English Foreign Language Classroom Research Articles

Bridging the Intercultural Divide: Sensitivity and Competence in Moroccan EFL Classrooms

Globalisation has thrust English into the spotlight as a lingua franca and amplified ELT calls to prioritise intercultural communication. Still, there is a crucial gap when it comes to giving teachers the Intercultural Communication Sensitivity (ICS) they need to help their students develop Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC).This study examines the Intercultural Communication Sensitivity (ICS) of Moroccan English as Foreign Language (EFL) teachers. The research investigates the gap between language proficiency and Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC). The study surveyed 39 EFL teachers using the AISS. Key results reveal that they possess robust ICS, which enable them to engage respectfully and openly with people from different cultures. The study also explored potential factors influencing ICS, such as age, gender, and experience in English-speaking countries. More importantly, no significant correlation was found between Total Sensitivity and Socio-demographic Factors. The results send a clear message to stakeholders that the Moroccan context is conducive to developing Intercultural Competence Sensitivity.

Saudi EFL Students’ Perception of the Quality of Teacher-Student Relationships and the Factors that Impact Their Self-Efficacy Beliefs

This study aimed to explore the perceptions of English as Foreign Language (EFL) students in the Preparatory Year Program (PYP) at a Saudi university about emotional quality of teacher-student relationships and the factors that impact their self-efficacy beliefs in EFL classrooms. To accomplish this, an explanatory sequential mixed methods approach was implemented. Starting with a quantitative approach a questionnaire was distributed to 340 EFL students followed by a qualitative approach in terms of 8 semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore the students’ perceptions. The quantitative data were analyzed statistically using SPSS and the transcribed interviews were coded manually after which a thematic analysis was used to extract the emerging themes. The results demonstrated that students have a positive relationship with their teachers in EFL classrooms and they view their English language teachers as reassuring, reliable, and trustworthy. Students also believe that their relationship with their teachers influences both their academic and personal growth. Finally, the outcomes of this study also showed that students believe that relationship with their significant others, teachers- peers- family members, and outcome expectancy impact their self-efficacy greatly in EFL classrooms. This research provides insight into the emotional quality of teacher-student relationships and students’ self-efficacy in EFL classes, and the findings provide insights that can inform teaching strategies, curriculum development, organizations, and learner support systems.

Exploring Challenges of Differentiated Instruction in English Foreign Language Classroom

A qualitative case study is utilized in this study to explore the challenges faced while implementing differentiated instruction in the context of an English foreign language classroom. A purposive sample method was employed by selecting five participants who had engaged in differentiated instruction professional development and had experience implementing differentiated instruction. The study discovered that teachers faced challenges when organizing and delivering differentiated instruction, such as dealing with the selection of materials, methods, and assessments that match students' characteristics, teachers' intrinsic factors, a large number of students, time invested, and learning references. Participants offered suggestions to other teachers who want to use differentiated instruction by exploring more variations of learning activities, being open to technology, participating in various forms of professional development, recognizing the personalities of the students they teach, and spending more time preparing instruction so that student's learning needs are truly met.

Using TikTok as a Media to Enhancing Speaking Skills in English Foreign Language Classroom: A Lesson Learned from ESP Contexts

Using TikTok as a Media to Enhancing Speaking Skills in English Foreign Language Classroom: A Lesson Learned from ESP Contexts

English teachers’ beliefs and practices in integrating digital literacy in the language classroom

This case study investigates teachers’ beliefs (i.e., behavioral, normative, and control beliefs) and practices in integrating digital literacy in English as foreign language (EFL) classroom. A descriptive study on EFL teachers is used in this research. Four participants were purposively selected to give sufficient information to answer the research questions. Data from the participants were collected by using interviews, observation, and documentation. In terms of the teachers’ beliefs, the finding shows that the behavioral belief was related to the benefits of using digital literacy; normative belief dealt with the expectation in the social context of both superiors and peers; while control belief was about the availability of particular digital technology to be implemented in the classroom and the ability of teachers. With regard to the teachers’ practices, it was found that the teachers used several digital tools for searching for information, communication, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, cultural understanding, and e-safety. It was evident that teachers’ strong beliefs in integrating digital literacy influence the implementation of digital literacy in the classroom. The findings of this study highlight the importance of cultivating teachers’ beliefs toward the actual implementation of the integration of digital literacy in the EFL classroom.

