The Emotional Effect of Activities based on Visual Thinking in an English as a Second Language Primary Classroom

The advancement of technology has brought us convenience to keep up with the world. With a click of the gadgets, it bridges us with people and recent happenings in the society. Social media platforms have been one of the most popular software-based digital technologies that are widely utilized, including educators who teach skills and deliver knowledge in the classroom. Numerous research had been conducted to provide insights and professional practices to the educators. However, a few has been done in Malaysia semi-urban primary ESL (English as a Second Language) classroom context. Thus, this research was intended to explore the use of social media platforms in primary ESL classroom. An online survey questionnaire which presented in Google Form had been distributed to 300 primary ESL teachers in Terengganu, Malaysia to know their most preferred social media platform and challenges faced in ESL classroom. The result showed that YouTube is the most preferred social media platform in ESL teaching. It also portrayed that the most challenging issue was time constraint. It is recommended to conduct a detailed research to understand the real-world situation by having in-depth interviews with the ESL teachers to discover their ESL teaching experience in using social media platforms.

The integration of technology in English as a Second Language (ESL) classrooms has become increasingly essential in modern education, offering opportunities to enhance pupils’ engagement and learning outcomes. As for ESL teachers, it is important to integrate different kinds of technologies to cater different needs of pupils and to attract them towards learning a second language. However, ESL teachers face several challenges in effectively incorporating technology into their teaching practices. This paper explores the challenges encountered by ESL teachers in incorporating technology in ESL classrooms. By understanding these challenges, this paper aims to provide insights for overcoming barriers and fostering more effective and inclusive technology use in ESL education. In this research, the author employed qualitative research methodology to collect data. Semi-structured interview was conducted with five English language teachers from primary government schools to enquire about challenges in incorporating technology in ESL classrooms. Participants ought to have taught for at least five years. The teachers were being chosen using purposive sampling. The interview was transcribed and analysed thematically. The findings had shown that the challenges faced by ESL teachers in incorporating technology in ESL classrooms were such as lack of technology tools, technological barriers in terms of accessibility to the Internet and the inadequacy of the teacher's digital competency. Pedagogical implications to overcome challenges faced by ESL teachers in incorporating technology in ESL classrooms are provided for ESL teachers and policy makers.

This conceptual paper investigates the coping mechanisms of speaking anxiety among ESL (English as a Second Language) learners during oral presentations in the classroom. It aims to enhance understanding of the internal and external coping mechanisms employed during oral presentations in the ESL classroom. The techniques used for this paper are based on past studies published in journal articles and books related to this research area. This paper proposes a framework as a foundation for the role of internal and external coping strategies to alleviate speaking anxiety for learners engaged in oral presentations. These results are crucial for ESL learners looking to improve their oral communication skills while reducing speaking anxiety. Additionally, they impact ESL educators' understanding of language learning challenges and advocate for a supportive learning environment in classrooms.

Speech-language pathologists in the schools and classroom teachers repeatedly face the challenge of how best to provide services and instruction for students who are learning English as a second language (ESL). A better understanding of second language acquisition issues, such as code-switched and code-mixed behaviors, is essential because, as Aguirre (1989) maintains, code switching is obvious and unavoidable with bilingual students. An ethnographic observational study of ESL and regular classroom discourse was performed. The researchers asked the questions: "What language skills must the bilingual student possess to succeed in the general education classroom, and what skills should the SLP be aware of in assessing bilingual students?" This study found that bilingual students in the general education classroom needed to shift and adapt their language uses to meet the demands of the classroom. The general education classroom proceeded at a fast pace of instruction, which necessitated fast processing abilities and more independent student follow-through. Learning is dependent upon precise understanding of long teacher utterances, many utterances spoken within a short time period with few opportunities for clarification or seeking of help. The student in the ESL classroom who is also enrolled in the general education classroom is using three language systems : listening and speaking Spanish, English, and a mixed series of Spanish and English code-switched and code-mixed language. Code-switching and code-mixing serves as a bridge between Spanish and English and is not an indicator of a language disorder or language confusion. It is typically used by the teachers, aides, and the students. The findings of this study suggest that language evaluations should incorporate ethnographic observations to obtain a truer picture of what occurs, where it occurs, how it occurs, why it occurs, and how often it occurs. Hence, use of dynamic assessment procedures and ethnographic observations may help make apparent the distinction between a language disorder and typical difficulties associated with second language acquisition.

