English Department Research Articles

Learning Phrasal Verbs Through Cognitive Linguistics-Approaches: A Case Study of Kurdish EFL University Students

This study aims to examine the effects of cognitive linguistic approaches on learning English idiomatic phrasal verbs among Kurdish EFL university students. The participants of this study were 62 sophomores in the English Department, at Soran University. They were enrolled in the course ‘Communication Skills’, the first semester of the academic year 2022-2023, and they were put into two distinct groups the control and the experiment groups, with 31 students in each group. Students in both groups received instruction from the same lecturer for thirteen weeks. The control and experiment groups were given instructional treatments based on traditional methods and cognitive linguistic approaches, respectively. A semi-structured interview and pre-and post-tests were used as the instruments of the study for data collection. The descriptive statistics of SPSS analysis, by paired samples t-tests, indicated that students in the experiment group outperformed those in the control group. Concerning (p < 0.05), the difference between both groups was statistically significant in favour of the experiment group (t = 2.186, p = .037). Besides, the difference between both groups related to exposed items was not statistically significant (t = 1.153, p = .258). Additionally, the difference between both groups related to unexposed items was statistically significant in favour of the experiment group (t = 2.934, p = .006). The interviewees’ statements supported the statistical data, and they considered cognitive-based lesson plans helpful and joyful.

Investigating the Impact of Blended Learning on Kurdish EFL Learners’ Speaking Skills at Two Selected Universities in Kurdistan

The current study aims to investigate the impact of blended learning on learners’ speaking skills. Blended learning combines traditional or face-to-face learning with online or electronic learning. The study compares students’ performance in traditional and blended classes. The samples were 190 second-stage students in the academic year 2021-2022 selected from the English departments at Soran and Salahaddin Universities, who studied. The study used a quasi-experimental method to collect data. Based on the mentioned method, there are two groups, the control group, which follows the traditional method and the experimental group, which is taught by blended learning. The results reveal that students' speaking skills improved in both groups. However, the students’ performance who experienced blended learning in the experimental group showed better performance than those who studied the traditional method in the control group, one of the reasons could be the accessibility to authentic material.

THE VOICE OF ELT STUDENTS AT ISLAMIC COLLEGE ON ACADEMIC LIFE

Research shows that student voice might be an influencing factor in the future transformation and innovation of English language teaching (ELT). The voice has long been believed to be an instrument that could provide ELT practitioners and policymakers with meaningful feedback for the betterment of curricula, materials, and classroom practices. However, there are limited discussions exploring ELT student voice in such particular educational contexts as Islamic colleges. This article aims to contribute to our understanding of that rarely discussed voice with a particular focus on: (a) the students‟ best experience as English education students at an Islamic college; (b) the students‟ perceptions related to dress code and exams; and (3) the students‟ self- assessment of English language skills. This study presents a survey study on 278 students in the English language education department at an Islamic college in Lampung province, Indonesia. The data are drawn from a survey consisting of open-ended questions distributed to the respondents at the end of the semester. Data analysis was conducted qualitatively, ranging from preparing and organizing the data to interpreting the meaning of the data in line with the research questions and theoretical review. The findings reveal that among the students' best experiences were the Islamic atmosphere, affordable tuition fees, religious education, professional lecturers, and scholarship availability. The majority of students agreed with the dress code regulation and had problems with cheating on the final examinations. The findings also show that more than half of the respondents are not sure about their English competency. This study offers important implications for English teacher education in Islamic educational contexts.

دراسة العوامل التي تؤثر عل المشاركة الاكاديمية لطلبة الجامعة.

This study investigates the factors that affect students' academic engagement and identifies the relevant factor. Using a sampling approach, the study involved 27 seventh-semester English department students from Abu- Issa Faculty of Education who completed questionnaires and five students who conducted interviews. A convergent parallel design was utilized to gather data through both quantitative methods involving questionnaires and interviews. The data analysis involved utilizing values determining deviations, and performing content analysis, for the interview responses. The study findings showed that factors related to teachers play a significant role in predicting students’ academic involvement. Specifically highlighted was the importance of teacher feedback in this aspect. Students also stressed the significance of teacher supportiveness, reliable communication and effective teaching practices. Furthermore, the study noted that peer assistance and parental participation were aspects contributing to engagement. The recommendation for increasing engagement is for educators to concentrate on giving feedback, while families should establish supportive settings for learning. Keywords: Academic Engagement, predicators of engagement, university level

The Effectiveness of Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR) in Improving Students’ Reading Comprehension

