Phonological Knowledge in English Language Centre Teachers and Learning Materials: A Case Study

Learning a language is not merely learning its grammar. There are some other factors which should be covered in language learning, e.g. language in use, or meaning and communication. In other words, L2 learners of English not only need to reach grammar competence, but also pragmatic competence. Unfortunately, pragmatic competence is rather neglected as language learning and teaching, most of the time, puts emphasis on grammar competence. Hence, in this paper, I would like to discuss the importance of integrating pragmatic competence, in this case, conversational implicature, in English language teaching and learning materials. A previous study, conducted by Manowong (2011), reported that non-native speakers of English have difficulty in interpreting conversational implicature. Thus, teachers should make great efforts to help the learners raise their conversational implicature awareness. One of the most effective ways to raise learners’ awareness on conversational implicature is by making use of authentic materials. Movies could be great sources to help learners raise their conversational implicature awareness. Therefore, in this paper, I would like to propose a model of materials which integrate some scenes of a movie that might be useful for teachers and learners in English language learning and teaching. Keywords: Raising pragmatics awareness, conversational implicature, movies

This research aims to analyze the extent to which local cultural elements are integrated into English language learning materials for junior high school. The focus of this study is on the English language book "English for Nusantara" designed for grade VIII SMP/MTs students. Utilizing a qualitative approach with a thematic content analysis design, the research examined various local cultural elements reflected in the English language learning materials. Data was collected through in-depth reading and analysis of the texts within the book. The research findings indicate the successful integration of five local cultural elements into the English language materials, such as local language, local traditions, local areas, local food, and folktales. This integration positively contributes to contextualizing English language learning for junior high school students, creating a learning experience that is more relevant to their cultural realities. The implications of these findings provide valuable guidance for the development of English language learning materials that are more contextual and aligned with the cultural needs of students at the junior high school level.

The study aimed at gaining an insight into the attitudes of students towards English. It is tried in the paper to explore the mentality of the students and the people around them, towards English language through different questions related to English language and their point of view regarding those questions. The study further explores the current position of English in the context of interior Sindh through the views of the participants pursuing language courses. The study also explores the reasons behind the expansion and popularity of English language and language centers. The motives of the students to go to learn English also explored in the study along with the role of the elite class and the state in the spread of English and the agenda of past colonial powers. The study used five questions to analyze the attitudes of the learners. The results suggested that the state and the past colonial powers have succeeded in keeping our minds colonized Keywords: EFL, ESL, ATTITUDES, ENGLISH LANGUAGE CENTERES DOI : 10.7176/JLLL/58-04 Publication date :July 31 st 2019

Impact of Anxiety in English Language Learning of Second Language Learners

Taking a historical perspective, this article documents the development of domestically produced English Language Learning (ELL) materials in the period between 1945 and 2013. To this end, reference is made to milestones that marked shifts in linguistic and foreign language teaching paradigms, including aspects of Method and the underlying conception of language. The analysis will draw on aspects of Method in relation to language policy documents (i.e., curricula) and the course books in which these principles are embodied. Through the analysis of these factors we trace the evolution from Grammar–Translation methodology to Communicative Language Teaching in locally produced textbooks which are representative of various historical periods.

For English language learners, developing vocabulary knowledge is considered as one of the important and vital aspects of the language learning process. Having a good repertoire of vocabulary knowledge is necessary in order to understand any form of text. However, one of the prominent difficulties that the ESL/EFL students often face is the lack of ability in developing their vocabulary knowledge. In Malaysia, one of the ways to tackle this matter is through great emphasis on leisure reading habits. It is reported by Menon (2019) that between the year 2021 and 2030, the Ministry of Education Malaysia is taking measures in order to transform Malaysia into a reading nation. However, these efforts tend to focus more on the use of digital technology to improve teaching and learning, while at the same time unfortunately put aside the use of more traditional English language teaching and learning materials, such as newspapers. In fact, newspapers are one of the most useful and promising resources readily available for both teachers and students as a motivating medium in encouraging and stimulating to learn English and develop their vocabulary. Newspapers are also quite accessible to those from low socio-economic background who are less fortunate to have access to technological gadgets. Printed media, such as newspapers, are an excellent teaching and learning aid for both the teachers and the students. Therefore, in this review paper, the authors will explain about the concept of leisure reading, the use of newspaper as a form of leisure reading, and review of past studies on the use of English newspapers in developing ESL/EFL students’ vocabulary knowledge. It is hoped that this article can shed light on the benefits and potential of the use of English newspaper in developing vocabulary knowledge and that it will not be forsaken as one of the more effective and accessible resources in developing ESL/EFL students’ vocabulary knowledge.

