Communicative Teaching Research Articles

ENGLISH SPEAKING BARRIERS IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION: A STUDY OF SMK SPP SNAKMA STUDENTS

The English-speaking skills of students at SMK SPP SNAKMA remain underdeveloped due to specific challenges in using the language within a vocational context. This study explores and analyzes these barriers to understand the underlying factors that hinder effective English communication among vocational students. Employing a qualitative approach, the research gathers data through interviews, observations, and questionnaires to capture students’ perspectives and real-time experiences with English language use. Findings reveal four primary obstacles: limited vocabulary, grammatical difficulties, speaking anxiety, and insufficient practice opportunities. These factors collectively impact students’ confidence and fluency in speaking English, which is critical in vocational settings where practical language skills are increasingly required. The study suggests that a more communicative teaching approach, combined with structured and frequent speaking practice, could significantly address these challenges. By focusing on interactive and supportive teaching methods, educators can create an environment that encourages active language use, helping students overcome barriers and develop essential English-speaking skills for their careers.

Prácticas docentes en materia de competencia comunicativa que facilitan la inclusión de niños y niñas en situación de vulnerabilidad

Classroom diversity, as a space oriented to the full development of its learners requires various inclusive practices that bridge gaps and favor collaborative and respectful work, thus promoting a democratic and dialogic space. This article seeks to describe the communicative teaching practices that favor inclusion in elementary classrooms in Chile, by identifying their effect on the students from the perspective of teachers. To achieve this objective, a two-phase study was carried out: 123 teachers from different regions of Chile participated in the first phase responding to a quantitative instrument; 21 teachers participated in the second phase through a semi-structured interview. The main findings are related to teaching strategies, not very intentional although systematic, but which comply with the diversity, evaluation and self-evaluation components, and also favored the students’ protagonism in their learning process.

Correlation Among Teacher ICT Teaching, Teacher Immediacy Behaviors, Teacher–Student Rapport, and Student Engagement in Smart Classroom Teaching

With the constant evolution of information and communication technology (ICT), smart classrooms have profoundly influenced Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) by presenting advanced ICT that markedly improved the effectiveness and quality of teaching and learning. Teacher communication technology teaching and immediacy behaviors are crucial for leading and reforming the teaching and learning process in smart classrooms. Meanwhile, teacher–student rapport and student engagement are also key factors that influence ESD. This study aims to investigate the correlation among teacher ICT teaching, teacher immediacy behaviors, teacher–student rapport and student engagement in smart classroom teaching. We surveyed 1032 Chinese university students using the questionnaire method and analyzed the data using structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings revealed that teacher ICT teaching and immediacy behaviors exerted a noteworthy positive impact on student engagement and teacher–student rapport. Meanwhile, teacher ICT teaching markedly positively correlated with verbal immediacy but markedly negatively correlated with nonverbal immediacy. These findings have practical implications for ESD: in smart classrooms, teacher ICT teaching and their immediacy behaviors serve as vital factors in augmenting teaching quality, encouraging student engagement and fostering harmonious teacher–student rapport. Thus, teachers must harness their ICT teaching skills, flexibly assimilate instant behaviors into the teaching process and interact with students in a richer and more diversified manner to effectively augment teaching quality and promote the overall and sustainable growth of students. Furthermore, this study can inform the expansion of smart classrooms, which in the future should not only offer teachers a convenient teaching and learning environment but also evade ICT that limits teacher nonverbal immediacy behaviors.

