English Language Classes Research Articles

The Phenomenon of Consumption and Integration of Consumption as a Subject Matter into English Language Classes

The Phenomenon of Consumption and Integration of Consumption as a Subject Matter into English Language Classes

Attitude of Undergraduate Pakistani Students of other Disciplines towards English as a Minor Subject: A Case Study of Undergraduate Students at Minhaj University Lahore, Pakistan

The present study is a first-hand exploration of university students' attitudes by a university lecturer teaching in various departments. The study gives an insight into the motivation level of these students towards their English language class, their expectations from the course, their feedback about the content being taught to them and their general attitude towards English as a language. Students from various departments were interviewed with open-ended questions by the teacher to get in-depth qualitative answers, as well as with a questionnaire of close-ended questions for some quantitative analysis too. The answers of the students were categorized according to research questions, and they were analyzed to find the most common answers and to get the gist of students' feedback and revise our course content and policy of English as a compulsory subject in undergraduate programs accordingly. The analysis of their answers showed that the majority of the students wanted to learn the English language but they found the course content and teaching methodologies, including classroom instructions, a bit boring. Most of the students expected grammar and spoken skills to be taught. Very few students were of the view that ESP courses with subject-specific English should be taught to them. The findings of this research are limited to students of Minhaj University Lahore.

Integrated writing pedagogy in the EFL classroom

The following article discusses something which is frequently perceived as nothing more than homework by many instructors of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) for its time-consuming nature: second language writing. The first section outlines some issues that students of English often experience when taking English-language classes. Here, references to specific cultures are made, but the problems can also be universally considered. The subsequent section describes two specific approaches to writing instructors can adopt in their own classrooms and evaluates their effectiveness. The third and final section details how instructors may go about borrowing aspects of the two approaches to form an integrated approach aimed at helping students to overcome the problems they face in composing L2 texts. Here, procedural outlines are included so that instructors can take this integrated writing pedagogy into their own EFL classrooms.

Motivational Factors Between Individuals with Different Learning Goals for Acquiring English at Different Levels

Motivation is an important factor for successful learning. However, the teaching methods, activities, strategies and content influence in the development and direction of students’ motivation. With a narrative approach which categorizes the experiences of each of the participants; supported by a quantitative approach, by showing quantitative data to have a broad view of the data collected. This research study collects the opinions of 4 participants from the University of Guanajuato who take English language classes as a graduation requirement showing that language learning approaches reflect an important effect on students’ motivation being a complement to the learning objectives. Thus, increasing the motivation of the students to continue with the process of acquiring and learning a second language.

Practical Aspects of Teaching English to Adult Learners

Adult learners are a growing segment of the educational market, while foreign languages, and primarily English, are among the most popular classes as they contribute to both professional and personal growth. Teachers and educational establishments face the need of adapting the teaching methods and practices traditionally oriented at children to the psychological and pedagogical characteristics of adult learners. The author considers such basic methodologies as andragogy, self-­directed learning and transformative learning, studies the psychological features of adult learners, and presents the ensuing general principles of teaching foreign languages to adults. Having analyzed theoretical publications, works of other teachers of English, and her own experience, the author presents a number of practical recommendations aimed at improving both adult learners’ motivation and the effectiveness of English language classes.

ФОРМУВАННЯ ТЕХНОЛОГІЙ КРИТИЧНОГО МИСЛЕННЯ ПРИ НАВЧАННІ АНГЛІЙСЬКОЇ МОВИ В НЕМОВНОМУ ВУЗІ

The article analyzes the need for the formation of critical thinking technologies for students of non-native high schools while learning English. It has been established that the formation of students' critical thinking is a necessity dictated by modernity and the rapid development of the latest technologies. The article discusses the concepts of "critical thinking" and "criticality". The main three stages of the technology of forming critical thinking are described: challenge, comprehension, reflection. It is clear that the challenge stage purpose is to actualize previously acquired knowledge. The comprehension stage consists in acquiring new knowledge on one or another scientific problem, and the reflection stage is designed to generalize the acquired knowledge, as well as to form the student's own point of view, to encourage the continuous search for new sources of information and its analysis. It has been proven that the methodology and technology of teaching English in language and non-language high schools, although it has many common features and similarities, but also has significant differences. The article analyzes the problems that an English language teacher in a non-speaking university may face, such as: low level of foreign language proficiency of students, low level of motivation of learning English, passivity of students in classes, as well as concentration only on specialized subjects. Several technologies for the formation of critical thinking in English language classes at non-language high schools are proposed: "K-W-L" tables, interactive recording systems while reading the text. At the reflection stage, the following types of work are offered: writing various types of argumentative essays on the topic that is studied, creating conceptual tables in which students can compare three or more aspects of one or another scientific problem that is studied; discussions, expressing somebody's point of view.

