EFL Freshmen Research Articles

Google Translate in EFL Freshmen’s Writing Assignments: Uses, Awareness of Benefits and Drawbacks, and Perceived Reliance

Although technology use is inevitable among language learners, using Machine Translation (MT), such as Google Translate (GT), remains controversial in language learning. Despite its advances, it may be detrimental to L2 learning when used excessively, especially for those with more limited linguistic resources. This research examines first-year EFL students’ autonomous use of GT in writing assignments. It assesses their reliance on the technology by examining their awareness of GT’s advantages and disadvantages. As many as 85 Indonesian EFL first-year students participated in this study by completing questionnaires consisting of closed-ended and open-ended questions. Highlighting the dynamic role of Google Translate (GT) in students’ language learning, this study reveals how various factors have contributed to its notably significant usage. While most participants reported using GT only occasionally and mainly at the word level, their use for translating longer texts was significantly higher than in previous research involving students at different English competence levels. Additionally, boosting confidence, convenience, and serving as language scaffolding were identified as GT’s main benefits, leading to students’ reliance on technology. Most expressed potential difficulty working without GT. Recommendations were made to support less-proficient students amidst the increasing use of MT in language education.

Exploration of EFL Freshman Law Students’ Attitudes on Telegram Messenger Usability in a Legal Terminology Course

In recent years, there has been an increasing tendency for educational institutions and EFL instructors to integrate social media platforms in English language learning environments. The hypothesis is that social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and Telegram, have positive impacts on the development of reading, writing, and communication skills, as well as the vocabulary development of EFL students. Despite the prolific literature on the effectiveness and usability of social media platforms, including Telegram, in EFL contexts, very little research has been done on the impact of Telegram Messenger on language development in general and the vocabulary development of ESP students. Thus, this study explores EFL law students' views of the usability of Telegram Messenger in a Telegram-supported legal terminology course. This quantitative study applies convenience sampling and adapts Kusuma and Suwartono’s (2021) survey questionnaire to collect data. The findings reveal a multi-faceted and very clear picture of Telegram Messenger as an informal form of virtual learning media. The findings confirm that Telegram Messenger is a very beneficial and effective tool, as demonstrated in the legal terminology course. Students express satisfaction with Telegram Messenger due to its easy accessibility and flexible use. They have positive attitudes concerning the educational applications of Telegram Messenger, especially in establishing learner–learner and lecturer–learner types of interaction and keeping them updated with lectures and examination-related issues. Telegram Messenger assists students in catching up with the lectures they cannot attend due to unfavorable circumstances.

Text-To-Speech Software for Promoting EFL Freshman Students’ Decoding Skills and Pronunciation Accuracy

Two groups of freshman students, enrolled in a Vocabulary I and Reading I courses, participated in the study. Before instruction, both groups took a recognition (vocabulary) and a production (oral reading) pre-test. Comparisons of the pre-test scores showed no significant differences between the experimental and control group in decoding skills and pronunciation proficiency. Then, both groups were exposed to the same in-class vocabulary and reading instruction. They covered the same lessons, skills, exercises, and tests. Since freshman students have problems in producing phonemes, consonant clusters, word stress and lack skill in associating written graphemes with their corresponding phonemes, read word by word and lack oral reading fluency, the experimental group used a text-to-speech (TTS) software called NaturalReader. Every week the students typed or copied and paste the lessons they took in class from the textbook into NaturalReader and practiced listening to the lessons read by the software. They could listen to the text as many times as they needed in the language lab or at home and could adjust the software reading speed. Every 4 weeks, experimental students took an oral reading and a vocabulary test and at the end of the semester (after 12 weeks), both groups took a recognition (vocabulary) and a production (oral reading) posttest. Results showed significant differences between the experimental and control groups as a result of using the NaruralReader. Improvement was noted in the decoding skill enhancement, reading fluency and pronunciation accuracy but not in vocabulary knowledge. Results showed slow but gradual improvement. Significant improvement was noted after 8 and 12 weeks. There was a positive correlation between the number of lessons and texts practiced and weekly practice time and decoding and pronunciation proficiency posttest scores. The students reported positive attitudes towards practicing decoding and pronunciation via NaturalReader. Procedures, results and recommendations are given in detail.

