scholarly journals The Impact of Mobile Game-Based Language Learning Apps on EFL Learners’ Motivation

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nada Gamlo
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Game Based Learning ◽  
Learner Motivation ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Mobile Game ◽  
Perceptions Of Students ◽  
King Abdulaziz University ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Period Data ◽  
The Impact

This study examines the effect of integrating mobile-game based language learning applications (MGBLLAs) on Saudi female English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students’ motivation to learn English. It explores the perceptions of students regarding the pedagogical value of the following free MGBLLAs: Game books: Great Reader, Game to learn English - EnglishTracker, and Learn English Vocabulary Pop Quiz. A group of thirty Saudi female beginner level students, aged from 18-20 years old and enrolled for their foundation year at King Abdulaziz University (KAU) participated in the study. The study was carried out over a seven week period. Data were collected using two questionnaires. A pre-MGBLLAs integration questionnaire was modified to determine students’ motivations for learning English. A post-MGBLLAs integration questionnaire designed by the author was also issued. It was utilized to explore the perceptions of students regarding the use of the three mobile game-based language learning apps, and to discover any impact on learner motivation. The results of the pre-MGBLLAs integration revealed that the EFL students were motivated to learn English. However, their motivation was high instrumental motivation, because it is taught as a compulsory course in their foundation year and they must achieve high scores to be able to start studying their preferred major. Significantly, the findings of the post-MGBLLAs integration questionnaire revealed that students perceived the three apps as beneficial for learning and improving motivation. These results contribute to the literature regarding mobile game based learning, and EFL students’ motivation.

scholarly journals Characteristics of Saudi EFL Learners’ Learning Styles

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
pp. 82
Author(s):  
Khalid Al-Seghayer
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Learning Styles ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Learning Style ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Learning Style Preferences ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Style Preferences ◽  
The Impact

One of the most important factors among those that play key roles in second language acquisition is language learning styles and strategies. This article identifies the unique and multifarious learning-style preferences that characterize Saudi English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ learning, and explores how multidimensional causal factors and experiences shape their preferred modes of learning. The analysis first tackles Saudi EFL learning-style preferences, followed by a discussion of Saudi EFL language learning strategies. The discussion addresses the learning-style approaches and learning behaviors of Saudi EFL leaners and the impact they have on them and highlights the factors and consequences of each. It concludes by pinpointing the importance of identifying language learning styles and strategies Saudi EFL students use and offering measures that will help Saudi EFL teachers facilitate their students’ effective learning-style approaches.  

scholarly journals Using social networking tools for teaching requests to undergraduate Arab EFL learners: a study of pragmatics

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adil Mohammed Qadha ◽  
Baleigh Qassem Al-Wasy ◽  
Hassan Saleh Mahdi
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Social Networking Tools

PurposeThis study aimed to investigate the impact of social networks on learning requests by Arab undergraduate EFL students.Design/methodology/approachFurthermore, both types of requests (i.e. direct and indirect) have been compared under the same condition. A total of 40 Saudi EFL learners participated in this study. Their scores in the pre-test and post-test were compared.FindingsResults of the post-tests indicated that the experimental groups' performance significantly outscored the control groups. However, no significant difference was reported between the two experimental groups (i.e. direct and indirect).Originality/valueRequests, as a component of pragmatics, have been investigated extensively in the literature to aid second/foreign language learning. However, little is known about the manner by which social networks could foster learning requests.

scholarly journals From Instructed Writing to Free-Writing: A Study of EFL Learners

SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 215824402110071
Author(s):  
Saleh Alharthi
Keyword(s):  
Control Group ◽  
Writing Program ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Writing Assignments ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Free Writing ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
Structured Writing ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Experimental Group

Writing is an intricate process that encompasses various factors and is a key skill for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students. Thus, writing assignments are vital for any curriculum. One of the essential aspects of effective writing includes good grammar knowledge. Advocates of process writing argue that a free-writing journal is a practical approach to teaching EFL students writing. This study is intended to examine the impact of the free-writing journal on EFL learners. This study was conducted on 80 students from a writing course at the University. Thirty-five students were randomly selected to join the free-writing program—the experimental group—and 45 students were kept in their regular structured writing program—the control group. The experimental group selected topics of interest to them and was encouraged to write in English freely without concern for errors, whereas the control group followed a regular structured writing program where the topics were selected for them and they wrote following a clear guideline. Five major areas were investigated to evaluate students’ progress: the number of words written, spelling, capitalization, subject-verb agreement, and punctuation. The researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 students of the experimental group to elicit their perception of the free-writing program. According to the analysis, students in the free-writing program acquired better grammar acquisition than the control group. The researcher also observed students’ perception of free-writing at the end of the study and found that free-writing improved their writing skills.

