scholarly journals The Use of Project-based Learning Focusing on Drama to Promote Speaking Skills of EFL Learners

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lawarn Sirisrimangkorn
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Teaching Method ◽  
Project Based Learning ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Affective Factors ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Communicative Context ◽  
Speaking Skills

This study focuses on the use of project-based learning focusing on drama to promote the speaking skills of EFL learners. It also aims to investigate how the use of project-based learning focusing on drama is beneficial to learners’ speaking skills. The participants of this study were EFL learners majoring in English who were enrolled in Learning English through Drama course. The data of the current study was collected quantitatively and qualitatively. Both quantitative and qualitative data analysis revealed that learners’ speaking skills were improved as a result of the use of project-based learning focusing on drama. Moreover, the principles of project-based learning and drama are advantageous for learners’ language learning and speaking skills. Hence, the use of project-based learning focusing on drama is recommended for promoting speaking skills and affective factors. The present study also highlights the advantages of using project-based learning focusing on drama as an effective teaching method as it provides learners with opportunities to speak English and is seen as an enjoyable way for learners to learn a foreign language. Finally, the study recommends the use of project-based learning focusing on drama in the language classroom as it provides learners with opportunities to speak a foreign language in a communicative context.

scholarly journals The Sources of Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety of Iranian English Language Learners

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Firooz Sadighi ◽  
Mehdi Dastpak
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Negative Evaluation ◽  
Speaking Anxiety ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Affective Factors

Foreign language learning anxiety is one of the affective factors which influence language learning negatively. It has several sources and different types. The present study aimed at investigating the sources of foreign language speaking anxiety of Iranian EFL learners. To do so, 154 EFL learners participated in the study. They were required to fill out a foreign language anxiety questionnaire which was developed based on the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) by Horwitz, Horwitz, and Cope (1986). The results of the study indicated that “fear of making mistakes”, “fear of negative evaluation”, and “lack of vocabulary knowledge” were the main factors which caused anxiety among students. Some strategies are recommended for the students to use in order to cope with the anxiety-provoking factors. 

scholarly journals Investigation of Factors Influencing Speaking Performance of Saudi EFL Learners

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 66-77
Author(s):  
Saleh Alrasheedi
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Psychological Factors ◽  
English Language ◽  
Peer Pressure ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Affective Factors ◽  
Speaking Performance ◽  
Speaking Skills

Equal focus needs be placed on teaching all four basic skills of language learning: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. However, it is observed that due attention is not devoted to developing speaking skills in Saudi EFL learners; this task is especially challenging as English is not widely used or spoken in their day-to-day communication. The current study aims to investigate the psychological factors which affect learners’ speaking performance by: (a) examining the strategies learners use for developing speaking skills, (b) identifying obstacles confronted by learners in developing speaking skills, and (c) suggesting ways to facilitate the acquisition of English speaking skills. The research seeks answers to these questions: (1) What are some psychological factors affecting speaking skills of students? (2) Why do learners find speaking in English so difficult? . I distributed a questionnaire among 200 female and male participants majoring in various fields at Majmaah university in Saudi Arabia. I employed SPSS to analyze the accumulated data and displayed the results in descriptive tables. The results reveal that affective factors impacting students’ performance in speaking skills are shyness, peer pressure, anxiety, and fear of making mistakes. Other factors that hinder speaking performance are paucity of necessary vocabulary, lack of exposure to the target language, and scarce opportunities to practice speaking outside the classroom. The study contributes to the existing English language learning (ELL) literature through its focus on the affective factors impacting speaking performance in Arabic-speaking EFL learners.

scholarly journals Classroom enjoyment and anxiety among Saudi undergraduate EFL students: does gender matter?

2021 ◽  
pp. 9-34
Author(s):  
Elias Bensalem
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Recent Interest ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety ◽  
Efl Students ◽  
The Relationship

The current study was motivated by recent interest in the effect of positive and negative emotions in the context of foreign language learning resulting from the rise of the positive psychology movement (Dewaele & MacIntyre, 2016; MacIntyre & Mercer, 2014). It examines the construct of foreign language enjoyment (FLE) and its relationship with foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) among a group of 487 English as a foreign language (EFL) students (340 females, 147 males) enrolled in public universities in Saudi Arabia. A measure of FLE based on Likert scale ratings of ten items (Dewaele & MacIntyre, 2014), and a measure of FLCA based on eight items extracted from the FLCAS (Horwitz et al., 1986) were used. Male and female students had the same levels of FLE and FLCA. Correlation analysis showed that the relationship between students’ FLE and FLCA was significantly negative. Qualitative analysis of the participants’ learning experiences revealed the causes of FLCA and FLE among Saudi EFL learners.

scholarly journals Investigating the Perceptions of L2 Learners on Language Learning Anxiety: A Study of Undergraduate Students at Public Sector University, Sindh Pakistan

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 94
Author(s):  
Amina Bibi Bhatti ◽  
Habibullah Pathan ◽  
Syed Waqar Ali Shah ◽  
Aisha Faryal ◽  
Aisha Bhatti
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Communication Apprehension ◽  
Subjective Feeling ◽  
Affective Factors ◽  
Learning Anxiety ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Foreign Language Classroom ◽  
Language Learning Anxiety

