Activities In Language Classroom Research Articles

Code-Mixing and Code-Switching in the English as a Foreign Language Classroom Activities

This study explores the types and the factors of code-mixing and code-switching that influence the EFL students and English teacher in the classroom activities. This study is a qualitative study that involves five tenth grade of EFL students and two English teacher from an International Boarding School in Aceh. The participants were selected by purposive sampling. Classroom observation, qualitative survey and semi-structured teacher’s interview were employed to obtain data in the current study. The findings reveal that the most frequent code-mixing employed by EFL students and English teacher were, whereas inter-sentential, intra-sentential, and extra-sentential code switching were implemented. The researcher also discovers that the factors that influence the EFL students and English teacher apply code-mixing and code-switching were social, cultural, and individual factors. The participants of the present study claim that they code-mix and code-switch during the classroom activities to make communication easier, especially when expressing complex ideas or describing particular linguistic preferences. This study contributes to the influential factors that promote code-mixing and code-switching in classroom communication among teachers and students. It is suggested to expand the research participants as it will provide more comprehensive and valuable research results.

Early Second Language Learning and Arts Integration in Malaysian Multicultural Context: A Sociocultural Perspective

Participating in art activities benefits young children tremendously, especially in promoting young children’s language development. In Malaysian education system, English is learned as a compulsory subject in school from kindergarten level and it is a second language (L2) for most of the population. Art activities provide a language and discourse-rich environment for young learners to communicate. Interaction is the foundation of learning a language in the sociocultural learning perspective. The diverse language input during the art activities helps children to understand the abstract language instructions and meaning, hence, yielding language output. By integrating art activities in language classroom, it promotes languages development and enhances the understanding of cultures diversity that is exceptionally vital in Malaysian multicultural of which the understanding among the cultures is introduced at young age. In terms of the significance of cross-disciplinary in learning, this paper discusses the integration of art activities to optimize English as L2 learning experience especially the oral language among the young children in Malaysia through the lens of the sociocultural theory and how it promotes multiculturalism. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed at the end of this paper.

Representations of Cultures and Cultivation of Intercultural Communication Competence in Chinese High School English Textbooks: A Longitudinal Comparative Study

Intercultural communication competence (ICC) is becoming increasingly important with the ongoing globalization and researchers have emphasized the significance of cultivating such competence in English language teaching. As a major tool for language learning, textbooks play an important role in cultivating ICC in language classrooms. This study selected two versions of textbooks published by the same press to analyze and compare the cultural representations from the perspectives of the distribution of cultures, language activities, and cultural activities. Besides, the study also focuses on the links between textbook activities and the cultivation of ICC. It was found that the phenomenon of cultural imbalances, especially those dominated by the UK, the US and China, with the increase in the proportion of Chinese culture and a wider cultural coverage in the new edition. The results also revealed that the activities in the textbooks lack clear teaching objectives and that the ICC cultivation is superficial. This research mainly puts forward suggestions on the ICC cultivation in language teaching and the compilation of textbooks. In addition, it is also suggestive of the definition of intercultural communication and the arrangement of language classroom activities, etc.

Teaching Written Expression According to the Communicative based Approach, Forth Year - Middle School [In Arabic

This research paper aims to stand on the reality of teaching written expression in the fourth year of middle school education where we try to present a descriptive study for the content of this activity according to what was mentioned in the textbook and the curriculum by leading the research toward a survey about the concept of written expression and its relationship to the other Arabic language classroom activities, as well as shedding light on the communicative elements in teaching this activity, the methodology for building its tasks, and the way of evaluation based on the communicative approach. Moreover, The research shows also the addition provided by this specific approach in order to achieve the targeted competency behind teaching written expression.

A Comparison on Behavioral Patterns of Engagement Between Two Different Classroom Settings: With and Without Student Response Systems (SRS)

This study investigated the impact of student response system (SRS) on students’ engagement in English language proficiency classrooms. It compared patterns of engagement exhibited by students’ physical behaviours during language classroom activities in two different settings – with and without the use of SRS. This qualitative study gathered data through classroom observations using field notes and observational checklist. All the data were analysed qualitatively using thematic analysis approach. Altogether, three lessons utilizing SRS and three lesson without the utilization of SRS were observed and analysed. The findings showed that students’ behaviours during lessons with SRS indicated positive engagement in the classrooms unlike their behaviours during lessons without SRS. The results of this study implied that SRS could be a preferred choice of interactive, educational tools that could help educators to engage their students during the process of language teaching and learning.