This study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR) in enhancing students’ reading comprehension. Pre-experimental research was applied in the form of one group pre-test/post-test design to understand the influence of CSR on the students’ reading comprehension. Study participants included 30 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students in their second semester of study in the English Department of a West Java private university. This sampling was determined through purposive sampling. The data for the research question of this study was collected through two test instruments - a pre-test and a post-test - with each consisting of 50 questions in each test in the form of multiple choice and observation. Both tests contained questions based on the five indicators of Barrett's taxonomy: literal comprehension, reorganization, inferential comprehension, evaluation, and appreciation. The study applied a gain-score calculation in which the average N-gain score is 61.38. The results showed that the Sig. (2-tailed) value was 0.000 <0.05. Therefore, based on the decision-making criteria, it can be concluded that there is a significant difference between learning outcomes in the pre-test data and post-test data. This means that the implementation of CSR is quite effective in enhancing the students’ reading comprehension competence.

DIFFICULTIES OF TRANSLATING POLYSEMOUS LEXICAL ITEMS AND THE STRATEGIES ADOPTED: A CASE STUDY OF EFL LEARNERS AT SABER FACULTY OF SCIENCE AND EDUCATION – DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH - UNIVERSITY OF LAHIJ

This study aimed to investigate the knowledge of the undergraduate students in translating three Arabic polysemous lexical items into English in different contexts. The research aimed to assess the student's proficiency in giving the meaning of polysemous words and measure their ability to select appropriate equivalents as well as the strategies adopted. The study involved thirty students from the Department of English, Saber Faculty of Science and Education. The participants carried out a translation test that contextualized three Arabic lexical polysemous lexical items (ضرب - حصر- تخفيف) within fifteen sentences. Statistical analysis of the data revealed a lack of knowledge among undergraduate students as they faced difficulties in constructing proper sentence patterns and a lack of competence in finding the exact English equivalents, resulting in challenges in selecting words that formed coherent English sentences and violating the sentence structure. Consequently, their production of correct English sentences was compromised. Furthermore, the study identified that the students relied on various language strategies, including L1 transfer, synonymy, avoidance, and paraphrasing, to facilitate their translation process. However, these strategies led to unsatisfactory English translations.

Exploring Factors that Influence Learners’ Interest in Writing-Based Activities in an EFL Classroom

Exploring Factors that Influence Learners’ Interest in Writing-Based Activities in an EFL Classroom 1-Maria Bhutto BS English Linguistic student, Department of Linguistics & Social Sciences, Begum Nusrat Bhutto Women University Sukkur maria3.20en006@bnbwu.edu.pk Rafique Ahmed Lakhan, Lecturer Department of Linguistics & Social Sciences, Begum Nusrat Bhutto Women University Sukkur rafique.ahned@bnbwu.edu.pk 3 Asadullah Balouch Designation: Lecturer, Department of English, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Nawabshah Email ID: asadullahbalouch@sbbusba.edu.pk Corresponding Author: Rafique Ahmed Lakhan Abstract: This study aims to identify the factors that influence learners’ interest in writing-based activities in an EFL classroom. Learners’ interest level varies; this research also aims to investigate the attitudes, preferences, and perceptions of learners in various writing tasks in an EFL classroom. And to what extent do these attitudes impact their performance in EFL writing activities. This research has explored attitudes of BS English students of Begum Nusrat Bhutto Women University, Sukkur. The qualitative research method was used to find the data. 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted. After analyzing the data, research found factors that influence learners’ interest are the types of writing activity, they are engaged in; the relevance and clarity of a topic; teachers’ support, constructive feedback and appreciation; and the learning environment in which the activities are incorporated. English is not a native language of interviewees, learners found writing activities beneficial as well as challengeable. This research is limited in an EFL context. Furthermore, it can also be conducted on a variety of tasks in various contexts in order to find out the variation in learners and for an effective learning environment.

EXAMINING STUDENTS’ ORAL CORRECTIVE FEEDBACK PREFERENCES FOR IMPROVING SPEAKING PROFICIENCY

This article examined the fundamental OFC types that students prefer for oral corrective feedback to improve their speaking ability in speaking class. It aims to give a clearer understanding of beliefs alignment between teachers and students, thus enabling them to choose appropriate OCF techniques that will enhance students’ performance. This study also contributes to the comprehension of OCF use in the educational context of Indonesia which is aimed at evidencing data-based learning. This research was carried out at Universitas Negeri Malang specifically in the Department of English and used descriptive quantitative design through surveys where respondents were 116. The instrument of this study was a questionnaire. The result indicates that when providing OCF, student emotions and preferences should be considered since these directly affect both the kind of feedback to be given and its effectiveness. In terms of the “delivery” of the feedback, students prefer metalinguistic and recast feedback types. However, there are some discrepancies in terms of their perceived effectiveness among students. Notably, metalinguistic, repetition, as well as recast OCF types, proved most advantageous concerning proficiency development. Furthermore, indirect OCF is more favored than direct administration timing. This research implies that metalinguistic, repetition, and recast feedback are types of OCF that are suitable for use in speaking classes with the aim of improving speaking performance. Since this research has not provided a data-based explanation of how students' preferred OCF helps improve their performance, future research is expected to conduct an in-depth exploration of its successful use.

