Development Of EFL Learners Research Articles

Addressing intercultural language teaching issues in EFL settings

Globalization has made intercultural competence essential for EFL learners, yet traditional approaches like grammar-translation and communicative language teaching remain prevalent in Algeria. These methods focus primarily on language mechanics, lacking a foundation for developing intercultural skills. This study advocates for adopting an intercultural language teaching approach in Algerian EFL classrooms to better prepare students for effective communication in multicultural contexts. Through literature analysis and classroom observations, the study finds that current practices inadequately address students' intercultural needs. In contrast, ILT fosters critical cultural awareness, empathy, and adaptability, providing a more comprehensive framework for building intercultural communicative competence. It is recommended that policymakers and educators support ILT integration, especially in oral expression classes where students actively engage. Emphasis on teacher training and curriculum reform would help embed this intercultural framework in the classroom, thereby developing EFL learners who are both linguistically skilled and culturally adaptive communicators. Keywords: Communicative competence; English as a foreign language; intercultural; language teaching

YouTube for EFL Students: Perceptions on Building Speaking Confidence

This study aimed to investigate students' perceptions of utilizing YouTube as a learning medium to foster their speaking confidence in English. Specifically, it explored students' views on YouTube's accessibility, usefulness, and practicality while examining its potential to enhance their confidence in speaking English. The researchers collected data through questionnaires and interviews with 10 second-grade students from SMAN 1 Tinambung. The findings revealed that students perceived YouTube as an accessible and user-friendly platform, aiding their comprehension and vocabulary expansion. Furthermore, they found it useful and motivating to practice proper English-speaking skills. Notably, students acknowledged YouTube's role in triggering their confidence to speak English, whether in front of a camera or in class settings. Peer feedback and comments were deemed valuable for augmenting knowledge and confidence. The questionnaire data indicated positive perceptions, with 80% acknowledging YouTube's accessibility, 82% recognizing its usefulness, 84% appreciating its practicality, and 72% reporting increased confidence levels. The interview data further corroborated these findings, with most students endorsing the continued integration of YouTube, as it facilitated their understanding of lesson materials and bolstered their confidence in spoken English. The study underscored YouTube's potential as an effective learning medium for developing EFL learners' speaking confidence.

The Implementation of MALL for Idiom Learning Attainment during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case of Iranian EFL Learners

The present investigation examines the impact of Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) on the enhancement of EFL learners’ idiom learning through WhatsApp during the COVID-19 pandemic. Three complete classes with 60 intermediate female learners (20 per class) were selected and randomly assigned into two experimental and one control group in WhatsApp. Data collection tools included Preliminary English Test (PET) and a researcher-designed idiom test used as pre-and post-tests. In the intervention, the first treatment group included contextualized MALL. In other words, the teachers provided the students with idiomatic expressions in context. The second treatment group included decontextualized MALL, idiomatic expressions merely with their meanings were presented to the students through WhatsApp. In the control group, the researchers taught the idioms through translation. This procedure lasted for 20 sessions. The findings of a paired-samples t-test and one-way ANOVA indicated that the contextualized MALL group surpassed the rest in both immediate and delayed post-tests. The implications regarding the efficacy of MALL and online teaching in developing EFL learners’ idiom learning, and retention are discussed

Exploring social justice dialogues in EFL conversation clubs: discursive moves and affordances

ABSTRACT There has recently been a growing interest in social justice language education, with the goal of challenging entrenched social, cultural and economic hierarchies within educational institutions and the society at large. Contributing to this line of research, the present study focused on an online conversation club that aimed to develop EFL learners’ communicative skills and critical literacy through the discussion of social justice issues which have traditionally been deemed ‘taboo’ and ‘controversial’. Data were collected online via demographic information survey, the recordings of the conversation club sessions, facilitator’s field notes and reflective journals, and student interviews. The results revealed several discursive moves adopted by EFL learners, which mostly revolved around that's our responsibility vs others in relation to environmental issues; and that’s the government’s-job when it comes to themes related to immigration. The findings illustrated the potential of social justice-oriented conversation clubs to foster diverse perspectives and authentic conversation in language classrooms, and to cultivate EFL learners’ critical literacy. The study provides insights into how language educators can integrate social justice issues into the language curriculum in ways that help language learners question their already-existing beliefs and take action for a socially just world.

