scholarly journals Effectiveness of Instructors’ and Peers’ Oral Feedback on the Accuracy of English Writing: A Study of Pakistani ESL Undergraduate Learners

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 314
Author(s):  
Aasia Nusrat ◽  
Farzana Ashraf ◽  
Rabea Saeed

The objective of the current research is to investigate the effect of instructors and peers’ oral feedback on the written English accuracy of ESL learners. In this quasi-experimental study, 90 participants are assessed on three distinct forms of feedback (i.e., instructor’s oral metalinguistic feedback along with indirect written feedback, peers’ oral interaction along with indirect written feedback and no feedback) for writing errors of three types (i.e., verb tense, preposition, and articles). The participants are assessed three times; pre-test, an immediate post-test and delayed post-test. ANOVA demonstrates that learners receiving instructors’ oral metalinguistic feedback along with indirect written feedback outperform those who receive peers’ oral interaction along with indirect written feedback and no feedback in two out of three linguistic forms in subsequent writing. The findings of the study suggest that employing oral metalinguistic instructors’ feedback along with written feedback in the Pakistani language learning context can help learners improve their English language learning. Consequently, language efficiency may improve overall academic performance and success ratio in academia.

Author(s):  
Shaukat Ali ◽  
Saddam Hussain ◽  
Iftikhar Ali

This study exploits John Milton's poems "On His Blindness, and "Methought I Saw My Late Espoused Saint" for teaching speaking skills to ESL learners. The study utilized a quasi-experimental design consisting of a treatment group (TG) and a comparison group (CG). CG was taught through conventional language text whereas TG was treated with the aforementioned poems. The main focus of the study was to observe the language learning behavior of the students of both TG and CG during language learning activities. The study therefore employed observation field notes beside the speaking type pretest and posttest as tools of data collection. The thematic analysis of the observation field notes indicated that the students of TG were confident, motivated, involved in, and excited about the language learning activities. On the contrary, the students of the CG were found to be hesitant, passive, and demotivated during the language learning venture. Consequently, the students of TG performed significantly better than that of CG on the posttest. The study recommends that poetry should be utilized for teaching the English language in general and speaking skills in particular.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harwati Hashim ◽  
Karmila Rafiqah M. Rafiq ◽  
Melor Md Yunus

Aligning with the Industrial Revolution 4.0, an abundance of high-tech inventions has embarked their pavements in the educational field. Despite being under the 21st-century umbrella, the English language proficiency of Asian learners is still a few steps behind. Undeniably, most of the English as a Second Language (ESL) learners in Asian countries face challenges in learning ESL grammar. Grammar has been an intricate component to master due to its nature of complexity. This study aimed at exploring the effectiveness of using online language games in improving ESL learners' grammar. A total of 30 students in a secondary school were involved in this research. The research design of the quasi-experimental method was used, employing the pre and post-test. Data were analyzed using percentages to compare the results after three interventions of gamified-learning known as Socrative, PowerPoint Challenge Game, and Kahoot! The main findings indicated that learners’ scores on the grammar post-test showed a significant increase from the pre-test. The improvements can be seen in the grading system, whereby, no participant obtained a grade D and E in the post-test as compared to the pre-test. Hence, the results depicted that gamified-learning is effective in teaching grammar to ESL learners.


Author(s):  
Salvador Montaner-Villalba

This research focuses on vocabulary acquisition in foreign language learning. The latest trends of teaching as well as the huge advance of technology allow teachers to utilize online and mobile applications through diverse apps. This quasi-experimental design research investigated Quizlet, in its mobile version, on vocabulary acquisition in English as a Foreign Language (EFL). One group of A2 (according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) EFL learners at a state secondary school in Valencia (Spain) (N=24) participated in this study. Learners from the Treatment group (henceforth, T-group) underwent a pre-test and a post-test to assess their acquisition of the assigned vocabulary lessons which were extracted from the course syllabus. After utilizing Quizlet for vocabulary learning for the academic year 2017-2018, the results proved that these learners improved significantly their level of EFL vocabulary at the post-test. Accordingly, this research recommends utilizing Quizlet in its mobile version at secondary education.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 42
Author(s):  
Khalid Yahya E. Al-Johali

