A Conceptual Model of Analogue Gamification to Enhance Learners' Motivation and Attitude

The concept of gamification has spread widely in recent years supported by the development of technology, especially due to the plethora of computers and video games and game apps for other devices. Gamification is the use of game thinking and game mechanics in non-game contexts that support play to engage users in solving problems or created for teaching and learning purposes. Gamification does not mean creating games but making education more engaging and fun with play for learners, without undermining its credibility. In modern education, lessons delivery is associated with the lack of engagement and motivation of learners to participate actively in the learning process. Teachers are increasingly faced with the problem of how to integrate technology and to impart good language learning habits at the level of primary school in Malaysia. Hence, the aim of this study is to propose a conceptual model of analogue gamification to enhance primary school learners’ motivation and attitude.

Exploring TESOL Teachers’ Perceptions of Project-Based Assessment in ELT Classroom

This study explored the perceptions of TESOL teachers in Indonesia regarding the use of project-based assessment in their classrooms. As assessment has undergone massive development and shifting paradigms, there has been recognition for teachers to reconceptualise their assessment practice. There have been attempts made by some countries, including Indonesia, to introduce various assessment methods including project-based assessment. Since it has been introduced in Indonesia in 2016 through government document, little is known about TESOL teachers’ use of this assessment method. Furthermore, project-based assessment has mostly been used in science classroom, but not in ELT classroom. Research study regarding the use of project-based assessment in ELT classroom and how TESOL teachers in Indonesia perceive the use of project-based assessment would therefore be valuable additions to the field. This study used a qualitative case study as its methodology to gain an in-depth understanding of the emerging issue. Four ELT teachers around Surabaya were interviewed about their project-based assessment practice. The findings of this study revealed that teachers highly value the use of project-based assessment in their classroom despite the challenges they encounter. Hence, some implications and directions for further studies are also provided.Keywords: assessment method, classroom assessment, TESOL Teachers, project-based assessment, ELT in Indonesia.

Career Awareness in the Study of Malay Language Program

Awareness of the career to be pursued can be present as early as childhood and can vary according to knowledge and interest. Most of today's children are more focused on achieving excellence in education, but still vague in the career that will be pursued. This situation persisted when they continued their studies at higher education and they realized that the choice of field of study was not in line with their ambitions. Usually, these children choose a field based on their results rather than settling for the required degree for the field of interest. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the extent of students’ understanding of the scope and career prospects in Malay language. Students were distributed with a set of questionnaires containing 54 items using ordinal scales of semantic difference types. The findings of the study showed that 34(56.7%) of the students studied chose this field of study as the main choice. Students also showed a high level of knowledge about careers in the Malay language which they studied (M=3.92; SD=0.57). Students have also listed a total of 14 careers in the field of Malay language they are familiar with.

Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis of PERMA for Chinese University EFL Students in Higher Education

The purpose of this research is mainly to explore the validity and reliability of PERMA instruments to determine the nature of PERMA for Chinese university EFL students. A total of 309 Chinese university EFL students from 10 universities in Gansu province were investigated. Selected by cluster random sampling, the extracted data from the survey design underwent exploratory factor analysis(EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis(CFA) with the use of SPSS version 24 and AMOS version 23 to verify the factor structure of the PERMA. The results of EFA indicate similar structures from prior research and the present study. The CFA results testify that the PERMA instrument is satisfactory for Chinese university EFL students. Therefore, this research indicates that the PERMA of Chinese university EFL students also has a five-factor structure, which implies the perceived PERMA in the Chinese EFL context to be adequately invariant and it as an effective measurement tool supporting the research of Chinese university students’ well-being. The findings highlight the significance of validating and confirming the PERMA structure and provide new insights into its application across different cultural contexts.

Portraits of Graduates in Becoming Multilingual and Multicultural Citizens in the Context of Internationalization

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the portraits of graduates who have learned English as a foreign language on one hand, while maintaining Indonesian and local languages on the other. This study draws on poststructuralist notions of identity and language learning and uses a portraiture lens emphasising contexts and voice. This paper draws on data from semi-structured interviews and focus group interviews of five key participants relating their contextual backgrounds and their efforts to be bilinguals. Learning an additional language requires systemic and multifaceted overarching approaches over relatively long periods of time rather than a single strategy within a short period. These efforts have contributed them to beome multilingual and multicultural individuals. Empirical evidence shows that situational factors such as language exposure and motivation play dominant roles to assists learners to be bilingual and biliterate individuals. The situational factors link closely to the exposure in terms of quantity and quality of experiences to the target language. They are, nevertheless, valuable as portraits of learners.

