scholarly journals THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN STUDENTS’ SELF-CONFIDENCE AND THEIR ENGLISH-SPEAKING PERFORMANCE: A CASE STUDY OF ENGLISH-MAJORED STUDENTS AT A PRIVATE UNIVERSITY IN VIETNAM

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anh Tuan Pham ◽  
Hieu Trung Hong ◽  
Tien Thuy Chau ◽  
Nhi Vo Anh Le ◽  
Phuc Thuy Thy Tran ◽  
...  

<p>This research aimed to discover the relationships between students' self-confidence and their English-speaking performance. In our research, self-confidence was divided into three components which are affective confidence, behavioral confidence, and cognitive confidence. In addition, speaking performance included eight components which are vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, fluency, coherence, comprehension, task, and content. A sample of 150 English-majored students at a university in Vietnam was surveyed in this study by using a convenience sampling technique, and then conducting semi-structured interviews to seek for qualitative information from 10 participants out of 150. The result from our study showed that there are significant relationships between the two variables. The more confident the students are, the more accomplished they would be in the presenting procedure since they have superior cognition and understand how to modify their learning methods to build a comprehensive individual in learning English language. We expect that these findings can help students adjust their learning methods to improve their self-confidence as well as English speaking performance and by that way, universities can add more speaking-related subjects so that students can have more opportunities to speak and learn more speaking skills.</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0870/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 38-52
Author(s):  
Anthony Tobin

This study investigates both the benefits of and recent trends in studying abroad for Japanese students and examines the results of a survey on study abroad taken by students majoring in English at a private university in Tokyo. Statistics from JASSO showed that the trend in study abroad before 2020 was for an increasing number of Japanese university students to spend a period of time studying abroad, though most of the increase was in short-term study. The English language questionnaire sought to discover what proportion of a group of seventy-two students had already studied abroad, or planned to do so, and to establish whether those who had gained experience had benefited from it, as well as detailing student anxieties which may have deterred students from studying abroad. The survey on study abroad, taken in January 2018, had a 100% response rate. Twenty-three (32%) of the students answered that they had already studied abroad, mostly for short durations in English-speaking countries. Most of the students who studied abroad had a positive experience, reputedly improved their English skills and recommended that other students study abroad. Twenty-six (53%) of the students without study abroad experience were planning to study abroad, even though they had some issues which concerned them, such as their ability to communicate in English, personal safety, and financial matters. The main reason for not electing to study abroad for this particular sample was found to be related to the overall costs of overseas travel, accommodation, and tuition. この研究では日本人学生に対する留学の利点および最近の留学の傾向を調べ、さら に東京の私立大学で英語を専攻している学生に対して実施した留学についての調査 の結果を検討している。JASSO の統計によると、2020年までは留学する日本人 大学生の数は増加傾向であったが、そのほとんどは短期留学であった。英語で行わ れたアンケート調査の目的は、著者の三つのクラスの72名の学生のうちの何割が 留学経験がある、もしくは留学の予定があるか、またすでに留学した学生はその経 験から恩恵を受けたと感じているか、学生は留学をするにあたってどのような不安 を持つか、さらに留学しないと答えた学生の場合は留学しない理由を明らかにする ことである。2018年1月に行われた調査の回答率は100パーセントであっ た。23人(32パーセント)の学生は留学経験があり、ほとんどの場合が英語圏 の国への短期留学である。留学経験のある学生の大半数が有益な経験ができ、英語 力が上達したと感じており、他の学生に留学を勧めると答えている。留学経験のな い学生の26人(53パーセント)が留学する予定だが、英語のコミュニケーショ ン、安全、金銭などについて不安を感じていた。留学しない理由については、旅 費、宿泊代、授業料など経済的な理由が大半であった。


2021 ◽  
Vol VI (IV) ◽  
pp. 34-41
Author(s):  
Hina Iqbal ◽  
Muhammad Saeed

Academic writing plays a pivotal role in developing research proposals. The present study aimed to explore the grammatical errors that M.Phil/PhDs scholars commit in academic writing. The present study employed a qualitative case study designed to explore the challenges in the English language faced by the M.Phil and PhDs scholars. The 20 Ph.D. and 36 M.Phil scholars were selected by busing purposive sampling technique. Data were collected by using two self-developed semi-structured interviews protocol. Thematic analysis approach was employed for data analysis. The findings revealed that all the participants reported that correct use of tenses was a big hurdle that entailed the other grammatical mistakes and reduced the report quality because all the lexical aspects are linked with these mechanics. The study recommended that English language courses be offered to postgraduate, M. Phil and Ph.D. scholars to learn the technical aspects of the language and provide students with online interactive programming.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 268
Author(s):  
Rais Ahmed Attamimi ◽  
Nasser Omer M. Al-Tamimi ◽  
Jon Andrew Chittick

