English Language Teaching Program Research Articles

Examining the Respondability of the English Course Curriculum (2nd, 3rd and 4th Grade) to the Needs of the Digitalized Age, According to the Opinions of English Teachers

In this research, the responsiveness of the English course curriculum (2nd, 3rd and 4th grade) to the needs of the digital age was examined, according to the opinions of English teachers. The research was conducted using the phenomenology design, which is one of the descriptive research designs. The study group of the research consisted of English teachers teaching English in primary schools in Sakarya province, affiliated with the Ministry of National Education. In the research, a semi-structured interview form was applied to determine teachers' opinions on the responsiveness of the English Language Teaching Program to the needs of the digital age. Content analysis was used to analyze the data in the research. As a result of the analysis, teachers' opinions about the responsiveness of the primary school English course curriculum to the needs of the digital age, how often digital education tools are used, whether the program improves students' English speaking, listening, reading and writing skills, and whether it provides the skills needed in the digital age; opinions have been reached. According to the opinions of the teachers, it was learned that the English language teaching program has improved compared to the previous programs, but it is not yet sufficient for the current era. In addition, it is among the information obtained that the treatment of the subjects has become easier with the inclusion of developing technology in the program

Emotion–Identity–Agency Triangle in Practicum Experience: A Pre-service Second Language Teachers Development of Critical Emotional Reflexivity

Earlier research has established that language teachers’ identity work is intertwined with emotions and called for incorporating emotions in language teacher education. Yet, there is limited research investigating how teacher education programmes pedagogize identity, emotions and agency to help pre-service teachers gain critical emotional reflexivity. To respond to this gap in the literature, we pedagogized Kayi-Aydar’s emotion–identity–agency triangle via three teacher learning activities in a critical practicum course in a pre-service English language teaching programme in Turkey: reflective emotion diary; auto-ethnography; and critical issues analysis and advocacy project. In this study, we explore a Korean pre-service language teacher's (Iris's) case to demonstrate how she navigated her emotions, identity and agency throughout the practicum course with the help of these teacher learning activities and critical, dialogical supervision in our course. At the beginning of the term, Iris expressed anxiety due to her novice non-native pre-service teacher identity. Yet, as she gained critical emotional reflexivity, Iris could reflect on her emotions critically, transform her internalized deficit view of her identity as a novice non-native pre-service teacher and perform her multicultural and multilingual identity in her emerging pedagogy. We argue that findings from this study offer evidence that when intentionally and systematically supported by second language (L2) teacher educators through the design of teacher learning activities, pre-service L2 teachers can develop critical reflexivity of their emotions and emotion labour and recruit this awareness for teacher agency even over a short period of time and in contexts of power imbalance such as pre-service practicum experience. We offer recommendations for L2 teacher educators.

Identifying Pronunciation Errors in English Among Postgraduate Students: A Phonetical Perspective

This research aims to address two primary problem statements: first, to identify the types of English pronunciation errors made by third-semester students in the postgraduate English language education program; and second, to determine the sources of these pronunciation errors among the same cohort of students. This research used a combination of phonetic and quantitative error analysis to identify the pronunciation errors among postgraduate students. The results showed that there were 16.16% of omission errors, 11.97% addition errors, 71.85% of word formation errors, and students 0% of word ordering error. For the sources of errors in the pronunciation of all students during the proposal seminar, researcher found that there was incomplete application of rule is source from omission errors such as letter /g/, /ʃ/, /dʒ/, /ə/, /ɪ/, /ɑː/, /t/, and /h/. The next source of errors false concepts hypothesized is source from addition errors such as letter /ɒ/, /ʌ/, /s/, /g/, /e/, /ɑː/, /u/, /w/, /a/, /j/, and /r/. There is also overgeneralization is source from misformation errors such as letter /aʊ/, /ɔː/, /h/, /ʒ, etc. Meanwhile for ignorance of rule restriction is source from misodering errors all students for misodering did not make that mistake.

The effect of vignette cases on instruction giving practices of preservice teachers: a case study in a state university

The objective of this study is to examine how preservice teachers give instructions, particularly focusing on the effectiveness of using vignette cases to enhance their practices and unveil their perceptions regarding the vignette cases utilized throughout the intervention. Conducted within an English Language Teaching program at a state university in Türkiye, the study utilized a questionnaire to assess preservice teachers’ knowledge and challenges related to instruction giving. Subsequently, vignette cases were then developed based on these assessments and utilized in an 8-week intervention period, during which participants kept journals, alongside the researcher, to provide insights. Post-intervention, the same questionnaire was used to measure changes, revealing improvement in the experimental group's general beliefs and instruction delivery. Journals mainly reflected experiences and hypothetical practices related to vignette cases, aligning with the researcher's focus on documenting strategies for vignette-based learning experiences. This study suggests several benefits of using vignettes as an instructional tool.

EXPLORING THE CONTRIBUTION OF MASTER’S ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION PROGRAM ON TEACHER PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

Teacher professional learning (TPL) has been considered a significant need to strengthen teachers’ professional growth, which in turn fosters high-quality teaching and enhances students’ learning experiences. It has become a prominent interest in education around the globe, including in Indonesia. However, little is known about the contribution of a university program, especially a Master's program, towards TPL in the Indonesian context. This study aims to investigate the contribution of the Master's English Language Education (MELE) Program towards TPL on graduate students who have become teachers at once. The data were collected from graduate students of the program. A focus group was conducted with nine representatives of two classes that were categorized into two different groups. Constant comparison analysis was used as the data analysis method. The findings revealed three important themes namely applying knowledge into practice; transforming teaching through teachers’ self-inquiry; and improving knowledge, skills, and attitudes toward academic publication. The paper also presents the empirical evidence that takes place during the program and how it contributes to their professionalism.

