THE IMPACT OF GOAL SETTING ON ENGLISH LEARNING PERFORMANCE: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF LEARNING ENGAGEMENT

Wilfredo De Jesus-Rojas, MD Ponce Health Sciences University Scientific Journal August 14, 2024 Dear Editor-in-Chief, As former ESL (English as a Second Language) students who have pursued science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields and current researchers and instructors, we intimately understand the challenges faced by students adapting not just to a new language, but to the complex context in which that language is used in academic settings. Our experiences have given us unique insights into the difficulties ESL students encounter in higher education, particularly in STEM disciplines. Research aligns with our personal observations. ESL students often struggle with academic language proficiency, which can severely impact their ability to understand complex materials and engage in academic discourse [1]. These students are also more likely to face higher attrition rates [2], with studies indicating that they are more likely to experience academic probation or drop out compared to their native English-speaking peers [3]. ESL students often encounter significant obstacles in accessing and understanding academic resources that are primarily available in English, which can impede their ability to fully engage with the material. To illustrate the challenges and potential solutions, we would like to share an experience from Nelson's academic journey that led us to appreciate the potential of generative AI in ESL students' education. During his graduate studies, Nelson was enrolled in a rigorous Real Analysis course. Despite his best efforts, he found himself struggling to grasp the material. In a meeting with his then mentor, Prof. Doug Moupasiri, Nelson confessed his difficulties. Prof. Moupasiri asked a simple yet profound question: “What other books on the subject have you read?'' When Nelson admitted that he had only been using the assigned textbook, Prof. Moupasiri encouraged him to explore other authors' works. This advice—to seek out different perspectives—was a turning point in Nelson's academic career. By finding an author whose style resonated with him, he was able to understand concepts that had previously eluded him. This experience made us realize that sometimes, the issue is not with the subject itself but with how it is presented. This is where we see a tremendous opportunity for generative Al tools to support students, particularly ESL students, in their learning journey. ESL students often benefit from different learning approaches, and findings show that they have positive perceptions of AI-based learning tools, appreciating their personalized learning paths and time-saving advantages [4]. As evidenced in recent studies [5], AI technologies are already being successfully used in medical education to provide real-time feedback on quizzes, assist in anatomy learning, and support the recognition and diagnosis of medical images. Additionally, a study performed in a medical school in Puerto Rico showed that integrating a course aimed to bridge the gaps in AI knowledge among participants resulted in more positive perceptions of AI. However, it also revealed a lack of practical experience with AI applications, emphasizing the need for better integration of AI into educational programs [6]. Initiatives aimed specifically at Hispanic students are demonstrating the value of incorporating AI literacy into their education, helping them critically evaluate and effectively use AI technologies across different contexts [7]. By equipping students with essential AI competencies, these programs foster not only academic success but also readiness for AI-rich environments at home and in the workplace. We believe extending such support to ESL students can enhance equitable access to education by providing adaptive and personalized learning paths that cater to specific language needs. Just as different authors can present the same subject in varying ways, generative AI can offer students alternative explanations, analogies, and examples that align more closely with their individual learning styles. This ability to reshape content makes generative AI particularly powerful for students at institutions in Puerto Rico and elsewhere, allowing them to bridge gaps in understanding through tailored explanations in their native language or more accessible rephrasing, ultimately making challenging subjects more comprehensible. Generative AI is not just a tool for information retrieval but a companion in the learning process, helping students navigate complex subjects with a personalized approach that traditional methods may not always provide. The greatest value of generative AI as a tutor lies in its ability to customize learning experiences, tailoring them to fit the context and background of each student. As we continue to integrate AI into the educational landscape, it is our hope that we can leverage these tools to not only enhance learning but also to empower students to overcome the challenges that come with language barriers and different learning styles. Just as Nelson's mentor's advice reshaped his educational path, we believe encouraging the correct use of generative AI can play a similar role for many students, directly impacting academic outcomes. We urge educators and administrators to consider the potential of generative AI as a powerful tool for addressing the unique challenges faced by ESL students and those from diverse backgrounds. By embracing this technology, we can create a more inclusive and effective learning environment that supports all students in reaching their full potential. Sincerely, Nelson Colón Vargas, PhD and Marcos J. Ramos-Benitez, PhD

Using generalizability theory, this study examined both the rating variability and reliability of English as a second language (ESL) students' writing in two provincial examinations in Canada. This article discusses expected and unexpected similarities and differences related to rating variability and reliability between the two testing programs. As expected, there was more desired but less unwanted variation in ESL and native‐English‐speaking (NES) students' writing scores in Province B than in Province A. But unexpectedly, the results demonstrated systematic differences between ESL and NES students in terms of rating variability. Further, there were lower reliabilities in ESL students' scores in comparison to NES students' scores. These findings raise potential concerns about the fairness of large‐scale ESL writing assessments.

