English Foreign Language Classroom Research Articles

Teacher’s Epistemic Beliefs about the Integration of Digital Literacy in the EFL Classroom

Digital literacy is the skill which highly important to effectively use digital technology and to survive in the digital-rich environment. The study examines two in-service teachers’ epistemic beliefs about the integration of digital literacy in the English Foreign Language classroom. The participants of the study are two English teachers in senior high school in Indonesia. The case study research design was used in the study, and qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the data obtained from the participants. The finding of the study revealed that digital literacy was perceived as a basic skill for learning with digital technology, a skill for collaboration and communication, a skill for evaluating information, and skill for reproduction. The study provided more insight to enhance the understanding of in-service teachers’ belief about the integration of digital literacy.

The Effect of Social Media Networking Use in EFL Classrooms in Saudi Arabia: An Argumentative Review

This study provides an argumentative literature review of the research done in the use of social media in EFL acquisition in Saudi Arabia since 2014. Starting from 455 sources, 15 articles were selected using predefined selection criteria. The documents were analyzed and coded using these classifications: participants, educational level, study design, SNS being reviewed, pedagogical practice, and learning impact. This information allowed identification of major educational outcomes related to the integration of social networking sites (SNSs) into English as Foreign Language (EFL) learning and teaching in Saudi Arabia. It also shed light on reservations and difficulties faced in integrating SNSs into the EFL acquisition classroom. The results of this literature review indicate the importance of adopting social networking sites in elementary and preparatory stages in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, there should be an interest in analyzing learners’ and teachers’ motivations and attitudes toward social networking sites.

The effect of differentiated instruction on the development of reading comprehension skills in EFL beginner students

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Differentiated Instruction (DI) on the development of reading skills in English as Foreign Language (EFL) beginner undergraduate students, as well as to evaluate their perceptions of the effectiveness of DI on reading lessons. The sample was made up of 69 Ecuadorian EFL learners, divided in two groups: 36 students who were part of the experimental group, and 33 from the control group. The research instruments were a diagnostic reading test, a Pre-test and a Post-test on reading comprehension skills, and an exit survey about students’ opinions about the use of DI in the EFL classroom. The research results showed that before intervention, in the diagnostic reading test, both groups had a low percentage of reading understanding, while the post-test results were significantly higher. Additionally, the students acknowledged the effectiveness of DI as a tool for teachers to meet the learners’ individual needs and interests, as well as a way to generate opportunities to develop reading abilities at a literal level. Students agreed that DI motivated them to read in English and boosted their self-confidence to do it aloud. Therefore, it can be said that DI is as an effective and motivating methodology that can be implemented in the EFL classroom for the development of reading comprehension skills.

Integrating Web 2.0 Tools in Writing Class to Promote Assessment for Learning

Technology has been implemented for instruction with various resources to explore course content and assess students’ learning. In this study, Web 2.0 tools was implemented in writing classroom for Higher education students. A Web 2.0 tools that was used was because it is known as an online means and has been used to perpetuate interactions and communication within a collaborative learning. Assessment is central to teaching and learning, from which a decision whether or not the goals of education are being met. At the same time, the demand of today’s era makes it quite challenging for educators to find the best way to assess their students. Action research method was employed in the study in which observation and individual semi-structured interviews we re used to collect the data. The result of the study is the knowledge of implementation of Web 2.0 tools in EFL (English as foreign language) classroom, from which a guidance of using Web 2.0 tools to promote assessment for learning will be arrived at. This study concludes that Web 2.0 tools can be applied to promote Assessment for learning, and it has several benefits to the student s to improve their learning quality.

