scholarly journals Experiential Study in Learning English Writing: An Inquiry into Saudi Learners’ Concerns

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 181
Author(s):  
Sahal R. Al Shammari
Keyword(s):  
Academic Writing ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Writing Courses ◽  
Saudi Students ◽  
Writing Skill ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Difference

Writing plays a prominent role in learning a second language or foreign language. Research mainly focused on the development of writing skill from the teachers or trainers’ perspectives, but in the recent studies researchers have explored students’ concerns about writing skill and the difficulties they encounter in the process. The learners are fully aware of the challenges and their expectations of the courses. The purpose of this study is to investigate students’ perceptions about academic writing courses or writing in general and to investigate the differences they observe about the teaching practice followed in the kingdom as well as ELP in the USA. A total of 03 students (from three different provinces of the KSA) from the pre-university English language program (Applied English Center, Kansas University, USA) for Saudi students enrolled for various courses in their masters program in the US universities participated in this study. The general design of the study was qualitative in nature as a questionnaire and a focus-group interview were implemented for data collection. The overall results demonstrated that the difference in teaching strategies is a significant factor which poses a question mark on the professional training expected of the teachers involved in various universities in the kingdom. The major findings demonstrated students’ awareness of their needs and ESL writing requirements and how teaching writing in MT or so to say L1 influences their ESL learning. The study concluded with recommendations for future research.

The Use of Multimedia and its Impact on Bangladeshi EFL Learners at Tertiary Level

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 150
Author(s):  
Farzana Sharmin Pamela Islam
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Capital City ◽  
Tertiary Level ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact

As 21st century is the era of modern technologies with different aspects, it offers us to make the best use of them. After tape recorder and overhead projector (OHP), multimedia has become an important part of language classroom facilities for its unique and effective application in delivering and learning lesson. Although in many parts of Bangladesh, a South Asian developing country, where English enjoys the status of a foreign language, the use of multimedia in teaching and learning is viewed as a matter of luxury. However, nowadays the usefulness and the necessity of it are well recognized by the academics as well as the government. The study aims to focus on the difference between a traditional classroom void of multimedia and multimedia equipped classrooms at university level by explaining how multimedia support the students with enhanced opportunity to interact with diverse texts that give them more in-depth comprehension of the subject. It also focuses on audio-visual advantage of multimedia on the students’ English language learning. The study has followed a qualitative method to get an in-depth understanding of the impact of using multimedia in an English language classroom at tertiary level. For this purpose, the data have been collected from two different sources. Firstly, from students’ written response to  an open ended question as to their comparative experience of learning  lessons with and without multimedia facilities; and secondly, through  observation of English language classes at a private university of Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. The discussion of the study is limited to  the use of multimedia in English language classroom using cartoons, images and music with a view to enhance students’ skills in academic writing, critical analysis of image and critical appreciation of music. For this purpose, cartoons in English language, images from Google and music from You Tube have got focused discussion in this paper.

scholarly journals A systematic review of the latent structure of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) amongst adolescents

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna M. Blodgett ◽  
Chantelle C. Lachance ◽  
Brendon Stubbs ◽  
Melissa Co ◽  
Yu-Tzu Wu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Factor Structure ◽  
English Language ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Epidemiologic Studies ◽  
Latent Structure ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Primary Analysis ◽  
The Usa

Abstract Background The Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) is a commonly used psychometric scale of depression. A four-factor structure (depressed affect, positive affect, somatic symptoms, and interpersonal difficulties) was initially identified in an American sample aged 18 to 65. Despite emerging evidence, a latent structure has not been established in adolescents. This review aimed to investigate the factor structure of the CES-D in adolescents. Methods We searched Web of Science, PsychINFO and Scopus and included peer-reviewed, original studies assessing the factor structure of the 20-item CES-D in adolescents aged ≤18. Two independent researchers screened results and extracted data. Results Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria and were primarily from school-based samples in the USA or Asia. Studies that conducted confirmatory factor analysis (CFA; n = 9) reported a four-factor structure consistent with the original factor structure; these studies were primarily USA-based. Conversely, studies that conducted exploratory factor analysis (EFA) reported distinct two or three factor structures (n = 4) and were primarily based in Asia. Limitations Studies in a non-English language and those that included individuals aged > 18 years were excluded. Ethnic or cultural differences as well as different analytical methods impacted generalisability of results. The use of CFA as the primary analysis may have biased towards a four-factor structure. Conclusions A four-factor CES-D structure was an appropriate fit for adolescents in Western countries; further research is required to determine the fit in in Asian countries. This has important implications for clinical use of the scale. Future research should consider how cultural differences shape the experience of depression in adolescents.

