English Instruction Research Articles

“Para Que Los Demás Se Diviertan Un Poco”: Negotiating Social Interactions in a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Classroom

ABSTRACT This paper explores how a transnational emergent multilingual (TEM) student established himself in relation to his teacher and peers in a culturally and linguistically diverse, sheltered English Instruction classroom. Specifically, it documents how the student initiated translingual and cross-cultural social interactions positioning himself as a linguistically-agile member of the classroom community. Using positioning and translanguaging theory, the analysis illustrates how the student’s translingual, cross-cultural interactions allowed him to build relationships and reposition himself in the face of school-imposed labels that otherwise positioned him as linguistically-lacking. Findings illustrate how the student strategically created opportunities to use his entire linguistic repertoire and suggest the need to consider alternatives to deficit-oriented school-imposed labels placed upon TEMs.

Effect of Code-switching on EFL Learners’ Speaking Accuracy, Fluency, and Complexity

This study aimed to investigate the extent to which L2 learners' use of L1 improved their speaking ability. Employing a quasi-experimental research design, the researchers studied the effect of learner code-switching on their speaking accuracy, fluency, and complexity scores. The participants of this study were 117 lower-intermediate students receiving English instruction in eight intact classes in different branches of a private institute. These classes were assigned to two +code-switching and –code-switching treatments randomly. While the participants in the +code-switching group could use Farsi for at most 30 seconds in each activity, those in the –code-switching group were not allowed to switch to their mother tongue. The findings of this study showed that there were no significant differences between the students’ speaking ability in terms of fluency and accuracy across the two groups, the complexity scores of +code-switching group, however, was significantly higher than those in –code-switching group. The results also showed the significant speaking improvement of the students in both groups. The findings of this study suggest that the use of controlled amount of learner code-switching could be useful when complexity is the focus of an activity. Furthermore, no sign of detrimental effect of learner code-switching was traced in our study.

Review of Hodgetts (2020): Pronunciation Instruction in English for Academic Purposes

Review of Hodgetts (2020): Pronunciation Instruction in English for Academic Purposes

We Need to Talk About English: On National Literature Surveys and Other Aspects of the Curriculum

This essay argues for reevaluating the national literature survey model in the first year of postsecondary English instruction in Norway and considering alternatives that are more ethical, inclusive and innovative than nation-based surveys. In order to make this argument, the essay discusses the problems with literary nationalism and the kinds of political implications involved in teaching literature as restricted by the figure of the nation. The essay also challenges Norwegian higher education to consider the purposes of the English Program within the modern Norwegian university.

Indonesian Teachers’ Perceived Technology Literacy for Enabling Technology-Enhanced English Instruction

Today, technology plays a pivotal role in language teaching and many teachers are expected to integrate technology into their instruction. Although studies have shown positive results from the incorporation of technology into language learning, many studies have also raised concerns about lack of teacher preparedness to teach with technology. Grounded in the TPACK Framework developed by Koehler and Mishra (2006), the present study examines teachers’ technology literacy for supporting technology-enhanced English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction in Maluku, Eastern Indonesia. The participants (n=43) were EFL teachers at public high schools and vocational high schools in Maluku. The data were collected using an online TPACK questionnaire (Schmidt et al. 2009) and semi-structured interviews with EFL teachers. The findings showed teachers’ awareness of the significance of technology use in their EFL instruction. Teachers acknowledged a handful of tools already deployed to improve English skills inside and beyond classrooms, but noted needs for effective CALL enactment, such as continued training and accessible technologies. Based on the findings, recommendations include the provision of training modules for ongoing training of in-service teachers and improved school facilities.

Campus Protest and Composition Pedagogy: G. David Houston’s Activist Rhetoric at Howard University

This article contributes to rhetoric and composition scholarship that develops localized institutional microhistories of rhetorical education at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) by exploring the pedagogically focused scholarship of G. David Houston, a Howard University professor of English during the period of the of the early twentieth century known as the New Negro Movement. I examine Houston's 1919 article "Reconstruction in the Teaching of English," placing the pedagogical priorities that it reveals within the context of the author's participation in on-campus activism at Howard, as reflected in his 1920 article "Weaknesses of the Negro College." Drawing on Susan Kates's concept of activist rhetorics, I demonstrate the ways in which Houston's work exemplifies an embodied pedagogy that responds directly to Howard University's unique institutional, historical, and social location. In his scholarship, Houston developed a plan for English instruction that sought to elevate the role of composition training, encourage a cross-disciplinary pedagogical model, and professionalize the teaching of English. Houston's plan reveals a kind of hybrid composition pedagogy that incorporates aspects of both the vocational and classical-liberal arts models of "Negro education" and responds directly to the needs of Black college students.

