scholarly journals Problems in Teaching English in Indian Classrooms: Issues and Remedies

Author(s):  
Sarita Jain

This paper examines the present status of English as a second language in India. It defines language and identifies the factors that affect second language learning. It discusses different problems faced by learners of English and what is the right way of language acquisition for second language learners in India. Language acts as an instrument to express effectively in various communicative situations. However, it is the very second language which requires a conscious and diligent, systematic efforts to acquire or master it. Second language acquisition is really a big challenge for all native speakers of that language who really deal with it. The majority of Indian students, particularly from rural pockets, especially in the states of Bihar, eastern U.P. and Maharashtra, consider this seven –letter word as a magical and mystical word. A feeling of uneasiness sets in, the moment they hear something in English. As a result of this, teachers who handle English classes face insurmountable difficulties. Students find it difficult to listen and to understand the English language. What are the reasons for this? What are the remedial measures to be taken to alleviate these problems? This paper is an attempt to discuss the nature of second language acquisition and the factors responsible for its slow acquisition. Appropriate and adequate remedial measures are cited for the successful rectification of these problems.

2020 ◽  
Vol V (I) ◽  
pp. 104-112
Author(s):  
Qurratulain Ershad ◽  
Maria Shiraz ◽  
Shahzada Qaisar

The current research aimed at examining the beliefs of Pakistani graduate students towards English language learning and assessing the stability of their beliefs after six weeks. In the process of language learning beliefs play a pivotal role. Students beliefs about second language acquisition need to be studied so that appropriate approach can be adopted. To collect data, sixty graduate students were selected by purposive sampling. BALLI (Beliefs about Language Learning Inventory, Horwitz, 1987) tool was adopted and administered twice to collect the data. The results showed that the learners are motivated and keen to acquire English language. The respondents were apprised of the significance of foreign language acquisition and highlighted the importance of pronouncing the words correctly, meanings of new words, and the benefits of drills. The results also depicted that there is stability in most of students beliefs after six weeks.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 116-129
Author(s):  
Ndegwa Grace Konyu; Dr. Lucy Wathika; Dr Josephine Khaemba

The intention of the study was to establish the effect of teachers’ use of reinforcement on learners’ performance in English language. It was done in selected secondary schools in Nakuru town and used descriptive research design. The study was guided by Gardner and Lambert’s Socio-Educational model of second language acquisition. Stratified random sampling was employed in selecting four schools while simple random sampling was used to choose one stream in form two, three and four in each school for observation. It resulted in eight observational schedules. The study sample of 60 students in form 2-4 and 8 teachers of English was purposively selected for interviews. A total number of 353 learners were observed. The study used interviews, audio recording and Structured Observational Schedules for data collection. The data was presented in form of tables, figures and verbatim transcript excerpts used for exemplification and illustration in a qualitative explication. The findings of the study revealed that second language learners’ performance in English is greatly influenced by teachers’ use of reinforcement. Moreover, it proved that teachers of English give unguarded praises, negative statements and criticisms to English second language learners. This study is a vital contribution to the field of Second Language Acquisition theory and practice with regard to offering information and insight into reinforcement, motivation and attitude in practical language acquisition and learning in the classroom situation. These findings are useful in the improvement of second language learners’ performance in English. Teachers of English will also acquaint themselves with effective use of positive verbal reinforcement which works as a motivational force on learners’ acquisition and use of the English language.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 71
Author(s):  
Fahmy Imaniar

Writing in second language is demanding that leads learners to make errors in their performance. Fortunately, the view of error has changed into a way of understanding second language acquisition and its practice. Error analysis is an approach of SLA to learn the errors made by the second language learners. However, knowing the errors made is not enough, therefore, it is important to see the factors beyond the errors. This present study aims at knowing what writing errors the learners make and what the most common error occurs are. Furthermore, this study explored what factor lies beyond those errors. Through mixed method design as well as Error Analysis (EA) approach, this study was conducted in one learning course in Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia. Through this study, it was revealed that omission was the type of error mostly made. Furthermore, intralingual and interlingual factors were the ones beyond the errors. It is expected that this study will contribute to the knowledge and practice on the fields of not only Second Language Acquisition (SLA) but also English Language Teaching (ELT) involving teachers and students.   


Author(s):  
Christina Atika Yulina

This paper outlines a procedure for language textbook analysis from the perspective of second language acquisition (SLA) principles using a minimally modified version of Littlejohn’s three-level framework by Guilloteaux as a preliminary procedure to textbook evaluation for selection. The aim is to analyze to what extent does Indonesian ELT textbook for grade XI reflects the universal SLA principles. The universal SLA principles used as material analysis criteria in this paper were drawn from the literature selected by Guilloteaux. This analysis revealed that the Indonesian ELT textbook by the Ministry of Education and Culture reflected SLA principles closely. Although only in-use evaluation can determine the extent to which this textbook actually supports language acquisition, the evidence suggests that the textbook is potentially supportive to English language learning.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (45) ◽  
pp. 503-512
Author(s):  
Mohammed Abed Saleh