This qualitative case study explored the information literacy acquisition of 23 students enrolled in a learning community consisting of an advanced English as a Second Language (ESL) writing class and a one-unit class introducing students to research at a suburban community college library in California. As there are no other known learning communities that link an ESL course to a library course, this site afforded a unique opportunity to understand the ways in which ESL students learn to conduct library research. Students encountered difficulties finding, evaluating, and using information for their ESL assignments. Strategies that the students, their ESL instructor, and their instructional librarian crafted in response were enabled by the learning community structure. These strategies included integration of the two courses’ curricula, contextualized learning activities, and dialogue. ESL students in this study simultaneously discovered new language forms, new texts, new ideas, and new research practices, in large part because of the relationships that developed over time among the students, instructor, and instructional librarian. Given the increasing number of ESL students in higher education and the growing concern about their academic success, this study attempts to fill a gap in the research literature on ESL students’ information literacy acquisition.

English as a second language (ESL) students often face more challenges than their English-Native Speaking (ENS) peers due to language and cultural barriers. The purpose of this study is to investigate the difference in performance between ESL students and ENS students in the introductory level statistics course, STAT150, at the University of Norther Colorado (UNC). Due to the dichotomous nature of the data and the large differences in sample sizes between ESN and ESL students, the Bootstrapped Logistic Regression model is used to analyze the data. Contrary to the findings of previously conducted studies, the results of this study suggest that ESL students who have been enrolled in STAT 150 at UNC are just as likely to receive a high mark in the course as their ENS counterparts. One explanation for this finding is that the level of instruction and quality of content provided throughout the course gave all students, including ESL students, all the information necessary to succeed in the course. If this explanation is accepted, the outcomecentric results found by this study reflect well upon the overall quality of instruction and English proficiency policies at UNC.

Student engagement has long been recognized as a vital predictor of academic success, but how it associates with control-value appraisals and academic emotions of Chinese undergraduates of English as a foreign language (EFL) is underexplored. This article hence invoked the control-value theory and investigated the general profile of Chinese undergraduates’ control-value appraisals, academic emotions and student engagement in English learning, and the interrelationships between the three constructs. Descriptive statistics of the questionnaire data revealed that the 323 undergraduate participants generally showed a moderate level of control-value appraisals and engagement in English learning; furthermore, they experienced a variety of academic emotions, with positive emotions as more frequently experienced than negative ones. Correlation and regression analyses uncovered the significant predictive effect of control-value appraisals on academic emotions, and their profound impact on student engagement. Additionally, the influence of English control-value appraisals on student engagement was found to be mediated by academic emotions, with positive ones positively mediating and negative ones negatively mediating between the two. This study fills the research gap on related topics, and provides relevant pedagogical implications for EFL teaching at the tertiary level.

Essays are commonly used to project one’s thoughts, awareness, and ideas in order to make them apparent to others. Despite its pervasiveness, many ESL (English as a Second Language) students view essay writing as a difficult task, especially at tertiary level where students are required to produce matured and sophisticated written texts. This study investigated the use of cohesive devices in ESL students’ essays and highlighted the problems that these students face in writing essays. An action research approach using a quantitative and qualitative analysis of cohesive markers was used to carry out this research. The subjects of this study were 100 diploma students who had enrolled in the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course. One hundred essay scripts written in the essay writing section of the final examination were analysed using Halliday and Hasan’s (1976) framework of cohesion. Findings indicated that reference markers have the highest frequency, whereas substitutions were the least common cohesive device. The analysis also revealed that some cohesive devices were overused or incorrectly used by ESL learners, with conjunctions being the most common. The choice of cohesive devices was found to be influenced by the language proficiency of students because most of the students seemed to be unsure about the significance of using cohesive devices in their essays. Even though some students employed a sufficient number of cohesive devices in their essays, they were not aware of the functions conveyed by these resources. Given this, they require explicit instruction and direct exposure to the communicative meanings of cohesive devices as well as being familiarised with the ways to apply them in order to produce a cohesive piece of writing. Keywords : Academic writing; cohesion; cohesive devices; essay; ESL students DOI: 10.7176/JEP/13-18-02 Publication date: June 30 th 2022