Role of Instructor Qualifications, Assessment and Pedagogical Practices in EFL Students’ Grammar and Writing Proficiency

Three groups of EFL freshman students were concurrently enrolled in a grammar and a writing course. One group was taught the grammar and writing courses by the same instructor; the other two groups were taught grammar and writing by two different instructors using the same textbook but different instructional and assessment techniques. The study aims to find out which group made higher gains in grammatical knowledge and writing skill development. It also aimed to find out the effects of instructor qualifications, assessment, and pedagogical variables on students’ grammatical competence and writing skill development. Comparisons of the grammar and writing post-tests showed significant differences between the three groups in the writing and grammar post-test mean scores. There were strong correlations between the grammar and writing post-test scores. Performance of the Group that received a combination of writing and grammar instruction by the same instructor (Instructor A) was the highest. The relationship between grammar and writing instruction seems to be reciprocal: writing instruction affects grammatical competence and grammatical knowledge affects writing skill development. Better achievements were made when both courses were taught by the same instructor as she can make the right connections between what is taught in both courses, which specific structures and skills should be emphasized. The instructors’ qualifications, pedagogical system, educational and professional experience, the integration of online instruction, the type of error correction and instant feedback given to the students and the formative assessment technique used were significantly more effective than writing/grammar instruction that depended on the textbook alone. These variables proved to be important for enhancing the grammatical knowledge and writing quality of unskilled, low ability EFL students and resulted in a significant improvement in their grammar and writing post-test scores.

Blended Online Learning: Perceptions and Experiences of EFL University Students and Teachers

During the COVID-19 pandemic, in which social distancing has become the norm, blended online learning, which consists of two main components: namely synchronous online instruction through a virtual conferencing platform, or live virtual classroom (LVC), and asynchronous online learning through a learning management system (LMS), has largely replaced face-to-face classrooms. After 2,217 EFL freshmen and 16 EFL teachers at a public university in Thailand participated in blended online learning instruction in a foundation English course in the first semester of academic year 2021, their perceptions and experiences regarding the instruction were investigated using online questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was employed to obtain empirical information from the participants. The findings obtained from the questionnaires (590 voluntary students and 12 voluntary teachers) and semi-structured interviews (15 voluntary students and 5 voluntary teachers) indicated that blended online learning was appropriate and beneficial in EFL classes for the undergraduate students and could support the social distancing measures put in place due to COVID-19. While there are some limitations, inconveniences, and challenges related to blended online learning, it has been demonstrated to be effective in improving students’ English ability while saving time and expense by eliminating the need for travel to the university and providing flexibility regarding the time and place of learning and teaching. Implications and recommendations for blended online learning and its two main components were also concluded from the findings and are discussed in the study.

Learning Vocabulary in the App Store by EFL College Students

This article gives examples of mobile vocabulary apps (MVAs) that can be downloaded from the Google Play or Apple App Stores and used as extension activities or a supplement to in-class vocabulary instruction in EFL such as English word study, advanced English vocabulary, test your English vocabulary, English vocabulary level I, II & III, 1000 TOEFL words and others. There are also mobile dictionary apps, graded vocabulary tests for assessing vocabulary knowledge and skills and vocabulary trainers for the TOEFL and IELTS test vocabulary. In addition, the article gives guidelines for searching for, selecting, and using MVAs, the phases of teaching with MVAs and the instructor's role. The instructor can help the students find and download relevant MVAs, give pre-questions, and follow the students up to make sure they are making the best use of them. Recommendations for using MVAs with EFL freshman students are given.