Evaluating the Impact of Digital Interactive Games in Developing EFL Grammar Skills

Grammar is considered an essential aspect of language that demands careful planning and instruction. The outbreak of COVID-19 significantly impacts language teaching. The use of games is effective in enhancing grammar skills. The present study aimed to explore the role of digital games in developing EFL learners' grammar skills. The study used a quasi-experimental design to gather the data. The study participants were 56 EFL male learners divided into control, experimental, and control groups. Data was gathered by the use of grammar tests on pre and post-tests. The data were analyzed using SPSS software after going through the assumptions of the data. The data analysis indicated that implementing digital games significantly improved learners' grammar skills. The findings suggest that games enhance learners' grammar skills.

Investigating the Effectiveness of Synchronous E-Learning Tools on Developing EFL Learners' Language Communication Skills Among the Hashemite University Students

After COVID-19, today’s language classes have become blended with e-learning tools that have become indispensable to the process of learning in many situations. Synchronous e-learning classrooms have been studied for their impact on EFL communication skills, but few studies have been conducted in the Jordanian institutions. The purpose of this study is to investigate the EFL students’ viewpoints on the efficiency of online classrooms in improving their verbal communication abilities. This study consisted of 284 participants who were EFL learners from the Hashemite University. It was conducted during the academic year 2022-2023, and it followed a mixed qualitative approach. Two means of data collection were used: a questionnaire and observations. The results indicated that students have a positive viewpoint toward online learning effectiveness in developing their communication. Nevertheless, students showed that low self-assurance, nervousness over making errors, and poor lexical knowledge are their main concerns when communicating in EFL classrooms.

Potential Implications of Task-Based Language Teaching on Developing EFL Learners' Oral Fluency

Task-based language teaching (TBLT) is an instructional approach that cultivates communicative competence by exposing learners to English speaking practice. This study examined the perceptions and implications of implementing ten fluency-based tasks with twenty EFL learners at a private university in Medellin, Colombia. These tasks addressed barriers, including a significant frequency of pauses, a low speech rate, and limited speech length, which hindered learners' ability to express themselves fluently. The research used qualitative date collected by means of a questionnaire, interviews, and oral production rubrics. The findings indicated that 100% of the learners held a positive perspective of TBL as a qualified methodology that assisted them in reducing the considerable number of pauses in communicating their ideas, moderating their pacing smoothness, and balancing their speech rate to speak with a moderate clearness and consistency. Learners valued the strategy as a potential method that enabled them to communicate their ideas, regardless of occasional mistakes. In conclusion, the tasks aided them in increasing their speech rate and enhancing speech fluency during conversations.

The Impact of Mobile-Assisted Language Learning on Developing EFL Learners’ Vocabulary Knowledge

Currently, a great variety of educational apps have been developed and extensively used by learners and instructors, making, as a result, mobile-assisted language learning one of the most prominent learning methods in enhancing the quality of language learning. However, despite the growing popularity of commonly used apps supporting second language acquisition, such as Kahoot and Quizlet, empirical research on the pedagogical role of other more recent applications in boosting L2 vocabulary is still scarce. Given this, this experimental study examines the effectiveness of a mobile application in enhancing Moroccan EFL secondary school students’ vocabulary knowledge. The study consisted of the control group (n = 30) and the experimental group (n = 30). While participants in the first group received traditional methods of teaching vocabulary, the experimental group integrated a mobile application (Flashcards World) during one semester. Data collection comprised vocabulary pre- and post-tests to compare the vocabulary learning of participants in both groups. To determine if there was a difference in the scores of the groups before and after the intervention, the findings were analysed using Independent-Samples T Tests (SPSS-26). The results revealed that the experimental group outscored the control group. Therefore, it was concluded that using Flashcard World application effectively improved vocabulary learning of secondary school students more than conventional teaching.