Accessible tourism: a bibliometric review (2008–2020)

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Guanghui Qiao ◽  
Liu Ding ◽  
Linlin Zhang ◽  
Huili Yan
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Sampling Frame ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Knowledge Maps ◽  
Tourism Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Bibliometric Review

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to reveal the knowledge evolution process, research hotspots and future trends in the accessible tourism research literature from 2008 to 2020. Design/methodology/approach A total of 213 articles on accessible tourism were selected from the core collection database of Web of Science (WoS) and analyzed using CiteSpace. Findings Over the 13-year period between 2008 and 2020, an increasing number of studies have been published concerning accessible tourism, but the overall base is still small. The research content mainly includes six modules. Among institutions, the University of Technology Sydney has published the largest number of papers. Cooperation among countries involves the USA, the United Kingdom, Australia, Portugal and China. Tourism Management is the leading journal for disseminating research on accessible tourism. Definition of “Accessible tourism” and the different scope of this phenomenon are re-discussed. In recent years, “experience” and “participation” have become the “new favorites” in accessible tourism research, which could reveal insights into future research directions. Research limitations/implications The sampling frame was defined in terms of the WoS database and even though this is an important database for global academic information, in the big data era, the authors may have to integrate information from multiple sources to comprehensively reveal and understand knowledge maps. Second, because of the operational constraints of the CiteSpace software, the authors only selected outputs published in peer-reviewed journals, excluding other published works, such as books and conference papers. Finally, because of the language restrictions of the authors, this research is limited to journals published in the English language. Practical implications Practically, the results of this study made a conclusion of accessible tourism research so that the researchers can easily know what has currently been done and what future research can do. Tourism managers can also understand the demands and the constraints of tourism for the people who have barriers to travel. They can supply more specific products for the accessible tourism and further promote the construction of barrier-free travel environments. Originality/value This paper unifies the literature on senior tourism and people with disabilities tourism, and uses CiteSpace to construct data and network visualizations, including a burst and dynamic analysis for the period covered by the sample. Furthermore, this paper proposed a more diversified accessible tourism.

scholarly journals The Peculiarities of Physical Education Teachers’ Professional Training: Foreign Experience

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 39-44
Author(s):  
Oleksandr Soltyk
Keyword(s):  
Physical Education ◽  
Motor Activity ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Medical Knowledge ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Future Teacher ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Positive Effect

AbstractThe article deals with professional training of future teachers of physical education within the context of leading countries, namely the USA, Great Britain, China, Germany, France. The aforementioned countries are not just leaders in economical development; they are also leaders in sports. The analysis of literature resources allowed revealing a number of peculiarities, implementation of which in the process of professional training of teachers of physical education in Ukraine will have positive impact. They are reorientation of professional training, as well as future activity on health protection of students, individual physical development, skills development, big-scale implementation of health-improving systems, non-standard types of motor activity in educational process. This calls for improvement of medical knowledge, health fundamentals, disease prevention, and injury prevention. Increase of the role and duration of teaching practice and implementation of compulsory year-long training at future workplace are of great importance. Taking into account national traditions, historical experience of the development of physical culture in native land, and introduction of national types of motor activity to the curricula have positive effect. The division on two individual stages is common in professional training of teachers. The first one is primarily oriented on theoretical component of educational, while the second one emphasizes practical activity of a future teacher. Along with standardization, independence and autonomy of educational institutions in matters of professional training organization have positive effect in educational process. Governmental support, namely financing of physical training and sports and educational sphere, improvement of material and technical base, plays a key role in the process of professional training of future teacher of physical education.

scholarly journals A report on challenges faced by students and research scholars academic writing skill in English language

2021 ◽  
pp. 44-65
Author(s):  
DINESH K
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
English Language ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Document Analysis ◽  
Research Paper ◽  
Common Language ◽  
Writing Research ◽  
Writing Skill ◽  
Language Writing

Singh, A. K. G., et.al. (2020) in this world every country has its own language but in the reviewer has some common language that is second language or foreign language such as English language. Writing research paper is more difficult task with use of the English language because everyone well talented in our own natural language or mother tongue. Writing a research paper main aim to identify the L2 (English Language) syntax transferred from L1 (Mother Language). The method was chosen data collection instruments were document analysis and interview.

