Development Of English Language Proficiency Research Articles

TERTIARY STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS ON ELSA SPEAK APPLICATION FOR PRONUNCIATION LEARNING

In the context of Industry 4.0, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into English language education is increasingly prevalent. Notably, the proliferation of English language applications, exemplified by the Elsa Speak Application, underscores the noteworthy advancements in pedagogical tools for English instruction. This study aims to scrutinize the perspectives of non-specialized students within the High-quality program at Can Tho University (CTU), investigating their encounters with learning English pronunciation through the application of Elsa Speak. The research employed a structured questionnaire distributed to a cohort of 180 students. The outcomes reveal a predominantly positive reception among students regarding the process of acquiring pronunciation skills through the Elsa Speak Application. Significantly, the application contributes to an augmented grasp of pronunciation, development of English language proficiency, and overall enhancements in learning outcomes. This exploration provides insights into the efficacy of the Elsa Speak Application in fostering positive educational experiences for non-specialized students, thereby contributing valuable data to the discourse on the integration of AI in language education within the Industry 4.0 paradigm.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0018/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

IMPACT OF WATCHING ENGLISH MOVIES, SERIES, AND CARTOONS ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING OF A PRIVATE UNIVERSITY IN BANGLADESH

The article examines the influence of English movies, series, and cartoons on students majoring in English at a university in Bangladesh. The objective of this study was to ascertain the potential impact of films, series, and cartoons on the acquisition of the English language and to determine the extent of their influence. This quantitative research centered on the English department located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. A set of questionnaires was employed to administer a series of inquiries to 140 students. The research uses both primary and secondary data sources. Primary data sources include surveys and interviews, while secondary data sources encompass journals, publications, previous research, and websites. This study has shown the significant impact exerted by English films, series, and cartoons on EFL learners. The development of English language proficiency – reading, speaking, listening, writing – was noticeably improved. It is found that watching English series, cartoons, and movies is a quick and effective way for EFL students to pick up the language. The approach functions as an audiolingual method, incorporating visual aids and facilitating situational language instruction. Moreover, the subtitles have been found to enhance both reading and writing abilities, as well as promote social interactions and foster a deeper understanding of the culture of native speakers. This research will also provide valuable insights for future scholars and researchers.

Impact of Watching English Movies, Series, and Cartoons on English Language Learning of a Private University in Bangladesh

The article examines the influence of English movies, series and cartoons on students majoring in English at a university in Bangladesh. The objective of this study was to ascertain the potential impact of films, series, and cartoons on the acquisition of the English language and to determine the extent of their influence. This quantitative research centered on the English department located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. A set of questionnaires was employed to administer a series of inquiries to140 students. The research uses both primary and secondary data sources. Primary data sources include surveys and interviews, while secondary data sources encompass journals, publications, previous research, and websites. This study has shown the significant impact exerted by English films, series, and cartoons on the EFL learners. The development of English language proficiency—reading, speaking, listening, writing—was noticeably improved. It is found that watching English series, cartoons and movies is a quick and effective way for EFL students to pick up the language. The approach functions as an audio lingual method, incorporating visual aids and facilitating situational language instruction. Moreover, the subtitles have been found to enhance both reading and writing abilities, as well as promote social interactions and foster a deeper understanding of the culture of native speakers. This research will also provide valuable insights for future scholars and researchers.

Navigating Challenges: Exploring Cadets' Perspectives on Maritime Cyber Resilience in STIP Jakarta's Semester 3 Program

This qualitative study investigates the perspectives of 240 Semester 3 cadets at the Maritime Institute Jakarta (STIP Jakarta) regarding An Operational Approach to Maritime Cyber Resilience. Over three semesters, the research scrutinizes cadets' academic self-checked intelligence, perceived professional competences, motivations, and the interplay between language development and preparedness for global roles. The demographic diversity of the cadet sample, representing majors in Nautical, Technical, and Port and Shipping Management, ensures a comprehensive exploration of maritime education. The findings reveal a positive evolution in cadets' understanding of maritime cyber resilience, with a notable increase in academic self-checked intelligence. The curriculum's effectiveness in cultivating a nuanced comprehension of cyber threats is underscored by the enhanced professional competences perceived by cadets, indicating preparedness for the practical challenges in the maritime industry. Motivations and engagement exhibit a positive trajectory, from initial challenges to sustained interest, indicating the subject's growing relevance over time. The interconnected development of English language proficiency and subject mastery emphasizes the need for targeted language support within maritime education. The positive correlation between improved language fluency and a deeper understanding of maritime cyber resilience suggests the symbiotic relationship between linguistic and technical competence. The study's implications extend beyond STIP Jakarta, offering insights for refining maritime education globally. Recommendations encompass dynamic pedagogical approaches, continual curriculum evaluation, industry collaboration, and language enhancement initiatives. By embracing these recommendations, maritime education programmes can foster a resilient cadre of professionals adept at navigating the complexities of the modern maritime industry.