Revisiting boredom in practical English language classes via exploratory structural equation modeling

Recently research on boredom has gained momentum in the field of applied linguistics. Both exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) have been used to validate the Boredom in Practical English Classes – Revised scale (BPELC-R). Yet, these techniques are not free from limitations. In order to address these limitations, exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) is strongly recommended. Comparing CFA and ESEM models (i.e., standard and bifactor CFA and standard ESEM and bifactor ESEM), the current study aimed to revisit the construct validity of BPELC-R. A total number of 549 English major students (161 females and 388 males) participated in the present investigation. On the whole, the findings demonstrated that CFA failed to provide acceptable fit indices and discriminant validity. However, ESEM (especially bifactor ESEM) offered a better assessment and representation of the construct validity of the BPELC-R scale. Limitations and implications of the study are also provided.

Empowering Speaking Skill through Debate: The Case of Afghan EFL Learners at Herat University

Using a quantitative approach, this study investigated the impacts of debate on students’ speaking skills in English-language classes at the English Department, Herat University, Afghanistan. The study participants were 44 sophomore students (28 girls and 16 boys). To understand participants’ speaking levels, researchers had a pre-test followed by a six-week treatment of having debates in the speaking class. For measuring the impacts of debate, a speaking post-test was taken. To investigate the impacts of debate on students’ speaking skills the researchers created an online questionnaire form and the link was shared with students in speaking classes. The questionnaire enriched this study with essential information after the treatment. The data were analyzed through SPSS 25. A paired sample t-test was used to measure the degree to which students’ speaking skills developed throughout the six-week debate program, and students’ responses to the online questionnaire were analyzed by calculating the percentage of each item. The results of the present study indicate that debate had a positive impact and enhanced students’ speaking skills. The participants also reflected that debate had improved their critical thinking, helped them practice new language skills and arguments, developed collaboration, and decreased their speaking anxiety while having fun.

The Relationship between the Socio-Economic Status and Students’ Speaking Anxiety: A Study of Saudi EFL Students

Speaking is a complex production process involving several socio-psycho-cognitive factors and studying how these factors impact students' performance in English-speaking courses might lead to recommendations to enhance their speaking ability. Therefore, the objectives of the study are to examine the level of Saudi EFL learners’ speaking anxiety and to investigate the relationship between speaking anxiety and the socio-economic status of Saudi Arabian students. Multiple regression was used to analyze the data in a quantitative research design to achieve those objectives. A questionnaire was used as the main tool for gathering data from 118 students at Betterjee Medical College in Jeddah. The results revealed that most Saudi EFL students experience a common problem of speaking anxiety in their English language classes. Another striking finding that has been found in this study was the significant and negative relationship between speaking and the student's socio-economic status which means that socio-economic status could be a crucial factor in speaking anxiety. The study’s findings have some implications for EFL practitioners who work with and facilitate EFL students’ efforts to overcome speaking anxiety particularly in a setting where the students are from varied socio-economic backgrounds.

Integrating Technology in Online Learning Based on Computer-Mediated Communication Artificial Intelligence to Improve Students’ Achievement

The growing percentage of fully online classes has highlighted the necessity to explore Computer-Mediated Communication Artificial Intelligence (CMC AI) in English language class. This study aimed to investigate students’ achievement and perceptions in English grammar class. It used a mix-method approach. The participants of the study were the undergraduate students of the English Education Department. The result of the pre-test mean score was 69.07, while the post-test mean score was 80.26. Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed) in Test Statistics of Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test shows 0.000, which is lower than 0.05. Therefore, there was a significant improvement difference of the scores of the students before and after being taught by using CMC AI. The interview and questionnaire data showed students' overall positive perceptions toward the use of CMC AI within the English grammar class. The students mentioned their positive perceptions that CMC AI can improve autonomous and fun learning. It can also be used anytime and anywhere as a private tutor and partner, challenging and enhancing resources in learning English language.

Every cloud has a silver lining: The experience of online learning in English language classes at Saudi universities in the post–COVID-19 era

This study investigates the perceptions of 149 English language students about online language learning at a state university in Saudi Arabia and how this experience has prepared them to continue online learning in post-pandemic times. It also investigates any differences in students’ attainment of the four language skills of reading, listening, writing, and speaking with respect to the online learning experience. Data were collected using a questionnaire with close-ended items with each item having an open-ended query. The findings of the study indicate that, overall, the students had positive attitudes toward learning English online whether during the pandemic or after it is over. However, their views differed regarding the acquisition of the four language skills; learning the receptive skills of reading and listening online was perceived positively, while learning the productive skills of writing and speaking online was perceived negatively as a result of the online learning mode. The study concludes that more advanced technical features are needed to be introduced onto online learning platforms for more effective learning outcomes and that the current platforms at universities fall somewhat short of the English language students’ needs.