Abstract   This research is intended to present the writing difficulties that second language learners have encounter through their learning process.  Linguists have proved that English second language learners (ESLL) face some difficulties in their writing because it is hard to understand ESLL perspectives. Many samples of ESLL writing have been examined and proved that their writing lacks some linguistic features. Coherent, accurate and creative text is the goal for English language teachers to be produced by their students. Word class (parts of speech) and morphology are the key features of language that indicate its linguistic system, especially sentence structure. The researcher tries to analyze word class and morphology in two selected texts of stage 2 and stage 4 in a second language learning center. One of the findings of this research is the use of bound grammatical morpheme (inflectional morpheme) for both texts is to some extent justifiable although the writer of S2 text makes some mistakes in producing the right word to give new meaning.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 58
Author(s):  
Fan Xu

Over the past three decades, a growing number of different theories in second language acquisition field have come out in an effort to provide explanations as to how language learning takes place, to figure out what variables are effective for second language acquisition as well as to offer guidance to mass second language learners and language teachers. Because behind every teaching approach exists certain kind of theory of language acquisition and good theory in turn can help students master language skills in an effective and efficient way.Each theory is considered to have contributed to the field by highlighting a specific aspect of the language acquisition process. Second language acquisition theories are intrinsically related with various disciplines such as applied linguistics, psychology, education, sociolinguistics, neurology, etc. Considering the impossibility to elaborate all second language theories, I will focus on sociocultural theory and bottleneck hypothesis in second language acquisition. There is an overview which follows the introduction to the Sociocultural Theory and Bottleneck Hypothesis and its contribution to second language acquisition respectively, and then I will evaluate them to see their contributions to the SLA disciplinary development.


2012 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 347-375
Author(s):  
Krystyna Droździał-Szelest ◽  
Mirosław Pawlak

This paper reviews 25 doctoral dissertations on second language acquisition (SLA), English language learning and teaching submitted in Poland in the years 2006–2010. The theses were selected for review on the basis of the recommendations of Ph.D. supervisors from leading Polish universities and they are divided into six groups: learner autonomy, individual differences, language subsystems and skills, culture, assessment and miscellaneous. The dissertations are discussed with respect to their main findings as well as their strengths and weaknesses, and the paper concludes with an overall evaluation of the research in terms of its dominant themes and methodology.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehrzad Eftekhar

Through interviews with eight Iranian participants, this Major Research Paper explores second language adult learners’ beliefs about their abilities in performing English language tasks. Primary research questions include: (i) Do learners’ self-efficacy or beliefs about their competency in acquiring a second language affect their language learning performance? (ii) Does gender impact the level of self-efficacy a second language learner might hold? With respect to the first research question the findings demonstrate that unlike the female participants, the male participants’ self-efficacy positively correlates with their second language acquisition. In terms of the second research question, the results of the study show that gender isn’t deemed influential in the formation of self-efficacy among second language learners.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (10) ◽  
pp. 07-13
Author(s):  
Shama-E Shahid

A central theme in second language acquisition is Interlanguage, an idea grounded on the concept that the human brain activates an innate psychological structure in a second language learning process. It is a system that is constructed by second language learners. There is a distinct language system in second language learners’ utterances which is quite different from the native speakers (Selinker 1972, p. 209-241). Interlanguage varies under diverse contexts, e.g., one domain of IL can be different from another one in terms of fluency, accuracy, and complexity. However, interlanguage can cease developing or fossilize, in any of its developmental stages due to the complexities a learner faces in acquiring a second language.  According to Mitchell et al. (2013, p.60), under the platform of interaction, feedback, modified input, negotiation for meaning, and modified input come together to facilitate second language acquisition. It is evident from this point that Feedback and Negotiation are interrelated. This paper proposes to discuss these two subjects under the umbrella term interaction and argues the role of both of them on interlanguage development, concluding with an analysis of these techniques and the pedagogical implications.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 207
Author(s):  
Haida Umiera Hashim ◽  
Melor Md Yunus

Early exposure to English is very important as it is crucial for learners to acquire English language at early age as English is a global language that is used not only in the level of primary and secondary school but also in tertiary level of education. Schools can be one of the important roles in influencing second language acquisition, particularly English language. However, most schools did not consider acquiring English from the perspective of learners’ fluency and rarely consider movements or approaches that they can take to improve ESL learning among students. This study intended to investigate the influence of school settings and routines on ESL learning among secondary students. A qualitative method is used in this study as data were collected through the method of observation and interview. The observation period throughout the process of collecting data has been conducted based on a field note specifically prepared for this study. The participants involved in this study were all-girl school students located in Selangor. The gathered data were then interpreted in the findings analysis. Based on this study, it was proven that there are co-relations between the school settings and routines on ESL learning among secondary students. It was found that school settings and routines do influence ESL learning among secondary students. Discussion and recommendations are further explained in this study. Thus, it is hoped for future researchers to conduct further research on related factors that might help to contribute in ESL learning among ESL learners.


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