An Empirical Study of Reading Habits and Interests of Saudi University EFL Learners

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hussam Rajab ◽  
Alhasan Al-Sadi
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Reading Habits ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Academic Reading ◽  
Preparatory Year ◽  
The University ◽  
L1 And L2

<p align="left">This small-scale, quantitative study investigated the reading habits and interests of Saudi English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) students at a university-level preparatory year program (PYP). The study aimed to identify certain habits and preferences of EFL learners with regard to various personal practices of the reading process in first language (L1) as well as in second language (L2). The study utilized a custom-designed, 10-item questionnaire on a Likert scale format in order to gain more insights into the manners with which students may or may not approach reading. The participants were newly-registered, male and female students (<em>n=330</em>) on the university PYP course with mixed English Language proficiency. Analysis of the data collected using descriptive statistical tools indicated several issues relating to the reading habits in general, including students’ lack of interest as well as lack of motivation towards ‘academic reading’ in both L1 and L2. However, the analysis revealed a greater level of engagement in reading in social media contexts. The study has several implications for future research and pedagogy in EFL reading as well as implications for the EFL classroom. </p>

scholarly journals University Jordanian Learners of English: Difficulties and Solutions

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. p94
Author(s):  
Saja Wardat ◽  
Mahmud H. Wardat
Keyword(s):  
Transfer Students ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
English Departments ◽  
Small Class Size ◽  
English Majors ◽  
The University ◽  
English Program ◽  
English Students

Referencing related literature and drawing upon our experience, observation and talks with specialists, we have realized that the problem of difficulty encountered by Arab learners of English in general and by Jordanian university English students in particular is sporadically addressed by researchers. They mention it along with their focus on errors committed by those EFL learners. At the university, English majors study English language, linguistics, and literature courses over a period of four years. While enrolling in the English program, they encounter difficulties or problems like teaching methods, cultural and language problems and teaching settings which negatively affect their language proficiency and, thus, graduate committing gross errors in various language skills, pointing to their weakness, low proficiency and unsatisfactory achievement which do not meet teachers’ and society’s expectations. The present paper is meant to diagnose the problems that confront university Jordanian English majors and to propose some solutions including strict requirements on transfer students, a TOEFL score of 500, and a small class size intended to play a role in reforming the present status quo of English departments, thus upgrading their outputs, and helping students improve their level linguistically and extra linguistically.

scholarly journals Practising English through out-of-class language learning activities (OCLLA): EFL preparatory year students perspectives

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 128-143
Author(s):  
Khaled Elkotb Elshahawy ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Proficiency ◽  
Learning Activities ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Learning Program ◽  
Study Program ◽  
Reflective Journals ◽  
Preparatory Year

The current study investigated the insights and perceptions of the EFL preparatory year students at Al-Baha University in Saudi Arabia concerning improving their English language proficiency, namely, vocabulary and grammar learning, speaking skills, listening skills, reading skills, and writing skills, through out-of-class language learning activities. The instruments of the study were pre/post-English language proficiency skills test (ELPT) and the student's weekly reflective journals (SWRJ). The study participants were 100 male students aged 18 to 20 years old. The application of the study program, Five Phases Out-of-Class Language Learning Program (FPOCLLP) lasted for three months. Paired samples t-test and the effect size were employed to collect data for the quantitative analysis. Moreover, the student's weekly reflective journals were employed to get qualitative interpretations. The findings of the study indicated that the participants' English language proficiency skills were enhanced as a result of the study program application. Finally, the study identified some recommendations and suggestions based on its results for further future research.

scholarly journals Vocabulary Size and Depth of Knowledge: A Study of Bahraini EFL Learners

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 58
Author(s):  
Adel W. Alqallaf ◽  
Madani O. Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Word Association ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Receptive Vocabulary ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
University Of Bahrain ◽  
The University ◽  
The Relationship