Variability and Reliability of Examiners

This study aimed to assess the variability and reliability of examiners at a public university in Pakistan. Its primary focus was to identify the inter-rater reliability of teachers test scores to improve the testing standards by making teachers aware of their rating criteria, rating methods and their impact on the student’s final score. Data was collected from 8 teachers from the English department at a Pakistani public university and was analysed with the help of SPSS software. The study findings revealed that the teachers did not vary substantially in their overall evaluations and the interclass correlation between teachers’ ratings was 0.935 which indicates high inter-rater reliability. Moreover, a questionnaire filled out by the teachers after the scoring revealed that they hardly differed in their scoring criteria and did not vary significantly in selecting the sub skills of writing to be scored. These findings have further implications in promoting standardised assessment practices, fostering fairness and objectivity in student evaluations, and ultimately enhancing the quality and credibility of the university’s academic programs.

The Role of Extracurricular Activities on Kurdish EFL University Students’ writing skill performance

Participation in English language-oriented extracurricular activities outside the classroom results in the development and progress in EFL students’ language skills development the writing skill and written performances in particular. The current study investigates the roles and effects of extracurricular activities in enhancing the writing skill and written performances of Kurdish EFL university students. The design of this research is experimental as the study has been conducted at Charmo University which is one of the public Universities in Kurdistan region of Iraq. The participants are 50 Kurdish EFL university students who studied fourth semester in English language department during 2022 and 2023 academic years. They are randomly divided into two groups a control group with 25 students and an experimental group with 25 students as well. The data collection instruments were writing tests included a writing pretest and a writing posttest. A writing pretest was administrated to both of the groups at the beginning of the semester at the same date and time before starting intervention treatment which the treatment here means engaging in the activities by the experimental group of students. After the pretest directly the intervention started as the intervention duration lasted for ten weeks. Then after ten weeks of intervention a writing posttest was administrated to both of groups at the same date and time. The Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS 26) was used to perform all data analysis of the numerical results of the writing tests. The results of the statistical analysis of ANCOVA for the scores of both of the writing tests revealed significant different result between both of groups. The results disclosed students of the experimental group has achieved significant progress in their writing skill in terms of the written performance in comparison to the control group results due to the effect of the intervention which is here meant participation and engaging various English language-oriented extracurricular activities outside the classroom by the students of the experimental group .

Exploration of Metacognitive Strategies and Multimedia Resources to Improve Students' Listening Comprehension

Strategy and media are important matters in the education field that have a big impact on learning success. This study is designed to explore the effect of metacognitive strategy and multimedia resources on the listening ability of university students. This experimental quantitative study chose 40 second-semester students of the English Department of HKBP Nommensen University Medan as the samples that were divided into experimental and control groups. Then, pretest and post-test were administered to both of the groups to accomplish the aim of the study. The data of this research was taken from the student’s scores on the pre-test and post-test. The result of the test showed that the average score of the experimental group increased from 43.00 in the pre-test to 73.50 in the post-test. While in the control group, the average is 38.50 for the pre-test and 57.25 for the post-test. To complete the research result, the formula of the t-test was applied to the testing hypotheses. It showed that T-calculated T-table, in which T-calculated is 4.160, while the T-table is 2.024. this result indicated that the metacognitive strategy and multimedia resources had a big and significant impact on the students’ listening ability. It means that this strategy and learning media seem to be appropriate models to be used to increase the student’s ability in listening skills.

