scholarly journals How Iranian Instructors Teach L2 Pragmatics in Their Classroom Practices? A Mixed-Methods Approach

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 166
Author(s):  
Paramasivam Muthusamy ◽  
Atieh Farashaiyan
Keyword(s):  
Speech Acts ◽  
Classroom Practices ◽  
Corrective Feedback ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
Communicative Practice ◽  
L2 Pragmatics ◽  
Culture Teaching ◽  
Feedback Techniques ◽  
Pair Work

<p>This study examined the teaching approaches and techniques that Iranian instructors utilize for teaching L2 pragmatics in their classroom practices. 238 Iranian instructors participated in this study. The data for this study were accumulated through questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. In terms of the instructional approaches, both the quantitative and qualitative results showed that instructors make use of inductive and implicit approaches more than other two approaches, deductive and explicit, to teach L2 pragmatics .With regard to the pragmatic consciousness-raising techniques, the results revealed that instructors mostly make use of conversation topics and also situations to raise learners’ awareness of the speech act under study. In addition to this technique, instructors make use of field experience to give input to learners. Regarding the pragmatic communicative practice techniques, the quantitative and qualitative results showed that instructors mostly make use of role-play and pair- work techniques to engage learners to practice speech acts. Moreover, the results of the questionnaire and interview with regard to pragmatic corrective feedback techniques showed that instructors almost give feedback implicitly by reformulating learners’ mistakes and repeating their errors On the contrary, instructors give less metalinguistic information and explain the inappropriate expressions to learners. In terms of culture teaching techniques, the results illustrated that instructors share their knowledge of what they hear or read about other cultures with their learners. The results of this study have some implications for language instructors.</p>

scholarly journals Questionnaire Development and Validation of Interlanguage Pragmatic Instructional Approaches & Techniques in EFL Contexts

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 330
Author(s):  
Atieh Farashaiyan ◽  
Rahman Sahragard ◽  
Paramasivam Muthusamy ◽  
Rajantheran Muniandy
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Processing ◽  
Corrective Feedback ◽  
Questionnaire Development ◽  
Instructional Approaches ◽  
Communicative Practice ◽  
Pragmatic Awareness ◽  
Culture Teaching ◽  
Awareness Raising ◽  
Development And Validation ◽  
Questionnaire Development And Validation

The present study is an attempt to describe the development and validation of an inter-language pragmatic questionnaire to examine the kind of instructional approaches and techniques that EFL teachers use to practice the pragmatic features in their classes. The research made use of two theories; cognitive processing and language socialization theories. The participants include 366 EFL Iranian instructors .The methodology part consists of two parts; instrument development and validation. Based on the exploratory factor analysis, 31 items including five separate factors emerged: pragmatic awareness-raising techniques, pragmatic communicative practice technique, pragmatic corrective feedback technique, culture teaching techniques and pragmatic instructional approaches. Therefore, a questionnaire including 31 items was developed which followed the 5-point Likert technique of scale construction where 1 shows “Never" and 5 denotes "Always". The reliability and factorial validity of the questionnaire are also illustrated. Finally, the potential theoretical and practical implications of the study are discussed. 

scholarly journals Investigating Teacher Written Corrective Feedback as a Formative Assessment Tool

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khalid SAID ◽  
Abdelouahid El MOUZRATI
Keyword(s):  
Formative Assessment ◽  
English Language ◽  
Classroom Practices ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Corrective Feedback ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Student Writing ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Attitudes And Practices ◽  
Written Corrective Feedback

The present study seeks to lay the foundations for a firmly-grounded understanding of Written Corrective Feedback (WCF) as a Formative Assessment (FA) tool through student writing. More specifically yet, it is concerned with examining the intricate correlation between Moroccan English Language Teachers’ (ELT) attitudes and practices with respect to the way they understand and apply FA by means of WCF on students’ written productions. To that end, the study seeks to investigate this issue in the light of the following guiding questions: What beliefs do Moroccan ELT teachers hold about FA and WCF? How do these teachers provide WCF to their students during the writing lesson? To address these questions, we have opted for a mixed method approach that includes questionnaires for 110 teachers, document analysis of 30 writing productions and a follow- up semi-structured interviews with teachers. Date has been interpreted through an Explanatory Sequential Design. Inspired by Lee‘s (2009) analytical model and Perumanathan (2014) study, major findings have been presented regarding mismatches. These findings have revealed strong mismatches between teachers espoused beliefs concerning WCF, as a formative assessment tool, and their actual classroom practices. Finally, the study sets some implications for teachers, supervisors underlining the implementation of WCF in classroom practices.