This study investigates the size and depth of vocabulary knowledge and its relationship to the general language proficiency of EFL learners. The study sample included 120 students from the University of Bahrain. The sample was randomly selected from the student population and split into two groups in terms of their level of English: intermediate and advanced. The study aims to answer four questions: (1) What is the effect of general language proficiency on the sizes of the receptive and productive vocabularies of learners of English at the University of Bahrain? (2) How does general language proficiency affect the depth of vocabulary knowledge of learners of English at the University of Bahrain? (3) What is the relationship between receptive and productive vocabularies and the depth of vocabulary knowledge? and (4) What is the relationship between vocabulary size and the nature of lexical networking? All the students in the sample completed three vocabulary tasks. The first two tasks were Meara and Jones&rsquo;s Eurocentres Vocabulary Size Test (1990) and Meara and Fitzpatrick&rsquo;s Lex30 word association task (2000), which were used to measure the sizes of receptive and productive vocabularies. The third task was Gyllstad&rsquo;s COLLEX test (2007), which was used to investigate the depth of vocabulary knowledge. A quasi-experimental approach was adopted using a quantitative approach to analyze the data. The data of the study were analyzed by comparing the results of the two groups in relation to the three tasks using SPSS 16.0. The findings of the study have revealed that general language proficiency has a positive effect on learners&rsquo; receptive vocabulary size, a moderate effect on learners&rsquo; productive vocabulary size, and a very low effect on the depth of vocabulary knowledge. In addition, no relationship was shown between the size of vocabulary and the nature of lexical networking. With reference to these results, pedagogical and future research recommendations are made.

scholarly journals PERCEPTIONS OF EFL LEARNERS REGARDING EFFECTIVENESS OF TWITTER IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING PROFICIENCY AT UNIVERSITY LEVEL

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 1355-1365
Author(s):  
Irfan Ullah Khan ◽  
Mati Ullah ◽  
Khurshed Iqbal ◽  
Mahraban Alam ◽  
Iftikhar Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Learning ◽  
Daily Routine ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Online Social Media ◽  
University Level ◽  
The University

Purpose of the study: Social media and online social media sources play a vital role in our daily routine life. This study's main purpose was to highlight the role of Twitter in English language learning proficiency development at the university level. Methodology: In the study, the researcher analyzed the perception of EFL learners regarding the effectiveness of Twitter in English language learning proficiency at the university level by taking data from sampled respondents through a self-developed questionnaire on a 5-Points Likert scale. John Curry's (1984) sample size rule of thumb, convenient sampling technique, validity, and reliability of the research instrument were ensured in the study. Main Findings: The key findings of the current study revealed that in social media, Twitter has a high positive role in promoting, polishing, and developing English Language learning by using computers, laptops, or smartphones for the teaching-learning process in this regard. The study's main findings indicated that Twitter is very helpful to facilitate teachers and learners regarding the development of the English language as a second language. Applications of this study: The current study may be highly significant and effective for students, parents, teachers, the public, policymakers, and the government to apply it for developing language proficiency via the practical use of Twitter. Novelty/Originality of this study: The study will be a quite novel and original way of promoting and developing language proficiency by using media resources, especially Twitter, to attain the desired objectives, i.e., developing language proficiency via Twitter.

scholarly journals Causes of Saudi Students’ Unwillingness to Communicate in the EFL Classrooms

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 51
Author(s):  
Rasha Fawzi Kadi ◽  
Abeer Ahmed Madini
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Negative Evaluation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Saudi Students ◽  
Preparatory Year ◽  
English Language Institute

It can be argued that the ultimate goal of ESL\EFL pedagogy is to enable students to have communicative competence. To achieve this, EFL teachers implement various techniques and strategies that aim to produce communicatively competent students. Nevertheless, one of the major challenges teachers encounter is that students are often passive, unresponsive and unwilling to speak in the classroom. Accordingly, the current study seeks to investigate the causes of Saudi students' unwillingness to communicate in the EFL classroom. A total of 136 Saudi female preparatory year students at the English Language Institute (ELI) in King Abdulaziz University (KAU) participated in this study. To gain a deeper understanding of the causes of this phenomenon, a mixed methods approach was adopted. Two data collection instruments were utilized in this study: an online questionnaire with 126 participants and semi-structured interviews with 10 participants. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data obtained from the questionnaire, and the qualitative data obtained from the interviews were analyzed thematically using NVivo. The findings of the study revealed that the unwillingness to communicate is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that can stem from multiple causes. The main causes reported by the participants were fear of making mistakes, low language proficiency, fear of negative evaluation, shyness, lack of self-confidence, inefficient school education, and teacher\classmates related factors. The study concluded by briefly stating some of the limitations, offering recommendations for future research, and providing valuable suggestions for English language practitioners and policymakers to enhance this communication obstacle