Online Vocabulary Tasks for Engaging and Motivating EFL College Students in Distance Learning During the Pandemic and Post-pandemic

Vocabulary teaching and learning constitute a major problem for EFL instructors and students. EFL freshman students have difficulty in pronouncing, recognizing the meaning of, using and spelling new English words. Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, all college courses have shifted to online distance learning since March 2020. Surveys with samples of college students and instructors in Saudi Arabia showed lack of interest among the students in online instruction, participation, giving oral presentations, doing homework-assignments, attending online classes, low engagement, interaction, communication and self-efficacy. No adaptations have been made in the college curricula. Since the new distance learning environment requires new modes of teaching and learning, the present study proposes a variety of online vocabulary tasks and technologies that vocabulary instructors can choose from, such as mobile-based applications viz Vocup, Quizlet, Quizizz, game-based mobile apps, Saving Alice, Duolingo, Kahoot, vocabulary flashcards, mobile audiobooks, collaborative mobile ebook reading; podcasts; online dictionaries; concordance-based glosses; picture viewing and picture drawing on tablets; videos; e-portfolios; teaching idioms via graphic novels; multimedia annotations; social networks; project-based learning and mind-maps. To engage, motivate and encourage student-student and student-instructor interaction in the distance learning environment, the study proposes the following: using WhatsApp, ConnectYard, creating a community of inquiry, creating learning partnership, collaborative writing exchange projects, student collaboration, social interaction, integrating text-chat and webcam, and utilizing technology-mediated task-based language teaching. Online vocabulary tasks can be performed individually, in pairs or in small groups; interactively or collaboratively; synchronously or asynchronously. Instructional phases and teacher and students’ roles are also described.

An Inquiry Learning Based Program For Developing EFL Freshmen’s Writing Performance

An Inquiry Learning Based Program For Developing EFL Freshmen’s Writing Performance

Reflective Reciprocal Teaching: A Technique for Improving Iranian EFL Learners’ Reading Comprehension Ability

The primary aim of this study was to shed light on the impact of a new instruction model, reflective reciprocal teaching (RRT), on English as a foreign language learners' (EFL) reading comprehension ability. Its mode of inquiry was a mixed-method, and it took on a quasi-experimental design, including a pretest, treatment, and posttest paradigm. The sampling techniques were both convenience and random sampling by which 100 EFL freshman learners were selected and assigned into three groups of reflective reciprocal teaching (RRT), reciprocal teaching (RT), and control. Two tests, namely Oxford Quick Placement Test and Michigan English Language Assessment Battery, were used to measure EFL learners' proficiency level and reading comprehension ability in its quantitative phase. ANOVA was utilized to analyze the collected data. Also, during the next step, which aimed to explore the learners' perceptions of RRT instruction, semi-structured interviews were used to collect qualitative data. The results indicated that the RRT group outperformed the control group regarding their reading comprehension ability; however, the RT instruction did not significantly impact this issue. Accordingly, the qualitative data analysis findings indicated that self-regulated learning, perceived competence, metacognitive awareness, confidence, and intrinsic motivation were the significant results of the RRT instruction model, contributing to the learners' reading comprehension ability.

Enhancing EFL Freshman Students' Reading Skills with Inspirational Quotes

Introduction: Many ESL college students have reading comprehension problems in English, such as difficulty understanding ideas explicitly or implicitly stated in a text, making inferences, and inferring meanings of difficult words from context.
 Aims: The article proposes the integration of inspirational quotes in the teaching of English to EFL college students as a supplement to in-class instruction and the textbook, and shows the advantages of integrating inspirational quotes in reading instruction.
 Materials, Tasks, and Instructional Phases: The article shows the sources of inspirational quotes; criteria for selecting inspirational quotes; reading skills that can be developed with inspirational quotes (literal, inferential, critical comprehension and appreciation; decoding, using phonic, morphological, semantic, and syntactic clues; deriving word meaning from context; understanding certain grammatical structures such as idioms, ellipsis and participial phrases; locating anaphoric relationships and making inferences). The instructor can use a Facebook page, an online course, or an online discussion forum to post the inspirational quotes and tasks. Reading instruction with inspirational quotes goes through three phases: (i) Before reading an inspirational quote, the instructor introduces the inspirational quote, gives a vocabulary overview and pre-questions, and sets goals for the tasks. (ii) While reading an inspirational quote, the students read for the general topic, pay attention to specific vocabulary, imagery and figures of speech, and use contextual clues to infer the meaning of difficult words. (iii) After reading an inspirational quote, the students discuss answers, summarize or retell the topic orally, comment on it, give their impression and the moral or lesson learnt. The instructor serves as a facilitator. She guides the students, encourages them, and gives feedback on weaknesses and areas of improvement.
 Reflections and Recommendation: Students’ responses to a questionnaire-survey revealed positive attitudes towards practicing reading with inspirational quotes. They found them beneficial in promoting their reading skills. Recommendations for creating an inspirational quote repository are given.