English Language Speaking Anxiety among Afghan University Students

Background/purpose: English language plays an important role in Afghanistan higher education. Proficiency in English as the language of communication is becoming progressively important for the development of higher education. However, speaking in English is one of the anxiety provoking skills for most of Afghan learners. This study therefore aims to investigate Afghanistan undergraduate English and literature students’ perceptions on foreign language speaking anxiety, and its components of communication apprehension (CA), fear of negative evaluation (FNE) and test anxiety (TA). Method: An adapted version of Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) and an interview protocol were used to investigate 302 Afghan students’ foreign language anxiety. Results/conclusion: The findings suggested that the students experienced a moderate level of anxiety. The female students had higher level of foreign language anxiety (FLA) than male students. The study further revealed that CA was the highest factor which contribute to students’ FLCAS. The study found no statistically significant differences between the university location and components of FLA. This means that the students either from Kabul as the capital or from Bamyan as a central province experienced FLA. Furthermore, the components of FLA significantly correlated to each other. The findings suggest facilitating short and long-term training for both teachers and students to employ effective strategies on reducing the level of anxiety in English language classes.

Computer-Based Vocabulary Learning in the English Language: A Systematic Review

The goal of this article is to assess the efficiency of computer-based vocabulary instruction in English language classrooms and evaluate research on the usefulness of computer-based vocabulary acquisition, particularly in English language classes. The articles for the systematic review were selected from open-access databases. The present study adopts the systematic literature review (SLR) method to evaluate studies from 2010 to 2020. A total of one hundred and fifty sources were selected and analysed. Finally, forty articles were carefully chosen, focusing on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Computer-based, multimedia and game-based vocabulary learning in English classrooms were the subjects of the study to address the research questions. The findings indicate that computer-based vocabulary learning is a frequent and effective approach to developing retention and learning new words. The study hopes that the suggestion is useful for researchers involved in English vocabulary learning and that, for further research, well-designed experimental studies can develop new options in learning vocabulary with the computer.

SOCIO-CULTURAL COMPETENCE DEVELOPMENT BASED ON THE USE OF VIRTUAL REALITY TOOLS FOR STUDENTS IN THE FIELD OF TRAINING ‘PEDAGOGICAL EDUCATION (WITH TWO TRAINING PROFILES)’

Purpose. The article is devoted to the ways to develop the university students’ socio-cultural competences. The article deals with the students in the direction of training 44.03.05 Pedagogical education (with two training profiles), profiles “The first foreign language and the Second foreign language”. The purpose of the article is to describe the peculiarities of using virtual reality tools for the socio-cultural competence development of the Pedagogical University 3rd year students. The objectives of the study include the selection of virtual reality tools for the formation of socio-cultural competence, the description of the features of their application and the results of experimental work in English language classes.
 Methodology. The basis of the research is the methods of analysis, synthesis and generalization, experiential training.
 Results. The novelty of the article lies in the fact that the possibilities of individual virtual reality tools for the development of socio-cultural competence of students are considered for the first time. The practical result of the study is the creation of methodological recommendations for a foreign language teacher of a higher school on the use of virtual reality tools in the practice of teaching English at a university.
 Practical implications. The results of the study can be of use for the university English language teachers when getting ready for the classes on “Area and Cultural Studies”, “History of the English language”, “Practical course in the English language”.

Communicative Orientation of English Language Classes

This study explored on Communicative Orientation of English Language Classes employing the classroom discourse analysis in qualitative research design. The participants of the study are the first year Secondary Education-English students of Bukidnon State University, College of Education. The data gathering was facilitated through the use of Communicative Orientation of Language Teaching observation scheme. The findings revealed that participant organization was mainly student to student in most of the activities with the same assigned task among learners; class management is apparently through discipline, functions, and discourse analysis with limited range of topics that are highly controlled by the teacher; students’ mode of interaction was more on speaking; there is very minimal use of materials for classroom interaction. Further, the participants used L2 than L1; students were noted to have genuine requests and the giving of information were mostly relatively predictable; students’ speeches were to a minimal extent due to the activity type used; the teacher and students showed very limited use of explicit code reaction to errors committed by students; expansion, commenting, and elaboration were found to be prevalent; students were found to have a higher frequency of discourse initiation during classroom interaction; relative restriction of linguistic form was rarely observed; and two other features surfaced which were not predetermined features are on code-switching and the use of fillers. The study revealed that the first-year BSE English students’ speeches are in L2 and to a minimal extent depending on the activity type used by the teacher. Therefore, communicative events such as activity types have direct impact to the use of the different communicative features.

