Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis and Second Language Learning

This article aims to provide an overview of some of the issues related to contrastive analysis hypothesis in second language learning. Contrastive hypothesis is one of the branches of applied linguistics which concerns with the study of two systems of languages between first language and target language. Contrastive hypothesis has fairly played an important role in language studies. Thus, in recent years, contrastive analysis has been used in language teaching contexts, syllabus design, and language classrooms by language teachers over the world. Many research works have been done by many language researchers in different aspects of contrastive hypothesis and also error analysis in the world. Language teachers always see contrastive analysis as a pedagogical imperative in target language and they use it as a functional approach in language classroom. However, contrastive hypothesis follows the errors of language learners in second language education.

The Contribution of Facebook Group in Writing Activity

This study investigated the contribution of Facebook Group (FG) in writing activity and the students’ perception of using FG in writing activity. It is qualitative research - case study. It used purposive sampling technique involving three students at eleventh grade of Senior High School. Interview with open-ended was distributed as the technique of collecting data to allow the participants to explore their ideas. Thus, the data was analyzed by content analysis in which the data passed the process of data reduction, data display and conclusion and verification. The finding revealed that Facebook group just has contribution in pre-writing activity while the others’ activities were done in the classroom. Then, through the interview, the students’ stated that they felt comfortable in expressing their ideas through Facebook group, thus, they also felt motivated when their friends’ gave their comments on their statements.

The Use of Social Media in Designing The Writing Assessment for EFL Students

This research investigates social media as the assessment for EFL students at State University of Medan (UNIMED) of second semester English educational program. This research focuses on how social media influences the students’ competences in writing skills. The problems are how it influences their ability to develop their ideas in writing; develop the reading & writing materials; change the students’ opinion on social media in writing class. Questionnaire was designed to get the students’ thought on social media matter, their intention of social media for study, particularly in reading and writing topic and the influence of social media on their ability in developing the idea in writing class. The instruments used in this research were social media as Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram as a text in reading & writing class. The population consisted of 80 students from two classes of English educational program. Data was analyzed using Research & Development Method (R&D) and the Linkert Scale to get the percentage of students’ perception. The findings of this paper indicate that students more enjoy and engage in writing class using social media as their assessments; using social media to develop ideas on a topic; and being more creative in writing skills. However, control and development are still needed on this topic.

Rhetorical Reading for Writing Strategies

This article is based on the plenary talk given at the inaugural UHAMKA International Conference on English Language Teaching (ELT) and Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) (UICELL 2018) in Jakarta, Indonesia, 23 November 2018, and focuses on the explanation of reading as a communicative rhetorical act. Outlining the key features of such reading, it then considers the benefits of reading texts rhetorically. A specific focus is given to the role of rhetorical reading in writing. While the article acknowledges the limited research on the relationship, it provides some evidence that reading texts rhetorical can lead to both more effective reading and more effective writing. A specific technique on how to teach students to read texts rhetorically is also presented in this article.

Malaysian Undergraduates’ Behavioural Intention to Use LMS: An Extended Self-Directed Learning Technology Acceptance Model (SDLTAM)

The usage of Learning Management System (LMS) conducted in Blended Learning style is believed to increase students’ academic performance and their self-directed learning. Nonetheless, the success of students’ behavioural intention to use these e-learning platforms still remains unclear due to factors like self-directed learning, computer self-efficacy, satisfaction and perceived enjoyment and ESL. This preliminary study aims to incorporate factors that impact students’ self-directed learning of English language in achieving behavioural intention to use LMS with an extended model namely, SDLTAM, generalised for the Malaysian educational institutions. The original Technology Acceptance Model 1 by Davis (1989) was used as a theoretical framework of this study. However, the last variable Actual Use was excluded in this study. A sample of 338 respondents from both private and public universities in Malaysia took part in the 48-items survey. The data were analysed through Structural Equation Modelling through SPSS AMOS 24. The SEM AMOS revealed that the factors were found to moderately fit into the proposed model. This could be misspecification within the model and some items within a factor were more correlated to each other than others.