Language Learning Strategies, English proficiency and Online English Instruction Perception during COVID-19 in Peru

The research's main objectives were to develop a longitudinal assessment of students' use of language learning strategies, examine their English proficiency and report their perception of online English instruction during the new normal in Lima-Peru. The sample involved 50 undergraduate students who participated in an online high intermediate English course during 16 weeks. A mix-method research was established based on the sample size and the research questions. For the quantitative part, two comparative groups were evaluated using two instruments which were chosen from the literature review: (a) the Oxford (1990) Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL), and (b) the Oxford placement test which measures English proficiency. The findings revealed that both groups reported both weak and strong language learners, and metacognitive strategies were the highest used among them. Also, the group of students who actively practiced LLS activities not only increased their overall LLS use but also improved their English proficiency. With regard to the qualitative part, a phone call interview design was implemented to 10 participants who generally reported a positive experience in terms of teaching support, feedback quality, participation and class recording availability. © 2021 Eskisehir Osmangazi University. All rights reserved.

The Students’ Attitude toward English Instruction on the EFL Students’ Speaking Class

Abstract: In general, an English teacher uses bilingual method in teaching process. However, a native English teacher uses English only in the class. Due to the new atmosphere faced by the students, the present study aimed to investigate the students’ attitude toward English instruction on the EFL students’ speaking class. This current study employed a quantitative method and it was designed as a descriptive research. The participants of this study were 156 students of English Study Program enrolled at Speaking class, Faculty of Tarbiyah, State Islamic Institute of Parepare. A 20-item survey questionnaire related to the students’ attitude toward English instruction with a five point likert scale was assigned to obtain the data from the participants. The results of the study revealed that the students have a positive attitude toward English instruction. They agreed with teaching English by using English instruction. The students’ cognitive and affective responses showed that the students believed that English instruction could improve the students’ abilities at intermediate level. Furthermore, the students’ cognitive responses indicated that the students’ vocabularies and grammatical knowledge improved. The use of English instruction also gave the students an opportunity to learn pronunciation from the native English teacher. While, the results of affective responses indicated that the students liked to study using English instruction and they were motivated to speak in English.

Using TOEIC as an English Assessment Tool: A Retrospective Case Study of ‘A’ University

The study investigated the long-term use of TOEIC by one university to measure its students’ English proficiency, examining (a) the changes in the students’ TOEIC scores across years, (b) the effectiveness of the intensive TOEIC programs run by the university to help the students prepare for TOEIC, and (c) the degree in which TOEIC was able to measure the students’ communicative skills in English. The results showed that the students’ TOEIC scores had a tendency to gradually increase each year before 2018, after which the scores started to decrease. The decrease may be due to the removal of English Conversation courses from the curriculum in 2018, which resulted in the absence of English courses for the students after their freshman year. Also, the intensive TOEIC programs had positive short-term effects on improving the students’ score after the completion of the programs. However, students were able to demonstrate similar increases in their scores after a 12-month period both with and without the intensive programs. Finally, TOEIC was not able to reflect the students’ communicative skills well, nor did the students perceive TOEIC as doing so. Based on the results, pedagogical implications for English instruction and assessment are also discussed.

Motivational Teaching Strategies and EFL Students' Essay Writing Proficiency

Motivation is considered a complex and challenging issue in teaching, especially in second language courses. Many studies have been conducted about motivational strategies in teaching English language, however, the research that focuses on essay writing is still rare. Therefore, this research aims to describe the effect of the motivational strategies on students’ essay writing proficiency and their response to its implementation. These strategies include Creating the Basic Motivational Condition (CBMC), Generating Initial Motivation (GIM), Maintaining and Protecting Motivation (MPM), and Encouraging Positive Retrospective Self-Evaluation (EPRS). The research participants were third-semester undergraduates in a private university, in Indonesia, that enrolled in essay writing. The data were collected by conducting essay writing tests and interviews. The results revealed that there was a statistically significant impact on the students' writing scores, as observed from the improvement from their pre-test to post-test scores In addition, the data from the interview showed the students’ positive response and consciousness of their writing progress which indicated the appropriateness of the strategies in their class. The results showed the necessity of implementing motivational strategies as a new model of English instruction by writing lecturers and English teachers in general.