This paper reports on a study that examines how a school teacher, a university researcher, and a professional textbook writer interact when they collaborate in designing materials for English language teaching. Data were collected from interviews with the participants and audio recordings of their interaction in collaborative design supplemented with drafts of the designed materials. The findings showed that the three participants placed different emphases on the design of the teaching materials due to their individual principles, values, and approaches towards English language learning and teaching and materials design. Their values and beliefs were found to inform their practices in collaborative materials design and thus influenced the processes of interaction and negotiation. The study contributes to our understanding of the personalized and diversified principles and beliefs of the stakeholders regarding the development of teaching materials, and suggests that textbook writers and their publishers need to pay more heed to the parties for whom they are producing their materials.

In the modern language learning scenario, language learning and language acquisition experience can be enriched outside the classroom where students can engage in interactive activities. This is enabled by Web 2.0 tools such as blog, twitter, and computer mediated communication tools like email and chat. Web 2.0 tools can unlimited space and time for students. Blog as one type of Web 2.0 tools can be designed to manage the learning and acquisition environment which provides learning materials, relevant learning resources, and online discussion. This paper reports on the impact of a “Learning Management Blog” (LMB) environment on students’ experience of language learning and language acquisition. The LMB was designed to function as a language learning platform for a particular group of tertiary students. Supplementary course materials that matched the objectives of the course were uploaded to the LMB. This qualitative study involved 30 Malaysian undergraduate ESL students at local university. A semi-structured interview was carried out to elicit responses from the students; then the recorded data were transcribed and analyzed qualitatively. The findings of the study revealed that the LMB has proven to be a useful tool to facilitate the language learning and language acquisition processes among the participants. The students had opportunities to use the language learning materials in the LMB as well as interacting with each other in the discussion forum. The learners developed their independent learning interest and motivation to use the English language learning materials and participate in the LMB environment. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/GEMA-2014-1403-04

Language learning and acquisition requires exposure to a language whether in a formal or informal learning environment as well as opportunities to produce the target language in a meaningful context. Therefore, it is unsurprising that the development of tools and web-based applications that allow written, audio, visual, and audio-visual material to be produced and shared - Web 2.0 - have been embraced by language teachers and learners. Authentic materials, those derived from the culture of the target language rather than specially produced for language learners, can not only be easily adapted to language learning using these new tools, they are potentially more relevant to learners because they increase opportunities for the creation of meaningful contexts for language learning. The objective of this paper is to assess the authenticity of English ODQJXDJHOHDUQLQ OLVK� language learners or teachers. To reach this objective, the blog ranking site Technorati was used to select the most popular blogs for English language learners and teachers and each blog was analysed according to the authenticity of the cultural material used for language learning. The analysis reveals that more than 80% of the material posted on English as a foreign or second language (EFL/ESL) blogs is authentic material reused for language learning. The results show Web 2.0 technologies to be conducive towards providing contemporary authentic material for language learning - the technology itself encourages the use of authentic materials.

This study investigates university students’ motivation for learning English language in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. The region is a foreign language learning context because English language learners almost entirely learn the language inside the classroom and without regular exposure to the English language outside. Besides English language centers, English Department in private universities is one of the most wanted departments in the region. However, we do not know students’ motivation for their choice. Therefore, a questionnaire was administered to 106 students from English department in a private university with the intention to obtain knowledge about their motivation for learning the English language and more specifically whether it is integrative and/or instrumental motivation. The study found that the level of students’ integrative motivation was different from instrumental motivation. This finding can be used by educators and university lecturers to embed motivation constructs in their teaching practices to keep the students motivated throughout their college years and have the desired outcome in the end.

This study determined extent to which parents’ economic support and educational background predict senior secondary school students’ academic performance in English Language in Maiduguri Metropolis, Borno State, Nigeria. Correlation research design was used in the study. The population of the study comprised four thousand five hundred SS I students from nine (9) selected public senior secondary schools in the study area. The sample was three hundred and fifty-four based on Krejcie and Morgan sample size determination table. Random sampling technique was used to draw sample of the population from each school. The instrument used to collect data in the study was self-developed questionnaire titled “Economic Status and educational Background as Predictors of Academic Performance in English Language (ESEBPAPEL)” and proforma. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression. The findings of the study revealed that, parents’ Economic support and educational background predict senior secondary school students’ academic performance in English Language in Maiduguri Metropolis, Borno State, Nigeria. It was concluded that, students’ academic performance in English Language in Maiduguri Metropolis Borno State, Nigeria is predicted by Economic support and educational background of the parents. The researchers recommend that, parents of high economic status should provide necessary English Language learning materials at home and school. Government should support students from poor economic status with free education and free English language learning materials. Educated parents should be involving in their wards English Language learning activities at home. Uneducated parents should look for educated person(s) within the family to help their wards in academic learning activity at home.