Difficulties That Facing EFL learners Of Second and Third Year of English Department at Omar Almukhtar University in Translating Idiomatic Expressions

الترجمة هي عملية تحويل النص الأصلي المكتوب من اللغة المصدر إلى نص مكتوب بلغة اخري، وبالتالي فأن الترجمة هي نقل للحضارة والثقافة والفكر. تعتبر ترجمة التعبيرات الاصطلاحية عملية صعبة ومعقدة تتطلب من الطالب ليس فقط التحكم في اللغات المنقولة إليهم، ولكن أيضاً أن يكون له حس ثقافي في كلتا اللغتين. يدور هذا البحث حول الصعوبات التي يواجهها الطلاب الليبيين في جامعة عمر المختار في ترجمة التعبيرات الاصطلاحية. يهدف البحث الي استقصاء نوع الصعوبة التي يواجهها الطلاب أثناء ترجمة التعبيرات ومحاولة اقتراح حلول قد تساعد في تقليل هذه الصعوبات. تتطلب الطريقة المختلطة للدراسة استخدام نهج وصفي لوصف الظاهرة قيد التحقيق، وتم استخدام برنامج إحصائي لوصف وتقييم البيانات التي تم جُمعها من الاستبيان. وتظهر النتائج أن الطلاب الليبيين يواجهون تحديات في ترجمة التعبيرات الاصطلاحية من الإنجليزية إلى العربية، كما يتضح من الاستجابات المتنوعة في اختبار الملاحظة. وتشير الترجمات الحرفية إلى عدم فهم معاني التعبيرات الاصطلاحية والسياق الثقافي. وتختتم الدراسة بتوصيات واقتراحات لمساعدة الطلاب على التغلب على التحديات التي يوجهونها في ترجمة التعبيرات الاصطلاحية.

Exploring Idiomatic Expressions in Demi Lovato's 'Heart Attack': A Student Translation

This study aims to determine the accuracy of students' translations of idiomatic expressions in song lyrics. The Data was collected from 24 students in the 4th semester of the English Department at Gorontalo State University. The song lyrics used for the study were from "Heart Attack" by Demi Lovato. Participants were given 30 minutes to translate the lyrics. The research utilized a qualitative method. Data analysis involved two steps: skimming the translations collected from participants and making notes on the presumed data, followed by identifying and classifying the accuracy of the translations. The study found that the quality of accurate translations was higher than that of inaccurate translations. Specifically, 42% of the translations were accurate, 40% were less accurate, and 18% were inaccurate. This indicates that the overall quality of students' translations of idioms is quite good, likely because some idioms in the song are familiar to them.

Gamer and Non-gamer Students in Listening Skills: A Comparative Study of Third Semester Students in Academic Year 2023/2024

This study aims to reveal if there are significant differences in extensive listening skills between gamer and non-gamer of 3rd-semester students at the University of Mataram. The subject of the study involves the 3rd-semester students in the English department of Mataram University which consists of 10 students in total, by using a questionnaire to divide between gamer and non-gamer students, the researcher found that 5 of them are gamers and 5 others are non-gamers. After dividing the students into two groups, they were given TOEIC listening tests to check their listening scores, and the data collected were checked using the independent sample t-test scaling method. From the result of the analysis, it was found that the critical t-value is 2.306 which is smaller than the t-value which is 3.952. Therefore the null hypothesis is rejected which means there are significant differences between gamer and non-gamer of 3rd-semester students at the University of Mataram.

University Students’ Awareness of the Role of Culture in the Language Learning Process

To learn English language and communicate in different contexts successfully, English language students need to learn about the culture of English native speakers in spite of mastering the linguistic knowledge of the language. Indeed, culture shapes the language just as it shapes the life of its speakers. However, it is unknown whether students are aware of the role of culture in the language learning process and in case they are aware, it is still not evident how they learn about the culture. To learn about these two aspects, the current study explores undergraduate students’ awareness in this regard. It uses a four-Likert scale questionnaire to elicit answers from 45 EFL junior students in English Department. The results demonstrated that the majority of students are aware of the role of culture on English language learning and they use different methods to learn about the culture. Their awareness can be exploited to make culture part of English language teaching programs at universities.

Critical writing in higher education: A need analysis survey

Critical thinking and writing are considered as one of the twenty-first century skills that must be acquired by students; however, research on this area still needs more empirical paucity of evidence. The present study aims to reveal English students’ learning needs on critical writing course at university level. Drawing on survey research, this study invites 437 undergraduate students majoring in English department from four universities in Surakarta municipality, Indonesia. Statistical analysis identifies key student priorities: acquiring, evaluating, and synthesizing information; effective communication; articulating their opinions; publishing their writings; and presenting materials at international forums. The data also reveal that English students encounter significant challenges in critically analyzing information and drawing conclusions from reading passages. Regarding their expectations for critical writing instruction, students aspire to enhance both their critical thinking and academic writing abilities. This is particularly pertinent for pre-service teachers who will need to teach content and produce both academic and non-academic publications. Additionally, the survey indicates a positive student response to incorporating technology (e.g., social media, networking sites, websites) into collaborative learning activities for critical writing courses. These findings provide valuable insights into the needs and expectations of English students regarding critical writing courses, offering a clear direction for course design and instructional strategies.