Vocabulary is a fundamental component of any language. Learning vocabulary plays a crucial role in learning English language. Whereas wiki is a promising Web 2.0 technology that can be used innovatively in EFL instruction. This study aimed at examining the effectiveness of wiki-based instruction on vocabulary learning of first secondary graders. It was carried out in Sabya, Jazan, Saudi Arabia in 2018. It followed the quasi-experimental design of one experimental group. Fifty-seven Saudi teenage EFL students participated in a researcher-designed wiki-based vocabulary course in a random male school. The course consisted of twelve lessons to teach 80 words picked from the grade’s English Schoolbook (Mega Goal 2) to ensure their importance and benefit to students. Vocabulary pre-test and post-test along with a closed observation card were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics, paired samples and one-sample t-tests were used for analysis. It was found that wiki had slight positive effect on vocabulary learning. Results demonstrated that students achieved significantly better marks in their post-test but with a very low effect size (0.32). In addition, wiki was observed as usable, motivating, vocabulary enlarging assistant, and can be perceived positively by students. In the contrary, it was observed that the students’ collaborative work level was low. Accordingly, wikis can be a good vocabulary teaching tool if well-designed and well-implemented after training both teachers and students.


ReCALL ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 86-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurence Vincent-Durroux ◽  
Cécile Poussard ◽  
Jean-Marc Lavaur ◽  
Xavier Aparicio

AbstractFrench learners at university meet difficulties in the comprehension of oral English. Being in a formal context of language learning, they need to develop language awareness to compensate for insufficient exposure to the English language.To meet the students’ needs, data was collected in order to pinpoint the main errors made by French learners in listening tasks. The errors were then analyzed and put into perspective with the system of oral English; a connection clearly appeared between the errors and what is barely heard or cannot be heard in reference to written English, hinting at what could cause poor oral comprehension. Three areas of knowledge appeared to be missing in the students’ background: the links between morpho-syntax and phonology, the mastery of phonological data found in dictionaries and the possible recourse to strategies in order to compensate for what has not been heard properly. These issues were addressed in an on-line program designed for non-beginners of English at university.This paper deals with the assessment of the progress made by users of the program in a formal learning situation. Two groups of learners were considered: students whose major is English, and students for whom the study of English is optional. Two series of tests were implemented, before and after the use of the program. The tests focused on the ability of learners to read IPA transcription, to count syllables in oral English, and to pronounce auxiliaries and prepositions in different contexts.The results to be discussed establish that the two groups of learners significantly improved their knowledge of oral English. Of particular interest is the fact that, even if the two groups had significantly different knowledge of oral English before using the program, with non-specialists of English having poorer knowledge, the two groups obtain similar results on the post-test, showing greater progress on the part of the non-specialists. All learners appear to improve dramatically their knowledge of IPA and their ability to use it.The progress measured by the tests was corroborated by other modes of assessment: a survey on the students’ judgment as regards the usefulness of the program, and individual interviews focusing on what the students recall from the content of the program. In the latter, the students used relevant meta-linguistic and meta-cognitive expressions, showing their ability for further progress in developing listening abilities in English as a Second Language (ESL).


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 340
Author(s):  
Aasia Nusrat ◽  
Farzana Ashraf ◽  
Sardaraz Khan ◽  
Shazia Aziz ◽  
Riffat Jabeen

The aim of this small-scale study is to investigate the effect of indirect written feedback (coded and un-coded correction along with revisions) among ESL learners in Pakistani University and learners’ written accuracy in three types of errors (i.e., articles, past simple tense, and prepositions). In this quasi-experimental study, 50 students are randomly assigned into two groups. At initial level, teachers provide indirect written feedback (e.g., underlining, circling or error codes are provided for three types of errors) to the first group, and no feedback is provided to the second group. The participants’ written work is assessed in three phases: pre-test writing, an immediate post-test writing and delayed post-test piece of writing. Findings from an independent sample t-test demonstrate that the students receiving indirect written feedback followed by revisions perform better on new writing as compared to those who receiving no feedback at all. Findings conclude that Indirect written feedback is significant in minimizing the errors of one out of three linguistic forms in subsequent writing. Further, results suggest that indirect written feedback can help learners become more aware of their errors, reduce some of them, and so become more self-reliant.