English has got the position of authorized language in Pakistan, widely used in various domains. In academic studies it is mandatory to teach English up to higher education. Mansoor (2004) estimates that newly graduate have studied English for at least 9 years recently. English is used as means for instruction in professional education like medicine, engineering and law.One of the most common issues in learning a foreign language is anxiety. Among the three affective factors (attitudes, motivation, anxiety), language anxiety is the most common issue. It is also one of the factors which influence language learning (Henter, 2013). Anxiety is defined as “the subjective feeling of tension, apprehension, nervousness, and worry associated with an arousal of the autonomic nervous system” (cited by Spielberger.1983). Horwitz (1986) revealed that in academic as well as social context anxiety in a foreign language is related to performance and suggested three kinds of anxiety. (1) Communication apprehension (2) Fear of negative evaluation (3) Test anxiety. This study aims to know the perceptions of English Language Learners on Language learning Anxiety in EFL classroom. The purpose of this study is to find or reveal the type of anxiety that learners feel in English as a foreign language classroom at University level.The participants in this research are from one engineering university (MUET Jamshoro) of the Sindh and the size of the sample is also little (n=140). For a clear view of this area further large scale studies in different contexts of the country are needed for having a good platform for foreign language learning.The present study used quantitative method for data collection to get unbiased results. Participants of the study are first year students of different engineering fields of Mehran University who learn English as a foreign language. The Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) given by (Horwitz, 1986) has been adapted and applied for data collection. The questionnaire was bifurcated into two parts, the initial part of questionnaire was for demographic information and the second part was for knowing the perceptions of students on anxiety. The data results were evaluated after doing different tests in SPSS software. The findings of the study reveal the learners feel anxiety during EFL classrooms and communication apprehension anxiety experienced by students is at a higher level from the learner’s perspective.This will be beneficial for learners, educators and helpful to policy makers of the education system to make good and valid policies that will improve the learning of foreign language in a better way and suitable environment. It will be a significant contribution in the research domain.

scholarly journals Foreign Language Enjoyment and Classroom Anxiety of Chinese EFL Learners With Intermediate and Low English Proficiency

2022 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-109
Author(s):  
Huina Su
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Opposite Pattern ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Teacher Factors ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Classroom Anxiety

Driven by Positive Psychology, research on emotions in second language acquisition has moved from The Anxiety-Prevailing Phase to Positive and Negative Emotions Phase (Dewaele & Li, 2020). A growing number of scholars begin to study learners’ emotions from a more holistic perspective. The present study investigated the levels and sources of foreign language enjoyment (FLE) and foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) of 231 Chinese EFL undergraduates with intermediate and low English proficiency. The study found moderate levels of both FLE and FLCA among participants. However, the level of FLE was much lower than the international and domestic samples, while the level of FLCA showed the opposite pattern. There was no significant gender difference emerged for FLE, while female participants reported more FLCA than their male counterparts. Moreover, no significant difference was found in the levels of both FLE and FLCA between intermediate and low English proficiency students. Qualitative data analysis confirmed that FLE was closely related to teacher factors while FLCA was more related to learners themselves. Based on these findings, pedagogical implications were provided for EFL teaching in China.

scholarly journals A Review of the Effectiveness of Foreign Language Enjoyment and Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety on Learners' Engagement and Attainment

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingping Shen
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Affective Factors ◽  
Major Interest ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety ◽  
Foreign Language Classroom ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Classroom Anxiety

Cognitive factors are not the fundamental determinants of success in language learning. Foreign language attainment depends on both cognitive and affective factors, highlighting the deeper impacts of the former. Some scholars started to investigate affective issues, particularly negative emotions in language learning studies; nevertheless, reducing negative emotions such as anxiety should be accompanied by the development of positive emotions (e.g., well-being, autonomy, and enjoyment). Since then, a great number of researchers have examined the impact of anxiety and enjoyment in foreign language literature, particularly after the introduction of reliable and valid foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) and foreign language enjoyment (FLE) scales. So, the present study aims to review contemporary scholarly articles and books in this regard. Findings suggest that there has been a major interest in the evaluation of FLCA and FLE across a variety of dimensions including personality traits, interpersonal characteristics, and classroom conditions. The central issues are summarized into three categories of the relationship between FLCA and FLE, the robustness of respective scales, and the impact of individual and interpersonal factors. Hence, this research attempts to highlight probable gaps and areas for further examinations to help enrich the literature and improve the theoretical knowledge.

scholarly journals INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTABILITY IN COOPERATIVE LEARNING: MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO PRODUCE SPOKEN ENGLISH

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 215
Author(s):  
Puji Astuti ◽  
Jayne C. Lammers
Keyword(s):  
Cooperative Learning ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Teaching Method ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Spoken English ◽  
Individual Accountability

