scholarly journals English Language Learning Beliefs of Jordanian Students: The Effect of Gender

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 219
Author(s):  
Khaleel Bader Al Bataineh

English language learning beliefs play a key role in the language learning process, especially among EFL (English as a foreign language) learners. This study seeks to clarify English learning beliefs among EFL students in Jordan, and to examine whether female and male learners differ in these beliefs. Horwitz’s (1987) Language Learning Beliefs Inventory (BALLI) was adapted to gather relevant data from 83 English major participants at a private university during regular classes. Frequency analysis and T-tests were then performed utilizing SPSS. The findings demonstrate that while Jordanian students are not sure about language difficulty, they are highly enthusiastic about learning the English language. Furthermore, female and male students only had significantly different results in two aspects of BALLI: 1) motivation and expectations and 2) difficulty of language learning. Hopefully, the results will provide constructive insights to lecturers concerning students’ beliefs about learning English, which will help improve the English-learning process in Jordanian universities.

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 46
Author(s):  
Cigdem Hursen

From the Editors Huseyin Uzunboylu, Cigdem Hursen Dear Colleagues It is a great honour for us to welcome you as Editors of Cypriot Journal of Educational Sciences which has accepted publications indexed in qualified databases since 2006. Our main aim is to increase the quality of the journal day by day. We are ready to publish the new issue of Cypriot Journal of Educational Sciences which has 5 articles written by authors from Cyprus, Portugal and Turkey.   The aim of this issue is to give the researchers an opportunity to share their academic studies. First of all, I would like to thank all authors who have contributed to this issue. There are different focuses in the articles. For example, Sibel Ersel Kaymakamoğlu aimed to explore the English language learning beliefs of the students studying in the Guidance and Counseling Department at one of the Universities in Northern Cyprus. It also explored if the participants’ perceptions about English language learning showed differences according to gender and age. The findings revealed significant differences between the male and female participants’ perceptions about English language learning beliefs. On the other hand, İshak Kozikoğlu aim of this research is to analyze the studies concerning challenges faced by novice teachers in terms of various aspects and compare challenges according to location of the studies conducted in Turkey and abroad. Another study conducted by Fernando Almeida. They describe the experience of using a serious game in the entrepreneurship field in the context of the classroom. For that, they adopt a quantitative research technique based on a survey research to measure the different characteristics experienced by higher education students when using serious games in the classroom to learn entrepreneurship. The students have multidisciplinary competences, coming from courses with strong emphasis in the area of management and technology. The use of the serious game allowed students to develop skills mainly in terms of innovation, leadership, strategic thinking, problem solving, business launch and risk management. Also, Belkıs Tekmen aim of this study is to review and discuss some of these components of preschool teacher education in the Turkish context such as the student selection policy, faculty development, recruitment policies and competencies of the graduates. Finally, Huseyin Bicen and Senay Kocakoyun aimed to determine the opinions of students who participated in the development and application process of an Android application named NEU-CEIT about the mobile learning environment, educational and sharing structure of the developed application. According to the results, it was revealed that outcomes related with the usage structure of the developed application were positive, educational structure of the application is appropriate to follow the curriculum, it is rich in terms of materials and it might be one of the applications that students can use for communication. I would like to express my thanks to all authors preferring Cypriot Journal of Educational Sciences to publish their articles, and also all reviewers working seriously in this process.  Best regards, Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Huseyin Uzunboylu Executive Editor Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cigdem Hursen


Author(s):  
Keila Mendes Santos ◽  
Cleide Jane De Sá Araújo Costa

Resumo: Este estudo objetiva investigar o processo de aprendizagem de estudantes de língua inglesa (LI), que assumem terem aprendido o idioma por meio da prática de jogos eletrônicos, especificamente os chamados jogos MMORPG, e também destacar as estratégias adotadaspelos aprendizes ao longo do referido processo. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa que teve como participantes três estudantes de letras/inglês, gamers. Para coletar os dados foram utilizadas narrativas de aprendizagem nas quais os aprendizes relataram seu processo de construção do conhecimento em LI, partindo do contato com os jogos. A pesquisa teve por fundamento o seguinte questionamento: De que forma a prática de games do gênero MMORPG auxiliam no processo de aprendizagem da língua inglesa? Os resultados demonstraram que esses jogos podem ser percebidos como recursos significativos no desenvolvimento de habilidades distintas, ampliando, também, o conhecimento vocabular, além de proporcionar atitudes autônomas, considerando as estratégias de aprendizagem adotadas pelos gamers.Palavras chave: Língua inglesa. Jogos eletrônicos. Narrativas de aprendizagem.  FROM START TO GAME OVER: ANALYSING ENGLISH LEARNING NARRATIVES WITH ELECTRONIC GAMES. Abstract: This study aims to investigate the learning process of english language (EL) students, who assume that they have learned the language through the practice of electronic games, specifically the so-called MMORPG games, and also highlight the strategies adopted by learners throughout this process. This is a qualitative research that had as participants  three students of letters/english, gamers. To collect the data, learning narratives were used in which the learners reported their process of knowledge construction in EL, starting from the contact with the games. The research was based on the following question: How can MMORPG games help in the English language learning process? The results showed that these games can be perceived as significant resources in the development of different abilities, also improving vocabulary knowledge, besides providing autonomous attitudes, considering the learning strategies adopted by the gamers.Keywords: English language. Electronic games. Learning narratives. 


