A Collaborative Autoethnography on Raciolinguistic Experiences and the Construction of Linguistic Identities During an Intercultural Exchange

This research is a Collaborative Autoethnography based on personal experiences as Au Pairs in the United States. It aims to analyze the contributions of an intercultural exchange towards the construction of the teacher’s identity. It also seeks to analyze the current foreign language teaching practices in Colombia. We achieved more significant English teaching insights from our reflections, considering a flexible language structure, more comprehensive vocabulary, and English variety. Besides, this life-changing exposed ourselves to a target context that enriched our global notions and enhanced a new linguistic identity. Two years of living abroad made us think about a different teaching ideology founded on developing interest and sensibility for diverse cultures accepting broader linguistic features of the language. The results support the idea that educators shift those traditional strategies to more context-bound and intercultural ones to meet today’s needs and place the language as a means of co-construction of reality.

Transforming an Educational Community in Guatemala Using the Plan Do Study Act Cycle

This case study with educators from a school in an urban low socioeconomic neighborhood near Guatemala City, Guatemala, explored the effectiveness of the Plan, Do, Study, Act cycle (PDSA) to guide teachers’ professional development at a Pre-K-K public school (Langley, 2009). This three-year study focused on developing teacher leaders and researchers through self-reflective accountability. Findings documented institutional problems requiring immediate and long-term attention and ways to involve families in extending literacy instruction at school to the home front. Study results highlight the need for effective and empowering literacy methods to be used in Guatemala and suggest the country’s teachers wish to support students’ critical thinking and create democratic classrooms.

Social Presence in an Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) in English during Covid-19

Many educational institutions had to move their face-to-face modality to online modality in a sudden way due to coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). On this reflection a foreign language teacher describes his social experience in an Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) when he moved his face-to-face classes to online ones. Based on Rourke et al. (2001) and Swan (2019), three elements were found on his online experience: cohesive teaching strategies, affective teaching strategies, and interactive teaching experiences. Asking for students’ mental health, giving advice, and keeping the video on were some of the strategies used. Conclusions suggest that it is vital to introduce people as human beings and touch their own realities during Covid-19 times. Recommendations include not only assessment practices such as take home exams, self-assessment and peer-assessment, but also monitor the ongoing process during emergency times.

Visual Mnemonic Technique : An Effective Learning Strategy

This study was designed to investigate the impact of visual mnemonic technique on young and adult Iranian English learnersʹ vocabulary learning. The current study followed quasi- experimental design. 48 female students were selected based on their performance on Quick Placement Test. The purpose of the QPT was to homogenize the participants based on their proficiency level. The participants were divided into four groups, two experimental and two control groups. Each group consisted of 12 participants. Prior to the treatment, the participants of both groups were given a pretest to determine the knowledge of vocabulary in the experimental and control groups. Then the experimental groups received the visual mnemonic technique for 8 sessions. The control groups went through a traditional method of teaching vocabulary. After 8 sessions, a posttest was administered to all groups. Two-way between-groups ANOVA was run to the results of the vocabulary tests to look at the individual and joint effect of the independent variables on dependent variable. It was concluded that mnemonic technique significantly affected Iranian pre- intermediate EFL learners’ vocabulary leaning. The study exhibited that the experimental group who received instruction on mnemonic technique outperformed their counterparts in posttest of vocabulary. However, the differences between the effects of mnemonic technique for young and adult learners who received the specific treatment were not statistically significant (P≥ .05).

On the Effectiveness of Scaffolding Strategies and Task orientation on Receptive and Productive Knowledge of Lexical Collocations

The present study aimed at investigating the effects of scaffolding strategies using input and output-oriented tasks on Iranian EFL learners' receptive and productive knowledge of lexical collocations. For this purpose, 540 adult intermediate-level EFL learners- both male and female- were selected and divided into six experimental groups; three input-oriented and three output-oriented tasks. Each experimental group received treatment under one of the three scaffolding strategies of direct corrective feedback, cooperative group technique, and visual cues. After the treatment period, a 40-item multiple-choice test and a 40-item fill-in-the-blanks test were administered to assess the participants' receptive and productive collocations knowledge. To analyze the data, two separate two-way ANOVA procedures were used. The results indicated that visual cues were the most effective scaffolding strategy in teaching lexical collocations. Moreover, the cooperative group technique had a significant positive impact on learning collocations compared to direct corrective feedback. The results also showed that the participants in the output-oriented tasks group significantly outperformed those in the input-oriented tasks group. These findings can have practical implications for language learners, teachers, and materials developers, and theoretical implications for researchers.