‘May I do something for you?’: The effects of audio-visual material (captioned and non-captioned) on EFL pragmatic learning

2022 ◽  
pp. 136216882110670
Author(s):  
Júlia Barón ◽  
M. Luz Celaya
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Speech Acts ◽  
Role Play ◽  
Visual Material ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
L2 Pragmatics ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Role Play Task ◽  
Positive Effect

The present study deals with the effect of audio-visual material for second language (L2) pragmatic learning in the foreign language classroom. More specifically, it analyzes whether being exposed to captioned and non-captioned input in an experimental condition entailing no instruction on pragmatics might have any influence on the learners’ pragmatic performance. To this aim, two intact classes ( N = 31) of learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) at a B1 level were exposed to videos with captions and without captions, respectively. Before and after watching the videos, all the students were asked to carry out a role-play task with situations like those in the videos. A mixed-methods approach was used to analyze the learners’ performance in terms of types and number of strategies to perform speech acts (quantitative) and in terms of pragmatic appropriateness (qualitative). Findings show that both groups used more polite strategies after watching the videos, regardless of the captioned/non-captioned condition, which seems to confirm the contribution of audio-visual material for the learning of the L2 pragmatics in an incidental way. Concerning pragmatic appropriateness, we found that learners in the captioned condition produced more pragmalinguistically appropriate role-plays than learners in the non-captioned condition, thus suggesting a positive effect of captioned material on the learning of the L2 pragmatics. Such results are discussed in relation to the few previous similar studies in the field.

scholarly journals Classroom learning of English L2 requests: Input and interactional opportunities in French secondary schools

2021 ◽  
pp. 136216882110649
Author(s):  
Aisha Siddiqa ◽  
Shona Whyte
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Speech Acts ◽  
Classroom Interaction ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Pragmatic Development ◽  
Pragmatic Analysis ◽  
Strong Focus ◽  
L2 Pragmatics ◽  
L2 Learners ◽  
Interactional Patterns

With today’s strong focus on communicative competence in second language (L2) classrooms, speech acts like suggestions, requests, refusals, and apologies are often investigated in interlanguage pragmatic (ILP) as well as instructional pragmatics. Even though there is strong evidence in ILP research that purports that L2 learners respond well to pragmatic instruction (Taguchi, 2015), the teaching of L2 pragmatics is not always prioritized in textbooks, teaching programmes or teacher education (Barron, 2016; Savvidou & Economidou-Kogetsidis, 2019) with the consequence that pragmatic learning can only occur incidentally. The present study examines opportunities to acquire L2 requests for 308 English as a foreign language (EFL) learners across 7 years of instruction in French secondary schools, investigating textbooks preferred by teachers, classroom interaction (39 hours), and teacher perspectives (semi-structured interviews with 10 teachers). After a pragmatic analysis of 15 EFL textbooks with a focus on requests, the study examines the incidence of metapragmatic input in 39 hours of teaching in 13 classes at 3 levels, and relates interactional patterns with interview data from the 10 teachers concerned. Findings suggest limited pragmatic input in both textbooks and classroom interaction. By comparing the profiles of teachers who encouraged L2 requests with those who did not, the study offers new explanations for L2 learners’ limited pragmatic development which also broadly corroborate previous findings of somewhat limited potential for L2 pragmatic development in obligatory school contexts.

scholarly journals The Influence of Educational Programme on Teachers’ Error Correction Preferences in the Speaking Skill: Insights from English as a Foreign Language Context

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 76
Author(s):  
Emre Debreli ◽  
Nazife Onuk
Keyword(s):  
Student Achievement ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Error Correction ◽  
Corrective Feedback ◽  
Educational Programme ◽  
Classroom Observations ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Speaking Skill ◽  
Language Context

<p class="apa">In the area of language teaching, corrective feedback is one of the popular and hotly debated topics that have been widely explored to date. A considerable number of studies on students’ preferences of error correction and the effects of error correction approaches on student achievement do exist. Moreover, much on teachers’ preferences of error correction approaches has also been explored. However, less seems to be done with regard to teachers’ practices of error correction approaches, especially in the area of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). The present study explored EFL teacher’s preferences of error correction approaches in the speaking skill, and further focused on whether the teachers were able to employ the approaches they preferred in their classrooms. Data were collected from a group of 17 EFL teachers, through semi-structured interviews and classroom observations. The findings revealed that although the teachers had clear preferences for error correction approaches, they could not employ them in their classrooms owing to the educational programme constraints. Furthermore, it was observed that they often had to adopt approaches that they were not actually in favour of. Implications for programme and curriculum designers are further discussed.</p>

IMPROVING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) PROCESS IN MALAYSIA

2015 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maisarah Makmor ◽  
Zulhabri Ismail
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Environmental Impact Assessment ◽  
Questionnaire Survey ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Document Review