The importance of the concept of &ldquo;identity&rdquo; in the context of language learning is unassailable. Stemming from this premise, the current study is intended to explore the identity conflicts of a group of Yemeni learners who were studying English, as well as the techniques and strategies used to mitigate and/or lessen the conflicts between their actual identity and the identity associated with the target language, i.e., English. This research project used a qualitative exploratory case study research design with a sample of 20 students who were requested to write their journal diaries. Following that, semi-structured interviews were conducted using the double-sampling technique to select 10 of the previously sampled students who were proven to have written the most stimulating and intriguing journal entries. From the results of the study, tangible identity conflicts between the Yemeni culture and society at large and the implied behaviors and conventions accompanying the intensive study of the English language became apparent. The students exhibit a high level of motivation and they also exert their efforts using different techniques and strategies to excel at the learning and/or acquisition of the speaking skill of the English language. These conflicts may be consciously or subconsciously realized by the language learners, but what has been proven is that their attitudes, motivation and general inclinations towards the goal of speaking with a native or a native-like accent are unquestionably genuine. Lastly, the study suggested or recommended a revamp of the current textbooks giving teachers more training sessions in order to improve their individual repertoire, as well as a higher degree of awareness upon the part of the Yemeni society at large that these conflicts can interfere with the strong motivations, both aspirational and actual, to achieve the learning outcomes of the nation&rsquo;s most promising future leaders and pioneers.


Author(s):  
Ahmad Anwari

The present study has been conducted to investigate the causes of English language speaking anxiety among EFL learners at Kandahar University. Furthermore, the second goal of the study to investigate the negative effects of speaking anxiety. This study uses a quantitative research approach. Similarly, the questionnaire had two parts the first part had comprised 14 items and the second part 7 items and applied randomly. Besides, the data analyzing was performed in SPSS (version, 24) and bring out the mean and standard division. Finally, the findings revealed those factors which caused EFL learners to feel anxiety during English speaking and numbered as follow: (1) I feel fear of making pronunciation mistakes, (2) I am afraid that my classmates will laugh at me when I speak English. (3) I feel worried during Performing communication orally. In addition, the following factors are the negative effects of anxiety on learners: (1) Anxiety limits my speaking fluency, (2) Anxiety causes me to become under pressure during presentation and (3) Anxiety decreases my oral performance and self-confidence.


The present study has been conducted to investigate the causes of English language speaking anxiety among EFL learners at Kandahar University. Furthermore, the second goal of the study to investigate the negative effects of speaking anxiety. This study uses a quantitative research approach. Similarly, the questionnaire had two parts the first part had comprised 14 items and the second part 7 items and applied randomly. Besides, the data analyzing was performed in SPSS (version, 24) and bring out the mean and standard division. Finally, the findings revealed those factors which caused EFL learners to feel anxiety during English speaking and numbered as follow: (1) I feel fear of making pronunciation mistakes, (2) I am afraid that my classmates will laugh at me when I speak English. (3) I feel worried during Performing communication orally. In addition, the following factors are the negative effects of anxiety on learners: (1) Anxiety limits my speaking fluency, (2) Anxiety causes me to become under pressure during presentation and (3) Anxiety decreases my oral performance and self-confidence.


2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nihta V. F. Liando ◽  
Raesita Lumettu