The Relationship between EFL Learners’ Extensive Reading and English Language Proficiency

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 549
Author(s):  
Mohammad Davoudi ◽  
Moslem Zolfagharkhani ◽  
Mojtaba Rezaei
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Extensive Reading ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Post Test ◽  
The University ◽  
Experimental Group ◽  
Reading Texts

The present study aims at investigating the effects of extensive reading (ER) on language proficiency of Iranian intermediate EFL learners. A Preliminary English Test (PET) was administered to 106 male and female university students. The participants were selected as intermediate learners and were divided into three groups (one control and two experimental groups). During the ten sessions of the treatment, ten short stories (authentic and simplified) were provided to the two homogenous groups (two experimental groups). The first experimental group received authentic reading texts and the second experimental group received simplified reading texts, while the participants of the control group followed the ordinary reading course at the university. All three groups received post-tests administered after the treatment. The results of the t-tests revealed that there is no significant difference in reading scores across the posttest between two experimental groups. The results of ANOVA also revealed that there is a significant difference between the scores of the control group and experimental groups’ participants. Based on the interview result after the post-test, all of the participants (100%) agreed that they had positive attitude toward extensive reading after participating in the treatment sessions. The study suggests, however, students’ curriculum courses should include extensive reading texts in order to develop EFL language proficiency.

Tertiary English-majored Students’ Perceptions toward the Role of Pronunciation in English Language Learning and their Practicing Strategies

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 264-279
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
English Language Learning ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
The University

Accurate pronunciation has a vital role in English language learning as it can help learners to avoid misunderstanding in communication. However, EFL learners in many contexts, especially at the University of Phan Thiet, still encounter many difficulties in pronouncing English correctly. Therefore, this study endeavors to explore English-majored students’ perceptions towards the role of pronunciation in English language learning and examine their pronunciation practicing strategies (PPS). It involved 155 English-majored students at the University of Phan Thiet who answered closed-ended questionnaires and 18 English-majored students who participated in semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed that students strongly believed in the important role of pronunciation in English language learning; however, they sometimes employed PPS for their pronunciation improvement. Furthermore, the results showed that participants tended to use naturalistic practicing strategies and formal practicing strategies with sounds, but they overlooked strategies such as asking for help and cooperating with peers. Such findings could contribute further to the understanding of how students perceive the role of pronunciation and their PPS use in the research’s context and other similar ones. Received 10th June 2019; Revised 12th March 2020; Accepted 12th April 2020

Can-Do descriptors – Realigning English Language Curriculum at Higher Education Institution to CEFR

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 84
Author(s):  
Erda Wati Bakar
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Ministry Of Education ◽  
Language Curriculum ◽  
English Curriculum ◽  
The Common ◽  
The University

The Common European Framework of Reference for Language (CEFR) has become the standard used to describe and evaluate students’ command of a second or foreign language. It is an internationally acknowledged standard language proficiency framework which many countries have adopted such as China, Thailand, Japan and Taiwan. Malaysia Ministry of Education is aware and realise the need for the current English language curriculum to be validated as to reach the international standard as prescribed by the CEFR. The implementation of CEFR has begun at primary and secondary level since 2017 and now higher education institutions are urged to align their English Language Curriculum to CEFR as part of preparation in receiving students who have been taught using CEFR-aligned curriculum at schools by year 2022. This critical reflection article elucidates the meticulous processes that we have embarked on in re-aligning our English Language Curriculum to the standard and requirements of CEFR. The paper concludes with a remark that the alignment of the English curriculum at the university needs full support from the management in ensuring that all the stakeholders are fully prepared, informed and familiar with the framework.