English teachers’ practices and beliefs towards instructional media in Indonesia

Teachers’ practices and beliefs about instructional media are crucial in teaching English, as they can motivate students’ enthusiasm if teachers use them engagingly. Despite their importance, teachers’ practices and beliefs regarding instructional media in Islamic secondary schools in Indonesia have received less attention. The purpose of this qualitative study was to discover how teachers used instructional media and their beliefs towards employing it to teach English. We gathered information from two female English teachers at selected Islamic junior high schools in Aceh, Indonesia through observations and interviews. The results revealed that teachers utilized photos, whiteboards, overhead projectors, and flashcards to teach English. In their English foreign language classrooms, they used instructional media to facilitate students’ learning by explaining the materials, and giving exercises. Teachers believed that instructional media could help boost students’ interest, facilitate the learning process, and promote the achievement of teaching and learning objectives. They specified that curriculum and topic lessons are essential factors to consider when selecting instructional media for teaching English. They alleged that students’ feedback, participation in seminars or workshops, self-discovery, and new curricula could all have an impact on their beliefs. Future research should look into potentially more comprehensive accounts of teachers’ practices and beliefs about instructional media in varied secondary school contexts as well as how engaged students in more interactive classroom activities.

Feedback challenges and strategies in EFL classroom: Insights from non-formal education institution

Feedback has a crucial position in supporting the success of teaching and learning processes in English as Foreign Language (EFL) classroom setting. In addition, research in this essential topic should be conducted continuously. Most research on topic have been done at schools or even universities. Only few studies concentrate in non- formal education institution such as English courses. Therefore, it is reasonable to conduct this study. Employing qualitative research, this study invited eight English teachers at non-formal education institution. The study used interview as the instrument to collect data and thematic content analysis to analyze the data. The findings displayed that the participants faced challenges and having strategies in providing feedback for students. The result revealed that teachers find challenges like inappropriate response from the students and insufficient time to make it happen fully. Then, the strategies implemented to fulfill these challenges are sharing appreciation towards students’ work at the beginning, making a clear follow-up session as well as having a clear information to students, and creating a direct comment to students’ work and also adding some notes. This study will contribute more not only for non-formal education institution but also for formal education in general. Furthermore, other aspects, such as teaching approach as well as the method used may be considered as important to adjust with these findings.

Individual Factors Affecting Learner’s Willingness to Speak in EFL Classroom

This qualitative study aims at investigating what individual factors affecting learners Willingness to Communicate (WTC) in EFL classroom. Data were gernered using reflection which were distributed to 15 learners of the fifth semester at the English Education program in one of universities in Southeast Sulawesi. The researcher analyzed the learners’ reflection using thematic analysis (TA) through coding the data by underlining code and conceptual framework of WTC. The study result shows that several individual factors were identified as having an influence on learners’ willingness to speak, including perceived opportunity to communicate, emotions, interest, anxiety, feeling of insecurity, self-confidence, L2 proficiency and personalities. This study implies that these nine individual factors were found to be influential in effecting students’ WTC in English in this particular study, and the teachers need to pay more attention to these factors in providing instructions in EFL classroom.Keywords: English foreign language classroom; English foreign language learners; individual factors; willingness to communicate.

Integrating Cooperative Learning in EFL Classroom to Alleviate Students’ Speaking (Fluency) Anxiety