The Influence of Cross-Linguistic Similarity and Language Background on Writing to Dictation.

This study used a word dictation task to examine the influence of a variety of factors on word writing production: cognate status (cognate vs. non-cognate words), orthographic (OS) and phonological similarity (PS) within the set of cognate words, and language learning background [late bilinguals (LBs) with academic literacy and formal instruction in English and Spanish, and heritage speakers (HSs) with academic literacy and formal instruction only in English]. Both accuracy and reaction times for the first key pressed by participants (indicating lexical access), and the time required to type the rest of the word after the first keypress (indicating sublexical processing) was assessed. The results revealed an effect of PS on the dictation task particularly for the first keypress. That is, cognates with high PS were processed faster than cognates with low PS. In contrast to reading studies in which PS only revealed a significant effect when the OS between languages was high (O+P+ vs. O+P−), in the dictation to writing task, the phonology had a more general effect across all conditions, regardless of the level of OS. On the other hand, OS tended to be more influential for typing the rest of the word. This pattern is interpreted as indicating the importance of phonology (and PS in cognates) for initial lexical retrieval when the input is aural. In addition, the role of OS and PS during co-activation was different between groups probably due to the participants’ linguistic learning environment. Concretely, HSs were found to show relatively lower OS effects, which is attributed to the greater emphasis on spoken language in their Spanish language learning experiences, compared to the formal education received by the LBs. Thus, the study demonstrates that PS can influence lexical processing of cognates, as long as the task demands specifically require phonological processing, and that variations in language learning experiences also modulate lexical processing in bilinguals.

Supplementary education and the coronavirus pandemic: Economic vitality, business spatiality and societal value in the private tuition industry during the first wave of Covid-19 in England

This paper challenges geographers to examine the lucrative, but vastly understudied, global supplementary education sector (e.g. private tuition; learning centres; cram schools). It marks a break from research in Geographies of Education on locational, socio-cultural and political-economy issues, by concentrating directly on the economic geography of this metaphorically monikered ‘shadow education’ sector. Centred on the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic, the paper’s aim is to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the economic vitality, business spatiality and societal value of private tuition in England. Methodologically, it utilises in-depth interviews with tutors providing one-to-one instruction in English, maths or science in the regionally-differentiated tuition market. The findings demonstrate business vitality was impacted: COVID-19 related disruption to schooling produced a profound economic shock for the tuition industry, though new opportunities also emerged from the crisis. Business spatiality was fundamentally rewritten, not only in terms of delivery but also as local markets became national ones. The social value of the industry was drawn into question, as the service was both vital and regressive in its distribution. In conclusion, the paper argues geographers of education must: (i) Embrace research on supplementary education in its own right and as it articulates with state education provision; (ii) Pursue economic analyses which consider both how markets work to produce unequal outcomes for potential consumers, and how they emerge as a space of educational entrepreneurship for those seeking to make a living; and (iii) Urgently examine how the coronavirus pandemic is rewriting processes across the education system.

Students’ perceptions with different CEFR levels on foreign teachers using L1 in EFL instruction

The demand for foreign teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) has been high in non-English speaking countries, including Thailand. As foreigners have resided in the country for several years, they picked up students’ first language (L1) competence. Several foreign teachers, to some extent, utilized this mastery of L1 to assist the English instruction. This research aimed to explore how students with different Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) levels perceive foreign English teachers’ use of L1. Three hundred twenty students from Walailak University participated in the survey. A quantitative survey and qualitative interview were used to collect data. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed to analyze quantitative data, while content analysis was administered to investigate the qualitative data. The quantitative findings revealed a significant difference in students’ perceptions, Welch’s F(2,68.42)=11.304, p .05. The qualitative findings exposed that students in level A1 had significantly different perceptions compared to those in levels A2 and B1. Students who supported L1 integration disclosed that it ameliorated communication, enhanced learning motivation, and improved academic achievement. Additionally, students who opposed L1 expressed that English’s full usage developed their learning motivation and academic accomplishment.