Metacognitive awareness of strategy use in EFL reading comprehension in Bangladesh

It is argued that learners’ metacognitive awareness of strategy use is significantly associated with their achievement in reading comprehension. In order to ascertain this association, the present researcher carries out the investigation to substantiate the existing findings. This current study is a partial replication of Carrell (1989) and Vogely (1995) with regard to their methods and objectives. The objectives of this research are to explore the higher secondary-level EFL learners’ perceptions of themselves as readers, of their use of comprehension and repair strategies, of difficulties as well as the effectiveness of reading strategies, and its relationship with their reading comprehension, if any. For this investigation, quantitative data collected from 148 higher secondary-level EFL learners via a modified Metacognitive Awareness Strategy Questionnaire (MASQ; Carrell, 1989) and a reading comprehension test were analyzed through statistical tools available in SPSS. The results reveal that learners possess a moderate awareness of reading strategies, and their perceptions of effective strategies and of the difficulty of strategy use are significantly and positively related to their reading comprehension. Based on the findings, pedagogical implications are discussed and scope for future studies is recommended.

Raters’ Decision Making Variations in Scoring Writing Samples

This study examined raters’ decision making variations in a writing assessment task focusing on individual differences in decision-making style (DMS). The participants’ of the study were six TEFL instructors. A rating scale obtained from Turner and Upshur, 2002 and a General Decision Making Style Inventory questionnaire, GDMSI, obtained from Scott and Bruce (1995) were administered to raters. The results showed the raters’ behaviors were not equally the same in the same rating situations. These discrepancies suggested individual socio-cognitive differences in accounting for some rater variability in scoring. In addition, characteristics of the texts (not just individual cognitive characteristics) favored certain decision-making behaviors. Accordingly, a re-visioning of the one-size-fits-all approach that is currently the norm in the training of raters for scoring writing assessments is needed. Further, a more individualized approach to rater training is needed. If the individual decision-making style to a great extent is dependent on basic cognitive abilities that are stable and not easily changed, then the decision support systems need to be flexible in order to match the needs of the individual decision makers.

Willingness to Communicate from Indonesian Learners’ Perspective

The present study is aimed at investigating dynamic complex systems and sub-systems underlying students’ willingness to communicate (WTC) in the classroom context. The fact that students’ reticence still arises during the classroom discussion until to date. It is insufficient to see students’ willingness to communicate from a single perspective. Seen from dynamic complex theory, the present study postulates the systems and sub-systems underlying students’ willingness to communicate in L2 that are dynamic and interconnected one to another. I conducted a naturalistic inquiry by investigating eight Indonesian university students (4 low English proficiency students and 4 high English proficiency students). A number of research instruments (face to face interview, online interview, and students’ log) were used to collect the data with regard to the students’ participation in the classroom. The finding reveals that classroom systems such as social and classroom context, linguistic competence, individual differences, and cultural context affect participants’ WTC in L2. Those systems encompass some sub-systems interacting and interconnecting one to another that affect classroom communication in second language.

Using Evaluation to Motivate Students in an Extensive Reading Program

Extensive reading, sometimes referred to as Free Reading or Book Flood is a system of language instruction where students are encouraged to read a large volume of level appropriate material. According to Wodinsky & Nation (1998) extensive reading should focus on comprehension of the material and enjoyment. Students choose what they want to read and are not compelled to read or finish books that they find uninteresting. One of the founding principles of the original proponents of extensive reading is that the pleasure of reading “is its own reward,” Day & Bamford (1998) and so assessment should be minimized or eliminated entirely. As extensive reading has gained in popularity, this premise has been challenged. This presentation compares two reading classes, one where students read without evaluation of their comprehension and one where students, after completing the book, had to take a short quiz to test their understanding. The goal of the project was to see the effect of evaluation on the amount of reading that students did. While the best students read an equivalent or greater amount without evaluation than they did when reading with evaluation, some students read much less. The presentation will explain the background for the study, materials used and method of evaluation. Finally, it will offer some possible explanation of why certain students might require evaluation for motivation.

Classroom Interaction Patterns in EFL Task- Based Classroom

The research was conducted to find out the interaction pattern that emerged when lecturer used Task-Based Instruction in EFL (English as a Foreign Language) classroom at the third semester of English Study Program of Sekolah Tinggi Keguruan and Ilmu Pendidikan Muhammadiyah Kotabumi-Lampung. Researcher used third semester of speaking class students as the participants. The data was taken by using three instruments which were classroom observation, questionnaire and interview. The research was qualitative research. The result of this study revealed a conclusion. There were two kinds of interaction in the classroom during the use of Task-Based Instruction. The interactions that emerged were student-lecturer interaction and student-student interaction. The finding of this research can be beneficial as suggestions in two following area; theoretical and practical. In the theoretical area, this research can be useful for enriching the existing theory of classroom interaction, especially for teaching English as Foreign Language in Indonesia. On practical area, this research can be useful for lecturer to broaden the understanding toward classroom interaction and researcher for further research on classroom interaction.