scholarly journals Radio Drama Competition as an Effective Tool to Boost the Motivation and Self-Confidence of Primary and Secondary School English Learners in Hong Kong

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 154
Author(s):  
Kevin Kai-Wing Chan ◽  
William Ko Wai Tang
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Arts ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Radio Drama ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Primary And Secondary School

In this report, we investigate the use of a radio drama competition to boost motivation, self-confidence, and cooperation in language learning for primary and secondary school students in Hong Kong. The results suggest the radio drama competition had a positive impact on increasing motivation, collaboration, and confidence in language learning.  For the study, we used online surveys and interviews with students and teachers who participated in the radio drama competition to examine their perceptions of the competition. We have included the surveys and interview results of two competitions in consecutive years, and both years’ results indicate students had positive views about their experience. Both students and teachers believed the competition enhanced collaboration and teamwork, confidence, and communication skills most.  This paper contributes to the literature by shedding light on the pedagogical implications of English teachers incorporating more radio drama and language arts into their classrooms to improve students’ language learning. Well-selected language arts materials could increase students’ language learning process as well as their motivation and self-confidence to learn the target language.

How does time-on-task affect the achievement of early and late starters of Indonesian in schools?

2012 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Kohler
Keyword(s):  
Student Achievement ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Target Language ◽  
School Level ◽  
Time On Task ◽  
Written Responses ◽  
Late Start ◽  
Late Starters

In the Australian education context, there are typically two cohorts of language learners at the secondary school level, those who commence their study of the target language early in their primary schooling (early starters), and those who commence their study later, at the beginning of secondary school (late starters). The two groups may have undertaken their language study under quite different program conditions, in particular in relation to “time-on-task”i. There is little empirical evidence about the nature of student achievement in languages at the end of primary and in junior secondary and its relationship to time-on-task. This paper compares the achievements of a sample of early and late start students of Indonesian in Australia using score data gathered from common measures of achievement. In addition, a small sample of student written responses are analysed in order to highlight issues related to eliciting and describing student achievement that may not be evident from the quantitative data alone. The findings of the study reveal the nature of achievement by early and late starters of Indonesian in the SAALE study, as well as the complexity of investigating a single variable such as time-on-task in relation to student achievement. The paper concludes by recommending that assessment of student achievement in language learning take into consideration methodologies that may capture more holistically a constellation of variables that impact on students’ language learning.

Comprehensie van Vreemdtalige Input

1988 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
pp. 21-30
Author(s):  
Diana C. Issidorides
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Comprehension ◽  
Word Order ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Theoretical Issue ◽  
Function Words ◽  
Semantic Cues ◽  
Processing Strategies

Within a psycholinguistic approach to second language learning, an attempt is made to investigate the question of how morphology, syntax (word order phenomena), semantics and pragmatics affect the comprehension of Dutch sentences for normative learners of that language. When talking to nonnative language-learners, native spea-kers often tend to dehberately modify their speech -'simplify' it - in an attempt to make the target language more comprehensible. Omitting semantically redundant function words and copulas, or deliberate-ly modifying the word order in a sentence, are but a few characteris-tics of sucn 'simplifications'. In trying to determine whether, and what kinds of, linguistic simplifications promote comprehension, an important theoretical issue arises, namely, the relationship between linguistic (structural) and cognitive (ease of information processing) simplification. That one form of simplification is by no means a guarantee for the other form is an important assumption that forms the backbone to our approach. The results from research on morphological simplifications (omission of redundant function words in utterances) in two parallel experiments - an artificial and a natural language one (Dutch) - are discus-sed. They suggest that the presence of semantically redundant functi-on words is not experienced as bothersome "noise" in the successful inference of the meaning of unfamiliar utterances, as long as supra-segmental cues are present. The suprasegmental structure provides the listener/learner with cues for locating the potentially meaningful elements of such utterances. Research on syntactic simplifications is also discussed. Its aim was to examine the role and effect of syntactic and semantic cues on sen-tence interpretation. Two important questions were: (a) What are the processing strategies and cues responsible for the interpretation of Dutch sentences by native speakers, and how do they compare to those employed by nonnative speakers? (b) Are the processing stra-tegies and cues that are responsible and decisive for first language comprehension also those employed in second language comprehension? The performance of Dutch control subjects on a Dutch sentence interpretation task is presented, and hypotheses are put forward as to the locus and cause of eventual performance differences in a nonnative subject population (English learners of Dutch). Some relevant theoretical implications of our findings are also mentioned.

scholarly journals Second Language Acquisition Through Neurolinguistic Programming: A Psychoanalytic Approach

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4.36) ◽  
pp. 624
Author(s):  
A. Delbio ◽  
M. Ilankumaran
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Technical Information ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Main Role ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
The Brain

English is the only lingua-franca for the whole world in present age of globalization and liberalization. English language is considered as an important tool to acquire a new and technical information and knowledge. In this situation English learners and teachers face a lot of problems psychologically. Neuro linguistic studies the brain mechanism and the performance of the brain in linguistic competences. The brain plays a main role in controlling motor and sensory activities and in the process of thinking. Studies regarding development of brain bring some substantiation for psychological and anatomical way of language development. Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) deals with psychological and neurological factors. It also deals with the mode of brain working and the way to train the brain to achieve the purpose. Many techniques are used in the NLP. It improves the fluency and accuracy in target language. It improves non-native speaker to improve the LSRW skills.  This paper brings out the importance of the NLP in language learning and teaching. It also discusses the merits and demerits of the NLP in learning. It also gives the solution to overcome the problems and self-correction is motivated through neuro-linguistic programming.   

scholarly journals LOTE (Languages Other than English) learners’ investment in learning languages

