scholarly journals A survey of gender politics and the use of English among students of the department of English studies, University of Port Harcourt

Author(s):  
Joseph O. Ahaotu ◽  
Iworifama. R. Tobiahs

This study investigated feminist consciousness and the differences in the use of English language among undergraduates in the Department of English Studies (EST), University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The theoretical basis of the study is Radical Feminism and the researchers used a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) to collect data for the study. The researchers collected data from three groups each of which consisted of ten final year students who formed panels to discuss gender issues while the researchers moderated. The data was analysed with framework analysis, simple percentages, and significant ratios. The study revealed that the participants were actively engaged in gender politics, used English in significantly different styles, but tended to be equally divided on their total allegiance to their gender groups. The study concluded that EST students are actively engaged in gender politics and confirmed the existence of some of the differences between male and female speech identified by earlier studies. Therefore, it recommended, among others, that curriculum design on the subject should shift from aggression and divisiveness to integration and mutual respect for not just named gender groups, but also for all humans. Key Words: gender politics, Feminism, focal group discussion, gender and language, variation

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-83
Author(s):  
Zifirdaus Adnan ◽  
Safnil Arsyad ◽  
Bambang Kaswanti Purwo ◽  
Katharina Endriati Sukamto

There has been a great deal of interest in issues multilingual scholars (henceforth: MLS) have in trying to gain publication in international main-stream English language journals (IEJs). However, little research has been published on the experience of MLS using their perspective, particularly how they perceive their competence (knowledge and skills) to publish their research internationally. The purpose of this study was to fill this gap by investigating what they perceived as the factors that inhibited them from publishing in IEJs. This study mainly used a quantitative method, but the results were supplemented with interviews and focus group discussion with some of the participants in the survey. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) tool of the SPSS statistical programme was used to conduct two levels of analysis: the PCA and Confirmation Factorial Analysis (CFA). The key finding was that the most critical factor for the participants was not a lack of funds as widely reported in many previous studies, but lack of competence to face the challenges of preparing and publishing research article (RA) in IEJs, which had dampened self-confidence. The low self-confidence and two solutions, suggested by the participants, implicitly confirmed the key finding. The participants were aware of the various benefits of research article publication in IEJs, but they were not strong enough to overcome the critical factor. The implication is that policymakers should consider providing regular training for staff with adequate practice and feedback and introducing the subject to undergraduate or, at least, MA students before they embark on starting their research projects.


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salim Nabhan ◽  
Rahmad Hidayat

This study attempts to investigate the literacy practices of EFL teaching and learning in higher education level from multiliteracies and multimodal perspective. Mixed methods were used: questionaires to the students, interviews with both teachers and students, focus group discussion with students, observation, and documents. The study was focused on the English reading and writing classroom activities. The results of the study revealed that most participating students frequently utilized on screen text and digital devices instead of printed paper in their reading and writing activities. In addition, despite the fact that teachers still used print-based literacy, they supported the adoption of digital and multimodal literacy in their teaching. The findings also indicated that there was mostly misconception of English literacy skills limited to the only targeted skills of English language, and yet the nature of reading and writing practices has developed towards incorportion of printed based texts with multimodal texts. Nevertheless, some challenges occured in integrating multimodality into practices including curriculum design and different learners’ qualification. Findings collected from the this study might have implications for the curriculum development within the framework of multiliteracies and multimodality in the contemporary teaching and learning English language particularly in response to the emergence of technology.


2015 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 59 ◽  
Author(s):  
María Martínez-Lirola

<p><span lang="EN-GB">The study reported in this paper focuses on the use of Genre Theory as an appropriate framework for English L2 writing in the subject English Language III of the degree course in English Studies. We analysed 115 recounts written by students on this course at the University of Alicante (Spain) after they had studied different text types following Genre Theory. </span><span lang="EN-GB">This Theory was applied in order to increase students’ literacy skills through the study of text types and specific grammatical characteristics that appear in these texts. This study will show that using the Theory of Genre as a framework to teach academic writing helped students to improve their writing skills.<strong> </strong>The results of the texts analysed suggest that exposing students to good models of different text types, paying special attention to recounts, and asking them to write texts based on these models, improves students’ texts from the grammatical and the textual point of view.</span></p>


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad Ubaidillah ◽  
Misbahul Khoir

The objectives of research include; first, to describe what local Islamic working ethos are as the basis for the resilience of songkok, whip and slap handicraft businesses in Serah Panceng Gresik Village. Second, to describe the resilience of the songkok, whip and slap handicraft business in the village of Serah Panceng Gresik. This study is a qualitative-descriptive study with the aim of understanding the phenomena experienced by the subject of research including behavior, perception, motivation, and action holistically by utilizing various scientific methods. Data collection methods include; Observation, In-depth Interview or Focus Group Discussion, Documentation. Data analysis techniques include: processing and preparing data for analysis, reading the entire data, analyzing in more detail by coding data, considering detailed instructions that can help the coding process, giving descriptions that will be presented in the report, interpreting and interpreting data. The results showed that in Serah Village local Islamic working ethos were preserved by the community, such as alms giving, reading dziba', reading tahlil, attending haul akbar, and reading sholawat together every Friday. Although in the tradition it does not involve songkok, whip, and slap directly, there is a good impact to support the resilience of songkok, but not whip, and slap production. Religious rituals by praying together asking Allah to facilitate and carry out business in production songkok, whip, and slap are an expression of gratitude for what God gave to the people of Serah Village. All economic activity done by Serah community is meant to get God’s willing. Keywords: Islamic Working Ethos, Handicraft Businesses