Communicative Language Teaching in Teaching ESL for University Students

Although teaching and learning language is not a new topic for researchers, it always inspires educators and linguists. Among new teaching approaches, Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is a teaching method that emphasizes communicative output. This approach has been widely known worldwide since it was first introduced in the 1970s because of the demand for communication skills of language learners. However, there are still many issues raised because teachers are not similar to this method. In terms of language competence, Chomsky (1957) mentions linguistic aspects like lexis, syntax, phonology and morphology as the central part of learning language, while Hymes (1971) concludes grammatic, semantic, sociolinguistic and pragmatic aspects. Hymes’ (1971) theory and other authors' theories lead to a new breakthrough in developing communicative language teaching in teaching and learning a second language. Compared with the Grammar-Translation method, CLT provides learners with more opportunities to develop their communicative ability and increase the role of learners in teaching and learning second language classroom activities, which is hard to find in other old teaching methods. This paper focuses on the overview of CLT in teaching English as a second language. In particular, it summarises the advantages and disadvantages of CLT comparing with old teaching methods, current trends of CLT, obstacles in applying CLT in the university context. Since then, it helps teachers have a better understanding of CLT and the article also suggests implications of teaching English with CLT in the university context, including designing classroom activities and motivating students.

Motivation and Attitude as the Fuel to Develop English Language Classroom Activities: A Self-Determination Study

This research study assesses the levels of attitude and motivation that tenth-grade students manifest during English Language classroom activities. The study follows the Self Determination Theory to analyze these students’ levels of attitude and motivation in the classroom activities proposed by an English Language teacher at a public school in Bogotá. Findings demonstrate that there are four different types of activities presented and developed by the participating teacher. The students express their levels of motivation with a high percentage in perceived competence, and their levels of negative attitude with a low percentage in pressure and tension. An emergent result displays teachers’ imposition, students’ attention, and obtaining rewards or punishments during the classroom activities process.

THE AWARENESS OF STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY TOWARDS INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE

In today’s globalized world, a foreign language learner needs to not only master the four basic language skills, but also enhance their intercultural communication competence if he/she really wants to become a successful communicator. As a respond to this situation, intercultural communication has become an important content in foreign language teaching and learning. Using Bryam's intercultural communication competence model in 1997, the researchers aim at investigating the awareness of students from the University of Languages and International Studies ​​- Vietnam National University Hanoi towards intercultural communication competence, namely its definition, its significance, as well as their evaluation of current teaching and learning practices. Through a questionnaire survey of 458 students, the findings show a growing awareness of students to this competence, yet an unsufficient training in language classroom as well as a lack of self-consolidation outside class. More multicultural extra-curricular activities and culture-interrelating activities in language classroom are what we suggest to better develop this competence.

An exploratory study of translanguaging practices in an online beginner-level foreign language classroom

Abstract Translanguaging, the movement between communicative modes and features of different languages, is becoming an established research tradition in content-focused second language learning contexts. Pedagogic translanguaging practices nevertheless remain under-applied and under-researched in foreign language instructional settings, whether face-to-face or online. Synchronous virtual foreign language classrooms represent particularly rich spaces in which to begin to explore such practices, due to their multimodal affordances on the one hand and their technical constraints on the other. This study examines the pedagogic translanguaging practices that occur in a corpus of beginner-level Spanish online group tutorial data. A macro-level analysis of the interactional patterns that occur within this context reveals that both teacher participants follow closely the pedagogic prescriptions provided by the course designers with regard to the activities they employ. The finding that these activities offer limited opportunities for students to move between communicative modes and languages may be attributed in part to the emphasis on spoken interaction in this particular setting. A complementary micro-level analysis nevertheless reveals a more autonomous and intuitive approach to the teachers’ choice of language when mediating such activities. Instances of student code-switching are relatively few, however. The study concludes with a call to course designers and practitioners to experiment with integrating a wide range of pedagogic translanguaging opportunities into online foreign language classroom activities, with a view to enhancing teaching, learning and communication in such environments.