38 помощник-учители по английски език ще преподават в български училища и университети през учебната 2022/2023 г.

This article examines the useful collaboration in the classroom between the foreign language teacher and the native speaker. With the help of the Fulbright Foundation, assistant teachers from the United States who have earned bachelor's degrees and have teaching experience are helping in Bulgarian schools and universities in English language classes.

ERROR ANALYSIS AND ENGLISH SYLLABUS

The present article is an attempt to examine the place of English syllabus and its relationship with error analysis in English language class. In recent years, there has been a positive trend in English language courses with the focus shifting from teacher –centered to learner centered activities and in this connection, the role of error analysis as one of the theories has been associated with English language courses in teaching English in English foreign or second classes. This paper tries to trace theoretically the notion of Error Analysis and its important and validity in English language courses. The term Error Analysis gained prominence during 1960s and developed as a branch of Applied Linguistics to language teaching. It has been particularly associated with the field of linguistic analysis of language learner' errors in target language. One of the greatest contributions of Error Analysis to language teaching has been its emphasis on careful and extensive learners' errors for language syllabus in general and English in particular.

Learner Centred Teaching Techniques and Students’ Engagement in English Subject in Public Secondary Schools in Musha Sector, Rwamagana District, Rwanda

Pioneers of learner centred pedagogy believe that learner centred teaching techniques play a significant role in students’ engagement. In countries, where English is taught as a second language, this pedagogy is paramount to making English language classes engaging and impactful. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of learner-centred teaching techniques has on students’ classroom engagement in English language subject in Rwamagana district, Rwanda. The study used both descriptive and correlational research design. For data collection, questionnaires, focus group discussion and interview guide were used. In addition to simple random sampling, this study used purpose and stratified sampling techniques. The target population of this study was 318 people corresponding to the sample size of 187 respondents by using Yamane formula. To analyze quantitative data, IBM SPSS software version 26 was used and thematic analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. The findings revealed that learner-centred teaching techniques in English language subject are able to influence the students’ classroom engagement at the level of 77.6% and the remaining 22.4% can be attributed to other variables as indicated by the R square of 0.776. Additionally, the study revealed that there is a statistically significance high degree of positive relationship between learner-centred teaching techniques and students’ classroom engagement in English language subject with P-value = .000 which is less than .01 as the level of significance and Pearson coefficient of correlation r=.861. The study concludes that the effective implementation of learners centered teaching techniques influences the level of students’ engagement in English language subject. The research recommends that school head teachers make regular supervision about teaching activities to enhance the level of students’ classroom engagement by promoting the use of learners centered teaching technique. The study suggests that the further research can establish the influence of learner centered teaching techniques on students’ academic performance in Rwanda. Keywords: Learner centred teaching techinques, Learner centred approach, students’ classroom engagement.

Perception, Engagement and Satisfaction of English Language Learners with Online Learning During Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract Schools around the world have always been striving to modernize and digitalize the educational process. This is especially true for English language classes where English teachers tend to incorporate online assignments, activities, and games, depending on the topic of the lesson. However, many would still rely heavily on traditional teaching methods and paper based tests and feedback. Covid-19 pandemic enforced the digitalization process practically overnight, forcing learners and educators to utilize exclusively online learning platforms and tools as studying in person was impossible. Learners around the world had to adjust to new learning conditions and learn in a way that is different from what they were used to. Thus, this paper attempts to provide a general insight into the perception of students in two international schools towards this transition to online learning, their participation and engagement, as well as satisfaction with the learning outcomes in English language.

Perception, Engagement and Satisfaction of English Language Learners with Online Learning During Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract Schools around the world have always been striving to modernize and digitalize the educational process. This is especially true for English language classes where English teachers tend to incorporate online assignments, activities, and games, depending on the topic of the lesson. However, many would still rely heavily on traditional teaching methods and paper based tests and feedback. Covid-19 pandemic enforced the digitalization process practically overnight, forcing learners and educators to utilize exclusively online learning platforms and tools as studying in person was impossible. Learners around the world had to adjust to new learning conditions and learn in a way that is different from what they were used to. Thus, this paper attempts to provide a general insight into the perception of students in two international schools towards this transition to online learning, their participation and engagement, as well as satisfaction with the learning outcomes in English language.