2020 ◽  
Vol 84 ◽  
pp. 55-64
Author(s):  
Juexuan Lu ◽  
Lifen He ◽  
Qi Shen
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Learning Motivation ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
English Students ◽  
Depth Interviews

This study draws on the model of language learning investment to explore China’s LOTE (Languages Other than English) students’ learning motivation. Data collected through in-depth interviews with 35 university students were analyzed in an inductive way. The findings show that: (1) the participants invested in learning LOTEs because they had enough affordances (resources applicable to LOTE learning) and/or perceived target language-related benefits (economic, cultural or social ones) from LOTE learning, even though most of our participants were initially involuntary applicants; (2) students were reluctant to invest in learning their target language(s) and merely strove to fulfil their program(s) when they were lacking affordances, perceiving few benefits, or even devalued by the in-context ideologies. These findings provide important implications for LOTE educators to motivate their students, and for policy makers to improve China’s LOTE education.

scholarly journals Serving PE Teachers’ Views on the Interface of Primary and Secondary School PE in Hong Kong

2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 14-23
Author(s):  
Chung LI ◽  
Alberto CRUZ ◽  
Kevin Wai Keung KAM
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Interpretive Research ◽  
Research Perspective ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Telephone Interviews ◽  
Standardized Curriculum ◽  
Primary And Secondary School

LANGUAGE NOTE | Document text in English; abstract also in Chinese. This study explored the views of 296 serving physical education (PE) teachers concerning the interface of secondary and primary school PE in Hong Kong. Attached to the interpretive research perspective, questionnaire and follow-up telephone interviews were adopted for soliciting their views on the importance, measures taken and suggestions for improvement. The findings indicated that over 91% of serving PE teachers acknowledged the importance of interface for facilitating pupils’ learning. Similar articulations with the functions and content of school PE that facilitated the interface were found. Although 21% of them claimed that they had taken some measures for enhancing curricular interface, most of them were not systematic and well-planned. Thus, most PE teachers looked forward to a standardized curriculum stipulated by the Education Bureau as to ensure the effectiveness of the interface. The study suggests reinforcing teachers’ awareness of the interface of PE; considering the inclusion of PE in the internal school assessment for the Secondary School Places Allocation System and strengthening the interface from system, school and classroom levels. Consequently, it would enhance the learning and teaching in physical education. 本文旨在探討296位在職體育教師對中小學體育課程銜接的意見。研究以詮釋理念為依據，透過問卷及跟進電話訪談以顯證他們對體育課程銜接的重要性、實施措施和改善建議的意見。結果顯示九成一在職體育教師認同銜接對促進學生學習的重要性，認定學校體育功能和所教授內容相近，有利相關課程的銜接。雖然有百分之二十一在職體育教師表示已推展一些課程銜接措施，但有關銜接措施未見系統及計劃推行。大多數體育教師期望教育局能訂定一系列標準課程以確保其成效。本研究建議提升體育教師對課程銜接的醒覺性，考慮將體育納入為小學升中呈分試科目之一，並從系統、學校及課室等層面上優化中小學體育課程的銜接，促進學與教。

scholarly journals The Effect of Interactional Adjustments on the Overall Comprehension of Spoken Texts: A Case Study

2005 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 187
Author(s):  
Marcos Peñate ◽  
Geraldine Boylan
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Primary School Pupils ◽  
Primary And Secondary School ◽  
Secondary School Pupils

One of the basic conditions required for pupils to learn a foreign language is that their teachers must speak to them in the target language—and always at a level which is understandable to them. The effectiveness of interactional adjustments such as repetitions, comprehension checks, and nonlinguistic aspects used by a teacher to help primary and secondary school pupils with their general understanding of spoken texts delivered in English is analysed in this article. Once the effectiveness of such adjustments is confirmed, a comparison is made between the teacher’s use of adjustments when teaching a group of 10-year-old primary school pupils and when teaching a group of 17-year-old secondary school pupils. 外国語指導の重要な要件の一つとして、当該外国語を指導言語とし、しかもそれを学習者が理解できるレベルで使わなければならないということが挙げられる。そのために教員は学習者とのやり取りの最中、理解の確認、繰り返し、あるいは非言語行動により絶えず調整を行わなければならない。このような調整がどのくらい効果があるのかを、小学校、中学校の授業を観察し分析した。さらに10歳の小学生対象の授業、17歳の中学生対象の授業でどのように違うかをあわせて考察した。

scholarly journals Investigating demotivational factors in Indonesian EFL classrooms: The case of madrasa students

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-60
Author(s):  
Af'idatul Husniyah
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Religious Beliefs ◽  
Educational Institution ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Teacher Gender ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Specific Factors

Compared to motivation, demotivation is still a relatively new topic in the field of language learning. This present study aims to investigate demotivational factors among Madrasa (religious educational institution) students in the Indonesian EFL context. This study employed a mixed-methods approach with an explanatory design in which the quantitative phase was conducted before the qualitative phase. A 25-close-ended questionnaire along with one open-ended question were filled by 190 Madrasa students. To expand the results of the questionnaire, interviews with two students were conducted. Through a descriptive analysis and thematic analysis, five key demotivators were revealed, they are a) the nature of the target language, b) lesson-specific factors, c) learning materials, d) teacher-related factors, and e) the learning environment. The results also indicated some factors which are not included in the questionnaire, they are a) lack of self-confidence, b) lack of intrinsic motivation, c) lack of learning community, and d) teacher gender. Although previously students’ religious beliefs were said to affect the students’ demotivation, it appeared that half of the students did not consider them to be demotivating. Instead of religious beliefs, the students found the nature of English as the most demotivating factor, which contradicts the findings of previous demotivation studies that found teachers as the main demotivating factor.

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