EXPLORING IMPLEMENTATION OF STUDENT’S DIARY AS A LEARNING REFLECTION IN EFL WRITING SKILL

This paper is a qualitaive case study regarding one of learning strategies in English as Foreign Language (EFL) writing, literally called “student’s diary”. The students’ diary can be defined as a brief narrative text created by students that might be a brief summary of what they have learnt, teachers’ feedback and evaluation, or even a general impression about their writing process. It aims to naturally encourage students to conduct a comprehensive reflection on their progress in EFL writing through “a diary” in each writing class they have. As what has been perceived among EFL scholars, the use of student’s diary is effective in enhanching student’s interest in writing and it can improve students’ writing as well. The participants of this study are 30 students of EFL classroom in the fourth semester at STKIP Muhammadiyah Bogor who have taken the various writing subjects in their previous semesters. The researcher tried to investigate how the typical of student’s diary for learning reflection is, how the real implementation of student’s diary is conducted in EFL learners’ learning process, and to what extent it can be effective related to the strengths and weaknesses involved in the implementation process. Advisory and suggestion on giving corrective feedback regarding linguistic aspects in students’ writing in the use of student’s diary as well is presented as the implication of this research for further related studies

Using Science Fiction Films to Advance Critical Literacies for EFL Students in China

As a unique literary genre, science fiction can serve as a motivating text to develop students’ critical analytical skills and to promote critical thinking about new technology and its societal controversies under proper guidance. In the field of English as Foreign Language (EFL) learning, using science fiction films in the classroom affords EFL learners new language-learning experiences. This paper explains how films, as a multimodal resource in EFL classes, can enrich students’ multiliteracies—specifically how the science fiction genre can develop students’ critical literacies under careful meaning-making curriculum design. A preliminary study, taking 30 students in a foreign language high school in China, is reported in this paper. Findings reveal that carefully selected science fiction films such as I am Legend and Blade Runner can serve as pivotal sources for developing EFL learners’ literacy under the multiliteracies pedagogy. Such films can also connect students with Western ideology to reinforce their identity as participants in globalization. This study further suggests that key points in successful design of the course in an EFL classroom include posing critical questions to promote critical thinking and actively analyzing multimodal texts to uncover underlying meanings in source material.

Preservice EFL teachers’ collaborative understanding of lesson study

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report on a small-scale research undertaken to examine the preservice English as foreign language (EFL) teachers’ collaborative understanding of lesson study. It constitutes the first of two empirical steps undertaken for integrating lesson study in initial EFL teacher education. The paper takes to the belief that preservice teachers’ understanding is a key factor that determines success or failure of lesson study projects and should therefore be investigated. Design/methodology/approach There were four preservice teachers who volunteered to participate in the study. Data were collected based on two procedures. Participants read the works of Lewis and Tsuchida (1999) and Dudley (2014) and were asked to collaboratively reflect about their readings on a WhatsApp platform. They were afterwards brought to a face-to-face discussion guided by questions mostly built from their previous reflections on the WhatsApp platform. Findings Participants have demonstrated a joint understanding which was essentially achieved due to the collaborative procedures. Likewise, participants have collaboratively reflected on the factors that could affect the process of lesson study and its application to EFL classrooms in Niger. These factors have been related to the issues in research methodology and the contextual learning culture. Originality/value The findings from this study draw attention to the need for teacher educators to use interactive and collaborative strategies while instructing preservice teachers about lesson study. The paper also offers insights about contextual factors which require preliminary and immediate actions before implementing lesson study in Niger.

Incorporating Professional Initiatives in EFL Classrooms: A Way to Treat Pedagogical Solitude

In this climate of the expansion of globalization, in today’s classrooms, encouraging student investment in writing is paramount. Due to the complicatedness of this skill, many teachers find it difficult to make their learners aware of the divergent phases of writing so they produce better compositions. Thus, the professionalism of teachers is inevitably essential in shaping the learners’ writing ability (assisting students as they develop a piece of writing, and boosting their engagement with writing), and learners can achieve successful learning outcomes if they grasp how best to improve their work. To make language learning more effective, there is a need for pursuing professional growth and providing conditions where teachers cooperate to attain higher levels of learning among their students. Indeed, professional development for a teacher is about acquiring new skills, creating a potent learning atmosphere, surmounting the barriers, rectifying the failures and moving forward. It provides ongoing opportunities for educators to continue to identify teaching/learning problems, develop solutions, raise their performance, address students’ needs and up their achievements. The present paper sets out to take a closer look at how teachers work with writing among the first year English as foreign language (EFL) students. It tends to offer an instruction based on a set of professional development methods that provide practitioners with several avenues to implement them in classroom practice. To this end, findings of the research indicate that the proposed strategies can lead to a virtuous bond between the teaching/learning process of written expression that may generate beneficial knowledge, valuable teaching, and constructive learning results.