Navigating English-mediated online discourse: Communication strategies of Indonesian EFL learners in online discussions

For non-native English speakers, effective and meaningful communication in English can pose challenges due to potential limitations in their communicative competence. Such challenges can cause communication breakdowns if not effectively managed. This complexity is compounded when English communication occurs in an online setting, where technological issues and lack of social presence may disrupt the communication. This study aims to explore the communication strategies utilized by Indonesian EFL learners when participating in online group discussions. The data were collected from six groups of first-year English Department students involving a total of twenty-two students engaged in 20-minute online discussions per group. The analysis focused on the discourse produced by the participants during these discussions observing the strategies employed by the participants. The findings indicated that Indonesian EFL learners predominantly applied achievement and compensatory strategies. These strategies encompassed code-switching, circumlocution, approximation, the use of all-purpose words, word foreignizing, and appealing for help. Among these strategies, code-switching emerged as the prevailing strategy for Indonesian EFL learners engaged in online group discussions. While conversing, code- switching was automatically and naturally used, particularly when referring to Indonesian acronyms and names. At last, implications and future directions are addressed.

The Relationship Between Intercultural Sensitivity and Speaking Skills: Voices in Higher Education

This study aimed to assess the levels of intercultural sensitivity among students and to explore the potential correlation between intercultural sensitivity and the speaking proficiency of English department students in Indonesian institutions. To achieve these goals, a descriptive study design utilizing both quantitative and qualitative methods was employed. Data collection involved a questionnaire and interviews, with 64 students participating as respondents. The questionnaire included 24 items from the Intercultural Sensitivity Scale (ISS), which were answered on a four-point Likert scale. The questionnaire was distributed via Google Forms. To assess speaking ability, the researcher conducted interviews focused on language and cultural descriptions, which were evaluated using a custom rubric. The findings revealed that students exhibited high levels of intercultural sensitivity in terms of intercultural attentiveness, confidence, and engagement. Additionally, they showed moderate sensitivity in interaction enjoyment and respect for cultural differences. Statistical analysis indicated a correlation between intercultural sensitivity scores and students' perceived speaking proficiency. Future research could explore different aspects of intercultural sensitivity to observe students' practical behavior in cross-cultural interactions.

TikTok as a contemporary literary space in Palestinian higher education: empowering students’ creative thinking of fiction

ABSTRACT This study explores the transformative potential of TikTok as a contemporary literary space that empowers students’ creative thinking within the context of Palestinian higher education. It focuses on a group of 76 students who enrolled in the Novel & Short Story course in the English Department at a Palestinian university during the second term in 2022. By employing a Piagetian theoretical framework and a quantitative research approach through the utilization of a web questionnaire, the research demonstrates how the power of TikTok can be harnessed to inspire and construct a vibrant literary community in Palestinian higher education. In this community, students are positioned as active heroes in their TikTok videos where their interactive practices increase intellectual discussions, productive in-class performance, and collaborative reflection. Famed in a positive light, the research findings show that a sustained communal engagement with novels and short stories via digital spaces not only cultivates effective modes of creative thinking among participants but also provides original and practical orientations of teaching and learning in the Palestinian academic community. The possible digital understanding of literary texts beyond the conventions of institutionalized pedagogy provokes a future where students become creative thinkers and contributors to the world of fiction.

The University of Zimbabwe Department of English’s Dambudzo Marechera (2013–2018)

Abstract In this article, I discuss the personal (autobiographical), literary and political relationship between Dambudzo Marechera’s texts, the University of Zimbabwe’s then Department of English and my own development as an early career scholar. This relationship went beyond academia. Through a reflection on the various pedagogical approaches used by the department’s lecturing staff, I arrive at Marechera’s lasting literary legacy vis a vis the implications of ideological readings of literature in Zimbabwe. Marechera’s The House of Hunger, specifically, reveals the ideologies that are constantly employed in the reading of Zimbabwean Literature, which in turn, reveals the patriotism litmus test to which every aspect of Zimbabwean life is subject. The approaches impeded and facilitated critical readings to various degrees. I will argue that Marechera’s text’s stylistic and thematic concerns which traversed the literary, political, and autobiographical terrains complicated some of the readings and invited the microscopic scrutiny to which both the author and his work were subjected. Essentially, I discuss the identity and processes of identity making that revealed themselves in the reading of The House of Hunger and how all of these have impacted my own development as a young academic.