are not print literate. Finally, sociopolitical and historical issues are touched upon with regard to broader policy matters that may have contributed to or perpetuate low print literacy.

scholarly journals A Study of Language Anxiety among English Language Learners in Saudi Arabia

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Badia Muntazer Hakim
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Language Anxiety ◽  
Self Awareness

Classroom anxiety is a recurrent phenomenon for language learners. There are various factors that cause language anxiety, the most common of which include learners’ excessive self-consciousness and self-awareness concerning their oral reproduction and performance and their peculiar, and quite often misplaced and mistaken, views and beliefs regarding different approaches. Other potential reasons for this problem could include the fear, and the consequent deterrence occasioned thereof, of encountering difficulties in language learning, specifically learners’ individual problems regarding the culture of the target language and the varying social statuses of speakers. The most important fear is, perhaps, the deterrent fear of causing damage to one’s self-identity. Therefore, while needing to paying special attention to language learners’ anxiety reactions, language teachers have a crucial role in helping their students achieve the expected performance goals in the target language. Another factor that could potentially lead to language anxiety is simply the poor command of the target language. This problem could be attributed to linguistic barriers and obstacles language learners encounter in learning and using the target language. In the current study, using a qualitative, semi-structured interview and the focus-group discussion technique, the researcher aims to investigate the factors that contribute to language anxiety among Arab language learners. It focuses on learners both within the classroom setting and without, i.e. in the social context, and recommends a number of approaches to manage and overcome this problem.

scholarly journals INVESTIGATING EXPERIENCED AND NOVICE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS` PERCEPTIONS of MOST USEFUL VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES (VLS)

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 288-295
Author(s):  
Elnaz Zariholhosseini ◽  
Ehsan Namaziandost ◽  
Mehdi Nasri
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Vocabulary Learning ◽  
New Words ◽  
Novice Learners ◽  
Vocabulary Learning Strategies ◽  
Personal Use

Purpose of the study: This article report’s findings from a study on the differences and similarities between experienced and novice English language learners with regards to their personal use of VLS. Methodology: Closed questionnaire and semi-structure interviews were applied to collect the data. The questionnaire was distributed among 60 (30 experienced learners and 30 novice learners). In addition, 20 learners (10 experienced learners and 10 novice learners) were asked to answer the questions in the interview. Therefore, descriptive statistics, U Mann Whitney test, and independent-sample t-test were run to compare and analyzed the data. Main Findings: The finding showed that there were significant differences between experienced and novice learners’ thoughts towards vocabulary learning strategies and experienced learners used vocabulary learning strategies while learning new words in English language learning. Applications of this study: If the learners are taught how to use each strategy correctly, their understanding of the language can naturally be improved. Moreover, VLS is beneficial throughout the process of vocabulary learning which makes learners more independent and allows teachers to focus on other things as well. Novelty/Originality of this study: To the best of researchers’ knowledge, no study has been done on investigating Iranian experienced and novice English language learners` perceptions towards most useful vocabulary learning strategies (VLS).

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