What are English Language Institute teachers working on in their language programmes?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
ELI Teachers
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
English Language Institute

Machine Translation for EFL

Relay Journal ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 228-235
Author(s):  
Paul J. Moore ◽  
Phil Murphy ◽  
Luann Pascucci ◽  
Scott Sustenance
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Machine Translation ◽  
English Language ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Technical Developments ◽  
English Language Institute ◽  
Changing Role

This paper reports on an ongoing study into the affordances of free online machine translation for students learning English as a foreign language (EFL) at the tertiary level in Japan. The researchers are currently collecting data from a questionnaire, task performance, and interviews with 10-15 EFL learners in an English Language Institute in a university in Japan. The paper provides some background on the changing role of translation in language learning theory and pedagogy, before focusing literature related to technical developments in machine translation technology, and its application to foreign language learning. An overview of the research methodology is provided, along with some insights into potential findings. Findings will be presented in subsequent publications.

scholarly journals The Relationship between Teachers’ Beliefs of Grammar Instruction and Classroom Practices in the Saudi Context

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bayan Alghanmi ◽  
Nadia Shukri
Keyword(s):  
Learning Styles ◽  
Teacher Development ◽  
Classroom Environment ◽  
English Language ◽  
Classroom Practices ◽  
Grammar Instruction ◽  
Grammar Teaching ◽  
Teachers Beliefs ◽  
English Language Institute ◽  
The Relationship

<p>Teacher cognition (Borg, 2015) of grammar instruction is a relatively new phenomenon that has yet to be explored in the Saudi context. While many studies have focused on the teaching of grammar in general (Ellis, 2006; Corzo, 2013; Braine, 2014), further research needs to be done - particularly when it comes to understanding teachers’ beliefs of grammar and grammar instruction as well as their practices in the classroom. This case study investigates the relationship between teachers’ beliefs of grammar and grammar instruction and their instructional practices. In the first stage, a sample of 30 teaching faculty members at the English Language Institute (ELI) at the University of Jeddah (UJ), in Saudi Arabia completed a survey discussing their beliefs related to grammar instruction. In the second stage, ten of these teachers were observed in classroom in order to explore the relationship between their beliefs and practices. In the third and final stage, open-ended questions were distributed to the teachers after the observations to better understand the factors that influence their beliefs. The findings reveal that teachers’ beliefs are indeed reflected in their classroom practices. Students’ proficiency level, attitudes toward the language, needs, learning styles, classroom environment, and teacher development are six factors that influence the transformation of teachers’ beliefs regarding grammar and grammar instruction into practices. These findings will help broaden the discussion on how to improve the quality of grammar teaching, particularly in the Saudi EFL classroom.</p>

scholarly journals The Impact of Mediation on EFL Learners’ Interpretation

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 197
Author(s):  
Mandana Yousefi
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Peer Mediation ◽  
Language Test ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Paired Sample ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Effective Role ◽  
English Language Institute ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Experimental Group

<p><em>The present study was an attempt to examine the EFL intermediate learners’ interpretation performance in translating texts from English to Persian on mediated mode vs. non-mediated one focusing on two different kinds of mediation (clip-mediated vs. peer-mediated mode). It has also investigated the participants’ attitudes toward the mediation sessions. It was conducted in an English Language Institute in Bojnourd, Iran. To this aim, a standardized 50-item Nelson English Language Test was administered to 31 participants. Following the homogenizing procedure, the number of the participants decreased to 24. Then, they were randomly divided into two equal groups (control and experimental), each consisting of 12 students. Both groups took part in interpretation classes twice a week, during which the experimental group received mediation as the treatment. The collecte</em><em>d data were analyzed by conducting ANCOVA and paired-sample t-test. </em><em>The results indicated that the EFL learners’ interpretation performance was better in mediated mode vs. non-mediated one, and peer-mediation was more effective than clip-mediation in improving their listening performance. In addition, all the participants stated </em><em>mediation had an effective role in improving their interpretation performance by reducing their anxiety and increasing their self-confidence.</em></p>

scholarly journals Language in the Workplace Project and Workplace Communication for Skilled Migrants course at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
J de Bres ◽  
J Holmes ◽  
Angela Joe ◽  
Meredith Marra ◽  
Jonathan Newton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
English Language ◽  
Applied Linguistics ◽  
Research Unit ◽  
Deaf Studies ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Language Studies ◽  
Language Courses ◽  
Set Up ◽  
English Language Institute

The School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies (LALS) at Victoria University of Wellington conducts research and teaching in Linguistics, Applied Linguistics, Writing and Deaf Studies. It incorporates a Deaf Studies Research Unit, which undertakes research on topics relating to deaf people and their language in New Zealand, and the New Zealand Dictionary Centre, set up in partnership with Oxford University Press, which provides a base for research into New Zealand lexicography and aspects of language in New Zealand. It also incorporates an English Language Institute, which specialises in teaching English language courses and teacher education programmes. A particular strength of the School's makeup is the opportunity to engage in research which benefits and is benefited by both theoretical and practical approaches to issues in linguistics and applied linguistics. This report describes one of a number of examples of the productive integration of language teaching and language research at LALS. We describe an ongoing research project that has developed organically over the past twelve years. The research involved first collecting and analysing authentic workplace interaction between native speakers, and then making use of it in explicit instruction aimed at developing socio-pragmatic proficiency in the workplace among skilled migrants with English as an Additional Language (EAL). We are now engaged in evaluating the results of the instruction, not only in the classroom, but also in workplaces where the migrants have been placed as interns.