Captions and reduced forms instruction: The impact on EFL students’ listening comprehension

ReCALL ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Chi Yang ◽  
Peichin Chang
Keyword(s):  
Language Learners ◽  
Listening Comprehension ◽  
Short Term Memory ◽  
Limited Capacity ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Term Memory ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Reduced Forms

AbstractFor many EFL learners, listening poses a grave challenge. The difficulty in segmenting a stream of speech and limited capacity in short-term memory are common weaknesses for language learners. Specifically, reduced forms, which frequently appear in authentic informal conversations, compound the challenges in listening comprehension. Numerous interventions have been implemented to assist EFL language learners, and of these, the application of captions has been found highly effective in promoting learning. Few studies have examined how different modes of captions may enhance listening comprehension. This study proposes three modes of captions: full, keyword-only, and annotated keyword captions and investigates their contribution to the learning of reduced forms and overall listening comprehension. Forty-four EFL university students participated in the study and were randomly assigned to one of the three groups. The results revealed that all three groups exhibited improvement on the pre-test while the annotated keyword caption group exhibited the best performance with the highest mean score. Comparing performances between groups, the annotated keyword caption group also emulated both the full caption and the keyword-only caption groups, particularly in the ability to recognize reduced forms. The study sheds light on the potential of annotated keyword captions in enhancing reduced forms learning and overall listening comprehension.

scholarly journals The Students’ Attitudes towards the NESTs versus NNESTs and their Impacts on the Students’ Motivations to Learn English Language at KAU

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-35
Author(s):  
Haneen Saad Al Muabdi
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
English Language ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
King Abdulaziz University ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Native English Speaking ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
Native English Speaking Teachers ◽  
The Impact

Motivation is one of the crucial aspects of second language acquisition. Students’ motivation can be influenced by their teachers. The present study aims to investigate the impact of the two types of teachers on EFL learners’ motivations to learn English. These are NESTs (Native English-speaking teachers) and NNESTs (native English-speaking teachers). Hence, it examines learners’ attitudes and perceptions towards the two types of teachers. This study employed a mixed method by distributing a questionnaire contains quantitative and qualitative tools. It consists of twenty items of Likert scales and two open-ended questions. The present study subjects are 31 female students at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The results of the study demonstrate that learners have a positive attitude toward NESTs and NNESTs. Despite that, the tendency to learn with NNESTs is higher than NESTs. The findings also show that both types of teachers motivate students to learn English. Moreover, it suggests that the methodology and teachers’ personalities are more important than the teachers’ nativeness.

The Impact of Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) on Phrasal Verbs of Iranian Intermediate EFL Students

2016 ◽  
pp. 217-239
Author(s):  
Mohsen Shahrokhi ◽  
Mina Kamyabi
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Phrasal Verbs ◽  
Mobile Assisted Language Learning ◽  
Learning Instruction ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact

This study investigated the impact of Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) on phrasal verbs learning in EFL context. Participants were 40 intermediate Iranian English learners. They were randomly divided into experimental and control groups of 20 each. The instruction of the control group was limited to the class activities but the experimental group received the instruction through Short Messaging Service (SMS) on their smart cellphones and worked with a new phrasal verbs learning application by Cambridge University Press called Phrasal Verbs Machine (PVM). The analysis of the data revealed that MALL instruction was more effective than in class language learning instruction. Results of the study indicate that smart cellphones as a tool for language learning provide a platform for language learners to use the language actively.

