scholarly journals Foreign Language Teachers’ Perceptions of Error Correction in Speaking Classes: A Qualitative Study

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nuriye Değirmenci Uysal ◽  
Selami Aydin
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Error Correction ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Target Language ◽  
State University ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Teacher Training Programs ◽  
Correction Strategies

Limited studies have been conducted on the effects of error correction on acquiring oral proficiency and the teacher’s role as error corrector. Thus, the present study aims to investigate English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers’ perceptions of error correction in their speaking classes, reasons and types of errors they correct and their error correction strategies. The sample group in the study consisted of 15 English instructors working at a state university in Turkey. The data collection instruments consisted of a background questionnaire, reflections, interviews and essay papers. Results showed that EFL teachers seem to make corrections to improve learners’ accuracy during speaking, grammar and vocabulary knowledge and pronunciation skills and that EFL teachers believe that error correction may contribute to habit formation in terms of self-correction among students, pragmatic and appropriate use of the target language, learners’ accuracy and fluency. Another conclusion was concluded that teachers concentrate on pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary errors that directly distort meaning while speaking, and that they seem to use various strategies to correct errors. It was recommended that the curricula of teacher training programs should include topics to raise awareness of the issues such as reasons to make corrections, situations that require corrections, error types and correction strategies.

scholarly journals Pre-Service Foreign Language Teachers’ Perceptions of Research Skills: A Qualitative Study

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eda Elmas ◽  
Selami Aydin
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning Processes ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Research Skills ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Efl Teachers

While research skills seem significant for effective and successful foreign language teaching and learning, few studies focused on how English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers perceive research skills in the EFL teaching and learning processes. Research also lacks how EFL teachers perceive research skills and to what extent they are aware of the role, teacher as researcher. Thus, this study aims to explore pre-service EFL teachers’ perceptions of research skills for a deeper understanding of how their perceptions of research skills affect or contribute to the teaching and learning processes. The sample group in the study consisted of 44 pre-service EFL teachers studying at a state university. A background questionnaire, diaries, reflections and interviews were the tools to collect qualitative data. Results showed that research activities develop pre-service EFL teachers’ content knowledge, research skills and target language proficiency, while they perceive several problems during the process. The study suggests that research skills should be a must course in pre- and in-service teacher education programs.

scholarly journals Foreign Language Teachers’ Intercultural Competence as a New Aspect of Professional Development

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Merve Gazioğlu ◽  
Buket Tanyeri
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Private University ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Foreign Language Teachers ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Teacher Training Programs

This mixed-method study aims to offer an insight into foreign language teachers’ perceptions on the relationship between intercultural competence and professional development. It is also attempted to explore some methods for evaluating teachers’ intercultural competence through their professional development activities. The research participants are local and international instructors at a private university in Turkey. Data was collected via a web-based questionnaire adapted from Sercu (2006) and a semi-structured interview designed by the researchers. The general findings of the study indicate that learning about a) target culture, b) local culture, and c) international students’ culture contribute to foreign language teachers’ intercultural competence and it is considered as a part of their professional development. However, it is pointed out that pre-service and in-service teacher training programs in Turkey cannot provide sufficient facilities to develop teachers’ intercultural competence.  Key words: professional development, intercultural competence, foreign language teaching.  

scholarly journals Plurilingualism and monolingualism in foreign language classrooms: The perspective of EFL teachers in Saudi Arabia

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-29
Author(s):  
Ali Alsaawi
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Gulf Region ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Efl Teachers

Abstract The idea of teaching a target language via a monolingual medium of instruction in the classroom has long predominated in the pedagogical context. In Saudi Arabia, excluding the students’ mother tongue (Arabic) in the foreign language classroom has been seen as a tool that accelerates the acquisition of the target language (English). This is widely viewed as the most practical and effective method of language learning, especially in the Gulf region, where English is a foreign language employed in the fields of economics and business. The recent academic argument that exploiting the students’ linguistic repertoire, including the mother tongue, in the target language classroom boosts and fosters the students’ learning cycle is still encountering huge resistance, especially among second/foreign language teachers. To explore this dispute from the perspective of English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers in intermediate and secondary schools, a case study was conducted with 34 teachers in the Qassim region, Saudi Arabia, through questionnaires and a focus group interview. The study found that most teachers believe that the policy of using the target language (English) only is the most effective method of language learning. They employed the students’ mother tongue (Arabic) on an ad hoc basis to ensure complete comprehension, organize classroom tasks or convey personal remarks. In addition, the study revealed that teachers’ understanding of plurilingualism was unclear and limited to the verbal use of two languages, and that EFL teachers need more clarification on its application in the classroom.

