scholarly journals Investigation of Teacher Support and Teacher Training During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Tools and Skills Moving the Classroom Forward

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 118
Author(s):  
Wannaprapha Suksawas ◽  
Sita Yiemkuntitavorn
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Training ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Technological Support ◽  
The Social ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Basic Functions ◽  
Training Demands

Teaching remotely from home is now compulsory for lecturers as schools across the globe have closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A marriage of technology and teacher training is required to help educators deliver lessons effectively online. This research aimed to 1) investigate the type of technological support teachers need to teach online during and after the COVID-19 pandemic; 2) identify the type of teacher training needed during and after the pandemic; and 3) assess teachers’ satisfaction towards their training in relation to their needs. This study utilized a mixed methods research design and included a sample of 59 teachers studying for a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, majoring in English language at an open university in Thailand. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to compute means and standard deviations. In addition, qualitative data derived from a questionnaire were analyzed using typological analysis. The research findings showed: 1) the “fundamental technologies” teachers need for online teaching include computers or other computing devices, a reliable and stable-as-possible internet connection, a microphone, and a headset and camera; and 2) the task of implementing engaging lessons online and supporting students to use ICTs for projects or class work placed particular training demands on teachers. Specifically, they required: (1) training to build knowledge of the basic functions for undertaking virtual teaching and learning; (2) access to meaningful and relevant content to create lessons for students, and (3) online worksheets and projects for students.   

scholarly journals ELT Online Teachers’ Professional Development During the Covid-19 Pandemic Outbreak: Perceptions, Implications and Adaptations

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 1161-1170
Author(s):  
Abdullah Al-Bargi
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Online Teachers

As lockdown restrictions were implemented in most countries around the world with the subsequent transition to full-mode online teaching and learning, English language teachers (ELTs) in particular, had to adapt and adopt new teaching strategies. These unexpected changes to the medium or mode of teaching necessitated the provision of efficacious and coherent professional development (PD) training in order to smoothly navigate the transition from full-time (or semi full-time) onsite teaching and learning to full-mode online teaching. This research study, based on sequential explanatory mixed-methods research design, is aimed at exploring the availability and provision of ELT PD opportunities at English Language Institutes (ELIs)/English Language Centers (ELCs), at five major universities in Saudi Arabia and the perception of the ELT teachers on its coherence and adequacy. A total of 307 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) male and female teachers participated in a custom designed 20-item questionnaire on a 5-point Likert scale, as well as ten EFL teachers (6 female and 4 male) taking part in 40-minute semi-structured interviews, to explore their perception and opinions of online PD opportunities. Analysis of results of the gathered data indicated that the majority of the teachers felt that there were adequate online PD opportunities while the structures of these opportunities sufficiently addressed most of their needs. However, some teachers voiced concerns regarding the correlation between contextual, full-mode online teaching and the online PD sessions provided. Implications and recommendations for stake holders as well as for future research are given at the end of this study.

scholarly journals Developing Little Bridge as an evidence-informed English language learning platform for 6–12 year olds

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Rogers ◽  
Kristen Weatherby
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Social Aspect ◽  
English Language Learning ◽  
Learning Platform ◽  
Global Language ◽  
The Relationship

English is considered by many to be the global language of business and communication and, as such, parents and educators in countries in which English is not a native language are now encouraging children to study English at a young age. Much second language teaching and learning, however, does not take into account the real-world context within which language will be put to use. Little Bridge has developed an English language learning platform for students aged 6−12 years, within which learners acquire English vocabulary and skills and are able to apply what they have learned in real conversations with other English learners around the world. As part of UCL’s EDUCATE research accelerator programme, Little Bridge worked with a mentor to design and conduct mixed-methods research into the relationship between this social aspect of their platform and students’ achievement in learning English. Findings suggested that Little Bridge users who are the most active participants in the platform’s social network also complete more of the platform’s learning activities and achieve better results than those with the lowest social participation rates. The relationship between the academic mentor and Little Bridge enabled the company to develop a research mindset, understand the value of the data that they already have, and improve their understanding of the platform.

scholarly journals Update Chapter English Language Learning Using Social Media

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 265-271
Author(s):  
Evi Mahsunah
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Learning Strategy ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Media Technology ◽  
The Social ◽  
Language Teaching And Learning

This study explores the changing students’ habit update status in social media into update chapter to increase their achievement in English. It is a learning strategy in English language teaching and learning using social media technology. The aim is to motivate students more active to read their literature and then share and discuss their reading in social media. The students not only have to update their chapter in reading, but also have to give comment or respond to their friends update. So, this strategy makes the students discuss their lesson more than usual. This study uses questioner and documentation technic to collect the data. Based on the data, it is known that students are already using social media for purposes that include the social and the educational. Update chapter make them using this technology in class/after class. Social media brings learning outside the classroom autonomous, independent, motivational and fun. Therefore, the students‘achievement in English language teaching and learning also increases significant.