Language ideology, development of English proficiency, and performance in professional communication: voices of STEM + business graduates of English medium university

The current study aims at unpacking the language ideologies of the STEM + Business graduates in relation to English medium instruction (EMI) and how they perceive the contribution of EMI towards English proficiency development. It also intended to unfold the extent to which EMI education may have contributed to their employability and fulfillment of workplace communication needs. Inspired by inadequate evidence on the effect of EMI on English Language Proficiency (ELP) and employability, the researchers engaged with the participants who could draw on their EMI experiences in developing ELP, attaining employability, and fulfilling workplace communication needs in English. Theoretical aspects of language ideologies, ELP, and employability set the conceptual ground of the study. Adopting the interpretive phenomenological approach and harnessing semi-structured interview questions, the study collected data from eight participants. The study found that the language ideologies of the graduates were shaped by the perceived role and importance of English to serve academic and economic purposes through the availability of curriculum corresponding to global standards, access to knowledge, English-oriented atmosphere and ELP development, and EMI policy adoption and implementation in higher education institutions was seen as a panacea to avail the facilities described above. The participants also confirmed that EMI education benefitted their ELP, enabling them to obtain jobs and perform workplace communication in English.

The Relevance of Online Video Clips for the Online Informal Learning of English for Transport Technology – A Corpus-Based Approach

As a result of the vast opportunities for the use of English in everyday online life, the field of online informal learning of languages, in particular English, has attracted a new wave of research attention. Importantly for this study, it has been confirmed that online engagement in activities involving the use of English has a positive effect on the development of English language proficiency, and that watching online video clips in English is one of the most frequent activities that students engage in. Nevertheless, the number of corpus-based studies in this field remains scant. In addition, no research study has addressed the relevance of online video clips for the online informal learning of English in the specific field of transport technology. In order to bridge this research gap, the objective of this paper is to adopt a corpus-based approach to explore whether a careful selection of video clips in the specific domain of transport technology has the potential to support or supplement the core course materials. The construction of a specialised corpus of video clips adopted a six-step methodology that allowed the preparation, collection, documentation, construction, analysis, and finally evaluation of the corpus. This corpus was then compared against the corpus of the core course materials in terms of lexical density, terminology, and four-grams. The findings of the study indicate that, if carefully selected, video clips have the potential to support the formal language learning process, and should therefore contribute to the understanding of the potential of online informal learning of English in discipline-specific settings; moreover, the adopted methodology may serve as a guide for informed audio-visual material selection and analysis in any language for specific purposes.

EFL Prospective Teachers’ English Language Proficiency Development: A Longitudinal Study

The purpose of the current study was to examine English language proficiency development among EFL prospective teachers during their four-year study at the faculty of education. A sample of sixty six college EFL prospective teachers took part in the study. The Examination for the Michigan Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE) was first administered to participants in the academic year 2017 when they got enrolled as freshmen at the Faculty of Education, Kafr El-Sheikh University. Later on, participants took the same examination before their graduation in 2020. Data were statistically analyzed using Predictive Analytics Software (PASW) Statistics, version 18 to investigate the impact of English prospective teachers’ academic preparation on their language proficiency as well as the relationship between their English language scores on the General Secondary Certificate (G.S.C.) Exam and overall proficiency after a specialized study at university. Results indicated that EFL prospective teachers’ overall language proficiency level in English was improved. However, some proficiency components such as grammar and vocabulary were not developed. Moreover, there was no relationship between the scores they obtained on the G.S.C. Exam and their language proficiency level in English. Interpretation of results was provided and recommendations were suggested.