Technology, Motivation and Autonomy, and Teacher Psychology in Language Learning: Exploring the Myths and Possibilities

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 ◽  
pp. 40-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Glenn Stockwell ◽  
Hayo Reinders
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Technology Implementation ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Learner Motivation ◽  
Autonomous Behavior ◽  
Role Of Teachers ◽  
Impact Of Technology ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe expectations of the impact of technology for language teaching and learning have often exceeded the actual results themselves, where emerging technologies are often believed to be more effective than existing ones simply because they are newer, with little consideration of the differences in associated pedagogies (see Bax, 2003; Levy & Stockwell, 2006). Technology is often believed to be inherently motivating for students and linked to the development of autonomy. The realities of technology and its influence on motivation are proving to be somewhat more complex than perceived for both language teachers and learners (Stockwell, 2013). Technology can provide opportunities for motivated learners but is unlikely to lead to motivation or autonomous behavior in many learners unless appropriate pedagogies are applied that capitalize on the affordances of the technologies and include sufficient training in how to use the technologies for language learning purposes (see Reinders, 2018a). At the same time, the role of teachers in the classroom and their attitudes toward their environment and the pressures that they face (Mercer & Kostoulas, 2018) can also impact technology implementation. This article brings together these three interrelated areas and explores how they link to technology: learner motivation and autonomy, teacher psychology, and pedagogical considerations.

The interplay of avatar identities, self-efficacy, and language practices

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julian Chen
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Second Life ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Sense Of Self ◽  
Language Practices ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
The Impact

Abstract This study intends to examine English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ attitudes toward practicing English in Second Life (SL) and to unpack the effects of avatar identities on EFL learners’ sense of self-efficacy and language practices. Nine EFL learners worldwide participated in a task-based course in SL, using avatars to carry out SL-related tasks while interacting with peers and the teacher via voice chat. Qualitative data were triangulated from multiple sources: learner reflective journals, a post-course survey, and semi-structured interviews. Three major themes emerged: (1) the effects of masked identity on learning, (2) the impact of telepresence and copresence on learning, and (3) the perceived attitudes toward avatar affinity. Findings implicate that the avatar form renders masked identities to safeguard learners’ self-efficacy and empower their language practices. It also opens up a research avenue on the impact of avatar identities on language learning and teaching in 3D virtual environments.

Exploring EFL Learners' Preferences, Perceived Needs, and Perceptions about Language Learning Strategies

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 1128
Author(s):  
Maryam Alsadat Mortazavi ◽  
Hamed Barjesteh
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Language Experience ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Perceived Needs ◽  
Academic Level ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Impact

This study was to investigate the impact of language experience and academic level on the perceived needs of Iranian undergraduate EFL learners. Two groups of Iranian TEFL female students (freshmen and senior) were compared regarding their preferences, perceived needs and perceptions of different activity types about language learning. To collect data, Sihong's (2007) needs analysis questionnaire for English language needs was utilized. Thirty two freshman and twenty nine senior MA students with the age range of 25-35 were considered as the subject of this study. They were asked to fill out the questionnaire through email and they were given the confidence that the collected data would remain anonymous. Results revealed that there was a significant difference between freshman and senior EFL learners in their preferences, needs and opinions about various types of activities, and various aspects of language education. The findings also revealed that freshmen students required more practice in grammar and pronunciation than vocabulary for them. The most difficult components of language were pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar respectively; however, the senior students reported that vocabulary and grammar were the most difficult component of language skill and pronunciation was the least one.

The impact of computer-assisted language learning on Iranian EFL students’ vocabulary learning

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 210-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ali Rahimi ◽  
Samira Mouri
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Vocabulary Learning ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Computer Assisted Language Learning ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Experimental Group

This study aimed to explore the impact of computer-assisted language learning on Iranian EFL students’ vocabulary learning. Participants of the study were 76 students – 29 males and 47 females – learning English as a foreign language in Parto, Sadr, Poyesh and Andishe Institutes in Ahvaz who were selected after taking the Nelson English Language Test as a proficiency test. They were randomly divided into two groups. One group was taken as control and the other as experimental group. Both groups participated in the teacher-made test of vocabulary, Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT), and Word-Associates Test (WAT) as pre-test. During class sessions the control group was taught the vocabulary, in the conventional way, through the printed textbook while the experimental group taught by the software version of the same book. Three ANCOVAs were run to compare the performance of experimental and control groups after the treatment period. The results of the ANCOVAs revealed that using vocabulary learning software was more effective than using printed book on vocabulary learning, vocabulary breadth, and vocabulary depth of the participants. The results of the present study could help EFL course book designers, foreign language institutes, educational planners, material developers, teachers, and learners to provide a better context for EFL learning. Keywords: computer-assisted instruction, computer-assisted language learning, information communication technology, vocabulary breadth, vocabulary teaching software.  

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