Trainees’ beliefs about the use of cinema as a tool for EFL

Cooperative Learning (CL) in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context: investigating, learning outcomes, processes, and experiences

BackgroundEspecially over the last decades, the use of cinema in the English as a foreign language (EFL) class has been gaining momentum. Although this interest has resulted in a complex body of research, no review to date had aimed to systematically map out (i) the pedagogical guidelines available for English teachers to implement films in class; (ii) the perceptions of EFL teachers and learners on the educational use of films; and (iii) the impact of cinema-based EFL on students’ learning, pertinent aspects as they contribute to deactivate instructors’ reported reluctance to use films as a proper teaching material. Thus, a systematic literature review has been conducted along the three previously-mentioned research questions with the aim of highlighting in a comprehensive manner the robust pedagogical value of cinema in EFL contexts.MethodsA systematic search was carried out in Web of Science, ERIC, MLA International Bibliography, Education Database, and Scopus, which were last consulted on 2 December, 2022. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, which covered journal papers written in English, peer-reviewed, published in open-access, and focusing on the exploitation of films for the teaching of English as a foreign language. Following the search and selection stages, a coding scheme was established, and the authors conducted a thematically based qualitative analysis to answer the research questions. Reliability was tested to check the agreement rate among the researchers.FindingsOf the 416 sources found, 44 were eligible. Twenty-five percent of the selected references consist of theoretical or practical methodological orientations for the implementation of films in the EFL class, 16% of the sources explore EFL teachers’ and students’ perceptions on the educational use of films, and the remaining 59% of the references tap into the impact of cinema-based EFL on students’ learning. The results revealed that more informed guidelines on the exploitation of this resource are needed, that both instructors and teachers have a great attitude towards this method, and that films provide EFL learners with linguistic, intercultural, and motivational benefits.InterpretationOn a general note, scholars have adopted a narrow focus when exploring cinema-based English teaching since they only address some of its benefits and they have mostly concentrated on the University educational context. Specific research gaps are highlighted in relation to each research question, and avenues for further research are proposed. Finally, pedagogical implications for the educational use of cinema in the English class are provided.

There is a close connection between reading and writing. Several studies suggest integrating reading in the instruction of teaching writing skills to English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learner. This study seeks to determine the extent Saudi EFL teachers support, apply and understand the theory of integration between reading and writing. To achieve the research objectives, the researcher compiled two lesson plans; one based on the integration theory and the other, based on a traditional model to see which lesson plan teacher-participants chose to teach writing. The data was then collected through questionnaire containing both closed and open-ended questions to determine the implications of the results in relation to the objectives of the research. The major findings of this research project were that, for the ten EFL teachers surveyed, most of the teachers indicated that they usually taught writing as a separate skill apart from reading, and the written responses from the open-ended questions that was analyzed indicated that the teachers taught writing in the traditional way. The results from the ten participants’ responses also suggested that almost none of the participants were familiar with the concept of integrating reading and writing for the purposes of teaching writing. However, most of the respondents did comment that they agree with the idea of integrating reading in the instruction of teaching the writing skills and given a choice of a lesson plan, most of the teachers choose the integrated lesson plan.

Underpinned by [Bhabha, H. K. (2004). The location of culture (2nd ed). Routledge.] conceptualizations of the “third space,” this study is a qualitative exploration of an attempt to create an intervening telecollaborative “third space” for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in a Taiwan university. Students were engaged in language exchange with foreign language learning peers in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) and critical reflection on their own cultural norms and values. Data consisted of summative and formative assessments documented in E-portfolios and reflective essays by EFL learners who participated in the telecollaboration. Findings showed that 97% of the EFL learners agreed that telecollaboration should be part of language exchange programs. Through the affordance of the “third space,” EFL learners were able not only to practice the target language through interaction, but also to build their confidence by critically engaging with individuals from different linguistic and sociocultural backgrounds and expressing their thoughts and idea. The telecollaboration also enhanced EFL learners’ intercultural knowledge beyond generic understandings attached to particular countries and nations. Implications for practice and suggestions for future studies are discussed.