The role of extensive listening in english foreign language (EFL) class

Aims of the research are (1) to know how extensive listening applied in EFL classroom, (2) To know the students’ reflection dealing with EL’s role in developing their listening comprehension ability. Method of the research is a reflective learning by investigating students’ reflection in the process of learning in extensive listening and its role for their listening comprehension ability. Data taken from students’ writing journal in ten meetings during teaching and learning practice. Besides, interview was used to confront the diaries and their experiences during learning listening in EFL classroom

STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION ON THE USED OF LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY (LCD) PROJECTOR IN ENGLISH FOREIGN LANGUAGE (EFL) CLASSROOM

In line with information and communication technology development, foreign-language teachers should prepare more exciting ways to enhance students’ motivation in learning foreign language. One of the innovative media is Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) projector. Thus this article aims to find out and to describe students’ perception on Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) projector in learning English Foreign Language (EFL). This research conducted for the second year students of SMA Negeri 1 Bireuen in academic year 2018/2019 with total population 331 students and 90 of them were the sample. This was a qualitative descriptive research, and questionnaire was used as the instrument to obtain the data. Moreover, the simple calculation of descriptive statistics was used in analyzing the data, such as mean and percentage. The result revealed that the availability of Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) projector in EFL classroom built a more conducive and vivid learning atmosphere, so the students’ motivation was also improved.

Using self-assessment to assess rural young learners’ writing skills in English foreign language classroom

Authentic assessment describes the multiple forms of assessment that reflect student learning, achievement, motivation, and attitudes on instructionally relevant classroom activities. There are four forms of authentic assessment like project assessment, performance assessment, portfolio assessment and self-assessment. In this research, the researcher focus on investigate students in self-assessment. Self-assessment is a process of formative assessment during which students reflect on and evaluate the quality of their work and their learning, judge the degree to which they reflect explicitly stated goals or criteria, identify strengths and weaknesses in their work. It is also to realize the goals of students-centered learning. Self-assessment aims to help students to be independent learners. Self-assessment is considered important to the development of lifelong language learning skills and the development of more comprehensive assessment practices. One of Senior High School students from twelve grade in a rural school in Denpasar participated in this research. The research is based on the theory that metacognitive skills such as self-regulation and self-monitoring are important for the development of autonomous learning skills. Data were collected by observing them during the English class and at the end of the series of observations, and an interview session was conducted with each of them for triangulation. This research is also revealed that using self-assessment to assess young learners’ writing skills is beneficial and effective in helping them to write in the English language classroom. The value of this study is to suggest the use of a more authentic classroom assessment, particularly in English language teaching and learning.   &nbsp

Exploring the Role of Teacher Talk in Saudi EFL Classroom: Importance of F-Move in Developing Studentss Spoken Skill

English language teaching in Saudi Arabia faces several challenges from both teacher and students’ perspective. Teacher Talk (TT) is one of the areas of teaching and learning which is often neglected in classroom research even with its high importance in student learning. Identifying the literature gap on TT in specific sociocultural contexts, this study aims to investigate different types of f-moves in Teacher Talk and their impact on developing students’ dialogic skills in English as Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms in Saudi Arabia. The IRF sequence (initiation, response, feedback or F-move) is considered a common sequence of TT in Saudi EFL classrooms. This study uses Cullen’s (2002) analytical framework which focuses on the third sequence of the IRF and Vygotsky’s (1978) sociocultural theory to explore the emerging themes of TT in Saudi Arabian secondary classrooms. The methodology of the study is a qualitative case study, and the participants of the study are 18 secondary school teachers all share Arabic as their first language. The data was collected through classroom observation, audio-recording of forty-five-minute classroom lessons, and semi-structured teacher interviews. The analysis focused on the discoursal and evaluative role of F-Move. The data analysis shows three F-Move types 1) F-Move Repetition Discoursal 2) F-Move Evaluative 3) F-Move Elaborative Discoursal. The findings point out that these F-Moves may increase student-teacher interaction, identification, and correction of errors, and maintain and guide dialogic conversation/interaction between teacher and students if it is correctly oriented. The data analysis shows examples in which TT promotes students’ involvement and increases their dialogic skills while, on the other hand, when TT reduces students’ potential to participate and consequently reduces the students’ spoken output.