scholarly journals Revisiting the Writing Assessment Process at a Saudi English Language Institute: Problems and Solutions

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 176
Author(s):  
Abdullah Alshakhi
Keyword(s):  
Writing Assessment ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Literature Analysis ◽  
Efl Context ◽  
The Past ◽  
Problems And Solutions ◽  
English Language Institute ◽  
Holistic Rubric

Over the past several decades, writing assessment has evolved in an ever-growing attempt to provide contextual fairness to a student while maintaining standards across a larger community. This study analyzed writing assessment at a Saudi English Language Institute (ELI) by first discussing teaching and learning in an EFL context before examining the shortcomings of current Saudi methods in assessment. A universal rubric created by the Saudi ELI allows for consistency across the program and cross-grading between teachers ensures honesty in assessment, but this rigidity leads to a lack of trust between teachers and coordinators and disallows contextual-based learning. First-hand research and literature analysis show that an analytic, rather than holistic, rubric will allow greater contextual-based learning, and that elimination of cross-grading will empower a teacher to become more directly involved with each student. These changes ultimately benefit the students, teachers, and coordinators of the program.

scholarly journals Explicit Instruction of Memory vs Cognitive Strategies and Reading Comprehension: An Empirical Study with IELTS Candidates

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 134
Author(s):  
Jahanbakhsh Nikoopour ◽  
Roozbeh Kargar ◽  
Nadimeh Esfandiari
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
English Language ◽  
Cognitive Strategies ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Moderator Variable ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Memory Strategies ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
English Language Institute ◽  
The Impact

<p><em>Research in reading comprehension associates the assumption that readers’ attributes may influence reading comprehension; different readers may process the same text in different ways, depending on their purposes, motivation, attitudes, interests, background knowledge, and the strategies they use. The present study attempted to investigate the impact of teaching cognitive and memory strategies on male and female IELTS candidates’ reading comprehension. To carry out the study, the researcher selected a sample of 88 male and female EFL learners, who attended IELTS preparation classes in Afarinesh English Language Institute regularly. The participants were randomly assigned into three groups; namely, two experimental groups and a control group. Eight memory and cognitive strategies were taught explicitly in the two experimental groups respectively during the treatment, whereas the current usual techniques were being used in the control group. The results showed that the experimental groups outperformed the control group in reading comprehension. The difference between the mean scores of the two experimental groups was not statistically significant. That is, instructing cognitive and memory strategies have had somehow similar impact on the IELTS candidates’ reading comprehension. Finally, the participants’ gender as a moderator variable did not make a significant difference in their reading comprehension.</em></p>

scholarly journals Challenges in Mixed Ability Classes and Strategies Utilized by ELI Teachers to Cope with Them

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muneerah S. Al-Subaiei
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Student Centered ◽  
Learning Abilities ◽  
Class Management ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
English Language Institute ◽  
Level Of Experience

Mixed-ability classes have been found to be one of the greatest detriments to students learning at English language institutions (ELIs). There has been a growing concern over the impacts of the mixed-ability classes calling for a study aimed at suggesting solutions for this situation. This study involves thirty-three female EFL teachers who work in an English language institute (ELI) and their feedback was obtained via questionnaires which were distributed online. The questionnaires addressed this issue on various levels following categories such as teaching and learning, materials, motivation and class management practices. The results indicated that the frequency of the cases of challenges in the teaching of mixed-ability classes was high and thus requiring appropriate solutions. Class management and differentiation strategies were found to be the most effective in mitigating the adverse effects which mixed-learning abilities have on learning successes. The effectiveness of the strategies used had no relation whatsoever to the level of experience of the teachers. Strategies that seem to work best were those that focused on the students or what is referred to as student-centered approach.

scholarly journals Exploring the Nature of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Programs in a Language Institute

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 133
Author(s):  
Hussain Ahmad ◽  
Sayyed Rashid Shah ◽  
Emad A. Alghamdi ◽  
Sayyed Rashid Shah
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
English Language ◽  
Continuing Professional Development ◽  
Teaching Profession ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Professional Literature ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Reading Professional ◽  
English Language Institute

<p>When it is an undeniable reality that learning is at the centre of teaching profession, we assume that the continuing professional development would be a priority for all teachers. EFL teachers like the teachers of other subjects update their skills and knowledge base in order to keep abreast of the new developments and challenges in the field of English language teaching. The present study seeks to explore how EFL teachers in an English language institute at a Saudi Arabian university perceive the effectiveness of Continuing Professional Development in their context as well as the ways in which different modes of CPD can promote and enhance the teachers' learning. This study was conducted at an English language institute of a Saudi university. The study adopted a quantitative approach using online questionnaire. The quantitative data was collected from 50 EFL teachers who were qualified and experienced in the field of TESOL. The findings from the study showed that the teachers viewed external CPD such as courses, seminars, workshops and conferences, and self-directed endeavors like informal discussions, reading professional literature, and self-reflection more beneficial to their development than the internal CPD like classroom observations and other in-house training sessions. This paper concludes that the institution should improve its internal professional development scheme by expanding the professional development unit's role, enhancing the quality of its mentoring program, and establishing communities of practice wherein teachers engage in highly professional practices.</p>

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