Problems of Teaching Phonological Awareness to Learning Disabilities Students

This study aimed at identifying the effectiveness of using a phonological awareness-based instructional program in developing the phonetic sequential-memorization skill among students with learning disabilities in the Aseer region. The study sample consisted of forty students from the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh grades, selected from schools in the Directorate of Education in the Aseer region. The sample was diagnosed by the special education teacher as having learning disabilities. The study used the quasi-experimental methodology and divided the sample into an experimental group and a control group. After applying the instructional program, the results showed that the experimental group outperformed the control group in acquiring the phonetic sequential-memorization skill. The results showed no statistically significant differences in the phonetic sequential-memorization skill due to the difference of grade. It is concluded that the instructional program has a continuing effect in developing the phonetic sequential-memorization skill among students with learning disabilities in the Aseer region.

Language Proficiency Development and Study Abroad Experience: A Study On EFL Learners

Study abroad experience (SA) has been regarded as one of the best ways to enhance English language proficiency because it offers opportunities for learners to experience the use of English in real instances. The present study attempted to explore the language development of a group of EFL learners participating in Erasmus program for SA experience where English is not used as L1. To achieve this, the data were collected through three instruments; Language Contact Profile (LCP), Then and Now Survey, and semi-structured interviews. Fifty-nine students answered LCP and Then and Now self-assessment and eight students were interviewed. The quantitative result revealed that students experienced greater gains in their oral skills. On the other hand, qualitative results confirm the greater gains in speaking skills with respect to other skills. Moreover, the results highlighted the significance of the learning context and the quality and quantity of interaction for language development.

Exploring the Barriers to online Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic. A case of Pakistani Students from HEIs [Higher Education Institutions]

The main objective of this study is to explore various barriers that are preventing Pakistani HEIs (universities) students from learning online in this COVID-19 pandemic. Applying a qualitative research design, twelve (12) in-depth interviews were conducted with individual business school participants (students), selected at undergraduate and graduate levels to participate. Data were collected from six (06) universities in Islamabad, Pakistan. After collecting the data using a self-developed questionnaire, a thematic analysis method within the qualitative research was applied to uncover several barriers relating to the objective of this study. Eight themes emerged from the interview data: internet technology access, the content of digital slides, student’s perception towards online learning, power outages during COVID-19 pandemic, students’ fear of losing marks and impact on employment, faculty skills in using technology to teach online, student’s stress and health in the COVID-19 pandemic and student skills to use distance learning tools. Based on the findings, students who live in rural areas are more affected by online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic than students in urban areas due to identified barriers and, most importantly, lack of technology infrastructure. Opportunities and future recommendations have been provided to the relevant authorities to conduct and deliver smooth online education in the country during pandemic.

Using Digital Formative Assessment to Evaluate EFL Learners’ English Speaking Skills

As it is known formative assessment focuses on both the learning process and learner's performance. In this study digital formative assessment and traditional speaking tests were utilized comparatively to evaluate 52 upper-intermediate EFL learners' English language speaking skills. The study was designed as a mixed-method. The quantitative data were collected via achievement tests which had been administered both in traditional speaking tests and digital formative tests. The qualitative findings were collected with students' interviews which consisted of four open-ended questions. The results of the study showed that participants outperformed in digital formative tests in comparison to traditional speaking tests. Another significant finding of the study is that participants are satisfied with the digital formative assessments in terms of peer collaboration during tests, enriched test materials, and preparation time for the speaking test. Although they have positive views on digital formative assessment, participants are dissatisfied with it in terms of technical problems that they encountered during the administration of digital formative tests.

Implementing Lesson Plans for Collaborative Learning with Children in an EFL Context

Different authors have argued that collaborative work among children helps them to negotiate meanings and find solutions for learning. In this article, we describe a study conducted to validate a set of lesson plans specifically designed for collaborative work with children in collaborative learning spaces. A group of nine teachers implemented the lessons in their classes. Data were gathered by means of ethnographical notes to determine children’s reactions to collaborative work. As well, teachers responded a questionnaire on their perception of the lesson plans and collaborative learning. Results show that children can indeed work in collaboration when given the adequate conditions. Implications point in the direction of teacher education programs that can help teachers understand the principles and practices of collaborative learning with children.