‘They don’t have bad intentions.’ The disciplinary power of heteronormative communication in upper secondary Polish physical education – a case study

ABSTRACT Background Previous studies have shown unequal treatment of female and male students during PE. However, few studies have focused on gendered communication between teachers and students. Particularly, students’ perceptions of communication have often remained unexplored. Understanding this process appears to be highly significant for ensuring gender equality in schools. In this study, we applied Foucault’s theory of normalization and Butler’s theory of gender performativity and heteronormativity to present data obtained during PE lessons in Polish upper secondary school. In Poland PE teachers still do not formally acquire knowledge of the significance of gender equality in the education process. No policies are formulated on teaching gender equality in schools. Hence, analyzing gendered communication during PE classes in Poland, where no specific gender equity legislation has been introduced, complements the ongoing discussion regarding prevailing gender structures in PE. Purpose The purpose of the study was to explore gendered communication between PE teachers and students in Polish upper secondary school, and perceptions about this communication specifically among male PE teachers and girls. Methods Data were gathered through three qualitative methods: observation of 60 PE lesson units, 17 focus group interviews with male (n = 27) and female students (n = 33), and 5 semi-structured in-depth interviews with PE teachers whose lessons were observed. Discourse analysis, informed by content analysis, was conducted to uncover fundamental communication patterns between teachers and students in the context of gender performativity and heteronormativity. Findings Communication between PE teachers and students demonstrated gender bias, indicating deeply rooted practices of heteronormativity. The male teachers communicated more frequently with female students than with male students and a significant portion of the communication took the form of jokes, teasing, and comments related to the physical appearance of the girls, romantic relationships and dating, and traditional gender roles assumed by women. Students’ statements obtained in the interviews indicate a significant degree of downplaying the impact of teachers’ way of communicating and ‘defending teachers’. They encountered a strong normalization process that restricted their ability to resist teacher communication. Although the PE teachers emphasized the importance of being ‘sensitive’ when communicating with students, PE the teachers’ understanding of gender issues appeared to be fragmented and unrefined, with insufficient recognition of the importance of proper communication with students. Conclusions The implications of this study emphasize the necessity for Polish PE teachers to acquire a deeper understanding of how gender operates within school environments and PE classes, recognizing its impact on students. This awareness is pivotal in recognizing and addressing heteronormative structures during lessons. In connection with that, a thorough discussion on the impact of political and cultural factors shaping the knowledge acquired by teachers and the curriculum in schools is required. Additionally, the research highlights a need for appropriate student education because they are currently subject to strong normalization processes. The normalization processes they undergo hinder their recognition of dominant gender relations in the school environment, and, consequently, their resistance to them.

Türkiye’de Eğitim Yöneticilerinin Kullandıkları İletişim Stratejileri ve Karşılaştıkları İletişim Problemlerinin İncelenmesi

Communication is considered as a structure that forms the basis of social life, a method that shows and influences individual behavior patterns, a means of realizing the orderly operation of organizational and administrative systems, a mandatory art for social cohesion and a necessary science in terms of social processes. Effective communication between the employees of the institution is ensured thanks to the successful and selfless initiatives of the education managers working in educational institutions in the educational management processes. Dec. A strong and different communication established by managers with their employees reveals a special difference for that institution. The qualities of the feedback that managers will provide during mutual communication with their employees should be to the situation, event, main, behavior, precise, transparent, clear, structured and should not be general-oriented. In educational management, the educational manager should examine a certain behavior pattern and measurement, not individuals or individuals' desires and characters, when communicating with those who are managed. In education management, managers should aim to help those who work in educational institutions while communicating, instead of criticizing and identifying shortcomings. The most effective and effective role of management in educational management is communication. The manager's ability to adjust and perform activities such as interviews with his interlocutors, instructions he will give, task sharing, feedback and decision-making according to the people and the environment in front of him in a functional way shows the strength of his communication skills. In educational management, a good administrator is a person who performs communication well and manages it well for the reason of his subject. This situation is based on the good communication ability of the educational institution manager. The mission of educational institutions due to good communication with both students and parents to provide mandating the presence of a teacher's communication skills because the process has become important. There is an idea that satisfaction will not occur in systems where there is no solid communication. But the real problem is in the question or negative attitudes toward the element to be located where the organization is pleased with the transformation of ideas showing. Today, more than one problem is encountered due to lack of communication within the school structures. These problems appear to us as negative feelings and insecurities towards a person, group, ideas or institution, characterized by prevention, loss of hope and disappointment. Key Words: Educational Managers, Communication Strategies, Communication Problems