Teachers’ Perceptions about the Use of Authentic Material in Pakistani EFL Classrooms

This study explores the perceptions of teachers about the use of Authentic Material in Pakistani secondary school English language teaching classrooms. The research was descriptive in nature and used a quantitative approach to collect data through a survey questionnaire from 40 Pakistani Secondary school English language teachers. The questionnaire used was initially adapted from a research done in Hong Kong by Yeung Ting-fai in 2011, under the topic “English language teachers' attitudes towards the use of authentic materials in Hong Kong secondary schools” but then modified to a larger extent according to the scenario and situation of the Pakistani education system. The data was analyzed through SPSS and descriptive statistics were obtained. The results of this research are significant in Pakistani context. Although many teachers wanted to use Authentic Material in their classes, they were hesitant to do so due to the constraints related to curriculum, examination system and administrative pressure. The study recommends adapting curriculum and examination systems to provide administrative support that can provide space to Pakistani secondary school teachers for using Authentic Material in English language classrooms.

The Role of Technology in ELL Classes in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

In the contemporary English language classroom, technology keeps an important role to support language learning. The present research focuses only on the tools, i.e., Smart Boards, tablets/laptops, and LMS (online learning management system), which English language teachers utilize in their class at the level of English Preparatory School, BS and Master in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Moreover, the present qualitative and observational research examines the role of technology, which is utilized at the English Preparatory School in Cyprus International University to teach English to the learners who learn English as a Second Language. For the present research, the researchers collect the data through 2 interviews of the teachers who teach at Cyprus International University (CIU) and from an in-depth literature review. Through the findings of the present research, the researchers observe that: a) all the teachers in TRNC utilize technology, i.e., Smart Boards, tablets and LMS during the teaching of English language and English subjects, i.e., Multimedia (only for PowerPoint presentations); b) in TRNC, the technology helps the English Language Learners (ELLs) to enhance their language skills and make them independent language learners; c) in TRNC, teachers, and students who utilize technology in language learning process face technical challenges due to lack of knowledge or less familiarity with the technology. Hence, the present research would explore the pros and cons of technology and intends the knowledge of a teacher who would take an interest in teaching language through technology.

The Correlation Between Students’ Reading Anxiety and Their Reading Comprehension in ESP Context

This study aimed to analyze the relationship between reading anxiety and reading comprehension of ESP students in Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang. The participants in this study were 50 first-year Governmental Science students who took intensive reading I. This study used correlational design to analyze the relationship between two variables (Reading anxiety and Reading comprehension). In collecting the data, the English Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Inventory (EFLRAI) questionnaire was used to investigate the level and potential causes of reading anxiety. Moreover, in assembling students' reading comprehension data, the researcher constructed a reading comprehension test specifically for governmental science students. Based on the study results, the non-English department students belong to moderate a level of reading anxiety. Specifically, reading anxiety is divided into three main aspects; top-down reading anxiety, bottom-up reading anxiety, and classroom reading anxiety. It was found out that the most potent sources of reading anxiety were in bottom-up reading anxiety, namely unclear-meaning vocabulary in English written text. Regarding students reading comprehension level, the ESP students have a low reading comprehension score. Besides, the research findings illustrated that there is a negative moderate-strong relationship between reading anxiety and Comprehension of ESP students. In means, the higher anxiety the students have, the lower their comprehension score they obtained. Thus, by knowing this, the teacher should select a carefully teaching method in their ESP classroom to decrease their reading anxiety and encourage them to improve their reading comprehension and deal with their anxiety.

Learners’ Perceptions on WhatsApp Integration as a Learning Tool to Develop EFL Spoken Vocabulary

Technology integration has a great impact on learners’ learning styles and everyday life, where various encouraging responses come across in language learning institutions through the use of mobile technology. WhatsApp application instantly transfers information in different modes. At the present time it can be effectively used as a platform to engage learners with conventional classroom setting. The present study is an attempt to investigate learners’ attitudes towards WhatsApp application and their intention for future use. 32 EFL learners were exposed to learn vocabulary by the use of WhatsApp application for a period of 6 weeks. Data were collected by using questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The result exhibited higher levels (M= 4.4 and Mode 4.37) of the mean scores of the learners’ perception and (M= 4.3) on WhatsApp Usage attitudes. The finding of the study indicated that learners expressed positive attitudes in using WhatsApp applications for vocabulary development. The present study also suggests that the integration of WhatsApp should be fortified to learners, instructors and institutions in developing other language learning process.

Students' Grammatical Errors in Essay Writing: A Pedagogical Grammar Reflection

Students of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) are expected to master the fundamental of grammar so they can produce good essays. However, despite having learnt English at secondary or university level, students tend to make many grammatical errors in their writing. This study presents the grammatical errors made by college EFL students in their essays and the pedagogical implications viewed from those errors. This is a descriptive research with 30 second-year students who enrolled Essay Writing class as participants. Thirty written essays produced by the students were analyzed for the grammatical errors. The findings revealed that there were 368 grammatical errors found in the students’ essays. The most common one was in verb use (48%). Besides, the errors were also found in nouns (12%), prepositions (8%), determiners (8%), pronouns (8%), adverbials (6), adjectives (5%), and conjunctions (5%). If teachers do not assist students to comprehend the concept of parts of speech, and essential and nonessential clauses, these students will continue to make errors in their more advanced writing. The findings may have useful pedagogical implications for English language teachers, syllabus designers, and test developers. Understanding students’ difficulties and providing appropriate grammar instructions are the keys to teach grammar.