Purpose of the study: This study aims to specifically examine reading interest among English as a Second Language (ESL) learners and determine its relationship with their performance in ESL classrooms.
 Methodology: This study is based on cross-sectional survey design, comprising a randomly selected sample of 351 ESL learners from the state of Terengganu. The questionnaire was used as a data-gathering instrument, consisting of pre-test and post-test items using Know Want Learn (KWL) reading method.
 Main Findings: The findings revealed that most of the ESL learners read English materials for academic purposes rather than news and entertainment. Also, there is a significant relationship between ESL learners’ reading interests and their performance in ESL classrooms.
 Applications: This study consists of empirical evidence regarding students’ reading interests and their correlation with their performance in the ESL classroom. This could help ESL teachers to rectify the students’ problems in reading English materials.
 Novelty/Originality: This study provides valuable information on the importance of reading interests in determining students’ performance, particularly in ESL classrooms.

This study aims to specifically examine reading interest among English as a Second Language (ESL) learners and determine its relationship with their performance in ESL classrooms. This study is based on cross-sectional survey design, comprising a randomly selected sample of 351 ESL learners from the state of Terengganu. The questionnaire was used as a data-gathering instrument, consisting of pre-test and post-test items using Know Want Learn (KWL) reading method.: The findings revealed that most of the ESL learners read English materials for academic purposes rather than news and entertainment. There is also a significant relationship between ESL learners’ reading interests and their performance in ESL classrooms. This study consists of empirical evidence regarding students’ reading interests and their correlation with their performance in the ESL classroom. This could help ESL teachers to rectify the students’ problems in reading English materials. This study provides valuable information on the importance of reading interests in determining students’ performance, particularly in ESL classrooms.

Anxiety in language classrooms has been acknowledged by local scholars as detrimental to Malaysian learners' English proficiency. Part of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions' mission is to provide immediate workforce of holistic and great communicators. However, language learning anxiety lent support to the poor English performance among learners and is misaligned with the vision by the government as stipulated in the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2015–2025 (Higher Education). The blueprint was developed in 2013 to keep the education system in line with the global trends to help prepare Malaysian youth to survive in the rapidly-changing future. One of highlights is the government's aspiration for high bilingual proficiency among the people. Thus, understanding the types of anxiety in English as a Second Language (ESL) classrooms is pertinent to customised efforts for pedagogical intervention. Adapting the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS), the current study aims to investigate the factors of learning anxiety in ESL classrooms among 236 respondents from various TVET institutions from the Southern states of Malaysia. The questionnaire was distributed online with the items reflective of three types of anxiety in ESL classrooms: communication apprehension, test anxiety, and fear of negative evaluation. Findings of the study indicated that the respondents suffered from anxiety across the components which confirm the perpetual concern by educators over the reasons why most Malaysian learners still grapple with English proficiency despite years of learning it in formal settings. The study also revealed interesting insights from a psychological perspective by reporting constant anxiety about speaking and presenting in the presence of an audience as well as anxiety when receiving negative feedback from teachers and peers. Implications of the study for practice, subsequent research, and policy are presented with some recommendations for future research to mitigate language anxiety in ESL classrooms.