의사소통적 발음 교육을 위한 한국어 교재 분석 연구

Objectives The purpose of this paper is to analyze Korean textbooks for communicative pronunciation education. Methods Three types of textbooks developed by university-affiliated language education institutes were selected as analysis targets. As analysis tools, items that were synthesized and reconstructed from the textbook analysis frameworks of Seo (2001) and Lee (2001) were used. Results The result shows that the scope of teaching items was expanded, and it was necessary to secure areas equivalent to vocabulary and grammar, select teaching items for continuous and repetitive learning, and provide detailed grading. In addition, the educational effectiveness of the explicitness or implicitness of linguistic rule explanations had to be examined, and audiovisual materials should be abundantly utilized. The practice activities were planned to involve step-by-step practice from the word and sentence level to the discourse level, but the instructions were not clear, and even if there were directions, practice method was monotonous. For communicative pronunciation education, instructions and guidelines had to be specified and a variety of interactive and meaningful exercises had to be included. As for learning strategies, only simple repetition, memorization strategies, and strategies using visual images were induced. Effective pronunciation learning strategies should be found and learning strategies had to be developed in a variety of ways. Conclusions Considering practical application, a plan to revitalize pronunciation education was proposed while maintaining the current textbook. Improvement measures were discussed focusing on the practice stage. Integrated practice with other micro and macro skills and clear practice method instructions were emphasized. Practice and use were claimed at the word, sentence, and discourse levels in the order of presentation-controlled practice-meaningful practice-use. Interactive activities such as pair or group activities were considered.

Student Perceptions of ChatGPT in Mandatory EFL Writing Classes at a Korean University : A Case Study

This study explored to what extent students at a Korean university perceive ChatGPT as useful in mandatory university EFL writing classes. In addition, preferences regarding methods of instruction and the outlook for future classes of a similar nature in the era of ChatGPT were also examined. 239 students enrolled at a university located on the outskirts of Seoul responded to a survey questionnaire consisting of a combination of multiple choice, 10-point Likert scale, and open-ended questions, which was used as the primary data collection method. Data analysis was conducted using general qualitative analysis for open ended questions and descriptive statistics for multiple choice and 10-point Likert scale questions. In addition, if consent was given, survey participants were contacted by e-mail to discuss responses in further detail. Despite concerns relating to ownership of learning and overreliance, the findings indicate generally positive perceptions of ChatGPT in terms of assisting with grammar, vocabulary, brainstorming, and proofreading. Conventional approaches (e.g., human teacher, in person lessons, and inter student / teacher communication) are still highly desired although the increasing influence of ChatGPT cannot be ignored. There is a belief that mandatory EFL writing classes currently play a vital role at Korean universities, and there is a strong preference for them to continue. Administrational and educational implications are also discussed.

Stances toward generative AI in teaching and learning: An introduction to the special issue

ABSTRACT This article introduces the special issue of Communication Teacher on generative artificial intelligence (AI) in communication education. An important and unique contribution of this issue is that it demonstrates a range of stances that communication educators have toward generative AI. Each article is introduced as illustrating one or more of four stances: Observe, Replicate, Enhance, and Transform.

Analysis of Problems and Strategies in College French Writing

This article mainly discusses the problems existing in College French writing and the corresponding strategies. Writing is an important skill that students must master, but there are three main problems in College French teaching: limited vocabulary leading to frequent pragmatic errors; significant negative transfer from native language; and difficulties in closely adhering to the essay topic or the beginning of the paragraph. To address these issues, teachers adopt a variety of targeted teaching strategies, including task-based language teaching, intercultural communication teaching methods, and process writing approaches. The implementation of these strategies has significantly improved the students’ College French writing skills.