scholarly journals Using technology in teaching English at the S.S.C. level

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 142-152
Author(s):  
Sifat Ullah ◽  
Quazi Farzana
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Technology In Teaching ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
The Impact

In this an era of technology, new technologies particularly computer, multimedia, mobile phone and the internet offer possibilities for overcoming geographical and cost barriers in teaching and learning. This study attempts to trace the use of technology in teaching English at the S.S.C. (Secondary School Certificate) level in Bangladesh. It also focuses on the impact of using technology in teaching and learning English. Eight teachers and 60 students from four private schools in Dhaka city were selected to survey the use of technology in teaching the English Language. The researchers employed the mixed methods research to carry out the study where two sets of questionnaires for the teachers and the students and a semi-structured interview only for the teachers were used to collect data. The findings showed that using technology in teaching has both the positive and the negative impacts. Teachers like to use technology in their classroom but limited time and lack of training and technical support from the authority hamper the mode of teaching. The students also feel comfortable in technology affiliated classroom, but sometimes they fail to catch the concept clearly as they become inattentive due to the lack of proper engagement of the teachers in the classroom.

scholarly journals Shifting identities through switching codes: A close look at the social languages of pre-service English teachers in an Indonesian context

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-129
Author(s):  
Dwi Riyanti
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Teachers ◽  
Multiple Identities ◽  
The Social ◽  
Local Contexts ◽  
Shifting Identities ◽  
Multiple Languages ◽  
Pre Service Teacher

The globalization of English has undoubtedly brought shifts into how the English language is taught in classroom settings and how English teachers are prepared. In English as a foreign language (EFL) settings, for example, teaching and learning English is generally influenced by local contexts. Taking into account the sociocultural contexts of the learners and the teachers, identity construction becomes one important aspect in the process of English teaching and learning. Focusing on the microanalysis of social language uses, the study was aimed to understand how pre-service teachers of English as a foreign language in a multilingual setting, Indonesia, enact their identities through their language use in classroom settings. The data for this study was obtained from a classroom observation where an English pre-service teacher was performing peer teaching. The discourse analysis of the first thirteen minutes of a pre-service teacher's teaching demonstration indicates that multiple identities were enacted when the student teacher switched from one language to another. The pervasive use of code-switching in four different languages (Indonesian, English, Arabic, and Malay) provides clues that Mamas, a student teacher's pseudonym in the study was enacting different identities as he taught his peers. While further research is absolutely necessary to obtain more vivid pictures of the reasons behind using multiple languages in teaching English within this context, the study provides insight about how pre-service teachers in an Indonesian context try to develop identities as they learn to teach English.

scholarly journals Virtual Teaching and Learning of English As A Second Language in Selected Secondary Schools Isu-Ikwuato, L. G. A. Abia State, Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-95
Author(s):  
Bernard Meshach Aguma ◽  
◽  
Caroline Kinuu Kimathi ◽  
Martin Situma ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Educational System ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Virtual Teaching

The adoption of virtual teaching and learning of a second language in the Nigerian educational system has received little attention. COVID-19 lock-down, imposed by the governments of the nations, forced educational institutions globally and locally to adapt virtual teaching and learning of English language. This research paper investigated the challenges of virtual teaching and learning of a second language (English) in selected secondary schools, Isu Ikwuato L.A. Abia State, Nigeria. It used a mixed method convergent parallel research design. The purposive sampling technique was used to select secondary schools that adopted virtual teaching and learning. The targeted population was 2000 English students and teachers with a sample size of 333. The results revealed that the schools made use of synchronous, asynchronous and blended types of online teaching and learning, and the students had a positive attitude. Both students and teachers experienced challenges of poor network, lack of ICT training, unstable electricity, and financial constraint. This study recommends the following: Language Policy Makers in Nigerian Educational System to map out the strategies that will incorporate online second language teaching and learning skills in the curriculum. That Marist Educational Board in partnership with the Ministry of Education in Nigeria, provide virtual supplementary materials for English language education. Adequate virtual training to be provided for English teachers and students. That the challenges of internet fluctuation, power shortage, insufficient virtual materials, inadequate funds, technical issues, virtual skills be addressed by all the stakeholders in education.

scholarly journals Online Learning Benefits and Challenges During the COVID 19 - Pandemic-Students’ Perspective from SEEU