The study aims at a deeper understanding of English classroom environment (CE) and foreign language enjoyment (FLE) in the context of a Chinese university and further explores the relationship among CE, FLE, and students’ performance in learning English as a foreign language. The 336 participants in this study were mostly from science departments, and about one-third of them came from Tibet and Xinjiang Autonomous Region. The findings indicate that the participants’ CE and FLE were at a moderate level and that significant positive correlations were detected among CE, FLE and English performance. The study has some practical implications for EFL (English as a foreign language) teaching and learning: (a) The establishment of a good healthy CE can effectively promote students’ performance; (b) The students’ FLE can help them learn English better; (c) Teachers and students should attach importance to the process of English learning, where teachers ought to actively play their part in building a healthy CE and enhancing students’ sense of FLE in English learning.

Many students experience a lack of motivation and engagement in learning due to the monotonous learning system. Therefore, many teachers apply gamification strategies to increase student motivation and engagement in learning. This study investigates the integration of gamification strategies within English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction to amplify student motivation and engagement. Gamification, a methodology applying gaming elements in a non-game context, serves as a focal point to enhance learning participation and motivation. In the realm of EFL education, student motivation and engagement often pose significant challenges. Through qualitative methodology involving classroom observations, questionnaires, student interviews, and teacher reflections, this research assesses the impact of implementing game elements like point-based assessments, competitive dynamics, challenges, and rewards on student motivation and engagement in learning English. The findings underscore a notable surge in student motivation attributed to the incorporation of game elements, fostering a more enjoyable and competitive learning environment that encourages active student participation. This research contributes vital insight for educators, highlighting the efficacy of gamification as a tool to heighten motivation and engagement in EFL education. It emphasizes the need for judicious integration of relevant gaming elements in pedagogical design to craft more immersive and meaningful learning experiences for students studying English as a Foreign Language.

The purposes of this study were to: (a) determine nursing students' perceptions of the learning activities which contribute the most to their knowledge and skills; (b) determine students' perceptions of their learning difficulties; (c) compare the perceptions of English as a second language (ESL) and non-ESL students; (d) determine nursing faculty perceptions of ESL students' learning difficulties; (e) compare the perceptions of ESL students and faculty; and (f) identify needs for educational and/or supportive programmes for faculty and students. Differences in perceptions of faculty and students regarding areas of difficulty and students' needs may influence the services provided to students and therefore contribute to their lack of success and attrition. A questionnaire was given to students in the first and second years of the University of British Columbia (UBC)/Vancouver Hospital (VH) Nursing Programme to collect data regarding their high school and post-secondary education, date of arrival in Canada, first language, and their perceptions of helpfulness and difficulty of learning activities. A similar questionnaire was given to faculty members working with these students to collect data about their perceptions of areas of difficulty and activities that contribute the most to the learning of ESL students. Data analysis consisted of t-tests for statistical comparison of the responses of ESL and non-ESL students, and ESL students and faculty. The results indicated statistically significant differences between the perceptions of faculty and ESL students, particularly in the areas of difficulty. The need for educational programmes for both faculty and students was identified.

The current study investigated the relationship between students’ perceived teacher–student relationship (SPTSR) and their performance in English via multiple mediation effects of resilience and autonomous learning in the Chinese English as a foreign language (EFL) context. The participants were 15,184 eighth-graders from China. Results of the multilevel mediation model revealed that after controlling for students’ gender, socioeconomic status (SES), and school type, the positive association between SPTSR and students’ academic outcomes in English was partially and serially mediated by the resilience and autonomous learning. The current study sheds new light on the crucial mediating roles of resilience and autonomous learning in improving EFL learners’ English proficiency. We recommend that English language teachers establish a friendly and equal classroom climate, which may enhance students’ resilience to cope with learning setbacks. Such positive beliefs help stimulate students’ autonomy in English language learning, which in turn promotes performance in learning English.