Students' Perception Of Non-Native Japanese Speaker Teacher's Competencies (Nnjsts) : Gender-Based Review

Japanese is one of the foreign languages taught in formal and informal educational institutions in Indonesia. The development of Japanese language learners is increasing quantitatively. In foreign language courses, native and non-native teachers collaborate on pedagogical tasks. This trend is also happening in Japanese foreign language courses. In addition, there are around 6,617 non-native Japanese language teachers (Japan Foundation, 2021). There is an argument that Native Japanese Speaker Teacher's (NJST) has many advantages over Native Japanese Speaker Teacher's (NNJSTs) and that students prefer NNJSTs over NJST, but the argument must be assessed. Many researchers have explored students' perceptions of NJSTs and NNJSTs worldwide in formal education institutions but not in the non-formal education institution sector. This study aims to explore the perception of Indonesian students towards NNJSTs in non-formal educational institutions, namely LPK Fuji Academy Singaraja with all samples coming from active students registered from January to August 2024. This study is a quantitative research with a descriptive approach conducted using an instrument in the form of a closed questionnaire based on the Likert scale. This study revealed that the perception of male and female students did not have a significant difference in their teaching competence based on the theory of Nuibe et al (2006). Male participants rated NNJSTs higher in terms of teaching effectiveness and communication skills, with an average score of 9.8. In contrast, female respondents gave slightly lower ratings in these areas with an average of 7.1. Furthermore, through this research, students need NNJSTs more because they allow for a successful learning process because of effective learning strategies. In addition, NNJSTs also help students in facing difficulties and challenges in their learning process.

‘Most of the time, I am the three-tiered support system’ – subject teachers’ views on tiered support and part-time special education in lower secondary schools

ABSTRACT This study examines subject teachers’ views on support for learning in mainstream lower secondary schools in Finland. Because Finnish legislation on support for learning changed in 2010, we wanted to explore subject teachers’ views on how support is being delivered in practice. Our data consist of 115 subject teachers’ answers to an electronic questionnaire and were examined using content analysis, complemented with frequencies. The results indicate a need for better resources and for structures that support teacher collaboration in lower secondary schools. Open communication and clearer definitions of subject teachers’ and special education teachers’ (SETs’) roles are also required. According to subject teachers, the most important aspect of SET work is part-time special education, meaning that SETs provide individual support for students. The support system needs to be defined in greater detail to work effectively. However, subject teachers’ attitudes seem inclusive.

Pola Pendidikan Inkulusif Studi Bagi Anak yang Mengalami Gangguan Komunikasi

Children with disabilities are children who have physical or mental deficiencies and have difficulty communicating in social environments, one of which is in the school environment. This research aims to find out what forms occur between teachers and students with special needs in inclusive schools. In communicating, teachers need to consider the characteristics of students with special needs to be able to determine the appropriate form of communication so that learning objectives can be achieved. This research uses a qualitative approach with descriptive methods. Research was conducted in elementary schools. The research results show that there are several factors that influence the form of teacher communication towards students with special needs. This research focuses on the communication patterns used by teachers in the teaching and learning process of children with disabilities. The diversity of developmental characteristics and obstacles they experience will lead to different communication models that we can present to them in helping them to carry out social interactions. The effectiveness of the communication that occurs with them really depends on the instruments they use to help them communicate with all their limitations.

Trajectories of depressive symptoms in early to mid-adolescence: associations with school pedagogical and social climate.

Adolescence is a critical period for mental health development, yet research exploring how contextual factors influence the development of depressive symptoms remains limited. This study explored trajectories of depressive symptoms during early to mid-adolescence and their association with various aspects of school climate. The study sample comprised 3671, 7th-grade students (aged 12-13 years) from 101 schools across Sweden, followed longitudinally across three time points spanning grades 7, 8 and 9. Depressive symptom trajectories were identified using latent class growth modelling. The Pedagogical and Social Climate questionnaire assessed school climate, and multinomial logistic regression was employed to predict trajectory membership based on sociodemographic and school climate factors. Four distinct developmental patterns of depressive symptoms emerged: 'Sustained low symptoms' (76.7%), 'Low-increasing' (10.9%), 'Sustained high symptoms' (7.9%), and 'High-decreasing' (4.5%). Gender, parental education and six specific school climate factors, out of the total 19 examined, significantly distinguished these trajectory classes. Positive teacher expectations and strong principal involvement were associated with more favourable trajectories, whereas teaching activities, teacher support and communication between school and home were associated with less favourable trajectories, suggesting a nuanced understanding of their relationship with depressive symptom trajectories. Few school factors were found to be relevant to depressive symptoms, highlighting the importance of considering external factors beyond the school environment in supporting adolescents during this developmental stage. Although the findings are multifaceted, it is primarily positive interpersonal relationships, especially through teacher expectations, that stand out as significant factors in promoting youth mental health.