The paper deals with the major changes in the professional activities of technical specialists caused by the development of information society, which makes new demands for their professional competences and particularly for their foreign language communicative skills. The new aims of foreign language education require new approaches to all aspects of the language teaching and learning process, including its methodology and instruments. As professional communication between the members of the professional societies generally occurs in the English language, in order to be active participants of this communication, engineers must possess communicative skills allowing them to be engaged to the socio-cultural context of their profession. The author argues that this context should be used as a resource for the English language learning curriculum and considers virtual professional communities as an element of professional socio-cultural environment. The concept of “a virtual socio-cultural professional context” is introduced which gives grounds to the concept of “a foreign language professional socio-cultural competence”. Foreign language skills of technical students in information society are revealed. Learner autonomy and autonomy development are viewed as a permanent and dynamic process. Particular attention is given to the methodology and strategies of the ICT-based foreign language education. The most appropriate strategies for developing learner autonomy in ICT-based language teaching and learning environment are proposed. Three strategies of applying ICT in profession-oriented foreign language teaching and learning are introduced, each of them corresponding to different ICT-based language teaching and learning materials and different levels of learner autonomy.

Research was conducted on Kuwait University undergraduates enrolled in English courses offered by the English Language Centre at Kuwait University. It examined students' attitudes and motivations to learning English as a foreign language in a predominantly Arabic and Moslem environment. The research focuses on the inter-relationships between attitude, motivation, anxiety and achievement in the English language. Despite the studies (Al-Mutawa, 1986, 1994) that seem to show that Kuwaitis are not in favour of the English language and learning it, the researcher hypothesises that (1) Kuwait University undergraduates, in general, have positive attitudes towards learning English, towards the English language and towards native speakers of English. Students have reasons to study English; (2) Kuwait society values and regards the English language highly; and (3) students' achievement is positively related to their motivation and attitudes toward the English language and negatively related to their anxiety. In general, these hypotheses were vindicated by the research, which also found that the more a student is exposed to the English language, and the more a student needs the English language either for present studies or for future career, the more positive his/her attitudes appear towards the language.

A number of researches have been done in the world basing on Communicative Approach in teaching English language as a second and a foreign language, Tanzania in Particular. However, the use of this approach in Tanzania is not free of challenges. Thus, this paper tries to enlighten the current challenges that English language learners of primary schools encounter when the approach is used in teaching and learning of English language in Morogoro Municipality. The study was guided by two research questions; first, what would be the current challenges encountered by primary school learners when CA is used? Second, what would be the learners’ views on the possible ways to overcome the existing challenges? The study was led by the theory of communicative competence by Hymes (1972). The data were collected through concurrent research design which is within pragmatic research approach. The data collection method used was questionnaire method of data collection. The findings revealed that, large class sizes, inadequate teaching and learning materials, learners’ negative attitudes towards English language, and lack of enough time to practice English language are among the challenges of using the approach at public primary schools. Nevertheless, ensuring enough teachers and classes, adding time for practicing English, exposing learners to English language from standard one are among the suggestions of overcoming the existing challenges. Furthermore, basing on the findings of the recent study, the researcher provided recommendations for action to solve the existing challenges and for further studies including to do the same study in other municipal areas

Many language learning materials have been published. In language learning, although repetition training is obviously necessary, it is difficult to maintain the learner's interest/motivation using existing learning materials, because those materials are limited in their scope and contents. In addition, we doubt whether the speech sounds used in most materials are natural in various situations. Nowadays, some TV news programs (CNN, ABC, PBS, NHK, etc.) have closed/open captions corresponding to the announcer's speech. We have developed a system that makes Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) materials for both English learning by Japanese and Japanese learning by foreign students from such captioned newscasts. This system computes the synchronization between captions and speech by using HMMs and a forced alignment algorithm. Materials made by the system have following functions: full/partial text caption display, repetition listening, consulting an electronic dictionary, display of the user's/announcer's sound waveform and pitch contour, and automatic construction of a dictation test. Materials have following advantages: materials present polite and natural speech, various and timely topics. Furthermore, the materials have the following possibility: automatic creation of listening/understanding tests, and storage/retrieval of the many materials. In this paper, firstly, we present the organization of the system. Then, we describe results of questionnaires on trial use of the materials. As the result, we got enough accuracy on the synchronization between captions and speech. Speaking totally, we encouraged to research this system.