Exploring the Role of Teacher Talk in Saudi EFL Classroom: Importance of F-Move in Developing Students’ Spoken Skill

English language teaching in Saudi Arabia faces several challenges from both teacher and students’ perspective. Teacher Talk (TT) is one of the areas of teaching and learning which is often neglected in classroom research even with its high importance in student learning. Identifying the literature gap on TT in specific sociocultural contexts, this study aims to investigate different types of f-moves in Teacher Talk and their impact on developing students’ dialogic skills in English as Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms in Saudi Arabia. The IRF sequence (initiation, response, feedback or F-move) is considered a common sequence of TT in Saudi EFL classrooms. This study uses Cullen’s (2002) analytical framework which focuses on the third sequence of the IRF and Vygotsky’s (1978) sociocultural theory to explore the emerging themes of TT in Saudi Arabian secondary classrooms. The methodology of the study is a qualitative case study, and the participants of the study are 18 secondary school teachers all share Arabic as their first language. The data was collected through classroom observation, audio-recording of forty-five-minute classroom lessons, and semi-structured teacher interviews. The analysis focused on the discoursal and evaluative role of F-Move. The data analysis shows three F-Move types 1) F-Move Repetition Discoursal 2) F-Move Evaluative 3) F-Move Elaborative Discoursal. The findings point out that these F-Moves may increase student-teacher interaction, identification, and correction of errors, and maintain and guide dialogic conversation/interaction between teacher and students if it is correctly oriented. The data analysis shows examples in which TT promotes students’ involvement and increases their dialogic skills while, on the other hand, when TT reduces students’ potential to participate and consequently reduces the students’ spoken output.

Teaching Reading Comprehension In EFL Classroom: A Glance At Some Approaches And Activities

English reading educators in English Foreign Language classroom in Indonesian are often mystified how to teach well reading comprehension to their students. This paper will propose about pedagogy of teaching reading comprehension in EFL classroom relating to the activities in reading instruction, comprehension skills focusing on primary and intermediate level ,and strategies in teaching reading comprehension in order to become their students as effective readers and to improve their students’ reading comprehension suitable with students’ English reading proficiency.Key words: reading comprehension, activities in reading, primary, intermediate level, strategies.

Questions and answers in EFL classroom

This study aims at knowing: 1) types of questions and answers used in English as Foreign Language (EFL) classroom dialogue of Junior High School in the city of Kupang, Indonesia; and 2) grammatical errors of questions and answers used by teacher and students in EFL classroom dialogue of the school studied. The research used a qualitative research method. Its subjects were one EFL teacher and His grade VIII students that have been chosen purposively. The instruments used for data collection were interviews and observations. Data were analyzed descriptively. The result shows that there were five types of questions and answers used by teacher and students in EFL classroom dialogues. They were descriptive questions, relational question, causal questions, the grammatical form including polar questions and non-polar questions. The errors found in the teacher and students' questions and answers were ommission, misformation, and misordering.

Culture Presentation In The Algerian English Foreign Language Classroom:, The Case Of Setif Secondary Schools, Algeria

La presente etude porte sur l’evaluation de la presentation de la culture dans la classe d’Anglais comme langue etrangere dans le cycle secondaire algerien. Elle vise a comprendre les opinions des enseignants a l'egard de l'enseignement de la culture, a evaluer les connaissances des apprenants en matiere de culture et a explorer les types et les categories de culture dans les manuels scolaires. L'etude est menee a travers des approches qualitatives et quantitatives. Des questionnaires ont ete remis aux enseignants et aux apprenants et une analyse de contenu a ete faite sur les trois manuels scolaires“At the Crossroads”, “Getting Through” et “New Prospects”. Les resultats montrent que la presentation de la culture ne permet pas aux apprenants de communiquer dans des situations de communication interculturelle. De ce fait, des recommandations sont suggerees pour remedier aux lacunes. Mots Cles : Culture, Langue Et Culture, Grand C Culture, Petit C Culture, Culture Ciblee, Culture Source