Autism and Communication Skills: Perspectives of Special Education Teachers in Saudi Arabia.

The experiences of special education teachers in Saudi Arabia are quite different from the experiences of their counterparts from other countries as they work in a unique culture and educational system. The educational system in Saudi Arabia is gender segregated, and the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Education (MoE) provides an equal budget, salaries, and subsidies and implements the same policies and uses the same curriculum regardless of the location, size of the city, or the number of students. This country's unique characteristics may influence special education teachers' experiences, which raises the need to investigate and understand the experiences of Saudi special education teachers. We sought to understand the experiences of special education teachers in Saudi Arabia, focusing on teaching communication skills to autistic students. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 Saudi special education teachers to gain deeper insights into the experiences of these teachers within the Saudi context. The themes that emerged from the interviews revolved around evaluating and teaching communication skills, the role of the Saudi MoE, and the perceived challenges and needs related to teaching communication skills. Building on our findings, we propose a set of recommendations for special education teachers and the Saudi MoE.

TƏLƏBƏLƏRİN UNİVERSİTET HƏYATINA UYĞUNLAŞMASINDA ALİ MƏKTƏB MÜƏLLİMİNİN PEDAQOJİ MƏDƏNİYYƏTİNİN ƏHƏMİYYƏTİ

When a person suddenly enters a new life that he does not know, it is both very exciting and difficult for him. A young student who has just arrived at the university experiences very mixed emotions. It is both joyful and meets new friends, new subjects, teachers and a new learning process. The article exam¬ines the relationship between the teacher's pedagogical culture and the process of students' adaptation to the conditions of the teaching process in the higher school; At the same time, the essence and content of the con¬cepts of "adaptation" and "pedagogical skill" are revealed. The pedagogical skill of a high school teacher is considered as a complex system consisting of many interconnected components, among which the teacher's personal qualities, special pedagogical ability, high organizational culture and, most importantly, deep pro¬fessional knowledge occupy an important place. Also, the article describes a whole set of contradictions in the educational process of the higher education institution and provides a place for their elimination. Due to the elimination of these conflicts, adaptation of students to the educational process can happen easily. The research also characterizes the main distinguishing features of the management of the educational process and the issues that contribute to the establishment of productive pedagogical communication between the participants of the educational process. A humanistic style of pedagogical communication is impossible without personal qualities such as humanism and intelligence, high moral culture and responsibility. In the article, the results of the survey conducted with the students of Nakhchivan State University were analyzed and presented.

The Direct Method in Language Teaching: A Literature Review of Its Effectiveness

The Direct Method in language teaching, which emphasizes teaching language through immersion and avoiding the use of the learner’s native language, has been widely used in educational settings for over a century. Its focus on oral communication, everyday vocabulary, and inductive grammar teaching has made it a popular approach. However, debates about its effectiveness compared to more modern teaching methods have persisted, particularly in terms of long-term language acquisition and proficiency. This literature review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the Direct Method by analyzing studies conducted across various educational contexts. The review examines how this method impacts learners’ speaking, listening, and overall communicative competence. By synthesizing both qualitative and quantitative research, the study provides a comprehensive view of the strengths and limitations of the Direct Method. The findings indicate that while the Direct Method improves oral proficiency and listening skills in the short term, it may not be as effective for developing reading and writing skills. Studies show that the method fosters greater student engagement and motivation but may not adequately address the complexities of advanced grammar and academic language. Furthermore, the method’s effectiveness depends heavily on the teacher’s skill in creating immersive language environments. In conclusion, the Direct Method offers valuable benefits for beginner and intermediate learners, especially in communicative aspects of language. However, it requires supplementation with other approaches to develop comprehensive language proficiency. Future research should explore ways to integrate the Direct Method with more advanced instructional techniques for a balanced approach to language teaching.