scholarly journals Intercultural Competence in the Eyes of State School English Language Teachers in Turkey

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 56-75
Author(s):  
Nur Gedik Bal ◽  
Perihan Savas
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Language Classrooms ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
Foreign Language Classrooms

Equipping students with intercultural competence (hereafter IC) is a critical aim of English foreign language classrooms nowadays, and EFL teachers have emerged as essential players for accomplishing this. These teachers should essentially be competent in their intercultural skills so that they can pass these on to their students in order to foster interculturally competent language learners. However, teachers' perceptions regarding IC remain uncertain, particularly in the Turkish context. Thus, before asking teachers to apply methods and strategies so that they can enhance students’ IC in the classroom, it is vital that we investigate what they understand about IC. Therefore, this qualitative study aimed to reveal middle and high school teachers’ understanding of the IC phenomenon and their description of the characteristics of an interculturally competent foreign language learner and teacher. In addition, teachers’ perceptions regarding their own and their learners’ IC were also explored in this study. The participants were 30 middle and high school English language teachers teaching at state schools in Turkey. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect the data. MAXQDA was exploited in order to analyse the data, primarily to code, categorize, and systematize the findings. The results indicated that the teachers considered IC to be the ability to communicate with people from various cultures effectively, having knowledge about one’s own, target, and other cultures, and developing positive attitudes toward other cultures and societies. They also emphasized the inseparability of language and culture and the importance of English as an international language. The teachers also indicated why they viewed themselves and their learners as interculturally competent or incompetent, which could provide insight into where to start intercultural learning and teaching in foreign language classrooms and how to train EFL teachers about different dimensions of IC.

scholarly journals Replacing Translation Tests With Yes/No Tests

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 38-48
Author(s):  
Raymond Stubbe ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Classroom Teachers ◽  
Prediction Formula ◽  
Foreign Language Teachers ◽  
Lexical Knowledge ◽  
Better Than

Along with personal interviews, individual word translation tests from the target language to the mother tongue are recognized as a reliable method of determining students’ actual lexical knowledge. However, as most English as a foreign language teachers are aware, the marking of these tests can be a laborious task. A far easier vocabulary testing format is the Yes/No (YN) checklist test, which can examine a large number of words while not over-burdening the marker. Pseudowords, which look like real words but do not bear meaning, have been added to the YN format to check for evidence of overestimation of lexical knowledge by test-takers. Four scoring formulae, which adjust YN results according to the number of pseudoword reports, have become established in the literature. Of these, the h-f formula has become recognized as the simplest to use for adjusting YN scores. This study presents a regression-based prediction formula derived from the h-f results in a pilot study, which was then applied to the YN h-f adjustments in a second study (the main study) to predict actual vocabulary knowledge as demonstrated by a meaning recall translation test of the same items. This prediction formula, labeled h-fRF, was compared with another regression-based formula as well as the original h-f formula. Results showed that 54% of the 455 individual h-fRF predictions were within 5% (4.8 of 96 words) of matching translation test scores, and 82% were within 10%, which were better than the other formula predictions. These results may be of interest to classroom teachers as they suggest that by using the h-fRF, the burden of marking translation tests can be reduced by the far easier YN test format.