STUDENT METACOGNITIVE AWARENESS IN L2 WRITING: COMPETENCE VS. PERFORMANCE

2020 ◽  
pp. 119-138
Author(s):  
Branka Milenkovic
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
L2 Writing ◽  
Metacognitive Awareness ◽  
Student Writing ◽  
Common Belief ◽  
Essay Writing

Writing in a second language certainly embodies constraints that are not met in L1 writing due to numerous decisions L2 learners make while producing a text. Many researches have shown that L2 writing is largely based on decision-making with relation to form and search for appropriate words which make the writing process even more complex and time-consuming. Therefore, communicating with the readers through the use of metadiscourse poses an addi- tional obstacle in L2 writing. This paper is concerned with the use of metadiscourse markers in L2 student writing at the Department of English language, at the University of Kragujevac in Serbia. In essay writing research we frequently observe quantitative analysis of specific lan- guage items, however, in this research, we attempt to juxtapose the quantifiable metadiscourse items in student writing with their thinking processes and decision-making while composing. Thus, the research correlates three insights, one being the students’ liability to deep writing, which relies on their metacognitive awareness in writing, established through the modified questionnaire of the Inventory of Processes in College Composition (Lavelle and Zuercher 2001) and based on previous research (Milenkovic & Lojanica 2015). Students’ responses are then correlated with the analysis of 33 student essays on behalf of the use of metadiscourse mark- ers based on A model of metadiscourse in academic texts established by Hyland and Tse (2004). Finally, the students’ metacognitive awareness in writing is analyzed through an introspective questionnaire with the aim to yield qualitative responses in relation to their cognitive ability to reflect upon their writing. The results of the study confirm the common belief that using metadiscourse features is a constraint in L2 writing. Evidently there is a disproportion between the metadiscourse items students use in writing with relation to what they believe that they use and students have displayed more metacognitive awareness in relation to interactive resources as opposing to the interactional resources in academic writing. Implications of the results may establish a basis for a modified teaching practice in second language writing instruction with the aim to enhance students’ communicative competence in writing.

Toward the understanding of Chinese ESL writing

English Today ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Hu
Keyword(s):  
Learning Styles ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
The United States ◽  
Esl Students ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Writing Courses ◽  
Academic Environments ◽  
English Writing ◽  
The Usa

It is worth noting that an increasing number of international students, especially Chinese students, have been flooding into English-speaking countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States or Australia in pursuit of advanced knowledge and better academic environments. As ESL students are enrolling in writing courses in colleges and universities, teachers are confronted with problems that non-native speakers bring to the class when it comes to their academic writing. The problems are more serious than they appear to be. For one thing, according to Reid (1993: 774), there is a dramatic difference between native students and ESL students in ‘the needs, backgrounds, learning styles, and writing strategies’. For another, the situation becomes worse due to ‘considerable diversity even among ESL students in terms of language and cultural backgrounds, prior education, gender, age, and ESL language proficiency’ (Reid, 1993: 774). Although there is not a single solution which is effective in solving complex ESL issues, teachers would be in a better position to understand their ESL students' writing problems if they were to learn about the distinct nature of L2 writing shaped by linguistic and cultural differences. In this article, the author, who was once a Chinese ESL student in the USA and is now an EFL teacher in China, explores how English writing differs from Chinese writing and how these differences lead to Chinese ESL students' difficulty with English writing. This article is expected to increase ESL practitioners' awareness of the urgency for them to recognize and deal with these differences in order to teach L2 writers effectively, to treat them fairly and thus provide them with equal opportunities to achieve academic and professional success.

scholarly journals An Error Analysis of Research Project Abstracts Written by Thai Undergraduate Students

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 13
Author(s):  
Wirada Amnuai
Keyword(s):  
Error Analysis ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
English Language ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Word Choice ◽  
Writing Ability ◽  
Writing Courses ◽  
Sentence Level