scholarly journals Dynamic Transfer and Relations between First Language (L1) Proficiency and Second Language (L2) Writing Skills Performance

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulelah Alkhateeb
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
First Language ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Arabic Language ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Dynamic Relationship ◽  
Arabic And English ◽  
L1 And L2

This study investigates the transfer relationship between first language (L1) (Arabic) proficiency and second language (L2) (English) performance in writing skills of a Saudi bilingual graduate student. Several studies have discussed the transfer issues in language learning, yet a few of them focus on the transfer relationships between Arabic and English language writing skills. Regardless of the huge linguistic distinction between the English language and Arabic language, it is presumed that Arabic and English writing skills positively, negatively, and neutrally transferred in a dynamic relationship. The researcher has conducted observations and interviews with Fatimah, the participant of this study, and analyzed her texts in both languages to illustrate how dynamic relationships between L1 and L2 in the composition skills is and what the effects of language transfer in the composition skills between L1 and L2 are. The data were collected and analyzed in January 2018. The results demonstrate effects of L2 on L1 as the following; first, a reverse or backward transfer implemented in three ways; positive, negative, and neutral transfer. Second, they indicate that there is a dynamic relationship between second language performance and first language proficiency in composition particularly. It is hoped that this knowledge will assist students in being aware of the effects of L2 on L1 specifically in composition and taking the advantages to accelerate the rate of language learning. It is recommended for future research to conduct studies in bilingual writings to investigate how L1 could be a resource and advocate of language development.

scholarly journals Yemeni EFL Learners’ Future Self-Images and Their Relationship to The English Language Proficiency: التصورات الذاتية المستقبلية لدى طلبة اللغة الانجليزية اليمنيين  وعلاقتها بالكفاءة في اللغة الإنجليزية

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (13) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulrahim Ali Mohammad Al-Showthabi, Mohammad Abduh Ahmad A
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Data Gathering ◽  
Proficiency Tests ◽  
Ideal Self ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Self Image ◽  
Future Self ◽  
Academic Year

This exploratory correlational study addresses the issue of Yemeni EFL Learners’ Future Self-images, Ideal Self-images and Ought-to Self-image and their relationship to the English language proficiency, mainly, speaking and writing --fourth level students, Department of English Sana’a University of the academic year of 2017-2018. It also aims at exploring which of the two Future Self-images addressed is more evident amongst Yemeni EFL learners. In addition, the study attempts to ascertain the role of gender on Future Self-images. Data gathering instruments were all set and validated for the purpose of the study; which were Future Self-images questionnaire (12 Ideal Self-image items & 12 Ought-to Self-image items), English proficiency (speaking & and writing) tests and two Scoring Scales. Fifty two Students (12 males and 40 females (the sample) took both the Future Self-images questionnaire and the English proficiency tests in the academic year 2017-2018. and two Data gathering instruments were all set and validated for the purpose of the study; which were Future Self-images questionnaire (12 Ideal Self-image items & 12 Ought-to Self-image items), English proficiency (speaking & and writing) tests and two Scoring Scales. Fifty two Students (12 males and 40 females (the sample) took both the Future Self-images questionnaire and the English proficiency tests in the academic year 2017-2018. Descriptive analyses— frequencies, and, t-test for independent groups, and Pearson-product moment correlation— were utilized to analyze the data. Results show that Yemeni EFL students have higher Ought-to Self-image mean scores (3.6) than Ideal Self-image mean scores (3.04) Further, each of the two Future Self-images, Ideal Self-image and Ought-to Self-image has a bipolar direction in regard to male and female students. While, female students have higher mean Ideal Self-image scores (2.6) toward learning English, their counterpart male students have higher mean Ought-to Self-image scores (3.15). Furthermore results revealed a significant and strong relationship between Yemeni EFL learners’ ---Ideal Self-images—Ought-to Self-image-- and speaking and writing proficiency respectively and uniquely. This article ends with some recommendations and suggestions for future research.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document