Building Cultural Awareness and Critical Thinking Skills through Project-Based Task: A Workshop for Indonesian Context

<p>Facing the Third Millennium, any countries should prepare young generation with cultural awareness and critical thinking skills so as to survive in the global era. According to Scriven and Paul (2001), critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. Whereas, cultural awareness refers to the foundation of communication involving the ability of standing back from ourselves and getting aware of our cultural values, beliefs and perceptions (Cunningham, 2013). These two conceptual insights can be appropriately practiced by pedagogically and professionally competent teachers through the language classroom activities, one of which is ‘project-based task’ which requires learners to think critically to complete cultural-based tasks, and at the same time appreciate the cultural norms. Therefore, the <strong>workshop</strong> is intended to equip participants with the practical knowledge and skills of building cultural awareness and critical thinking skills through the project-based task.</p><p><strong>Keywords: </strong>Cultural Awareness<strong>, </strong>Critical Thinking Skills<strong>, </strong>Project-Based Task<strong></strong></p>

State-Trait Anxiety Vis-À-Vis Linguistic Competence Among Sophomore College Students of Western Mindanao State University

This study was undertaken to determine the state-trait anxiety and linguistic competence of WMSU sophomore college students. The objectives were to measure the degree of difference in statetrait anxiety and the linguistic competence of college students according to gender and course and to determine whether there is a significant relationship. Descriptive-Correlational Quantitative Research Design was used and Systematic Listing Sampling Procedure was utilized. Data were collected using State-trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) adapted from Spielberger (1991), and the Linguistic Competence Test (LCT) on grammar and vocabulary used by Salian (2012). The results showed that the sophomore college students of WMSU had “moderate anxiety” based on STAI. In terms of grammar and vocabluary, the LTC results showed that the respondents were classified as “very good user”. There is a significant relationship between their state-trait anxiety and their linguistic competence, but gender and course of the respondents did not influence their state-trait anxiety and linguistic competence. Since moderate state-trait anxiety can influence college students’ high linguistic competence, there is a need to expose them to challenging language classroom activities. Gender and course do not affect state-trait anxiety and linguistic competence which may be indicative of the progressive benefits on the part of the language learning instructor and the English department curriculum. Contrary to traditional notion that females outperform males in linguistic competence task, the similar output of males compared to females here can be viewed as progress report for WMSU college students.

A Reconstruction of Japanese Language Classroom Activities Taught by a Japanese Soldier in Northern Occupied China during the Sino-Japanese War

A Reconstruction of Japanese Language Classroom Activities Taught by a Japanese Soldier in Northern Occupied China during the Sino-Japanese War

효율적인 과업활동 텍스트의 구성 방안 - 영어과 교재를 중심으로 -

The purpose of this study is to provide some insights on designing the text materials for effective task-based activities with reference to Korean secondary school English textbooks. For this purpose, the theoretical backgrounds of curriculum and syllabus are discussed and the multilateral task model, which has some positive assets compared to previous task models, is newly introduced in terms of encouraging learners to positively participate in task-based activities in language classroom. It is also suggested that six different categories of task components be applied to constructing communicative text materials. The six components include task goals, input data, settings, activity types, language skills, activity themes and communicative functions. To conclude, a few suggestions are made to provide some meaningful considerations for the text material developers in order to produce better textbooks in the future: (a) task goals and rationale that encourage the learner

Incorporating Comparisons Standard 4.1 into Foreign Language Teaching

Abstract: This article discusses how linguistic comparisons can be incorporated into foreign language classroom activities. Drawing on Slobin's (1996) experimental study, which demonstrated the existence of “the thinking for speaking” form of thought, it is argued that teaching a foreign language entails teaching novel “thinking for speaking” operations and it is at this point of instruction that the use of L1‐L2 comparisons is most warranted. In addition, linguistic and psycholingustic evidence in favor of using the word as a basic unit of linguistic comparisons in the foreign language classroom is provided. Finally, practical suggestions as to how linguistic comparisons can be included in day‐to‐day teaching are offered.