Developing EFL Learners’ Collocational Knowledge in Self-Regulated Flipped Classroom: A Mixed-Methods Study

Abstract This study compares flipped approach with self-regulated flipped approach on EFL learners’ collocational knowledge. Thirty available EFL students were randomly assigned to two equal experimental groups: flipped and self-regulated flipped. For six weeks, both groups received learning contents outside of class time, and class time was used for interactive activities. However, self-regulating strategies (goal-setting and self-evaluation) were employed to the self-regulated flipped participants to help them schedule their out-of-class time to effectively work on the content before class to interact collaboratively with their peers and teachers in class activities. Three collocation videos were sent to their different WhatsApp groups. A researcher-made test on Adjective + Noun and Verb + Noun collocations served as the pre- and post-test. The time spent on watching collocations was collected through a ‘study log’. The results of a mixed between-within subjects analysis of variance revealed that integrating self-regulation into flipped approach enhanced the students’ collocational knowledge; their planning strategies and using study time also improved. The study has implications for EFL teachers and material developers.

Comparing the effects of computerized formative assessment vs. computerized dynamic assessment on developing EFL learners’ reading motivation, reading self-concept, autonomy, and self-regulation

This research compared the impacts of computerized formative assessment (CFA) and computerized dynamic assessment (CDA) on students’ motivation, reading self-concept, autonomy, and self-regulation. Out of a total of 123 Bangladeshi pupils, 87 participants were carefully chosen as the study’s sample subject based on the Preliminary English Test (PET) results. Using the convenience sampling method, three equal groups—one control and two experimental ones (dynamic and formative) (n = 29)—were randomly selected. Pretests were then taken by each of the three groups to assess their reading motivation, reading self-concept, autonomy, and self-regulation. Then, various treatments were presented to the groups. The control group students underwent conventional assessment. C-DA was administered to students in the first experimental group participants, while CFA was run in the second experimental group. At the treatment finished, the groups completed reading motivation, reading self-concept, autonomy, and self-regulation posttests. The data were examined using the one-way ANOVA test as well as the post hoc Scheffe test. The one-way ANOVA analysis showed that the three groups’ posttest outcomes varied. The C-DA group outperformed the computerized formative group in reading motivation, reading self-concept, autonomy, and self-regulation, according to the data analysis. It was found that C-DA helped EFL students improve their motivation in reading, reading self-concept, autonomy, and self-regulation. Finally, recommendations for further studies were offered along with the conclusions, implications, and limitations.

The role of epistemic curiosity in developing EFL learners’ grammar and pronunciation skills

The study examines the impact of epistemic curiosity on students' grammar and pronunciation skills in an EFL context in Iraq. Conducted over 12 weeks in 2021-2022 Academic Year, the research involved fifty students from TISHK International University, chosen using cluster sampling. The students were divided into control and experimental groups, with the latter encouraged to explore their interests online as part of their learning process. Data collection utilized a mixed-methods approach, including two exams, a questionnaire, and an interview. SPSS 26 and NVivo were used for quantitative and qualitative data analysis, respectively. The results, determined through independent samples t-test, indicated a significant improvement in grammar and pronunciation marks for students in the experimental group. Additionally, they exhibited more positive attitudes towards inquiry-based learning compared to their control group counterparts. These findings contribute to the understanding of the role of epistemic curiosity in enhancing language learning outcomes and offer valuable insights for implementing inquiry-based strategies in EFL classrooms. The study uncovers a crucial gap in the literature, shedding light on the benefits of fostering curiosity-driven learning approaches in English language education in Iraq.