Developing adequate English as a Foreign Language (EFL) academic writing skills is of paramount importance for students’ success in higher education in Oman. The traditional teaching approaches adopted in writing courses often lead to students’ disengagement, however. Although several studies have examined students and teachers’ perceptions of flipped instruction in various EFL courses, no study has examined the impact of flipping on students’ engagement in writing courses. This practice-based research project, where the instructor was the researcher, explored the impact of flipped teaching on 57 General Foundation Program (GFP) EFL learners’ behavioural, cognitive, emotional and agentic engagement in academic writing in a higher education institution in Oman, and the variations that exist in students’ engagement according to gender, age, English language proficiency and technology skills. The study adopted a mixed-methods design and used a student engagement questionnaire, focus group interviews and participant observations to collect data. Descriptive and inferential statistics and deductive and inductive analytical procedures were used to analyse the quantitative and qualitative data respectively. The study presents new practicable knowledge about the implementation and implications of flipped instruction for Omani EFL students’ engagement in academic writing at the GFP level. It proposes flipping as an instructional approach which helps to address GFP students’ lack of 4 behavioural, cognitive, emotional and agentic engagement in writing courses in the Omani context. Behaviourally, students in the flipped classroom experience increased effort, improved concentration levels, persistence, communication and collaboration, and amelioration in their attitude to class attendance. It is reasonable to conclude that learners undergo cognitive growth and develop self-regulatory strategies and meta-cognitive awareness. At the level of emotional engagement, learners initially experience negative emotions such as anger and frustration, and then more positive emotions such as contentment and increased interest in the subject as they adapt to the flipped teaching-learning model. Flipping also seems to influence students’ autonomy and ability to ask questions and express opinions. It appears, however, that this approach does not influence students’ capacity to contribute to their own learning resources and activities. This study makes a valuable contribution to knowledge about students’ engagement in EFL writing courses. It revealed that a strong positive correlation exists between students’ behavioural, cognitive and emotional engagement, and that a positive correlation exists between students’ technology skills and linguistic proficiency and several aspects of their engagement. The study demonstrated, however, that no correlation exists between gender and age and students’ engagement in the flipped classroom. Furthermore, this practice-based research indicated that although flipped instruction helps to address the problem of students’ disengagement in writing courses in our context, factors such as students’ linguistic proficiency and technology skills should be taken into consideration before implementing this instructional approach in the current setting.

The study reported in this article explores Thai secondary school students’ English as a foreign language (EFL) learning experiences and examines the effects of using drama-based activities and Facebook on the students’ English speaking skills, attitudes and motivation in learning EFL. The study employed a mixed methods approach to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. The study used Facebook together with drama-based activities to deliver English language lessons in EFL classrooms. A total of 40 students from two Grade 12 classes and two Thai EFL teachers at a high school in Thailand participated in the study. Data was collected through English speaking tests, Attitude and Motivation Test Battery (AMTB) questionnaires, classroom observations and interviews. The results of the study indicate that drama-based activities and Facebook had positive effects on the students’ speaking skills and increased their motivation and positive attitudes towards learning the English language; they also provided the students with an interactive and flexible learning environment where they could actively communicate and collaborate with their teachers and peers. Findings suggest that drama-based learning activities and Facebook can be creatively integrated to assist language learning in the EFL classroom.

The goal of this study was to develop a teaching model for intercultural communicative competence (ICC) that would effectively and efficiently improve Thai English as a Foreign Language (EFL) tertiary students in Thailand. The research and development (R&D) strategy was used as the research design for the study (Phusee-Orn, 2021). The study unfolded over three phases. Phase 1 involved the development of the teaching model; Phase 2 focused on the implementation of the teaching model; and Phase 3 involved the evaluation of the teaching model. In the 2023 academic year, students enrolled in the Bachelor of English Education Programme at Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University in Thailand were selected as research pilot study participants and experimental subjects. The research instruments comprised the ICC teaching model and three teaching modules. The data collection and analysis were assessed using three methods: 1. a questionnaire; 2. pre- and post-tests; and 3. in-depth focus group interviews. This study included a combination of qualitative and quantitative data analysis methodologies. The research results demonstrated that the ICC teaching approach had a substantial impact on improving the intercultural competency of Thai EFL tertiary students, who were studying English as a non-native language. The results indicated that students acknowledged the potential of the ICC teaching paradigm to improve their overall intercultural competence. They reached a consensus that teaching modules 1–3 has the capacity to enhance the intercultural competency of Thai tertiary EFL students. The superior quality (x̄ = 4.85) demonstrated an improvement in students' intercultural knowledge.

This study explores pedagogical challenges pertaining to the new online English Language Teaching (ELT) practices that emerged due to the covid-19 pandemic outbreak and the subsequent worldwide lockdown. Based on an explanatory sequential, mixed methods, descriptive research design, quantitative and qualitative data from 265 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in the Saudi context were collected by utilising a custom designed, twenty-two items on a psychometric five-point Likert items, open-ended questions, and a questionnaire. The quantitative data were statistically analysed using SPSS whereas the qualitative textual data were analysed employing the grounded theory. The findings of the study indicate that EFL teachers regard full scale online teaching as a challenging endeavour; however, a valuable and indispensable tool in language teaching, especially, during the outbreak of covid-19 pandemic. Furthermore, most of the participants prefer to receive more professional development opportunities based on real life teaching experiences in online ELT. The study presents suggestions and recommendations for further research.