In the EFL classroom, even though students learn all the skills and are good at some skills, they still feel anxious when they speak in front of the teacher and their friends. The feeling of anxiety can happen because of some factors. One of them is the learning atmosphere. Students feel uncomfortable with a learning atmosphere that is too strict and formal. Cooperative learning can be an alternative way to help alleviate students’ anxiety in speaking English. Since Cooperative learning is related to activities that focus on student learning through group work, it gives a supportive and safe learning vibe to those students who are afraid to speak their foreign language. This research investigates how to integrate cooperative learning in English Foreign Language classrooms to alleviate students speaking anxiety. This research employed a descriptive case study. The participants of this study were the teacher and 36 tenth-grade students in one of the senior high schools in Majalengka. The results showed that the teacher integrated cooperative learning in speaking activities through group investigation. Then, the students’ perceptions toward cooperative learning have advantages in alleviating speaking anxiety in the learning activities. It indicates that students positively perceive cooperative learning as alleviating speaking anxiety.The results showed that most students were anxious because they lacked confidence and practice. In overcoming this problem, the teacher integrated cooperative learning in speaking activities through group investigation. Moreover, the teacher allowed students to communicate with each other by using group work and gave the students practice with fluency while having the discussion and presentation. Then, the students’ perceptions toward cooperative learning have advantages in alleviating speaking anxiety in the learning activities. It indicates that students positively perceive cooperative learning as alleviating speaking anxiety.

The Use of Literary Adaptations in the EFL Classroom: A Case Study

The marriage of the two arts, literature and cinema, gave birth to the production of literary adaptations, which is inspiring to explore in an EFL (English as Foreign Language) literature classroom because EFL students are becoming reluctant readers with limited critical literacy. Literary texts in print might cause a loss of interest in literature class. That is why the teacher has always secured material that will keep students' learning literature an enjoyable experience. The researcher experimented on a group of fourth-year English classical system students at Djilali Liabes University, Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria, to bring about a change. In their British Literature classroom, one projected "Pride and Prejudice," Austen's film adaptation (2005), to observe students' abilities in criticizing the Film and discussing it and to discover to what extent it will make them eager to read the novel and get engaged. Hence, based on the structured observation during the film projection and the semi-structured questionnaires, the researcher found that Austen's adaptation was fruitful since it pushed students into critiquing what is visual and showing interest in further reading the written word. In addition, it contributed to memorizing and discovering some of the British cultural aspects of that era. Therefore, opting for a cinematic milieu in a literature classroom can have dual aims: educating and entertaining, raising students' visual awareness through readings of adaptations by concertizing what is written.

Investigating the effectiveness of blended learning in English foreign language classroom

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced educational institutions worldwide to explore new learning modes, including blended learning, which combines face-to-face instruction with online learning. Despite the potential benefits of blended learning, its effectiveness is influenced by several factors that can pose challenges, particularly in terms of student outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the attitudes of third-year English students toward blended learning. A total of 45 students completed an online questionnaire, and three teachers participated in interviews. Results indicated that students had mixed attitudes towards blended learning and generally preferred face-to-face instruction over online learning. Additionally, the study found that while some teachers expressed negative attitudes toward blended learning, others recognized its potential effectiveness and importance. These results highlight the need for educators to consider the challenges and advantages of blended learning and provide appropriate support and resources to help students adapt to this new mode of learning.
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 Keywords: Attitude; blended Learning; Covid-19; E-learning; face-to-face instruction; learning English.

THE REFLECTION OF STUDENTS’ EFL CLASSROOMS ANXIETY IN UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM

Anxiety is one of the constraints affecting EFL learners in acquiring the target language of the communicative classroom contexts, especially for university students. Therefore, the research aims to shed light on the students' English foreign language classroom anxiety in undergraduate programs. The research employed a qualitative approach with a case study design. This research involved sixty-two students in an undergraduate program. Purposive sampling was applied in this research to select the participants. The instruments used in this study were questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The Questionnaire adopted from Horwitz, Horwitz, and Cope (1986) consisted of 33 items. The result revealed that the average student's anxiety level was 114, categorized as anxious in the EFL classrooms. Another result showed that the students experienced some symptoms and phenomena based on the three subdimensions, indicating anxiety in EFL classrooms.