Errors in writing are unavoidable while students are trying to develop their writing skills. There have been several studies on identifying writing problems or errors in students’ writing. It is believed that identifying students’ written tasks is an effective tool to explore the difficulties involved in learning language. This helps teachers’ awareness of the serious problems which occur in students’ writing and allows them to pay closer attention to their errors. The aim of the present research study is to pinpoint writing errors in English abstracts written by Thai undergraduate students. Forty abstracts of research projects were collected and analysed. The error analysis was conducted at the sentence level, word level, and mechanics aspect. The five most frequent error types ranking from the most frequent to least frequent were word choice, preposition, sentence construction, singular or plural forms and quotation marks. The findings of the present study have shed light on the students’ writing ability and give an insight into what the problems students face when writing their abstracts. Also, the errors found in the abstracts in the present study have pedagogical implications concerning English language learning, particularly with writing courses. The findings will be helpful for teachers to develop teaching materials to assist their students from committing errors when writing English abstracts and to improve academic writing skills.

scholarly journals Reading Habits and Its Effect on Academic Writing Skill: A Study of Master Degree Students

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 43
Author(s):  
Khoirunnisa Khoirunnisa
Keyword(s):  
Academic Writing ◽  
English Language ◽  
Scientific Journal ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Learning Activity ◽  
Reading Habit ◽  
Master Degree ◽  
Habitual Activity ◽  
New Information ◽  
Writing Skill

Nowadays, students centered became a popular strategy in English Language Teaching (ELT). Teacher preferred to become a facilitator in the learning activity. Thus, as the learner, students should do an activity that had a big effect on their learning process. Reading was one of the important activity that had a great advantage to increase students writing skill. They should take reading as their habitual activity to get a significant improvement of learning achievement. In the context of higher education, reading activity was a basic requirement to start an activity in academic work such as writing a scientific journal. Through reading, they could get new information from the text. Then, it could be synthesized, evaluated, and implicated as the prior knowledge or supporting information in their writing. The aim of this study was to examine the reading habit of master degree students’ and its effect on their academic writing skill. Twenty students from the master degree of Sebelas Maret University, Indonesia were selected to participate in the study.The data collected through an e-survey analyzed qualitatively. The finding indicated reading habit was crucial for students’ academic writing skill. Furthermore, the conclusion discussed the implication of the finding in relation with teaching advanced learner.Nowadays, students centered became a popular strategy in English Language Teaching (ELT). Teacher preferred to become a facilitator in the learning activity. Thus, as the learner, students should do an activity that had a big effect on their learning process. Reading was one of the important activity that had a great advantage to increase students writing skill. They should take reading as their habitual activity to get a significant improvement of learning achievement. In the context of higher education, reading activity was a basic requirement to start an activity in academic work such as writing a scientific journal. Through reading, they could get new information from the text. Then, it could be synthesized, evaluated, and implicated as the prior knowledge or supporting information in their writing. The aim of this study was to examine the reading habit of master degree students’ and its effect on their academic writing skill. Twenty students from the master degree of Sebelas Maret University, Indonesia were selected to participate in the study.The data collected through an e-survey analyzed qualitatively. The finding indicated reading habit was crucial for students’ academic writing skill. Furthermore, the conclusion discussed the implication of the finding in relation with teaching advanced learner.

scholarly journals Computer Supported Collaborative Writing: Does it Work among ESL Learners?

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 35
Author(s):  
Nur Hazirah Che Ithnin ◽  
Farhanahbinti Mohamad Fikray ◽  
Noor Zainab Abdul Razak
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Collaborative Writing ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Writing Assessments ◽  
Writing Skill ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
User Friendly ◽  
Esl Learners

This study examines the effectiveness of using Wiki as a platform to enhance EL learners’ writing skill in English language. In particular, the aim of this research is to examine learners’ performance in composing English language essays as well as to identify the challenges which the students faced throughout the process of writing through Wiki. This study involved the respondents from secondary school who were in Form 2 and it consists of three levels of language proficiency which the researchers have identified. Specifically, the research data is collected through writing assessments (pre-test and post-test). For pre-test and post-test, the website selected as a platform was ZOHO Wiki which is a free user friendly online server designed for collaborative writing. The data from pre-test and post-test was analysed according to the marks obtained. Particularly, the research findings showed that students positively show an encouraging improvement in their English language essays and writing skill. Besides, some   challenges on the Wiki website and technological related issues that occurred during the process of Wiki mediated writing have also been identified such as difficulties in terms of Wiki tools software, technological related problem, collaborative writing issues, and other relevant challenges related to the research topic. In addition, the pedagogical implications, limitations as well as recommendations on the future research which are relevant to the present study are discussed and elaborated. In short, collaborative learning through Wiki provides learners with an interactive platform for writing English language composition.

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