Research on doctor-patient communication teaching for oncology residents: a new teaching model.

At present, there is no specific teaching method for doctor-patient communication for oncology residents. This study combined BOPPPS (bridge-in, learning objective, pretest, participatory learning, posttest, and summary) teaching model and SBAR (situation-background-assessment-recommendation) communication model to try a new teaching and assessment model of doctor-patient communication, aiming to explore and improve the teaching method of doctor-patient communication for oncology residents. Ninety residents were randomly divided into two groups: the experimental group (n = 45) was trained with the BOPPPS teaching model combined with the SBAR communication model, the routine teaching method was adopted in the control group (n = 45). Indicators of assessment included doctor-patient communication skills, satisfaction with teaching, and patient satisfaction. The scores for doctor-patient communication ability were significantly better in experimental group than control group (p < 0.05). The degree of satisfaction degree (very satisfied + satisfied) of the experimental group were higher than control group (p < 0.05). The overall teaching satisfaction of the experimental group was 100.00%, the control group was 77.78%, p < 0.001. Patients' satisfaction with the residents in the experimental group (93.3%) was significantly higher than control group (80.0%), p = 0.043. The application of the BOPPPS combined with the SBAR can effectively enhance residents' doctor-patient communication ability and improve teaching satisfaction and patient satisfaction. This new model can effectively improve resident physician‒patient communication ability, which is worth actively promoting in clinical teaching work.

Research on the application of cultural communication teaching in college English class

This study explores the application of cultural communication method in English classroom teaching, aiming at improving students' intercultural communication ability and English language skills. The cultural communication approach emphasizes the key role of culture in language learning and helps students better understand and use English by teaching cultural background, social etiquette and rules of language use. Through practical application of CIT, this study examines its effectiveness in English teaching and explores students' feedback. The results show that CIT can help improve students' cultural sensitivity and communicative competence, and also promote the improvement of English language skills.

Hubungan Komunikasi Efektif Guru dengan Perilaku Bullying Siswa Kelas X dan XI SMK Mutiara 17 Agustus Kota Bekasi Tahun 2023

Background: Bullying is a serious issue in many countries, including Indonesia. KPAI data shows that bullying has dominated cases of violence in education from 2011 to 2019. Bullying is an aggressive, intentional, and repetitive act that involves a power imbalance and impacts various aspects of life. Research Objective: To examine the relationship between effective teacher communication and bullying behavior among students at SMK Mutiara 17 Agustus Bekasi, grades X and XI, in 2023. Research Method: Quantitative research with an Observational Analytic design and a Cross-Sectional approach. Results: The Chi-Square test showed a p value of 0.003 &lt; α (0.05), indicating that Ha is accepted. Conclusion: There is a relationship between effective teacher communication and bullying behavior among grade X and XI students at SMK Mutiara 17 Agustus Bekasi in 2023.

Peer Feedback for Teaching Communication Skills: Students’ Experiences in a BSW Interviewing Skills Course

ABSTRACT This teaching note describes the use of a pilot peer feedback assignment in an undergraduate BSW Interviewing Skills Course. Two cohorts of students over two years (n = 47) answered a brief questionnaire and/or participated in a small focus group inquiring about their experience of this assignment and its impact on their learning. Student reflections in the assignment were also reviewed to understand their experience. Three themes were identified: (a) giving peer feedback deepened student learning of specific communication skills; (b) receiving constructive feedback from peers strengthened elements of professionalism; and (c) the peer feedback process increased confidence in self-evaluation skills. Implications for changes to our teaching based on this experience are offered.