Application of Learner-Centered Approach in College English Instruction in China: A Case Study

With a development history of more than half a century, the learner-centered approach has become a new teaching paradigm worldwide. The approach can produce effective and significant learning focusing on learners’ development, learning, and learning outcomes. This study aimed to determine how a learner-centered approach can increase students’ engagement, improve their English learning strategies, and enhance their academic performance in a specific EFL setting. Bloom’s taxonomy, Zhao’s “Neo Tri-Centers,” Krashen’s L2 acquisition theory, and primarily Biggs’ constructive alignment functioned as valuable guidelines when designing the instructional activities. Constructive alignment holds that intended learning outcomes, teaching and learning activities, and assessment tasks should be aligned organically to achieve effective learning. Data collected through the instructor’s observations, questionnaires, assessments of the students’ performances, and colleague’s feedback show that the learner-centered approach has remarkably motivated the students, improved their learning strategies, and enhanced their academic performance. The results and implications of this study may be of reference importance for future language teaching in a foreign language or second language setting. 

Overview of the Nursing Students' Needs: The Initial Step in Designing English Instructional Materials

Numerous factors influence students' learning outcomes. Among them is the teaches' use of high-quality instructional materials. Essentially, teachers provide materials to assist students in comprehending the material on a subject to reach the goal properly. When teaching English to nursing students, materials should be based on the students' unique needs, which are addressed in English for Specific Purposes (ESP). This research aimed to describe nursing students' needs for English Instructional Material in University context. This study employed mix method. The data collection techniques used were document, interview, and questionnaire. The document analysis revealed that the learning materials did not meet the needs of nursing students seeking to advance their careers. Additionally, the questionnaire and interview analysis results demonstrate the critical nature of developing English teaching materials for nursing students. As a result, English teaching materials for nursing students are needed to assist them in mastering the English language skills necessary to support their professional careers.t their professional carrier. 

Receptive Vocabulary Acquisition in Pre-Primary Education through Soft-Content and Language Integrated Learning

Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) has become the focus of Foreign Language (FL) research within the last decades. CLIL provides a more complete, naturalistic, and meaningful context to FL learning, which has proven to brings many benefits to learners, such as a higher motivation and promotion of creativity, and better results in receptive skills, vocabulary, morphology and fluency. Nevertheless, most CLIL research has focused on primary and secondary level students and, thus, more research is needed with younger learners, namely, pre-primary students. The present study examines the learning of FL vocabulary in pre-primary learners following a soft-CLIL program, as compared to their same age peers following Formal Instruction (FI) of English. Over the course of six months, pre-primary students of two grades, namely 4- and 5-year-old students (N=155), took part in such program, aiming at teaching two curricular preschool units, traditionally taught in the mother tongue (L1), in English in the FL sessions. A longitudinal study was conducted, and students were administered a general vocabulary level pre-test, as well as a target words receptive vocabulary post-test after the two units had been worked on. The focus of the research was on receptive vocabulary acquisition, but age and word frequency effects were also analyzed. Results showed positive tendencies in receptive vocabulary development through soft-CLIL, although not statistically significant. A significant frequency effect was found, indicating that high-frequency words are recalled more easily than lower-frequency ones, but no significant differences were found when comparing learners from the two grades.

The Use of Islamic Literature to Teach Ethical English

Ethical English instruction has paved the way for every religion to make its interpretation. From the Islam religion perspective, such interpretation is still under research. This study describes how ethical English instruction takes place in an Indonesian Islamic higher education institution; how literature, particularly Islamic literature, becomes a factor of ethical English instruction; and the students' transformation through ethical English instruction. Applying a content analysis method, this case study involved 60 freshmen students of the English language education program of State Islamic Institute of Metro, Lampung, Indonesia. The research data was drawn from five main data sources, namely interviews, classroom observations, teaching materials, samples of students' works, and questionnaires. This study shows that (1) the use of Islamic literature to teach ethical English in the Indonesian Islamic higher education is potential; (2) text exploitability becomes a dominant factor in ethical English instruction; and (3) a contextualized approach, derived from the existing global approach and local teaching method, transforms the students positively. It is concluded that ethical English teaching within Indonesian Islamic higher education ought to utilize Islamic literature and be conducted through a contextualized approach.