Teaching Reading to EFL Freshman Students with Mind Mapping Software

Freshman students learning English as foreign language have problems in comprehending English texts such as inability to identify main ideas, paragraph topics, supporting details and the organizational structure of a text. They have difficulty writing a summary or making an outline of the main ideas and important supporting details in a single, or multiple paragraphs. Numerous studies in the literature have shown the positive effects of using mind maps in teaching and learning a variety of subjects. Since many EFL instructors are unfamiliar with mind maps and mind-mapping software, this study proposes the integration of mind maps in reading instruction and the utilization of mind-mapping software to help the students relate a central idea or topic in a text to related subtopics or details, help them understand the organizational structure of a text, identify the text structure type (classification, chronology, enumeration, compare contrast and others) and locate signaling devices. Making reading mind maps using the mind-mapping software begins with a word or image that symbolizes the topic of the reading text in the middle of the screen. While reading the text paragraph by paragraph, main branches are added for each paragraph topic. Sub-branches are added for each important detail related to a particular topic (main branch). Colors are used for the main and minor branches. Constructing reading mind maps can be used as a reading or a post-reading activity. Reading test results showed that the mind-mapping software was effective in enhancing reading comprehension among EFL freshman students. The students also had positive attitudes towards mind mapping and reading English texts. Students found the mind mapping software to be fun and helpful in comprehending and organizing ideas in a text. The study recommends the integration of mind-mapping software in other language skills courses offered by the college.

Machine versus human translation outputs: Which one results in better reading comprehension among EFL learners?

EFL university students in general and Iranian EFL university learners in particular, specifically in the commencement of their study at bachelor degree prefer to have their assigned English texts translated into mother tongue since they do not have a good command of the language. Machine translation (MT) has recently turned into a favorite tool for all students including EFL ones since it is free and readily available. The aim of this study, therefore, was to evaluate the effect of MT output on such students. To achieve this goal, two sample texts in students’ mother tongue were selected and translated into English by a proficient human translator whose native language was English and by an MT system (Google Translate). Next, 167 homogenous EFL freshman students were given a proficiency test and 152 homogenous ones randomly assigned to two groups, namely, control and experimental groups. The control group was given the human translation (HT) and the experimental group was exposed to machine translation. Using an independent t-test, indicated that there was a negligible difference between mentioned groups. That is, MT has improved to such an extent that it can compete with the HT. It can be concluded that due to its great improvements in the last few years and its widespread use among university students, EFL educators should accept the presence of this tool and try to implement it effectively in their teaching instead of banning students from using it.

EFL Freshmen Students and Teachers Perception and Practice of Learner Autonomy: The Case of Wolyta Sodo University

EFL Freshmen Students and Teachers Perception and Practice of Learner Autonomy: The Case of Wolyta Sodo University

The Impact of Student-Centered Instruction on EFL Learners’ Affect and Achievement

This study explored the relative effect of student- and teacher-centered instruction on EFL freshmen’s affect (anxiety, motivation, attitude, autonomy, self-efficacy and beliefs about English and its learning) and achievement. Two classes of English department freshmen at Shaqra University, KSA participated in the study. Students in the two classes completed a questionnaire probing the target affective variables. An independent t-test proved that the two classes were homogenous in affective variables before the treatment. The treatment class was taught according to student-centered instruction for an academic year. The control class was taught the same courses according to the conventional teacher-centered instruction. The students completed the questionnaire probing their affect. A composite mark of final exam marks of three courses was used as an index of achievement. Analyses of independent sample t-test proved that the treatment class outperformed the control class in all affective variables (except for instrumental motivation) and achievement.

