EFL Skills Research Articles

Building Bridges with the Parables: Developing Bilingual Students' EFL Skills and Cultural Awareness within a Multimodal Learning Environment

Building Bridges with the Parables: Developing Bilingual Students' EFL Skills and Cultural Awareness within a Multimodal Learning Environment

Integrated EFL Skills and Technology: Focus on Learnerss Perceptions

This study reports on the results of an experiment conducted on 612 advanced learners of English as a foreign language. The paper attempts to explore the students’ attitudes towards the value of using technology in language teaching. The study is based on the premise that one of the guiding principles that shapes the planning of an innovative computer curriculum is involving all those as the most important factor as it is upon them that any innovation can be accepted or rejected. After having presented the theoretical framework, the problem we are encountering and the rationale for the study, we reviewed the literature on pertinent issues such as foreign language learners and technology; learning theories and technological instructional design; technology and language learning, and technology, teaching and research. The focus of the paper is on the integration between EFL skills and technology, and on how L2 learners may have significant insights into the way they learn.

The Role of Syntax in Developing the Higher Order Thinking Skills of EFL/ESL Students

This paper is intended to investigate the role of syntax in developing the EFL and ESL students' higher order thinking skills (HOTS): Application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation / judgment as stated in Bloom’s taxonomy. The researcher maintains that syntax, as the study of the internal structure of sentences, is an effective tool to develop our students’ HOTS, if it is taught adequately and appropriately and if HOTS are internalized within and applied by the faculty members, as all activities and instructional material of this course involve critical thinking, creative thinking, problem solving and decision making, all of which include HOTS stated in Bloom’s taxonomy.

Evaluating an Integrated EFL Teaching Methodology in Saudi Universities: A Longitudinal Study

This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness and suitability of the integrated holistic method for teaching EFL skills embedded in an Oxford® series of courses selected for study at the lower-to-upper intermediate levels of learning EFL, namely Open Forum 3, Well Read 3 – Effective Academic Writing2. Participants of the study were selected from the population of students in a Southwestern Saudi university. The sample included 52 participants in intermediate levels. Researchers employed a pre-test, posttest control group design in a quasi-experimental method to evaluate the instructional effectiveness of the integrated holistic teaching method. Findings indicate that the treatment in this study, the Integrated Skills Treatment, had a significant effect on student performance in all skills presented instructionally according to an integrated, holistic approach. Further findings showed that the experimental group participants achieved improvements in gain scores compared with their peers in the control group on the tested language skills, namely listening and speaking, reading, and writing. Qualitative data from a follow-up questionnaire study asserted the effectiveness and appropriateness of an integrative pedagogy to teaching EFL skills. The paper, in the end, provides a set of relevant implications and recommendations for further pedagogical practice and further research implications.

Effects of the Content and Language Integrated Learning approach to EFL teaching

This study investigates the effects of English-medium CLIL on EFL proficiency in three European countries. Seven mainstream grammar schools spread across The Netherlands, Germany, and Italy participated with a total of 263 pupils aged 12 to 16. Several language skills were measured by means of written tests in a pre/post- test design. The first test was held when the experimental classes were all at the start of the CLIL intervention in secondary education; the second test two years later. Each of the three countries participated with two CLIL classes and two mainstream classes as control groups. The results show that CLIL classes had better EFL skills from the start: they outperformed the mainstream groups at both test rounds. However, gain scores varied per country and the apparent head start of CLIL pupils makes it difficult to interpret EFL results.

English for Specific Purposes in Palestinian Context: Determining EFL Cadets' Needs at Al Istiqlal University

This study aimed at determining EFL cadets’ needs at Al-Istiqlal University in Palestine. In addition, the study sought to reveal how cadets rated their own competence in particular skills in EFL, and what they really need from their EFL course. The study was conducted on a random sample of 91 cadets. The findings showed that Al-Istiqlal University cadets’ level in EFL is intermediate as the total score mean was 3.4 (68.0 %). Also, results showed that cadets’ needs of EFL gained a very important level where its mean was 3.67 (73.4 %). Moreover, results indicated that the most serious difficulty which faces the cadets, as they perceive future workplace, in learning EFL is following English conversations . In addition, results revealed that there were significant differences in AU cadets EFL needs on all domains in favor of Police Sciences, Military Sciences, and MIS over the Psychology Security due to major variable.

Weblogs: a tool for EFL interaction, expression, and self-evaluation

The use of blogs in EFL learning and teaching has recently attracted a great deal of research attention. Previous research has demonstrated that blogs foster development of EFL skills. This study, which takes a sociocultural approach, focuses on EFL interaction. Specifically, the study aims to identify the interaction strategies that bloggers employ by exploring both teacher-initiated and student-initiated interactions. An EFL undergraduate class at the University of Chile serves as the vantage point for discussion. Bloggers’ posts and comments are thematically analysed for the purposes of this study. It is demonstrated that blogs promote EFL interaction, self-expression, self-evaluation, and a sense of language progress. The study may be of interest to educationists around the world who are interested in identifying how blogs can best be harnessed within foreign language education for the benefit of learners.

Brainstorming and Essay Writing in EFL Class

The current study aimed at investigating the effect of using the brainstorming technique on developing first secondary grade students' essay writing skills in EFL. The study attempted to answer the following questions: 1-What are the essay writing skills needed for first secondary grade students in EFL? 2- What is the effect of using the brainstorming technique on developing first secondary grade students' essay writing skills in EFL? Tools of the study included a checklist to identify the essay writing sills needed for first secondary grade students in EFL as well as a pre- post essay writing test and its scoring scale. Results revealed the effect of using the brainstorming technique on developing first secondary grade students' essay writing skills in EFL.

The Effect of Using the Story- Mapping Technique on Developing Tenth Grade Students’ Short Story Writing Skills in EFL

The current study aimed at investigating the effect of using the story- mapping technique on developing tenth grade students’ short story writing skills in EFL. The study attempted to answer the following questions: 1-What are the short story writing skills needed for tenth grade students in EFL? 2- What is the effect of the using the story-mapping technique on developing tenth grade students’ short story writing skills in EFL? Tools of the study included a checklist to identify the short story writing skills needed for tenth grade students in EFL as well as a pre- post short story writing test and its scoring scale. Results revealed the effect of using the story mapping technique on developing tenth grade students' short story writing skills.

Is ESP a success in the Turkish EFL Context?

This paper presents a study investigating the effects of an ESP program on the false-beginner Turkish EFL learners' language and vocational knowledge and skills. The purpose of this study is to answer the following research questions: Will false-beginner level Turkish EFL learners develop/improve their L2 skills through an ESP program of instruction? Will false-beginner level Turkish EFL learners get basic vocational knowledge and skills as well as L2 skills through an ESP program of instruction? 50 false-beginner Turkish EFL learners, 18 graduates of the program who have already been employed in the tourism sector in Turkey, and 8 employers participated in the study. The results indicated that despite some shortcomings, the program helped the learners develop both their vocational and EFL knowledge and skills.