EFL Teachers’ Development of Reflective Practice Through Knowledge Sharing in a Reflective Focus Group

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Majid Farahian ◽  
Farshad Parhamnia
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Reflective Practice ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Foreign Language Teachers ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Constructive Feedback ◽  
Efl Teachers

Abstract Development in any educational system highly depends on teachers’ qualities. Among other qualities, one of the much-needed teachers’ qualities is reflection. As such, the present study examined EFL (English as a foreign language) teachers’ perceptions towards knowledge sharing in a reflective focus group and the improvement of their reflective practice through knowledge sharing in a focus group. In addition, the study sought the benefits and challenges to knowledge sharing in a reflective focus group. The results indicated that the participants did not have a positive attitude towards knowledge sharing. Furthermore, it was also revealed that the focus group platform could enable teachers to improve their reflective practice. Among other factors, receiving constructive feedback, and recognizing the possible relationship between theory and practice were benefits of reflective practice through knowledge sharing. Regarding the barriers to using reflective focus group, various inhibitors were reported by the teachers, including personal, institutional, and educational. The implications of the study are also presented.

scholarly journals Plurilingualism and Monolingualism in Foreign Language Classrooms: The Perspective of EFL Teachers in Saudi Arabia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Alsaawi
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Gulf Region ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Efl Teachers

Abstract The idea of teaching a target language via a monolingual medium of instruction in the classroom has long predominated in the pedagogical context. In Saudi Arabia, excluding the students’ mother tongue (Arabic) in the foreign language classroom has been seen as a tool that accelerates the acquisition of the target language (English). This is widely viewed as the most practical and effective method of language learning, especially in the Gulf region, where English is a foreign language employed in the fields of economics and business. The recent academic argument that exploiting the students’ linguistic repertoire, including the mother tongue, in the target language classroom boosts and fosters the students’ learning cycle is still encountering huge resistance, especially among second/foreign language teachers. To explore this dispute from the perspective of English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers in intermediate and secondary schools, a case study was conducted with 34 teachers in the Qassim region, Saudi Arabia, through questionnaires and a focus group interview. The study found that most teachers believe that the policy of using the target language (English) only is the most effective method of language learning. They employed the students’ mother tongue (Arabic) on an ad hoc basis to ensure complete comprehension, organize classroom tasks or convey personal remarks. In addition, the study revealed that teachers’ understanding of plurilingualism was unclear and limited to the verbal use of two languages, and that EFL teachers need more clarification on its application in the classroom.

Politeness in professional contexts: foreign-language teacher training

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerrard Mugford
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Training ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
First Language ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Bilingual Teachers ◽  
Further Training ◽  
Specific Context ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Professional Contexts

Abstract This paper examines the professional context of teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL), whose first language is not English but who are required to help learners adhere to target-language (TL) politeness norms and practices. Many of these teachers have had little or no contact with TL countries/cultures and have limited professional training in this area. This paper highlights the specific context of 39 Mexican EFL teachers who reflected on their understandings and “teaching” of politeness. I argue that by employing existing resources and knowledge and with further training, bilingual teachers can be helped to take “possession” of politeness rather than having to unquestioningly teach appropriate, socially-accepted, socially-expected usage.

Teachers’ perceptions and the implementation of the adapted communicative approach in Libya

2022 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdurahman Milad ◽  
Dwi Rukmini ◽  
Dwi Anggani ◽  
Rudi Hartono
Keyword(s):  
High Schools ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
Communicative Approach ◽  
Gender Based ◽  
The City ◽  
Meaningful Communication

This study instigates the teachers’ perceptions towards the implementation of the adapted communicative approach to teach English language in Libyan high schools in the city of Khoms. The participants were six teachers of different gender-based high schools. The study followed a pure qualitative method to collect and analyze the date, and the data were collected using an open-ended questionnaire. The findings reveal that the majority of English language teachers in Libyan high schools in Khoms city have positively perceived the implementation of the communicative approach (CA) to teach English language in their high schools’ contexts. They agreed to the majority of the questionnaire’s items such as: the CA emphasizes the communication in the target language and emphasizes that the learners need meaningful communication. All the participants said that they modify the principles of the communicative approach to meet the students’ needs and goals and most of them have agreed that the allocated time is not enough to complete the lesson in the classroom. This study draws out the pedagogical implication that the implementation of the adapted CA to teach English language in high schools in Libya can be quite adaptable, especially when the teachers have to fulfil the students’ needs.

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