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a planning tool to identify, predict and evaluate potential environmental impacts and mitigation measures in the early stages of proposed projects. Although EIA has been implemented in Malaysia for over 25 years, the EIA practices have yet to achieve the parameters of effective environmental management and sustainable development. Hence, this research aims to improve the EIA process in Malaysia. Three objectives were utilised in this research which are to recognise the fundamentals of EIA process and procedures applied in Malaysia, to analyse the issues in relation to the EIA preparation and submission conducted in Malaysia and to propose a set of recommendations to further improve the current EIA process in Malaysia. Mixed methods approach was embarked composed of qualitative instruments via document review and semi-structured interviews and quantitative instrument utilising questionnaire survey. Key issues on the EIA process in Malaysia were gathered from qualitative data collected. Analysis of data collected resulted to recommendations on the key issues regarding EIA. 25 proposed recommendations to improve the EIA process were contextualised and validated via questionnaire survey. Ergo, this research established an improved EIA process in Malaysia towards sustainable development to ameliorate the EIA practices in Malaysia. 

scholarly journals Exploring EFL Instructors’ Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Reflective Practices on their Professional Development in the Saudi Context

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 88
Author(s):  
Danyah Fahad Alsayeud ◽  
Anas Hamed Almuhammadi
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Reflective Practice ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Reflective Practices ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
Efl Context ◽  
Sequential Mixed Methods ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Males And Females

This study explores the perceptions of EFL instructors about their reflective practice and its effect on their professional development in a Saudi Arabian university. This study adopts an explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach to collect quantitative and qualitative data. Two study instruments were used; a survey questionnaire with a study sample of 100 male and female participants and semi-structured interviews with a study sample of seven female instructors. The findings show that some instructors in general have a positive perception of reflective practices and they utilize a diversity of reflective tools. Female instructors show a greater degree of involvement in a reflective practice than male instructors in three of the four examined dimensions (cognitive and meta-cognitive, moral and learner and reflective teaching in general). However, no significant difference is reported between males’ and females’ perceptions in terms of the fourth dimension (practical). Based on the findings, recommendations have been made to encourage reflective practices in the Saudi EFL context.

Teacher agency in pragmatic pedagogy

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zia Tajeddin ◽  
Mehri Bagheri
Keyword(s):  
Corrective Feedback ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Pragmatic Competence ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Teachers Beliefs ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Scant Attention ◽  
Beliefs About Teaching ◽  
Pragmatic Knowledge ◽  
Pragmatic Instruction

Despite the existence of a large body of research on pragmatic instruction, teachers’ beliefs about teaching and assessing pragmatic competence have received scant attention. The present study sought to investigate Persian-speaking EFL teachers’ beliefs and perceived knowledge about pragmatic instruction and assessment and their self-reported instructional practice. To achieve this aim, a questionnaire was administered to 204 EFL teachers and 30 of these teachers also participated in semi-structured interviews. The findings showed that even though the teachers were aware of the importance of pragmatics, they did not consider themselves highly competent in teaching the subject to learners or in the assessment of learners’ pragmatic abilities. The most frequent method they reported having used was pragmatic corrective feedback. Further, the teachers believed that their colleagues and institute directors also gave little weight to the improvement of learners’ pragmatic abilities, and they further argued that textbooks and exams, while containing some pragmatics-related sections, failed to enhance and measure learners’ pragmatic knowledge. These results have critical implications for teachers’ pragmatic awareness in their professional development and for the inclusion of more explicit pragmatic activities in textbooks.

Integrating Culture in Language Preparatory Programs

2020 ◽  
pp. 433-451
Author(s):  
Enisa Mede ◽  
Zeynep Mutlu Cansever
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Classroom Observations ◽  
Sample Population ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Language And Culture ◽  
Preparatory Program ◽  
Culture Teaching ◽  
Preparatory Programs ◽  
Program Data

This chapter aims to investigate the role of culture in English Language Preparatory Programs in Turkey. Specifically, the chapter attempts to gain insights on what types of culture teaching activities native and non-native English instructors use in their classroom, find out if there is any difference between the two groups of participants and lastly, identify to what extent they implement culture in their teaching practices.. The sample population of this study were 95 (44 native and 51 non-native) EFL instructors working in the preparatory program. Data were collected from a questionnaire, semi-structured interviews and classroom observations. The findings revealed that both groups of instructors agreed that language and culture are closely related and that culture should be integrated in classrooms frequently to help students to become intercultural speakers as well as become more competent in how to develop a relationship with people of other languages and cultures.

Who Creates Microtransactions : The Production Context of Video Game Monetization

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lies van Roessel ◽  
Jan Švelch
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Data Analysis ◽  
Frequency Analysis ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Job Descriptions ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Game Development ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
Roles And Responsibilities

Despite a growing academic interest in in-game monetization, much less attention has been paid to the production context of microtransactions. With this chapter, we aim to address this gap by focusing on the roles and responsibilities related to video game monetization. We answer the titular question of this chapter using a mixed methods approach, combining semi-structured interviews, content analysis of job descriptions, and frequency analysis of in-game credits. Results suggest that monetization responsibilities are both being integrated into various existing roles, including game designers or product managers, but also spawn new dedicated roles of monetization specialists. Monetization as a game development task is closely related to data analysis and only inconsistently appears in in-game credits.

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