This study is a depiction and portrayal of the views of Namibian Grade 11 and 12 teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL) on the use of English literature in ESL classrooms. The study also presents the rationale and conceptualisation underlying the significance of the use of English literature in the quest to improve English proficiency levels of students. The study was premised on a Humanistic Communicative Approach which is anchored in the Learner Centered Philosophy; a vanguard of Namibia’s epistemology for language learning and teaching. A questionnaire that contained both qualitative and quantitative items was used to gather data. The respondents in general agreed that the study of literature could be used to enhance learner proficiency in the ESL classroom. They agreed that the benefits of literature in an ESL classroom are multidimensional. These benefits include among others; attainment of pragmatic skills, grammar and vocabulary expansion, extensive reading motivation, intercultural awareness, language skills and critical thinking skills.

The difficulties and possibilities related to the growth of sociolinguistic competency in English as a Second Language (ESL) classrooms are examined in this abstract. The capacity to use language effectively in a variety of social circumstances while accounting for variables including situational appropriateness, cultural norms, and social standing is known as sociolinguistics competency. While ESL education traditionally focuses on linguistic proficiency, sociolinguistics competence plays a crucial role in achieving effective communication in diverse sociocultural settings (Gass & Selinker, 2008). The challenges in developing sociolinguistics competence within ESL classrooms stem from diverse linguistic backgrounds, cultural differences, and varying levels of exposure to English outside the classroom. Additionally, educators often lack appropriate pedagogical strategies and resources to address sociolinguistics aspects effectively. Moreover, societal attitudes and biases towards non-native English speakers may contribute to feelings of linguistic insecurity among ESL learners, hindering their sociolinguistics development (Norton, 2013). However, ESL classrooms also present significant opportunities for enhancing sociolinguistics competence. By creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment, educators can encourage learners to explore different language varieties and cultural practices. Integrating authentic materials, such as multimedia resources and real-life communication scenarios, can provide learners with exposure to diverse sociolinguistics contexts. Furthermore, fostering collaboration and interaction among students from various linguistic backgrounds can promote mutual understanding and appreciation of sociolinguistic diversity. This abstract advocates for a holistic approach to ESL education that recognizes the importance of sociolinguistics competence alongside linguistic proficiency. By addressing the challenges and leveraging the opportunities within ESL classrooms, educators can empower learners to navigate complex sociocultural environments with confidence and effectiveness.

In this immensely growing information and communication technology (ICT) era, technology has been a subject matter that is not “alien” any more in all fields, including the education field. Nowadays, integrating technology in teaching and learning process is seen vital and essential in its way to offer a more meaningful learning to the learners, and to produce high-quality human capital equipped with the 21st century skills. In English as a Second Language (ESL) teaching and learning particularly, there are many ways educators have used to ensure that ESL learners could benefit from incorporating technology in ESL classroom including through the use of Web 2.0 technology. This paper aims to review the benefits and barriers of integrating Web 2.0 technology in ESL classroom. This paper uses a number of journal articles and conference proceedings in aiding to find the related data. Thus, it is concluded that although integrating Web 2.0 technology in ESL classroom does come with its apparent barriers, the benefits of it towards ESL teaching and learning process and ESL learners are also evident and will be further discussed in the findings.