This study investigated potential applications of Lesson Study (LS) as a collaborative form of reflective practice and as a model of effective Professional Learning (PL) in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching in Indonesian tertiary contexts. Three research issues were addressed: the EFL secondary school teachers’ and LS specialists’ beliefs about LS as a form of PL, the EFL tertiary lecturers’ beliefs about PL, and the potential applications of LS as a model of PL in tertiary contexts. LS is presented as a model of PL that offers EFL teachers in Indonesia a way to shift current transmissive teacher-centered approaches to EFL teaching to more student- centered learning. It is argued that in Indonesian tertiary educational settings, secondary school teachers PL should similarly become the centre of their own learning. Drawing on theories of reflective practices in teaching and learning and the principles of LS, the study sought to demonstrate the applicability of LS as a model of EFL lecturers’ PL in tertiary contexts. Informed by interpretivist approach and naturalistic inquiry, the study involved twelve EFL teachers from secondary schools, three LS specialists, and seven EFL lecturers from the Gama Language Training Centre (GLTC) in Indonesia. Using qualitative methods, focus group interviews and in-depth interviews were utilized to gather the data. Focus group interviews were conducted with the EFL secondary school teachers and the EFL lecturers in the GLTC, while individual in-depth interviews were carried out with the LS specialists. These three lenses on the phenomenon under enquiry provided rich data for exploration. The data were triangulated for trustworthiness and credibility. The data were analysed thematically using increasingly rigorous levels of coding. The findings are illustrated by verbatim quotations to give voice to the participants. The findings indicate that many of the participants in the secondary school contexts considered LS an efficacious approach to teacher reflective practice and PL. The collaborative work and reflective practice embedded in the phases of LS provided many learning opportunities for enhancing EFL content knowledge and creating effective pedagogies that contributed positively to their sense of self as professional educators. Another finding reveals that after having focus group interviews, the EFL lecturers in the GLTC shifted their beliefs from a paradigm of professional development to one of PL. LS with its phases of PLAN, DO, SEE offers a potential framework of PL to achieving this. When comparing and contrasting the school teachers’ beliefs about LS as a collaborative and reflective practice form of PL with those beliefs held about PL at the tertiary level, it was found that both groups of participants believed their PL activity was an opportunity for them to become better practitioners. The findings too revealed that the characteristics of LS as the form of the EFL secondary school teachers PL have embedded in the EFL lecturers’ PL in the GLTC. This provides opportunities for LS to be adopted as a collaborative model of reflective practice so that the transmissive mode of EFL teaching in Indonesia can be shifted to one more focused on student learning. LS proved to be effective model of PL and it is currently undertaken by secondary school teachers; therefore, it will be particularly useful for EFL teaching in Indonesian tertiary contexts. The implication of this study of LS as collaborative and reflective PL in Indonesian tertiary institutions is that PL is essential in improving teacher professionalism and supporting a shift from a transmissive teaching practice to one that is learner centred.

Recently, the Moroccan government has launched innovative projects in the field of national education. The Kingdom of Morocco has decided to reform the education sector by placing more value on teaching English as a foreign language (EFL). This new emphasis directly aligns with the success the country has achieved in research and scientific innovation, with several achievements in production challenges, particularly in the automotive sector and aerospace maintenance. To meet the demands of the current market, parents have started showing interest in developing their children's language skills from a young age to prepare them for these new globalization challenges. In this context, several language centers have emerged to cater to this need, even though English is currently taught at both public and private educational institutions. In light of the aforementioned advancements, the objective of this article is to examine the effectiveness of using interactive tools in the teaching of English as a foreign language as part of extra-curricular activities (ECAs) on the enhancement of critical thinking (CT) abilities of young learners. The focus will specifically be on how these interactive approaches contribute to the development of critical thinking skills among the younger generation. As part of this study, the researcher gathered information from a sample size of 40 Moroccan English teachers, males and females, teaching English as a foreign language who work in extra-curricular activities (ECAs) in different regions of Morocco. A questionnaire with open-ended and rating questions was used to collect their experiences and opinions regarding the impact of interactive tools in teaching English as a foreign language on the critical thinking of young students. The study used a mixed-method approach to analyze both qualitative and quantitative data, which permits to triangulate the findings and provides a holistic view and depth and breathe to the study, enabling to gain a comprehensive understanding of teachers’ perceptions towards using interactive tools on the enhancement of young learners aged (5 to 10 years). The statistical findings of the study showed that interactive tools contribute to the development of critical thinking skills among students. The results obtained from the analysis of teacher responses will provide valuable insights to assess the effectiveness of using interactive tools as pedagogical approaches and their impact on students’ critical thinking skills.