THE INTERPLAY OF TEACHERS’ BELIEFS, ATTITUDES, AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION IN INDONESIAN EFL CONTEXTS

The aims of this study were to examine the relationship between teachers’ beliefs and attitudes about differentiation and the implementation of this approach in English as Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms in Indonesia. The study also aimed to examine the impact of these practices on student engagement and motivation. A total of 100 teachers from several different schools participated in the study which were scattered from the major islands in Indonesia, and the data were collected using a self-report questionnaire that was administered online by provided with link. Correlations analysis were conducted to examine the relationships between the variables. The results showed that teachers’ beliefs and attitudes about differentiation had a strong positive correlation with the implementation of this approach in their classrooms (r = 0.75, p 0.001). in addition, professional development in differentiation was positively correlated with teachers’ beliefs and attitudes about this approach (r = 0.65, p 0.001). The results also indicated a strong positive relationship between teachers’ beliefs and attitudes about differentiation and student achievement in EFL classrooms (r = 0.80, p 0.001). These findings suggest that teachers’ beliefs and attitudes about differentiation play a significant role in their implementation of this approach in the classroom, and that differentiated instruction has the potential to improve student achievement and engagement in EFL classroom in Indonesia. However, further research with a larger and more diverse sample is needed to fully understand these relationships in the Indonesian context.

Perceptions of Education Stakeholders on Use of Code-Switching in English Foreign Language Classrooms in Primary Schools in Tanzania

Code switching is used as a strategy for teaching of English foreign language in Tanzania public primary school contexts. It is however not officially recognised as one of the strategies for teaching and learning the English subject. Little attention has been given to the use of code switching for teaching and learning English as a foreign language in relation to how it minimises the opportunity to use the target language. The paper is informed by various perspectives on use of code switching in the language teaching and learning classroom. In particular, the paper is pegged on the view that in the foreign language classroom exposure and use of the target language is prime and should be maximised. This paper presents findings from a study that investigated the use of code switching in English language teaching and learning process where a qualitative approach was used. The findings of the study showed code switching negatively affects language proficiency of learners, as it lowers students’ ability to master English language, hinders language learning and it contributes to challenges students face during exams. Code switching impedes English language learning and should be avoided so as to develop a tendency for practicing speaking English language during English sessions. It is recommended to persistently teach English through English in the foreign language context to maximise use and the linguistic space for effective learning of the language.

Teachers' Perspective towards Using the "Lets View" Application as Innovative Learning Media for Elementary Students in English Foreign Language Classroom

The advancement of technology has a significant impact on teaching English nowadays. One of the tools that can quickly provide access to language learning is a mobile device. Moreover, the rising use of mobile devices or Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) has been closely linked to the role of EFL teachers. Hence, this study aimed to investigate teachers' perspectives towards using the "Lets View" application for elementary students in the EFL classroom. The study was conducted by implementing a qualitative method. The instrument used in this study was questionnaires and interviews. The subject of this study was six English elementary school teachers who teach using the LV application in a private school in Surabaya. The results showed that using the new learning media, such as the LV application in EFL classrooms, is very useful for teachers. It is due to that this application can use mobile phones or iPad as the second portable blackboard for teaching reading, writing, and vocabulary and giving quizzes for beginner-level students. The researchers also revealed four obstacles EFL teachers face when implementing the LV application: internet connection, time limitation, lack of teachers' competence, and lack of student's English skills. Besides, several ways to increase students' learning engagement include allowing students to raise their hands, playing the game on the application, and guessing English vocabulary by giving pictures that appeared on it. To sum up, teachers viewed the LV application as suitable media for learning English at school.

Pragmatic modifiers in teachers’ polite requests in EFL classroom interaction in Manggarai, Indonesia

This research mainly explores pragmatic modifiers in shaping teachers’ polite requests in English Foreign Language classroom interaction (henceforth: EFL). The research was designed qualitatively, employing non-participant observation and field-note methods. Audio-video recording and note-taking were used to obtain the data on the male and female teachers’ utterances during classroom interaction. The key apparatuses are a smartphone Vivo of Y21 and a digital voice recorder of 32 GB to capture natural-occurring data. The data were analysed through three interactive procedures of qualitative data analysis; data condensation, display, and conclusion drawing. The data interpretation was primarily drawn on the pragmatic theory of politeness, FTAs, and pragmatic modifiers. Part of the data was analysed from language and gender perspectives. The findings yielded that the male and female teachers applied internal and external pragmatic modifiers to enact polite requests in classroom interaction settings. The internal pragmatic modifiers cover downtoner, politeness marker, appreciative opening, and hedged performative opening. The external pragmatic modifiers include vocative, disarmer, and propitiator. There is a slight difference between male and female teachers in realising those types of pragmatic modifiers. It was partly related to the features of women’s language. However, such empirical evidence could not be directly generated for language and gender. The findings have implications for further investigations to probe the issue in depth.