In an effort to better understand student perceptions of communication in blended (online and traditional) learning courses, a 22 item questionnaire was developed and sent to all students registered for these courses at a large technology-focused college during three quarters of instruction. The respondents were divided into four groups: 1) hearing, 2) deaf, 3) hard-of-hearing (D/HH), and 3) English as a second language (ESL). Their perceptions of communication and the blended learning experience were examined. While the hearing and ESL students were positive about blended learning, the findings indicated that deaf and hard-of-hearing students reported that both the quality and quantity of their interactions with the professor and other students was greatly improved by the inclusion of an online component. ESL and hearing students were also positive about the blended experience; but the greatest benefit to communication access was observed by students with a hearing loss.

Given the value of student engagement and its impact on academic performance, it is critical to identify factors that influence student engagement in different educational contexts. To do so, we examined the contributions of perceived teacher autonomy support and school climate in English as a foreign language (EFL) students' learning engagement. We conducted online surveys of 331 Chinese intermediate English learners. We substantiated the validity of the survey scales for measuring these three latent variables through confirmatory factor analyses (CFA), and we employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to identify interrelationships in these variables of interest. Both perceived teacher autonomy support and school climate were significantly and positively related to student engagement, with school climate more strongly correlated than teacher autonomy support. These findings suggest that teacher autonomy support and a positive school climate are important contributors to student engagement in EFL classrooms, and we discussed practical implications of these discoveries for EFL teachers.

In the USA, instructors need to ensure the user privacy and data rights of their adult English as a second language (ESL) students. The ways in which educational technology (EdTech) companies track user activity and sell user data to third parties raises ethical concerns for student privacy and data rights. ESL students are particularly vulnerable because of the vague language in privacy policies and user agreements, differences in terms of state surveillance, and insufficient user privacy and data protections. In addition to a discussion on the ethical concerns within EdTech and higher education, one method and two tools to help ESL instructors and educators are provided. These assist with ESL or international students in their classrooms as a means to evaluate EdTech tools and make decisions on whether to adopt or require a digital tool.

This study examined the role of corrective feedback in the context of an English as a second language (ESL) and French as a second language (FSL) eTandem chat exchange involving Grade 6 students. The students were enrolled in intensive programs in the provinces of Quebec and Ontario and had an elementary to low- intermediate level of language proficiency. Tasks were completed on a weekly basis over a 9-week period. Six tasks completed by 13 pairs were retained for analysis. The analysis showed that the ESL and FSL students provided three types of feedback: explicit feedback, recasts, and negotiation of form. Unlike the study by Morris (2005), which involved Grade 5 second language (L2) Spanish students, the preference in this study was for explicit feedback. This difference was attributed to the tandem approach which emphasizes training in how to give feedback as well as school culture. Differences between the amount of feedback provided during the ESL and FSL exchanges were also observed. Here, too, the influence of school culture appears to have been a factor. The ESL students appeared to be more positively oriented to L2 learning, reflected in a higher appreciation of the tandem learning exchange. Implications for teaching and the need of future research are discussed.

Reading strategies assist English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers to teach reading comprehension effectively to ESL students in developing their reading comprehension abilities. This study aimed at identifying reading strategies used by teachers that help them teach literal, reorganisation and inferential comprehension questions to ESL students. The target population was the ESL teachers teaching at the secondary school level in Penang, Malaysia. The ESL teachers from ten secondary schools who were teaching English to Form Four students were selected through convenient sampling. A questionnaire consisting of reading strategies that help ESL teachers teach literal, reorganisation and inferential comprehension questions developed by the researchers was used to collect data. The data were analysed through descriptive statistics to determine the frequency of reading strategies used by the ESL teachers. The findings, based on the quantitative analysis of data, revealed that the ESL teachers use different reading strategies for teaching literal and reorganisation comprehension questions but a small repertoire of reading strategies was employed for teaching inferential comprehension questions. Therefore, the researchers suggested a productive means of reading strategies to employ for teaching reading comprehension, particularly for teaching inferential comprehension questions in order to enhance ESL students’ higher order thinking skills and reading comprehension abilities.