A Study of Prior English Learning Experiences of Korean EFL Freshmen and Their Learning Expectations on College English Education

A Study of Prior English Learning Experiences of Korean EFL Freshmen and Their Learning Expectations on College English Education

EXPRESSING VOICE IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE: MULTIWRITING HAIKU PEDAGOGY IN THE EFL CONTEXT 

One of the crucial perspectives in the teaching of second language (L2) writing is to develop voice (Iida, 2010; Paltridge et al., 2009). While scholars have discussed the significance of teaching voice from theoretical viewpoints, there is scant reporting on how to teach the concept and how to train L2 writers to express their own thoughts in the target language in the composition classroom. The aim of this article is to discuss how L2 writers can develop their voice through poetry writing in the L2 composition classroom. After describing the concept of voice and the feature of multiwriting, this article will explore the potential of multiwriting haiku pedagogy as a way to develop and express voice in the EFL freshman college writing classroom. It will also present a step-by-step approach for multiwriting haiku in the EFL classroom and then illustrate how Japanese EFL writers express voice and articulate self in the poetic text with the pedagogical guidelines.

Developing Speaking Skills of EFL Students through Collaborative Strategic Reading Strategy

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of using Collaborative Strategic Reading Strategy (CSRS) on developing the speaking skills of EFL university students. The design of the study was a pre-post quasi experimental design. Instrument was a pre-post speaking test. Participants were fifty EFL freshman university students divided into two equivalent groups: control group (25 students), and experimental one (25 students). The two groups were pre-tested in the dependent variable (speaking skills). The experiment lasted for three months. During this period, the experimental group was taught using the collaborative strategic reading strategy while the control group was taught using the regular method. At the end of the experiment, the two groups were post tested. Significant differences were found between the mean scores of the experimental and the control group students’ in favor of the experimental group. Also, significant differences were found between the mean scores of the pre and post test of experimental group students’ in favor of the post test. It was concluded that collaborative strategic reading strategy developed the speaking skills of EFL freshman university students.

Korean EFL Freshman Students’ English Learning Experiences in High School and in College

Korean EFL Freshman Students’ English Learning Experiences in High School and in College

Investigating the Relationship between Foreign Language Learning and Call Attitudes among EFL Freshman Students

Over the last two decades rapid developments in computer sciences and technology have established the persistent role of technology-based learning in all walks of education, more specifically in second or foreign language learning. Thus, the current study was an attempt to investigate the relationship between attitudes towards foreign language learning and computer-assisted language learning. A total of 128 university students majoring in English as foreign language from a major state university were randomly selected for the study. Data were collected using the Attitudes towards Foreign Language Learning (A-FLL) and Attitudes towards Computer-Assisted Language Learning (A-CALL) scales. Findings revealed that there are statistically positive correlations between attitudes towards foreign language learning (A-FLL) and attitudes towards computer-assisted language learning, suggesting that the bidirectional relationship between computer technology and human interface greatly influences learning a L2. Moreover, some of the subcomponents of A-FLL including teacher influence, tolerance of ambiguity and extrinsic motivation greatly contributed to the prediction of the participants’ attitudes towards computer-assisted language learning. Gender and age differences were also found to potentially affect some aspects of human interface, and the participants’ years of language learning experience and their academic achievement also correlated positively with degree of inhibition component of CALL. It is concluded that inquiry into language learners’ attitudes towards technology-based L2 learning will greatly constitute a viable and secure avenue towards the betterment of L2 learning programs and quality language learning.

Integration of web 2.0 tools with Taiwanese EFL freshmen's post-reading activities

This study explores 28 university freshmen's attitude towards learning from the integration of web 2.0 tools with post-reading activities in a Freshmen English class in a northwest university in Ta...