Using QR codes to develop EFL learners’ pronunciation skills and expand vocabulary knowledge

Developments in technology have affected education in an unprecedented way. The affordability of mobile technologies has prompted educators to implement mobile enriched instructions in classes. In this regard, QR codes have received much attention at educational institutions for their advantages, such as being flexible, handy, and cost-free, particularly in the last two decades. For this purpose, the current study was carried out at TISHK International University in Erbil, Iraq, on fifty advanced English students during the 2022-2023 academic year, spanning 6 weeks. The participants were chosen via stratified random sampling method. Control group students received traditional education, while experimental group students were exposed to QR code-based instruction through recorded audio tracks, videos, presentations, and e-exams. The findings, collected through exams and analyzed using SPSS 25 in this quantitative study, revealed that QR code-based instruction significantly improved students' vocabulary knowledge and pronunciation accuracy, with p-values of .002 and .003, respectively. The findings of this study can have implications for education stakeholders who aim to devise novel ways to enhance students' levels with web-enhanced tools like QR codes.

A text-based approach to developing EFL learners’ intercultural awareness in Higher Education

Recent research suggests that learners should be provided with opportunities to negotiate meanings with other cultures and critically evaluate and reflect on their own culture. Texts have a great potential to provide such opportunities, especially in contexts where learners do not have the chance to experience other cultures through real-time observations. This case study investigates what the readers-as-text-ethnographers approach (RaTE) offers to promote intercultural awareness (ICA) in higher education. To this end, seven texts were selected following certain criteria, and a 15-week implementation was designed. Data were collected through learners’ written productions, classroom video recordings, a post-implementation survey, and key informant interviews. Findings revealed that studying texts with the RaTE approach helped the learners develop their ICA in understanding the complexity of culture, otherness, and self. Furthermore, findings also showed that the learners had difficulties in certain areas, such as reading between the lines and textual analysis during the implementation.

The impact of using infographics on developing EFL learners’ writing skills and reducing writing anxiety.

The impact of using infographics on developing EFL learners’ writing skills and reducing writing anxiety.

SUSTAINED SILENT READING AND READING RATE GAINS OF FEMALE PAKISTANI EFL LEARNERS IN A RURAL HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

Reading speed has long been recognized in scholarly literature as an essential component of reading fluency and successful reading. A variety of instructional techniques and activities are used to improve reading speed of learners. Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) is one such way that encourages the development of reading fluency and reading speed. This study investigated the impact of SSR on reading speed of female Pakistani EFL learners. A nine-week long SSR program was designed with 10 minutes timed-reading activity to improve students’ reading rate. Using random sampling procedures, fifty female students were selected to participate in the study. After the pre-test, twenty five students were kept in treatment group and twenty five in control group. Results of the study show that the experimental group’s average reading speed considerably increased from 115.60 wpm to 347.60 wpm after the intervention which indicates positive impact of SSR on reading speed of the participants. Statistically significant differences were found in reading rate gains between the two groups. Interestingly, a slight increase was also noted in the reading speed of students in the control group. The findings of the study indicate that SSR is a very effective instructional technique in developing EFL learners’ reading rate. Keywords: Reading rate, Fluency, Sustained Silent Reading, Reading fluency, EFL learners, Pakistan

Developing EFL Learners’ Interactional Competence through Discursive Practice: A Longitudinal Classroom Study Using Mixed Methods

Although studies on L2 IC through discursive practice have gained prominence, little is known about pedagogical steps to develop IC (Hall, et al., 2011; van Compernolle, 2015; Young, 2009, 2011, 2019), especially in the language classroom. More recently, Salaberry and Kunitz (2019) claim that “only a few attempts have been made to bridge the gap between research and practice with regard to the teaching of IC in the L2 classroom” (p. 1). Moreover, very few longitudinal studies were conducted to investigate how learners adapt interactional resources they developed with participants to a new context in the L2 classroom (Pekarek Doehler, Wagner, & Gonzalez-Martinez, 2018, Young, 2009). Through a mixed methods analyses, including recordings, interviews, self-evaluation, and performance evaluation of speaking data, this study delineates how Japanese university students in an EFL classroom setting went through three stages (peripheral participation, active participation, full participation) to develop their IC. Consequently, this study identified four pedagogical steps to implement IC in the L2 curriculum