Author(s):  
Atif Obaid M Alsuhaymi

The present study aims to research the influences of games through Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) compared to Teacher-Centered Instruction (TCI) on teenagers' achievement in English language education in Saudi Arabia. Two groups of students tested, before and after instruction, so to determine success of the application of pedagogies. The full sample consisted of 22 teenagers, divided randomly, into two equal groups. The first group was the control (TDI) group, which used a school textbook. The second group was the experimental group (CALL), which given a CALL application, based on the game ‘Kahoot.’ Two types of tests were conducted, a pre-test and a post-test, at each of two periods for each group. The pre-test administered before instruction, and the post-test taken after the instructional period. Findings indicate that both groups increased their proficiencies with English object pronouns. However, performance on the post-test by the experimental (CALL) group significantly exceeded that of the control (TCI) group.


Author(s):  
Jafar Asgari Arani

Digital media has been used to enhance language learning for decades. Since the aim of language learning is to develop communicative proficiency, using communication devices and channels that already exist in the classroom is a sensible way of exploiting opportunities for language practice. The ‘anywhere, anytime’ accessibility to educational contents that mobile SMSs, sometimes freely, offer users, means that mobile learning can extend the opportunities for study outside of the classroom. Given the importance of writing, especially for academic purposes in university, the study set a dual goal: firstly, to analyze the outcome of applying supplementary SMS activity to teach English syntax necessary to paraphrase sentences and secondly, to clarify the medical students' ideas about it. A quasi-experimental, pre-test and post-test, research design was utilized to investigate the hypotheses of this study. Two groups (each 40-second year students of medicine) were randomly assigned to be the experimental and the conventional group. Both groups were taught the same syllabus materials designed for English for Medical Purposes (EMP) II course in a 17-week semester in Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Iran. The former received the SMS –based supplementary contents in a scheduled pattern of delivery two times a week to strengthen their learning while the latter only was taught in a face to face setting. An open questionnaire was used to examine students feedback towards their attitudes. The validity of the questionnaire was examined by giving to a number of professors of English language. The data were also collected and analyzed through an Attitude/ Motivation questionnaire consisting of 12 Likert-scale items, pretest& posttest, paired-samples t-tests, and one way ANOWA. The pretest and posttest data paired t-test likert-scale items analyzed results showed that differences between the experimental and control groups were statistically significant. It was found that the effect of practicing SMS on the students' English syntax learning was positive. According to the findings, students receiving the supplementary English syntax SMSs noticeably improved their sentence paraphrasing performance and acquired higher grades during the post-test than those in conventional group. Qualitative data from interviews and questionnaires indicate that students hold positive attitudes towards receiving paraphrase syntactic points via SMS. Majority of students in this pilot project considered the educational program offered to be efficient, useful and beneficial. The data gathered revealed mobile syntactic supplementary SMSs can be integrated into EMP II course to enable students to develop better English sentence paraphrasing skills. Mobile SMS; Sentence Paraphrasing; Educational Tool; English for Medical Purposes


2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 145
Author(s):  
Liju Xu

The purpose of this paper is to explore the effectiveness of vocabulary enhancement activities on vocabulary learning in an ESP course. In designing the activities, technical terms on journal entries were chosen for the acquisition of language necessary for the successful implementation of accounting major’s professional tasks. The desirable difficulty approach and the four strands principle,focused input, meaning-focused output, language-focused learning and fluency development, were guidelines in combining subject matter and English language learning. To test the result of the activities, the Vocabulary Knowledge Scale was employed to measure students’ knowledge of 50 vocabulary items. Subjects of the ESP course in discussion comprised 200 accounting juniors in Guangdong University of Foreign Studies in China. Half of them in Group A read the texts and did matching exercises and translation exercises. The other half in Group B read the texts and practiced journal entry activity, targeting at accounting concepts and terminologies. The results revealed that Group B gained better results than Group A at a post-test. After the test a reflection on the vocabulary activities was gathered among the participants of Group B. The feedback further proved that the students did benefit from the enhancement activities on selected technical terms.


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