Pre-service EFL teachers' conceptions of language proficiency: Entry and exit level qualifications

It is clearly observed that EFL teachers’ language proficiency has been great concern for researchers in recent decades. However, there seems to be few studies conducted in Turkey to conceive EFL teachers’ language proficiency level. Language proficiency refers to competency of performing a language where receptive and productive awareness of language systems are highly emphasized. Any low performance in teachers’ language proficiency may endanger the success of students who do not receive effective input from their teachers. Teachers’ language performance that includes pragmatic and strategic competence may eventually ease any practice in classroom environment. Although Turkey, where English is a foreign language, introduced English language at an early age starting from the 2 nd class of elementary schools, most EFL teachers may still not be sufficiently educated to teach the language. Based on the stated issue, this study inquires the views of EFL pre-service teachers to see their reflections on their university entry and exit levels of English language. A semi-structured interview adopted from Butler’s questionnaire titled Self-reported Current and Desired Minimum English Language Proficiency was utilized for the qualitative data. The participants (N=10) were interviewed about their language proficiency based on the prompts. Based on the findings of the study, a number of implications were drawn for the development of English language proficiency of EFL pre-service teachers.

The Effects of Cross-Cultural Distance Learning Model on the Linguistic and Affective Domain of EFL Learners in Korea

This article is based on a Cross-Cultural Distance Learning (CCDL) model between university students in Korea and Japan during the 1st semester of 2016 and this lesson model consists of synchronous and asynchronous CMC activities focusing on the interactions between non-native speakers of English. This article shows that EFL learners in Korea can develop English language proficiency through this lesson model. The learners' development of English language proficiency was evaluated by using the TOEIC test as a proficiency test form. Also, this article proves that these kinds of CMC activities can motivate EFL learners to enhance cultural awareness for foreign countries and practice English inside and outside of the classroom. The questionnaire was used to survey the students' cultural awareness and attitude for this model at the final session of the semester.

Is ability grouping beneficial or detrimental to Japanese ESP students' English language proficiency development?

This study investigated whether ability grouping was beneficial to Japanese university science and engineering students who had taken compulsory ESP (English for specific purposes) courses. By examining the change in their standardized general proficiency test scores (using the Test of English for International Communication or TOEIC) and using data from across six years of enrollment (a cohort of 13,000 students), the performance of students who had been placed into a broader band of English ability (i.e., less similar language proficiency) was compared with the performance of students who had been placed into a narrower band (i.e., more similar language proficiency). Findings showed that ability grouping benefited less proficient learners. By contrast, ability grouping did not appear to be beneficial for more proficient learners. Possible reasons for these findings are discussed, including organizational and instructional features of the program of study the students were taking, and the likely effects of ability grouping on students' academic self-concept.

USE OF WHATSAPP FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY AMONG B.ED. TRAINEES

Whatsapp has attracted over 1.2.billion people worldwide. It uses the Internet to make voice calls, one to one video calls; send text messages, images, GIF, videos, documents, user location, audio files, phone contacts and voice notes to other users using standard cellular mobile numbers. Its use in the administrative side is also on the increase. Recently IAS officers and CEOs have created Whatsapp groups to pass on messages. It is in vogue now. It has many conveniences of sending JPEG, PDF files, photos, videos and audio. There are many apps which are competing with Whatsapp but Whatsapp has emerged as number one among them. The study here is to know the use of Whatsapp for language learning. Overall perception is that the use of English language in the Whatsapp and other social media is on the increase. Immediately it has struck all of us one question that is does it increase the language proficiency of students and others? If so, what would be the effect on the learning of foreign language? It is doing a yeoman service to the students to develop competency in foreign language. English is the most common and widely used language. It is a library and laboratory language too. Development of English language proficiency among B.Ed. trainees is very crucial as it leads to better transaction in the classroom. The marketing of their professional degree is also possible with sound knowledge in English. So, it is the natural quest of the researcher here is to study the use of Whatsapp for Development of English Language Proficiency among B.Ed. trainees. The study was conducted among 200 B.Ed. trainees in Madurai district. It is proved from the above table that the B.Ed. students are using whatsapp more for development of English Language proficiency than expected.