Exploring the Impact of Using Instagram to Develop Saudi EFL Learners' Vocabulary

The current paper aims to investigate the impact of using Instagram to develop vocabulary among Saudi EFL learners. With a descriptive research design, this paper filled a gap in the literature by examining the role of Instagram in building vocabulary among Saudi EFL learners. Therefore, quantitative and qualitative methods were employed. To collect data, the researcher used an online questionnaire and two different types of interviews. The online questionnaire included both closed-ended and open-ended questions, involving 217 Saudi EFL learners. Regarding the interviews, structured interviews were carried out with six Saudi EFL learners to collect detailed information. Additionally, to acquire more information, semi-structured interviews involved four English tutors on Instagram. As a result, the findings revealed that Instagram plays a key role in developing EFL learners' English vocabulary and can be used as a tool to expand their vocabulary. The findings of this study add to prior research in related fields and serve as a resource for researchers studying English language instruction and acquisition as well as EFL learners.

Divergence of Everyday Practices and School Policy on Mobile Use: Challenges to Developing EFL Learners’ Digital Literacies

Literature has suggested that digital literacies can enhance language learning through appropriate use of mobile technology since today’s young learners are immersed in mobile technology. However, to support English language learning through digital literacies in specific contexts, a learning environment with mobile technology should be examined. This paper aimed to report on mobile use for English language learning through digital literacies in Thai school contexts. Empirical evidence was reported from the mixed method research project with 400 Thai EFL learners and a group of teachers and administrators. Results from the quantitative and qualitative analysis showed the divergence of mobile phone use between EFL young learners’ everyday life and pedagogical practices and policy at school, affirming that mobile phone use for developing digital literacies at school was not favored for EFL learning on the basis of Web 2.0 components in the research context. This paper argues that a call for the development of digital literacies among Thai EFL learners needs to promote social practices of such literacies. Implications are discussed for future pedagogical practices and policy to promote digital literacies with mobile device use for EFL learning.

Learner-oriented assessment (LOA) practice: the comparative study of self-assessment, peer assessment, and teacher assessment on EFL learners’ writing complicity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF), speaking CAF, and attitude

As the effects of self-assessment, peer assessment, and teacher assessment on EFL learners’ writing CAF and speaking CAF have not examined in Iran, this research compared their effectiveness on developing Iranian EFL students’ writing CAF and speaking CAF. Moreover, this research examined the attitudes of EFL students towards the three types of assessments. To achieve these objectives, 75 Iranian intermediate EFL learners were selected based on a convenience sampling method and divided into three groups. Next, all groups were pretested on two skills of writing and speaking. Then, one group was taught writing and speaking skills by using teacher assessment, the second group was taught the same skills through using self-assessment; and the other group received the treatment by applying peer assessment. After an 18-session instruction, writing and speaking posttests were administered to the three groups, and also, three attitude questionnaires were distributed among them. The outcomes of one-way ANOVA tests revealed that the peer-assessment and self-assessment groups outflanked the teacher-assessment group on the writing and speaking posttests. The findings showed that the respondents of the three groups presented favorable attitudes towards the three sorts of assessments. It was concluded that the peer and self-assessment are useful techniques to develop EFL learners’ writing and speaking skills. At the end of the study, a couple of implications and recommendations were enumerated.

Intercultural Language Education: Supportive Factors and Constraints on EFL Learners’ Intercultural Communicative Competence Development

This qualitative research aims to explore the supportive factors and constraints on the development of EFL learners’ intercultural communicative competence (ICC) in the EFL context of Vietnam. Forty-seven EFL learners who were learning General English at a foreign language center in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, were involved in this study. Two research instruments, namely diary and semi-structured group interview, were employed to garner data. The findings revealed that there were more supportive factors (active learners, inspirational teacher, interactive learning material and task, and dynamic context) than constraints (learner differences and task administration) that affected learners’ ICC development. This study recommends that different factors such as learners, teacher, learning material/task, and context, should be scrutinized so as to facilitate the development process of learners’ ICC.