An Investigation into the Effect of Self-assessment on Improving EFL Learners' Motivation in EFL Grammar Achievements

In recent years, there has been an increasing focus on the role of the student in the learning process and boosting motivation for English as Foreign Language (EFL) learners. Motivation is widely considered to be a key aspect of being a successful learner. Moreover, there is a general consensus in the literature that motivation is one of the key learner characteristics. This present study aims to examine the impact of self-assessment as an alternative form of assessment on enhancing motivation and EFL learners' grammar achievements. To this end, the students in the experimental and control groups were all exposed to the same content and instructional method and had the same instructor. There was only one difference. The students in the experimental group self-assessed themselves, while the students in the control group were assessed by their instructor. The design of methodology is quasi-experimental design. The results revealed that self-assessment has a strong role in promoting the learners' motivation in EFL grammar achievements. The results have provided further evidence confirming that self-assessment as an alternative form of assessment is a useful for accounting for students' performance and learning. The present study has shed light on how self-assessment was found to affect learners' achievements and motivation in class. The issue of English grammar instruction in EFL classroom is intriguing and could have some recommendations for future research. As discussed in methodology, the method applied for control group was the conventional method, while a further study could present teaching grammar through other methods.

Exploring the Effects of E-learning to Maximize EFL Students’ Learning Efficiency

The study identifies and analyzes some of the benefits and pitfalls of e-learning, as well as future-proof solutions. Internet technologies have been included in the English as Foreign Language (EFL) teaching process, providing more convenience for teachers to teach English. In the present E-learning environment of any institution of higher education, new pedagogical concepts and approaches have increased the process' efficacy. The research investigates the effectiveness of e-learning，its limitations and opportunities within the EFL classroom setting, especially in the context of the Covid-19 epidemic

Enhancing language skills through English novel instruction

The use of literature, particularly novels, is crucial in English-as-Foreign-Language (EFL) classrooms for language skill development. Education today emphasizes holistic learning, fostering independence, and personality development. This approach requires rethinking traditional teaching methods and considering interdisciplinary aspects. English holds a pivotal role in creativity and communication fields, making it essential for fostering intercultural competence, identity development, altered perspectives, and tolerance. Literature greatly contributes to these goals. The study focuses on the impact of teaching novels in EFL classrooms, determining suitable texts for language learning. Novels are unanimously recognized as an effective tool for instilling reading habits in students. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the novel's potential to enhance students’ language skills, focusing on vocabulary expansion and grammatical structure acquisition. Additionally, the study aims to identify shortcomings in current teaching methods employed for novels in classrooms. Through statistical analysis of tests conducted, this research successfully demonstrates that when novels are methodically and earnestly integrated into linguistic instruction, they significantly contribute to learners’ language development. Despite the importance of novels in language education, their full potential remains untapped due to inadequate teaching approaches. The study reveals a notable disparity between students’ pre-test and post-test scores, highlighting the impactful role of comprehensive and effective novel-based language teaching methods.

Emergency Remote Teaching During COVID-19: Saudi University Teachers' Perceptions of EFL Classroom Interaction in Synchronous Online Lessons

COVID-19 caused a shift in language teaching from face-to-face lessons (F2FLs) to synchronous online lessons (SOLs) conducted via videoconferencing systems (VCS). This paper explores teachers’ perceptions about VCS affordances for classroom interaction, their ability to create learning opportunities, and the challenges they faced and suggestions on how to overcome them. Following a mixed-methods approach, 20 English as foreign language (EFL) teachers at a Saudi University completed questionnaires and five participated in semi-structured interviews. Findings indicated that the webcam was the least used VCS functionality to facilitate interaction. Teachers thought that they created learning opportunities in SOLs but not as much/well as in F2FLs. Insufficient technological and pedagogical knowledge and skills were identified as main challenges which impeded interaction in SOLs.