English and Language Teacher Education in Malaysia: An Exploration of the Influences on and Experiences of Pre-Service Teachers

In multilingual Malaysia, the place of English has been debated at various times since independence in 1957. An initiative to address concerns about levels of English language proficiency in the country through teaching Science and Mathematics in English was launched in the early 21st century. For some teachers, a trans-national component was introduced in the language teacher education programme and this in part was an investment in raising the language proficiency of teachers. This article draws on interview data with two pre-service teachers who spent two years in New Zealand and identifies common themes regarding their views on English and on the contribution of the trans-national education experience to their English language learning while abroad. Although English was viewed positively, and proficiency and motivation did not present obvious barriers to developing social networks with target language speakers, the data indicates that personal language learning goals may not have been met; it is important to note that other goals were, however, achieved. As a result, this article suggests that more explicit attention to language learning in the language teacher education programme may have facilitated English language proficiency development.

The Alignment of Teaching Methodology and Learning Outcomes: The Effect of Students’ Presentations on the Development of English Language Proficiency of Adult Learners

The Alignment of Teaching Methodology and Learning Outcomes: The Effect of Students’ Presentations on the Development of English Language Proficiency of Adult Learners

Experience of clinical supervisors of international medical graduates in an Australian district hospital.

Objective Herein we record the experience of clinical supervisors of international medical graduates (IMGs) working as junior staff in a district hospital by examining supervisor perspectives on IMG performance, the factors affecting their performance and the requirements of supervision under these circumstances. Methods The present study had an open-ended exploratory qualitative design. Thirteen 13 open-ended, in-depth interviews were undertaken with supervisors of IMGs employed in a public district hospital in Queensland, Australia. Results The supervisors reported that, although performance was an individual and variable characteristic, IMGs tended to perform less well than Australian graduates and required more intensive supervision. Factors that affected performance were motivation and experience, and specifically lack of familiarity with the Australian healthcare system, lack of recent of practice, education, language, communication and cultural factors. English language proficiency was regarded as crucial to performance. Conclusions The additional work required to supervise IMGs in order to enable them to perform at a satisfactory level and successfully integrate into the Australian healthcare system needs to be recognised and resourced. Assistance with attaining proficiency in English and with communication skills over and above the standard required to pass the International English Language Testing System examination should be seriously considered as a means of improving performance. What is known about the topic? To date, there is little research available about the experience of supervisors of IMGs in Australia. What does this paper add? The findings of the present study make an important contribution to the literature by examining the critical role clinical supervisors of IMGs have in helping IMGs adapt to the Australian healthcare system and ensuring that they are able to provide quality health care. It identifies current challenges and highlights areas in need of attention to ensure a strong healthcare system for Australia. What are the implications for practitioners? Supervisors of IMGs need recognition of the extra time and expertise required in their role if they are to be effectively supported in their endeavours to integrate IMGs into the Australian health workforce. More attention needs to be given to the development of English language proficiency of IMGs, including colloquial usage, and communication in medical practice.

From ‘English-only’ to translanguaging strategies: Exploring possibilities

This article investigates English language proficiency development in a rural primary school in the Kavango region of Namibia. English is the language of instruction in most schools in Namibia from fourth grade onwards. In addition to other challenges, lack of adequate proficiency in English has been identified as one of the major barriers to learning. Current research on translanguaging demonstrates that purposeful use of translanguaging supports learning. The aim of this article is to argue that a contextual analysis and a test of learners’ proficiency in their dominant language and in English are essential when deciding on translanguaging strategies. This may lead to possible ways in which translanguaging can improve the English language proficiency of rural primary learners in an environment where the language is hardly heard or spoken outside the classroom. The paper argues that translation, and preview – view – review strategies are some of the translanguaging teaching strategies that could be used as resources for building English vocabulary.