This study aims to clarify whether the implementation of language alternation in the teaching of English as a foreign language (EFL) has strengths or limitations from both teachers and students' points of view. By making use of both qualitative data which was conducted through structured interviews with 23 teachers in one of the provinces of Turkey as well as applying structured forms to 92 teachers from 34 cities in Turkey and quantitative data containing five-point Likert scale questionnaire collected from 226 students, the current research reports students’ stances towards teacher code-switching in EFL classrooms in Turkish secondary and high school context, and teachers’ language choice causes with inferable results. The data from the questionnaire were collated, and the SPSS program was used to calculate the descriptive calculations involving percentages and frequencies. The results of the study reveal that students and teachers tend to agree on the majority of questions. While students welcomed the teachers’ code-switching efforts in English lessons, the teachers advocated the balanced conduct of language switching, especially in terms of communication skills.

This study explores the reading skills of English texts of students learning English as a foreign language at Al-Ghifari University, focusing on the challenges they face, the strategies they use, and the relationship between reading skills and academic performance. Given the importance of reading skills for academic success, this study aims to provide in-depth insights through a mixed approach that includes quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data were obtained from students’ self-reports of their abilities and challenges, while qualitative interviews offered personal perspectives on their reading experiences. The results of the study are expected to provide valuable information for educators to improve the reading skills and academic performance of students learning English as a foreign language.

This study investigated English as Foreign Language (EFL) teachers' beliefs, perceptions and declared practices of teaching grammar within a communicative language teaching (CLT) framework. Participants included 221 EFL teachers, who were teaching during the years 2013-2018 in different grades and schools throughout Israel. Participants were graduates of teacher training programs in colleges and universities and included Non-Native English Speaking Teachers (NNEST) and Native English Speaking Teachers (NEST).An on-line, self-report survey designed specifically for this study contained three closed questions and two open-ended questions. One-way ANOVA statistics, and mean scores of all the responses were performed on the quantitative data. Qualitative data were grouped, analyzed, and coded.Results show a discrepancy between EFL teachers' perceptions and declared practices of teaching grammar in classrooms. Results further reveal significant differences between NEST and NNEST teachers, as well as differences between teachers who teach in different grades (elementary school, junior high school and high school). Moreover, 'vocabulary' and 'speaking' were ranked of highest importance (58% and 55%, respectively), whereas 'writing' and 'grammar' were considered least important (24%). These findings have valuable implications for teachers and teacher education regarding teaching grammar in context and using contextualized activities.

Although the research area of motivation and anxiety in language learning has experienced a surge in the last two decades, the relationship between teacher use of motivational strategies and behaviours, and student motivation and anxiety from the perspective of both teachers and students is under-researched. This longitudinal study, with two interventions four months apart, investigated the influence of teaching strategies and behaviours in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom on student motivation and anxiety in senior high schools in Limassol (Cyprus). It aimed to establish (1) which teaching strategies and behaviours students find motivating (2) which teaching strategies and behaviours positively influence student motivation and (3) which teaching strategies and behaviours negatively affect FL classroom anxiety. Using a case-study approach with both qualitative and quantitative data and a range of analytical and interpretative methods, this study primarily utilised tailor-made questionnaires and bottom-up interpretive methods of qualitative data. Quantitative data from questionnaires were analysed using the statistical software programme SPSS 21 to produce both descriptive and inferential statistics. Thematic analysis was used to analyse further qualitative data from focus groups and interviews. Consulting both learners and teachers using a mixed methods approach, permitted triangulation of data from different perspectives, which together worked to enhance the integrity and credibility of the results. Results showed that respect, support, awareness of students' needs and validation of progress and achievement were associated with increased motivation throughout the year. Unclear instructions and negative feedback were among factors associated with foreign language anxiety (FLA). The findings provide important resources for teachers and researchers in the field to build on in their own educational settings, and have relevance for other foreign language classrooms in similar cultural settings.

In monocultural classes, Saudi English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students have to acquire not only linguistic competence but also to develop Intercultural Competence (IC) when they read and write in English. This article investigates IC scattered in EFL students’ baseline portfolios collected in an enrichment critical reading class at the Preparatory Year of Najran University. IC is operationalised as intercultural attitude, intercultural knowledge and intercultural skills evident as discourses in intercultural texts. The data comprises semi-structured interview and intercultural assignment, which is an encounter discourse to intercultural text. A qualitative empirical research design was used to analyze the data through Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) techniques. The findings indicate that IC is underdeveloped. Most of the participants represent negative attitude towards intercultural communication. They also lack appropriate intercultural knowledge and effective intercultural skills. The findings suggest that EFL teaching and learning practices need to shift towards a more intercultural perspective.