The contribution of cooperative learning (CL) in promoting second and foreign language learning has been widely acknowledged. Little scholarly attention, however, has been given to revealing how this teaching method works and promotes learners’ improved communicative competence. This qualitative case study explores the important role that individual accountability in CL plays in giving English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in Indonesia the opportunity to use the target language of English. While individual accountability is a principle of and one of the activities in CL, it is currently under studied, thus little is known about how it enhances EFL learning. This study aims to address this gap by conducting a constructivist grounded theory analysis on participant observation, in-depth interview, and document analysis data drawn from two secondary school EFL teachers, 77 students in the observed classrooms, and four focal students. The analysis shows that through individual accountability in CL, the EFL learners had opportunities to use the target language, which may have contributed to the attainment of communicative competence—the goal of the EFL instruction. More specifically, compared to the use of conventional group work in the observed classrooms, through the activities of individual accountability in CL, i.e., performances and peer interaction, the EFL learners had more opportunities to use spoken English. The present study recommends that teachers, especially those new to CL, follow the preset procedure of selected CL instructional strategies or structures in order to recognize the activities within individual accountability in CL and understand how these activities benefit students.     

scholarly journals Investigation of Factors Influencing Speaking Performance of Saudi EFL Learners

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saleh Alrasheedi
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Psychological Factors ◽  
English Language ◽  
Peer Pressure ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Affective Factors ◽  
Speaking Performance ◽  
Speaking Skills

Equal focus needs be placed on teaching all four basic skills of language learning: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. However, it is observed that due attention is not devoted to developing speaking skills in Saudi EFL learners; this task is especially challenging as English is not widely used or spoken in their day-to-day communication. The current study aims to investigate the psychological factors which affect learners’ speaking performance by: (a) examining the strategies learners use for developing speaking skills, (b) identifying obstacles confronted by learners in developing speaking skills, and (c) suggesting ways to facilitate the acquisition of English speaking skills. The research seeks answers to these questions: (1) What are some psychological factors affecting speaking skills of students? (2) Why do learners find speaking in English so difficult? . I distributed a questionnaire among 200 female and male participants majoring in various fields at Majmaah university in Saudi Arabia. I employed SPSS to analyze the accumulated data and displayed the results in descriptive tables. The results reveal that affective factors impacting students’ performance in speaking skills are shyness, peer pressure, anxiety, and fear of making mistakes. Other factors that hinder speaking performance are paucity of necessary vocabulary, lack of exposure to the target language, and scarce opportunities to practice speaking outside the classroom. The study contributes to the existing English language learning (ELL) literature through its focus on the affective factors impacting speaking performance in Arabic-speaking EFL learners.

scholarly journals Predicting EFL Learners’ Achievement from Their Two Faces—FLE and FLCA

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 275
Author(s):  
Bo Yang
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Northwest China ◽  
Internal Variables ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety ◽  
School Differences ◽  
Method Approach

Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE) and Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLCA) are a Janus-faced concept (Dewaele & MacIntyre, 2014). This study adopted a mixed-method approach to investigate how FLE interacts with FLCA to predict and be predicted by Foreign Language (FL) achievement among 589 undergraduate learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) at a key and a non-key university in Northwest China. Participants reported more FLE than FLCA. Significant school differences were found regarding the investigated variables. FLE regulated the debilitating aspect and positively predicted the facilitating aspect of FLCA, whereas facilitating anxiety, in turn, increased FLE via motivation and sense of success. FLE and FLCA significantly predicted FL achievement and vice versa. Qualitative analysis revealed that learner-internal variables were major sources of FLE and FLCA. Facilitating anxiety was reported to significantly and positively connect with FL achievement in both quantitative and qualitative data, although debilitating anxiety exerted a more influential role.

Indonesian Language Learning and Teacher Innovation for Foreigners and Instructors for Foreign Language for Employees in Bali

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 21087-21095
Author(s):  
Ni Putu Nita Anggraini ◽  
Ni Luh Gede Yogi Arthani ◽  
I Putu Yuria Mendra
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Financial Management ◽  
Teaching Method ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Improvement Program ◽  
Counseling Training ◽  
Language Instructors

The group of foreign language instructors and Indonesian language instructors for foreigners initially had problems in the fields of HR, legality, marketing and management. The implementation of the community partnership program (PKM) funded by the Ministry of Research and Technology's Research and Development Program aims to solve partner problems through entrepreneurship building. The method applied is in the form of knowledge transfer in the form of counseling, training, simulation and diffusion of science and technology about teaching methods, mentoring financial management and marketing and managing agency permits. The teaching method quality improvement program is carried out through workshops and workshops with the theme of teaching Indonesian and multimedia-based foreign languages. The resulting output is in the form of certificates and the quality of teaching increases. The problem of business management and enlargement has been solved through mentoring by management experts so that partners know the tips of building a small business. To build a language teaching business, the team helped partners manage the Business Course and Training (LKP) business license in a notary and operational permits in the Badung District Education Office. From the marketing aspect, the team has helped partner market course service products through the creation of signboards, business cards and websites with the domain www.gepbali.com . The implementation of all these activities has been running 70% while the draft article and seminar papers are still in draft form. This activity has had a positive impact on providing employment for language teachers and improving language skills for the community.

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