Sociolinguistic Factors in the Development of English Language Proficiency Among Students in Malaysia

Sociolinguistics factors influence the level of English Language proficiency among Malaysian students. Thereare three contextual factors involved which are the participants, the environment and culture. Participants refer to the students who come from different backgrounds with diverse needs and goals of learning the language. Language distance, native language proficiency, prior knowledge of the second language, dialect and register language status and attitudes play a crucial role in this factor. Besides that, the participants’ integrative and instrumental motivations are also contributing factors to the different level of proficiency in second language acquisition. The second factors is the environment which includes home support, the school environment and the community. Home support is concerned with atmosphere that parents create at home regarding language use, the school environment refers to peer groups, teachers and the learningprocess, whereas the community deals with the society that the students interact with. Finally cultural factors such as cultural differences and settings also have brought the different levels of proficiency among students in Malaysia.

Alignment of Standards, Assessment and Instruction: Implications for English Language Learners in Ohio

The purpose of this article is to describe the process and development of English Language Proficiency (ELP) standards and assessment in Ohio and to discuss issues related to alignment. The article addresses the importance of alignment among standards, instruction, and assessment, as well as the effect of alignment on students' academic achievement. Additionally, a description is provided of measures used to show relationships among alignment of standards, assessment, instruction, and student outcomes. Finally, the authors review steps taken in Ohio to align ELP standards, content standards, instruction, and assessments.

Determinants of EFL achievement among Arab college‐bound learners

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to determine the degree of interrelatedness and the role of a number of context‐specific factors in the English language proficiency development of Arab college‐bound learners. These factors include: language class risk‐taking, sociability, discomfort, motivation, and attitude toward class.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed a one‐group pretest‐posttest experimental design. In total, 67 (n=67) male English as a foreign language college‐bound learners participated in the study. All participants took general English language proficiency pretests and posttests in order to determine the effect size of improvement in their language proficiency after an intensive treatment of 200 contact hours. The calculated effect sizes of improvement were correlated with learners' scores on the factors under study as measured by a modified version of the Ely classroom climate measure. In addition, Pearson product‐moment correlation coefficients were computed and a step‐wise multiple regression analysis was run in order to determine the degree of interrelatedness among the variables under study and to determine their extent of their role in the effect size of the proficiency gains of the participants.FindingsThe findings indicated that language class sociability is positively related to students' motivation to learn and to a positive class attitude. Conversely, language class risk‐taking was found to be negatively related to class discomfort which in turn was negatively related to student motivation to learn. The findings also indicated that none of the affective variables under study predicted the effect size of the proficiency gains realized by learners.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings of this study suggest that language acquisition is a complex process determined by interaction among a number of learner‐related and contextual factors. Furthermore, the findings suggest that motivation for learning is related to learners' affective feelings and may impact their class participation. A limitation of the study is that it employed a one‐group experimental design and, as such, there was no control or comparison group.Practical implicationsUsing humanistic/affective methods of teaching could decrease students' feelings of class discomfort and increase their motivation and class sociability.Originality/valueThe study provides insights into the language acquisition process of Arab college‐bound learners based on empirical evidence.

Language in Philippine Classrooms: Enfeebling or Enabling?

This research project investigates linguistic conventions of oral interaction in Science courses in selected Philippine tertiary-level institutions. In particular, the project seeks to study the practice of code switching among Filipino tertiary-level teachers and students. Courses in Science are expected to be delivered in English. However, there is widespread perception that Filipino teachers and students freely code-switch. Many school administrators view this code-switching practice as undesirable because they believe it is detrimental to the development of English language proficiency among the students. Thus, they respond to this perceived deficiency by imposing a strict Englishonly policy in their schools. This analysis of code-switching in Science courses in selected Philippine tertiary-level institutions hopes to determine if the practice is beneficial or detrimental to Science education.

The Teacher is the Key: Building Trust in ESL High School Programs

Using a case-study approach, this inquiry examines the perceptions of 10 immigrant students regarding the ESL program provided at the high school they attended for three years. Their achievement outcomes and the ESL program design at this school have been the topics of previous publications; hence the quest for explanatory insights from the students' perspective. The orienting questions of this study relate to the students' understanding of the development of English language proficiency and their perceptions of the programmatic supports that made this possible. Findings suggest that trust is the overriding theme that determines whether or not students (and their parents) will support the program, but this is closely linked to academic outcomes/educational success. The specifics of the instructional paradigm on which the program is predicated are less of a concern. The teacher is the key in providing for the needs of these students and engendering the sense of trust that is essential if ESL learners are to benefit from ESL programs.