The Explicit Teaching of Writing Using Disquisition-Based Learning Strategy for the First Year EFL College Students at Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang

This current study is directed to implement Disquisition based learning strategy in improving the students’ ability in writing descriptive text at the first year EFL college students of Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang. The English major in the first year has eight classes. This site is chosen for several reasons. First, the researcher is a lecturer of the university. Second, the lecturer’s strategy in teaching text writing is not varied. Third, the researcher is motivated to solve the students’ problems in writing texts. This study is categorized as a collaborative action research since in conducting the research, the researcher works collaboratively with a classroom English lecturer in the research activities at the stage of planning, the implementation of the action, the observation and the analysis and reflection. Based on the study’s findings and discussion, it can be concluded that using a Disquisition-based learning strategy can help students enhance their capacity to write descriptive paragraphs. Furthermore, it provided students with opportunities for increased independence. They can work together without the lecturer dictating every step, and they can make some of their own learning decisions to complete the task, due to peer revising and editing activities. Furthermore, the strategy necessitates that the students collaborate. It emphasizes the importance of group collaboration to solve problems and obtain a diverse range of feedback or replies to difficulties. In group learning, it allows students to share their thoughts with one another and to learn to listen to and respect the viewpoints of their peers. Furthermore, the execution of this strategy has a favorable impact on students’ interest in learning English. The researcher noticed that a couple of the students who used to run away from class when he first started teaching were already participating in all of the learning activities. The future researcher is advised to implement and build a Disquisition-based learning strategy in other school levels. However, in the implementation the strategy, the lecturer should give more guidance and data sources such as interesting pictures, a large number of vocabulary, and simple models of writing.

TED Talks as a Listening Resource in the EFL College Classroom

The article proposes a model for integrating TED Talks (TTs) in EFL college listening practice. It shows instructors where TTs can be located, gives reasons for using TTs, criteria for selecting TTs, the listening skills that can be developed, and an instructional strategy. TTs provide a variety of real-life themes, speakers, motivation, and inspiration. They save instructors’ time and effort as they are available on You Tube, mobile apps or in the TED website. In selecting TTs, the instructor should take into consideration the students' interests, difficulty level of the TT language and content, its length in minutes, and speed and accent of the speaker. Before watching a TT, she posts the title of the TT on an LMS or social media platform. She sets goals for listening and gives pre-questions to help the students comprehend the TT content. The students view the TTs on their smart phones in the classroom or at home; individually, in pair, or small groups; synchronously or asynchronously. While listening, the students take notes, and answer the questions. After listening, they discuss their answers. The instructor serves as a facilitator. She gives feedback, encouragement, and help with difficulties. Further recommendations for enhancing EFL college students’ listening skills and for extending the use of TTs to interpreting courses are given.

Attitudes of EFL College Students of the University of Bisha towards eLearning

This study aimed to find out the attitudes of the EFL College students of the University of Bisha, Saudi Arabia, towards eLearning after they have studied via this mode for almost two semesters. The study tried to answer four questions related to the participants' preferences of learning mode, the reasons for their preference, the problems with eLearning, and gender differences. Three null hypotheses related to the first three questions referred to above were postulated regarding gender differences if any. The study was mainly quantitative, in which data were collected by means of an online questionnaire administered to 148 EFL students (males and females) who were selected from the target population purposively. The SPSS program (version 20.0) was used to analyze the obtained data. We have found that the majority of participants had positive attitudes to eLearning, and they preferred it to the face-to-face classroom-based mode. Among the reasons they offered for their preference eLearning were their claims that they learned better than with face-to-face mode. In addition to flexibility, this mode saved time, cost and effort, since the students took activities and assessments at home, not at college. All three given hypotheses were accepted in that no gender difference was found.