2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 20
Author(s):  
Aiza Johari

To develop the quality of language learning and utilise learning opportunities in and out of a classroom, it is vital to understand individual's beliefs in language learning. White (2008) affirmed that an individual’s belief plays a key role in the learning process and language acquisition, especially the beliefs the learners have about themselves, language and language learning, and about the settings in which they contribute as language learners and users. This study identifies the English language learning beliefs of adult learners (between 45-50 years of age) in a local university in Sarawak. Questionnaire was the instrument  to collect the data and the data were analysed using SPSS Version 21. The study showed that these adult learners have various levels of language beliefs. The results obtained can be used to enhance the teaching and learning of English language where language instructors can learn more about their learners and the learners’ language beliefs can further enhance learning process in the classroom.


2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 47-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sibel Ersel Kaymakamoglu

Abstract Since contemporary views of learning and teaching place learners in the center of learning process, most of the researchers and practitioners have directed their attention to understanding what goes on in the mind of the learners during the process of learning and teaching. In the area of English language learning and teaching this perspective have also been adopted and for more than three decades one of the main concerns of the researchers and practitioners have been on exploring the factors influencing the language learners in the learning and teaching process. ‘Learner beliefs’ have been identified as one of the main the sources of learners’ actions and decisions in this process. Therefore, in this study the researcher aimed to explore the English language learning beliefs of the students studying in the Guidance and Counseling Department at one of the Universities in Northern Cyprus. It also investigated whether there were any differences in the student teachers’ perceptions about English language learning regarding gender and age. 132 first year student teachers studying in the Department of Guidance and Counseling Department at a University in North Cyprus were the participants of the study. 65 female and 67 male student teachers participated in this investigation. In order to collect data about the student teachers’ perceptions regarding English language learning “English Language Learning Beliefs Inventory (BALLI)” version 2 (Horwitz, 2013) was utilized. The questionnaire consisted of 44 items and the participants replied to each item according to the 5-point Likert Scale. The findings revealed that there were significant differences between the male and female participants’ perceptions about English language learning beliefs. The participant student teachers’ perceptions about language learning beliefs differed significantly in relation to age. Key words: Learner beliefs, gender, age, learning and teaching.


Author(s):  
Daflizar Daflizar

. In response to the interest in learner autonomy in recent years, educational research has been increasingly paying attention to students’ out-of-class autonomous learning activities. This study aims to (1) describe the extent to which Indonesian tertiary students engaged in autonomous English language learning outside the class, (2) explore their perceived constraints in practicing autonomous learning, and (3) examine whether there are any significant differences in the autonomous learning activities between female and male students and between the English major students and non-English major students. Employing the explanatory mixed-method design, a total of 402 first-year students completed a questionnaire, and 30 of whom were interviewed. The questionnaire data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests, and the interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The results showed that the students did engage in several out-of-class English learning activities, however many of the activities were more receptive than productive. The interviews echoed the questionnaire results, and the students claimed that they were not autonomous in their learning due to several constraints. The results also revealed that there is no significant difference in the level of practice of autonomous out-of-class activities based on gender but a significant difference was found concerning majors of study. Practical implications for the Indonesian context are put forward.


Author(s):  
Liheng Yu ◽  
Zhonggen (中根) Yu (于)

Mobile English language learning has drawn global attention. This study systematically examined the literature in the past 11 years. It visualized the general trend of the number of related publications in a decade, discussed the attitudes of teachers and learners toward mobile device-assisted English learning, explored the effect of motivation on mobile device assisted English learning, discussed the influence of mobile device-assisted English learning on output and input English language skills, presented the influence of mobile device-assisted English learning on vocabulary knowledge acquisition, demonstrated the factors influencing the effectiveness of mobile English language learning, showed the general learning outcomes in mobile device-assisted English learning, together with the disadvantages of mobile technology-assisted English learning and co-citations of publications. When designing mobile devices, designers could include and optimize learning functions based on the findings.


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