SEEU Review ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 86-103
Author(s):  
Brikena Xhaferi ◽  
Gëzim Xhaferi
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Online Classes ◽  
East European ◽  
Language And Literature ◽  
Student Questionnaire ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Online learning is becoming a commonplace in different settings starting from elementary, secondary and higher levels of education. Different educational institutions use different communication tools to promote learning because the expansive nature of the Internet and the accessibility of technology have generated a surge in the demand for web-based teaching and learning across the nations (Chaney, 2010). The online teaching and learning have become a necessity for education around the globe during COVID 19-pandemic. There are several challenges which are faced during online classes because the students must have strong self-motivation skills and be very disciplined to achieve the desired learning results. This paper presents and analyzes the data on the benefits and challenges of online teaching at South East European University (SEEU) during COVID 19 pandemic. The participants of the study are students of the BA level majoring in English Language and Literature and German Language and Literature at SEEU in Tetovo, North Macedonia. To answer the research questions, we have used a student questionnaire, interviews, and student reflection papers written during the online courses. Overall, the research indicates that benefits of online coursework outweigh the challenges that students face during the online classes. From a safety perspective, this study emphasizes the need to consider the impact of online teaching on student motivation and the paper raises important questions about how to best support students enrolled in online courses. Further research is needed in order to better evaluate the benefits, challenges, and useful strategies of successful students enrolled in online courses.

scholarly journals Examining the Existence of “Teaching to the Test” at SSC Level in Bangladesh

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aixa Hafsha
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Test Results ◽  
High Stakes ◽  
Test Technique ◽  
Teacher Interview ◽  
Teaching To The Test ◽  
Teaching Context ◽  
Research Findings

The paper aims at examining the influence of Secondary School Certificate (SSC) English language test on teaching in the existing CLT-based teaching context in Bangladesh. It is a fact that SSC test results continue to influence the total educational career of a student including his admission into Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) level and subsequently at tertiary level study. Later on, SSC result is one of the vital determinants of his employment. As a result, the washback effect i.e. effect of test (SSC EFL tests) on teaching and learning of this high stakes test cannot be ruled out. The overwhelming use of test results in different academic and professional affairs in the context of Bangladesh has made the effect of washback a distinctive educational phenomenon. This study presents preliminary research findings on the SSC EFL test’s influence on teaching in Bangladesh by applying various methodological techniques such as classroom observation and teacher interview in sampled schools located in Chittagong, Bangladesh. The analysed data revealed that SSC EFL test technique is one of the driving forces that shape teaching. Teachers’ teaching is confined to only those tasks and activities which are commonly set in the tests. Now it is difficult to deny that that teaching to the test is a harsh reality at SSC level classrooms in Bangladesh.

scholarly journals Driving value creation in the new economy following the COVID-19 crisis. Data-mining students’ satisfaction from online teaching in the virtual academic climate.

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. pp452-468
Author(s):  
Eyal Eckhaus ◽  
Nitza Davidovitch
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Goodness Of Fit ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Academic Institutions ◽  
Ethical Implications ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
The Impact

  This study examines the advantages of online teaching from the perspective of students at eleven institutions of higher education, universities and colleges, in Israel. The study was conducted at the end of the second semester of their academic studies, after students had experienced “face to face” studies, and they were asked to reply freely to an open question on their evaluation of the benefits of transitioning to online teaching. Students were forced to cope with a new reality, where they were compelled to study in a “digital classroom”. The academic-social climate, the conduct of lecturer-student relations, and the relations among the students themselves, changed instantaneously, with no preparation by any of those involved. Hence, the research findings can illuminate the strengths of online teaching, with a view to the future. Was the impact of teaching and learning in the coronavirus circumstances a one-time event for the students or one from which it is possible to examine and embrace new ways of learning as they see them?   Based on 1,937 fully completed surveys from eleven academic institutions, we employed a mixed methods research design. Major themes were manually tagged, and an empirical model was developed. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was utilized to test the model’s goodness-of-fit. Findings present a host of parameters that have a significant positive influence on students’ positive perception of the transition to online teaching.   This study is the first to thoroughly examine advantages and disadvantages of the transition to online teaching among a large group of students, from several different academic institutions, and presents both qualitative and empirical results. Ethical implications of the findings are discussed.  

scholarly journals Has Differentiated Instruction Gone ‘Awry’ in Online Teaching and Learning?

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 501-510
Author(s):  
Faizah Idrus ◽  
Nur Afini Zainal Asri ◽  
Nurin Najihah Baharom
Keyword(s):  
Differentiated Instruction ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Online Teaching And Learning ◽  
Environmental Strain ◽  
English Language Teachers

Differentiated Instruction (DI) is a classroom strategy that helps teachers to cater their teachings to students with different abilities and learning needs. The issue here is whether DI is still relevant in the online teaching and learning amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, the aim of this paper is to explore selected ESL teachers’ practices of differentiated instructions in their online classes. It also seeks to examine challenges these teachers withstand while implementing DI in their online classrooms. A qualitative design employing the semi-structured interviews and teachers’ reflection notes are used as data collection instruments. A total of six English language teachers from three selected schools in Malaysia took part in this investigation. Thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke (2006) is applied. The findings revealed that environmental strain, resources constraint and students’ and parents’ attitudes are the main challenges in DI while teaching in an online platform.

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