This research aims at finding out students’ personal initiative towards their achievement in speaking English. This research was conducted in an English department at a university in North Sulawesi Indonesia. The data were obtained from the sixth semester students in English Language and Literature study program of academic year 2015/2016 consisting of 21 students. In obtaining the data about students’ personal initiative, a questionnaire was distributed, and for the speaking performance, the data were obtained from students’ scores in Public Speaking subject. To find out the relation between these two variables, Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient formula was used. The result of this research shows that there is a correlation between students’ personal initiative towards their speaking performance with the value of  = (0.52) categorized as a moderate correlation. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that personal initiative of students was important to be considered as one of several determination factors for students’ achievement in English speaking skill. It is suggested that students encourage themselves for taking initiative to speak, and for the teacher to give the students correction and suggestion to help them develop themselves.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 120-139
Author(s):  
Safrul Muluk ◽  
Habiburrahim Habiburrahim ◽  
Teuku Zulfikar ◽  
Saiful Akmal ◽  
Nasriyanti Nasriyanti ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThis research was designed to investigate the strategies used and challenges faced by lecturers in managing EFL speaking classes. The researchers used both classroom observation and semi-structured interviews in collecting the data. The participants of this research were three EFL lecturers teaching English Speaking classes at the English Department of Universitas Islam Negeri Ar-Raniry, Banda Aceh, Indonesia. These lecturers were selected purposively; all of them were those assigned to teach the speaking class. Insights of the lecturers on their experiences in managing speaking classes were investigated to examine strategies and challenges they faced. The findings suggest that the lecturers utilized several strategies such as setting the classroom, determining seating arrangements, fostering discipline, applying certain speaking activities, and providing interesting topics to discuss. The data also indicated that the lecturers faced challenges in managing their teaching. Issues such as lack of equipment or teaching media to support speaking activities, students’ lacked self-confidence, and lack of vocabulary were among the challenges faced by the lecturers.  ABSTRAKPenelitian ini bertujuan mendapat informasi tentang strategi dan tantangan yang dihadapi dosen di dalam mengelola kelas. Metode pengumpulan data yang digunakan adalah observasi dan wawancara semi-terstruktur. Sumber data atau partisipan dalam penelitian ini adalah 3 dosen yang mengajar kelas Speaking di Prodi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, UIN Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh. Para partisipan itu direkrut mengunakan teknik purposive sampling, dimana partisipan yang terlibat adalah yang sudah mengajar speaking selama beberapa semester. Hasil obssrevasi dan wawancara diperoleh informasi bahwa terdapat beberapa strategi dosen di dalam mengelola kelas, diantaranya: menyusun tempat duduk sedimikian rupa, menegakkan disiplin, mengunakan berbagai teknik pembelajaran speaking, dan memberikan topik yang menarik untuk didiskusikan. Penelitian ini juga memperoleh beberapa temuan yang berhubungan dengan tantangan dosen, diantaranya, tidak mencukupi fasilitas yang memadai yang dapat mendukung aktivitas pembelajaran speaking, kurangnya rasa percaya diri dari mahasiswa itu sendiri, dan tidak memadainya kosa kata yang dikuasai mahasiswa juga merupakan tantangan tersendiri dalam pengelolaan kelas speaking.


GERAM ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 63-72
Author(s):  
Fauzul Etfita ◽  
Sri Wahyuni

Teaching materials are a set of tools or facilities that contain materials, methods and evaluations used by teachers or lecturers in learning. So far, the teaching materials released by several developers have rarely been in accordance with the needs of Mechanical Engineering students, where some of the teaching materials available still use general English. In this study, in order to compile an appropriate teaching material, researchers have conducted a needs analysis. Needs analysis is a fundamental aspect for English language lecturers for specific purposes (ESP) in identifying information or the main needs of students and investigating areas of student shortages. In line with this statement, this research is a case study design that aims to determine the needs of mechanical engineering students in learning English through Padlet at the Faculty of Engineering in the 2019-2020 academic year. The data in this study were collected from researcher observations, questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with 40 students and two English language lecturers in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The results revealed that speaking and writing are the main focus of English skills in the Mechanical Engineering department and listening along with reading are the next English skills needed than others.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. p1
Author(s):  
Martha Hakaya ◽  
Nchindo Richardson Mbukusa ◽  
Earle Sinvula Mudabeti

Total management of overcrowded classrooms have across-the-board effects for English as a Second Language teaching and learning environments as in any subject. Greater attainment and achievements in schools depend on the choices made with regard to teacher-learner ratios that consider of classroom management. Recruitment of learners and teachers should ensure that classrooms are enabled to meet the demands of professional teaching challenges, amongst other, inidvidualised teaching and learning. The aim of the research was to explore the challenges and related matters in managing English as a Second Language overcrowded classrooms. A qualitative approach, steered by a case study design, purposively guided the study. It was deemed fit in order to understand the phenomena with deeper understanding of beliefs and situated lived experiences. Semi-structured interviews and nonparticipant observations were used as methods to generate data for analysis. The research exposed that copious problems were experienced by teachers and leaners who were subjected to overcrowded classrooms. Amongst many, noise and unruly behaviour, poor time management and teaching approaches result in such classes. Guiding principles regarding sound teacher-learner ratios should be put in place by policymakers and schools in order to support both teachers and learners for the success of teaching and learning.


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