2000 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Garry D. Carnegie ◽  
Brad N. Potter

While accounting researchers have explored international publishing patterns in the accounting literature generally, little is known about recent contributions to the specialist international accounting history journals. Specifically, this study surveys publishing patterns in the three specialist, internationally refereed, accounting history journals in the English language during the period 1996 to 1999. The survey covers 149 contributions in total and provides empirical evidence on the location of their authors, the subject country or region in each investigation, and the time span of each study. It also classifies the literature examined based on the literature classification framework provided by Carnegie and Napier [1996].


2020 ◽  
pp. 209653112097017
Author(s):  
Liwei Wei ◽  
P. Karen Murphy ◽  
Shenghui Wu

Purpose: Conducting meaningful interactions in the target language is essential for language learning. However, in many English language classrooms in China, it is rare that students are provided with such opportunities. In the current study, we presented and critically evaluated the implementation of a small-group discussion approach called Quality Talk (QT) in an eighth-grade English language classroom in China. Design/Approach/Methods: One eighth-grade English teacher and 82 eighth-grade students in a public middle school in Beijing participated in the study using a pretest-posttest, quasi-experimental design. Recordings of teacher coaching sessions and student discussions, researchers’ field notes, and participating teacher’s written reflections were used to identify successful practices and lessons learned with respect to the implementation of QT. Implications for future directions were also discussed. Findings: The results revealed that to successfully implement a discourse-intensive pedagogical approach in a large English language class, it is essential that (a) the materials used for discussion closely align with the school curriculum, (b) students are grouped heterogeneously and scaffolded to engage in discussions both in their native and target languages, and (c) student leadership be leveraged to facilitate discussion in each small group. Originality/Value: The present study delineated the details with respect to implementing a discourse-intensive pedagogical approach in an eighth-grade English classroom in China. We derived several key insights from recontextualizing QT in an English learning, large class context in China. These insights might hold the potential to improve the effectiveness of English teaching and learning in China.


Author(s):  
YI MENG CHENG

Abstract A fresh look at the 1888 Sikkim Expedition using both Chinese and English language sources yields very different conclusions from that of previous research on the subject. During the course of policymaking, the British Foreign Office and the British Government of India did not collaborate to devise a plan to invade Tibet; conversely, their aims differed and clashed frequently. During the years leading to war, the largest newspapers in British India gave plenty of coverage to the benefits of trade with Tibet, thus influencing British foreign policy and contributing indirectly to the outbreak of war. The Tibetan army was soundly defeated in the war, while the British troops suffered only light casualties. Although the Tibetan elites remained committed to the war, the lower classes of Tibetan society quickly grew weary of it. During the war, the British made much use of local spies and enjoyed an advantage in intelligence gathering, which contributed greatly to their victory. Finally, although the war was initially fought over trade issues, the demarcation of the Tibetan-Sikkim border replaced trade issues as the main point of contention during the subsequent peace negotiations. During the negotiations, Sheng Tai, the newly appointed Amban of Tibet, tried his best to defend China's interests.


Pragmatics ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 499-517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleni Petraki ◽  
Sarah Bayes

Research in English language teaching has highlighted the importance of teaching communication skills in the language classroom. Against the backdrop of extensive research in everyday communication, the goal of this research was to explore whether current discourse analytic research is reflected in the lessons and communication examples of five English language teaching textbooks, by using spoken requests as the subject of investigation. The textbooks were evaluated on five criteria deriving from research on politeness, speech act theory and conversation analysis. These included whether and the extent to which the textbooks discussed the cultural appropriateness of requests, discussed the relationship of requests and other contextual factors, explained pre-sequences and re-requests and provided adequate practice activities. This study found that none of the coursebooks covered all of the criteria and that some coursebooks actually had very inadequate lessons. The results of the textbook analysis demonstrate that teachers using these five coursebooks and designers of future coursebooks must improve their lessons on requests by using pragmatics research and authentic examples as a guide.


1892 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-55
Author(s):  
Blackie

I will commence by stating that three reasons have moved me to bring this subject before the Society—(1) Because I found everywhere loose and even altogether false ideas possessing the public mind on the subject; (2) because I much fear that we, the academical teachers of the Greek language, are chiefly to blame for the currency of these false ideas; and (3) because, if Greek is a living and uncorrupted language, and dominating large districts of Europe and the Mediterranean, as influentially as French on the banks of the Seine and German on the Rhine, it follows that a radical reform must take place in our received methods of teaching this noble and most useful language. Now that the current language of the Greeks in Athens and elsewhere is not, in any sense, a new or a corrupt language, as Italian is a melodious and French a glittering corruption of Latin, may be gathered even a priori; for languages are slow to die, and the time that elapsed from the taking of Constantinople by the Turks in 1453 and the establishment of the Venetian power in the Morea in 1204, to the resurrection of Greek political life in 1822, was not long enough to cause such a fusion of contrary elements as produced the English language from the permanent occupation of the British Isles by the Normans.


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