The Effect of Teacher’s Corrective Feedback Through Online Conferencing on Elementary Students’ English-Speaking Confidence

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of teacher's corrective feedback through online conferencing on elementary students' English-speaking confidence. This study was conducted for 4 months from August to December 2020. There were 6 participants, aged 8 to 13 enrolled in a private education institute where they attended English classes using mobile devices. During this case study, the students were asked to use English, learners’ target language when interacting with their teacher. When learners struggled to understand the teacher’s English instructions, the teacher guided them in Korean. All the classes were video-recorded and transcribed by the teacher. Data were analyzed in order to examine the progress of participants’ voluntary English production stimulated by having conversational interactions with the teacher. The findings were as follows. First, participants’ anxiety level was high in the beginning. Second, they were able to speak English words, give their opinions in English, and join the conversation in English with the teacher. Lastly, feedback from the teacher through conversational interactions helped learners understand how to speak in English better and build up confidence. As a result, it is necessary to interact with the teachers and peers using learners’ target language to improve English communication skills.

English for Geotourism Speaking Achievement of the Youth Guides at Khorat Geopark Area in Nakhon Ratchasima via Language Instruction Innovation

This study aims to compare the youth guides’ speaking scores before and after learning through English for Geotourism Instruction Innovation at Khorat Geopark Area in Nakhon Ratchasima, investigate the differences among their tasks’ mean scores and their speaking components. The sample group consists of 109 youth guides who are Grade 11 English-major students from, Mueang Nakhon Ratchasima, Sung Noen and Chaloem Phrakiat Districts. The instruments include lesson plans for English for Geotourism Youth Guides, Students Manual, English Instruction Innovation for Geotourism Communication at Khorat Geopark Area Nakhon Ratchasima, and Pre-post speaking tests for English for Geotourism Youth Guides. Paired-samples t-test, One-Way ANOVA, descriptive statistics including minimum, maximum, means and standard deviations are used in data analysis. Results showed that the youth guides had a significant difference between pre-and post-test scores at.00 level in English for Geotourism. They gained significantly higher post-test scores than that of the pre-test scores. A significant difference indicates that learning through English for Geotourism Instruction resulted in higher post-test tasks scores. The significant differences are also found in pre- and post-task scores and the speaking components’ scores at.00 level. These findings confirm that this language innovation instruction is an effective open learning resource that can facilitate self-regulated learning and languages used in English for Geotourism. The findings can be applied to construct language innovation instruction to exclusively develop speaking skill in other English for specific purposes field.

Attitudes toward Learning English and Procrastination in Students from a Private Institution Specialized in Foreign Languages in the City of Lima-Peru

The current study has as its objective to analyze the relationship between students’ attitude towards learning English and the procrastinating behavior at the academic level. Attitudes strengthen people’s motivation to learn a foreign language (Delfín, 2007), and procrastination, which involves unjustified delaying of activities, causes negative consequences in completing academic tasks postponement of responsibilities (Rodríguez & Clariana, 2017). The design was correlational, and the sample consisted of 55 students learning English. The instruments were the Attitudes towards English language learning questionnaire and the academic procrastination questionnaire. According to the results, evidence shows that there is a positive median relationship between the variables, leading us to conclude that despite having positive attitudes towards learning English, procrastinating behavior does not diminish. The results of this study could be utilized in bilingual programs, or those could also be utilized to implement curricula in language programs at schools or universities. The idea is that higher education institutions include, as mandatory, the instruction of English as a global language. How to cite this article: Marquina Luján, R. J., Huaire Inacio, E. J., Horna Calderón, V. E., Villamar Romero, R. M., & Kishnani García, A. (2021). Attitudes toward Learning English and Procrastination in Students from a Private Institution Specialized in Foreign Languages in the City of Lima-Peru. Revista Colombiana de Psicología, 30(2), 27-39. https://doi.org/10.15446/rcp.v30n2.83678