Creativity in the EFL Classroom: Exploring Teachers’ Knowledge and Perceptions

As a response to the new requirements and needs of this fast-changing information era, higher education systems all over the world are focusing on developing learners’ higher mental competences including creative thinking. The current study aims at exploring teachers’ knowledge about the general concepts of creative thinking and its related skills. Moreover, the study attempts to investigate teachers’ perceptions about creativity and its incorporation in the English foreign language (EFL) Classroom. To examine these issues, a questionnaire was administered to twenty-seven EFL teachers from the English department of Badji Mokhtar university, Algeria. The Findings reveal that although teachers hold positive perceptions about promoting creative thinking in the EFL classroom, they generally consider creativity as a quite confusing concept and have uncertain knowledge about its characteristics.

Implementing Learner-Centered Teaching in an English Foreign Language (EFL) Classroom

This research was initiated following the widespread claim regarding the success of learner-centered teaching approach across all disciplines. It seeks to examine whether such a claim is true by implementing a theoretical framework of learner centered teaching in an EFL Classroom. A qualitative design involving a teacher of English and a number of learners from a vocational higher institution was used. The findings of this study overall proved that the implementation of this learner-centered teaching framework could make a difference in students’ learning. Their learning became more meaningful, interesting and democratic. Apart from this positive change, it was identified that teacher’s understanding of implementing this framework was still limited resulting in the inconsistency of implementing all aspects of learner centered teaching approach. This study could highlight issues unique to the context of this research but were not covered in the framework. It, therefore, produced an extended framework. Findings from this study can be used for teachers who are interested in implementing the learner-centered teaching approach.

Teachers’ Beliefs versus Learners’ Beliefs in Grammar Teaching: Harmonizing Teaching and Learning for Adult Learners’ Improved Proficiency in English

The study tends to explore the possible reforms to raise the proficiency level of the adult English as Foreign Language (EFL) learners. With this end in view, it investigates non-native EFL teachers’ beliefs in relation to adult learners’ beliefs in teaching grammar to university students in the Saudi Arabian EFL context. It finds out the harmony and disharmony between the teachers at the giving end and the taught at the receiving end to create a culture of awareness and to build a better teaching-learning environment. The study tries to fill the existing research gap as no previous research has tried to find out the solution to the problem from this angle. The main data collection tools are two five-point Likert-scale questionnaires, administered to 70 non-native EFL teachers and their 80 adult students. Teachers and learners have been selected based on stratified random sampling. Quantitative data have been analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). The major findings of the study are that there is discrepancy in the grammar teaching beliefs of the EFL teachers and the taught and there is a communication gap between them which result into low English proficiency level of the EFL adult learners. Eventually, pedagogical implications of the lack of harmony between the teachers’ teaching creeds and the learners’ learning demands/expectations are provided for effective grammar teaching and better EFL classroom environment. The study recommends a better communicative harmony in both the stakeholders to bring reforms in adult education in EFL context.

The Effectiveness of Using Films in the EFL Classroom: A Case Study Conducted at an International University in Thailand

Films have always been seen as an entertainment and its power since birth has had strong impact on people’s lives. Today, films are no longer thought of as simple entertainment media but rather educational tools as well. Globalization has contributed greatly to the availability of English-language films and that enriches the source of English learning material dramatically. This research paper explores the effect of using English films in English as foreign language (EFL) classroom. It reveals the effect on developing students’ motivation, comprehension as well as communication skills. The study was carried out on a sample of two groups: an experimental group using films alongside their course book and a control group taught in a conventional way. The participants were classified as pre-intermediate level. The findings of this study have shown that those in the experimental group significantly outperformed their control group counterpart in terms of motivation and language production. Also, this study offers pedagogical implications for EFL teachers to use films in their classrooms to enhance students’ listening and speaking skills which as a result improved students’ learning.