Negative Evidence in Language Classroom Activities

This study sought to identify and describe how negative evidence was made available and accessible in responses to learners during two classroom activities: a teacher-led discussion, which emphasized communication of subject matter content, and a teacher-led sentence construction exercise, which focused on application of grammatical rules. Data came from adult, pre-academic English language learners during six discussions of American film and literature, and six sets of sentence construction exercises. Findings revealed little availability of negative evidence in the discussions, as students' fluent, multi-error contributions drew responses that were primarily back-channels and continuation moves. Greater availability and accessibility of negative evidence were found in the sentence construction exercises, as students were given feedback following their completion of individual sentences. Results from the study suggested several pedagogical implications and applications.

Memory, meaning and method: some psychological perspectives on language learning By Earl W. Stevick (review)

BRIEF NOTICES 503 is shouldered by the principles of word structure. The system of lexical suffixes thus plays a central role in the grammar, which in turn presents unusual problems for the lexicographer. H does a remarkably good job of isolating the basic elements of lexical structure without doing violence to the complex nature ofthe occurring words ofthe language. He presents a wealth of data on each item, making manifest the way it fits into the larger network of lexical relations. In addition to the semantic and cultural information which each entry contains, there is an unusually comprehensive description of its grammatical properties. For each stem or suffix, a variety of different formations are cited to illustrate its combining possibilities and such morphophonemic variation as it may undergo. Two other sorts of information are also provided which deserve special note. First, a great many of the formations described are illustrated in complete sentence contexts; this is invaluable in a language of radically unfamiliar structure, and makes much clearer the other information given about a word. Second, many entries contain information on what formations are not possible. In a language in which derivation, compounding etc. are sometime things, it is perhaps adequate for a dictionary simply to register the observed forms; but in a language where lexical formations are at the heart of the grammar, it is nearly as important to mention limitations on productivity as it is to note the basic processes themselves. A considerable amount of information is also provided on relations and differences among lexical items, with much crossreferencing to other entries. The work is completed by a short but useful English-toPuget -Salish index. Throughout, technical terms are avoided where possible, or are explained in a natural way so as to maximize the potential usefulness of the book for the non-linguist. This is by far the most comprehensive dictionary yet attempted for any Salishan language. It will be ofgreat interest to students of other languages of the family, to those interested in Northwest Coast history and culture, and (one may hope) to the speakers of the language who are interested in preserving and passing it on. In addition to the information which it provides on Puget Salish—and, by example, on the structure of of Salishan languages generally—this work also constitutes an excellent model for lexicographers. It is a masterful job on all counts, done with a suitable humility and an abiding concern for the Indian people whose language it describes so well. [Stephen R. Anderson, UCLA.] Memory, meaning and method: some psychological perspectives on language learning. By Earl W. Stevick. Rowley, MA: Newbury House, 1976. Pp. 177. $5.95. In this three-part 'essay', Stevick develops a personal answer to a paradoxical question (p. 105): Why does Method A (or B) sometimes work so beautifully and at other times so poorly? Part 1, 'Memory', surveys some research on the biological bases of memory, and concludes that it has electrical, biochemical , and affective aspects. S also surveys a selection of previous research on verbal memory. While agreeing that memory enhancers such as 'chunking', 'association', and 'subjective organization' (among others) have some application to language learning, S proposes depth as the key to language acquisition. This is not merely the 'cognitive depth' of the verbal-learning psychologists, but a depth involving the learner's total personality. Shunning certain current assumptions about language pedagogy, S suggests that only materials meeting the long-term intellectual, practical, or social needs of the learner will achieve depth and thus be effectively assimilated. Part 2, ' Meaning', presents the main point of the book (160): 'Memory is a by-product of Meaning, and Method should be the servant of Meaning, and Meaning depends on what happens inside and between people.' S thus uses the term 'meaning' in a rather special way: it refers to the effect that participation in language classroom activities (e.g. drills, dialogs etc.) has on the students and the teacher, in terms of their needs and drives. He then uses the framework of transactional analysis to examine student and teacher roles with respect to interpersonal relations in the language classroom, offering ways of modifying conventional drills and exercises...