In this immensely growing information and communication technology (ICT) era, technology has been a subject matter that is not “alien” any more in all fields, including the education field. Nowadays, integrating technology in teaching and learning process is seen vital and essential in its way to offer a more meaningful learning to the learners, and to produce high-quality human capital equipped with the 21st century skills. In English as a Second Language (ESL) teaching and learning particularly, there are many ways educators have used to ensure that ESL learners could benefit from incorporating technology in ESL classroom including through the use of Web 2.0 technology. This paper aims to review the benefits and barriers of integrating Web 2.0 technology in ESL classroom. This paper uses a number of journal articles and conference proceedings in aiding to find the related data. Thus, it is concluded that although integrating Web 2.0 technology in ESL classroom does come with its apparent barriers, the benefits of it towards ESL teaching and learning process and ESL learners are also evident and will be further discussed in the findings.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of non-verbal communication skills in English as a Second Language (ESL) classrooms. These skills are used in teaching as well as learning. Non-verbal signs are of great significance for ESL learners and ESL teachers as they help cover the communication gap in form of gestures, eye-gaze, facial expressions, and body language. According to cognitive scientists, non-verbal signs assist teachers maintain attention level of the students that is important for successful teaching and learning. To achieve this goal, a field study was conducted in Lahore Liverpool Lingua. Two main instruments were used to collect data, namely questionnaire and observations. 100 students both male and female were chosen as samples who were observed to understand the importance of non-verbal communication skills in ESL classrooms. Besides observation of the students, 5 teachers at the same college were chosen to document their observations. These documents were used for content analysis. Apart from the documents, teachers’ opinions were also gathered through close-ended questionnaires. The questionnaire data were analyzed quantitatively. Thus, the collected data were analyzed and interpreted according to the principles of both qualitative and quantitative research. The study reveals the significance of non-verbal communication skills for ESL teachers and ESL students.

The effects of technological advancements, globalization and social progress has enabled researchers and teachers to rediscover and innovate methods of English Language Teaching (ELT) to English as a Second Language (ESL) learners worldwide where more non-native speakers of English who identified as bilinguals or multilinguals enroll in English language classes to develop essential skills for international communication. Yet, teachers in ESL education stand by standardized and classic ELT methodology to teach all types of learners with strong emphasis on English-only use in the classroom in hopes of producing competent users of the English language. This long standing point of view has continually ignored bilingual and multilingual learners’ potentials of learning a target language (L2) more effectively by accessing all linguistic resources from their first language (L1) or other familiar languages as a unified system through the practice of translanguaging. Therefore, this systematic literature review paper intends to explore the extent of current researches on translanguaging as an ESL pedagogy or ELT then highlight the potentials, considerations and trends of teaching and learning ESL with translingualism. A total 14 empirical journal articles related to the teaching practice were analysed to find out patterns in relevant research aims or purposes, research settings, research participants’ education and multilingual backgrounds, research designs and data analysis used and considerations for ESL translanguaging pedagogy. This paper serves as a guide for ESL educators and researchers on the current use of translanguaging for developing ESL skills productively as well as recommendations for future research.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate international students’ willingness to communicate (WTC) in US university classrooms, focusing on the role of classroom environment. International students in higher education have great economic and academic impacts, studying their WTC in classrooms facilitates their learning and speaking of English and helps them better participate in class activities and acclimatize to schooling in their adopted cultures.Design/methodology/approachSurvey data were collected from 50 Chinese undergraduate students who took English as a second language (ESL) class at a large Midwestern university. Four students participated in follow-up interviews.FindingsResults revealed that in ESL classrooms, confidence and motivation had a direct impact on WTC, classroom environment had an indirect effect on WTC through the mediation of motivation and confidence. Qualitative analysis also showed that classroom environment greatly impacted WTC in both ESL and general classrooms, and teacher factors were most important.Practical implicationsThese results have direct pedagogical implications for teachers serving international students in higher education.Originality/valueThis study facilitates the understanding of the previously under-studied influence of classroom environments on WTC, which has direct pedagogical implications. WTC research focuses predominantly on language learning classrooms, this study initiates an extended exploration of WTC in language learning as well as general classrooms.

The purpose of this research is to check the efficacy of blended mode of learning in ESL (English as a Second Language) classrooms in Pakistan under the theoretical construction of Transactional Distance Theory. For this purpose, the data was collected for pre-test, post-test and self-administered questionnaire from 499 ESL learners of private universities in Pakistan which were offering the blended learning programs. The post-test results indicated significant improvement in student’s English language proficiency. In the same vein, the Partial Least Square (PLS)-Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) techniques results confirmed that most of the factors namely ease of use, computer literacy, need for face-to-face interaction, pre-built learning mechanism and resistance to change have a significant relationship with blended learning except the two factors namely, technical difficulty during the attempt and student assistance in lab.