Correlation between Students’ Self-Confidence and Speaking Ability

The title of this research is “THE CORRELATION BETWEEN STUDENT'S SELF-CONFIDENCE AND SPEAKING ABILITY”. The objective of the research is to find out whether there is significant correlation or not between student’s self-confidence and speaking ability of sixth and eighth semester student of 2022-2023 academic year English Language Education Program Faculty of Teacher Training and Education Universitas Muhammadiyah Jember. The researcher use correlational research, quantitative nonexperimental research. The sample of this study is 33 students from sixth and eighth grade semester English Language Education Program Faculty of Teacher Training and Education Universitas Muhammadiyah Jember, which consists of 16 students from 6th semester and 17 students from 8th semester. The collecting data technique used a speaking test and a questionnaire. The results of this study show that there is a significant relationship between self-confidence and speaking ability.

Pre-Service Teachers’ Ethical Reasoning about Climate Ethics and Climate Justice

The climate crisis is an ethical issue besides being an environmental problem. Therefore, examining pre-service teachers’ ethical reasoning about climate change is crucial since they will educate future global citizens. To achieve this aim, this study probed into pre-service teachers’ reasoning on climate ethics and climate justice by asking them to answer the questions in two different reflections. The participants of the current study were 31 pre-service teachers (10 males, 21 females) who study in the English Language Teaching Program at the Faculty of Education at a private university in Turkey. In the 1st reflection, they identified and justified ethical issues regarding climate change and discuss how they could teach them in their class. The 2nd reflection asked them to discuss climate justice and design an instruction to teach climate justice by using a story and a game. The results suggest identifying and naming the ethical issue as climate justice and asking pre-service teachers to design teaching on stories and games in a structured way to facilitate ethical reasoning.

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.

Exploring the Influence of Students' Anxiety on English Language Learning in Online Integrated Instruction

This research explores the influence of online integrated learning on students’ anxiety within the English Language Education Program at Muhammadiyah University of East Kalimantan (UMKT). The study investigates the impact of online integrated learning in the English General Course on students' anxiety levels. It examines significant differences in anxiety levels between students actively using online platforms and those who do not. The sample consisted of 117 freshmen, with data collected via questionnaires assessing comfort with technology, perceptions of its effectiveness, and its impact on anxiety levels. Statistical analyses, including descriptive statistics, the One-Sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test, ANOVA, and Bonferroni multiple comparisons, were employed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the findings. Key results indicate a mean anxiety score of 41.55 and a mean achievement score of 78.21, reflecting moderate anxiety and relatively high academic performance. The One-Sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test confirmed the normal distribution of the data (p > 0.05), justifying the use of parametric methods. ANOVA results showed significant differences in anxiety levels and English scores based on online integrated learning (F = 166.159, p < 0.001). Bonferroni multiple comparisons revealed that lower anxiety was associated with higher English scores, with significant mean differences observed between low, medium, and high anxiety groups (p < 0.001). These findings suggest that online integrated learning significantly impacts students' anxiety levels, which in turn affects their academic performance. The study provides valuable insights for educators and policymakers on the importance of creating supportive and anxiety-reducing learning environments in technology-enhanced settings

Students' Perceptions Towards Direct and Indirect Feedback in Speaking for Social Purposes

Speaking is one of the most important subjects in learning a foreign language. In speaking class, there are some mistakes that students found, which must be corrected. One way that teachers usually do to help the students cope with their problems is giving feedback. This study was aimed to find out about students’ perceptions towards direct and indirect feedback in Speaking for Social Purpose class. This study was guided by these two questions: What are PBI students’ perceptions towards direct feedback given by the teacher in the Speaking for Social Purposes class? What are PBI students' perceptions towards indirect feedback given by the teacher in the Speaking for Social Purposes class? This research involved 5 fifth-semester and 5 eight-semester students from the English Language Education Program (ELEP), Faculty of Language and Arts (FLA), Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana in Salatiga, Central Java. They were randomly chosen to be the participants for the research sample. A semi-structured interview was used to collect the data. The researchers found that there were several problems faced by students during the Speaking for Social Purposes class. Moreover, it was found that the students recognized teachers’ feedback was very important for their study, especially in speaking because it helped them to know their mistakes or problems and they can correct their mistakes. The direct feedback became the most favorite kind of feedback and was very important for the students.

Dissecting subjective L2 (un)willingness to communicate among EFL learners: a Q methodology study

ABSTRACT This study used Q methodology to explore the subjective perspectives of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners regarding sources of willingness to communicate (WTC). A sample of 40 undergraduate students enrolled in an English language teaching program at a Turkish university was obtained. Based on their shared viewpoints, the participants were clustered into three groups: self-assured communicators, motivated communicators, and nervous communicators. Self-assured communicators exhibited high levels of self-confidence, while motivated communicators displayed strong and unwavering motivation to improve their speaking skills. Nervous communicators, on the other hand, showed noticeable signs of anxiety, impeding their WTC. This study provides evidence that an amalgamation of internal and external factors works in synergy to shape EFL learners’ WTC in the classroom. Recognising this interplay can lead to the development of targeted interventions and instructional approaches, improving L2 learners’ communicative behaviours. Understanding and addressing learners’ subjective experiences, particularly in relation to self-confidence, motivation, and anxiety, are key elements in enhancing their WTC and overall language proficiency.

The Role of Video-Based Shadowing Practices in L2 Oral Proficiency Development

This quasi-experimental study investigated the effect of shadowing practices on oral proficiency and pronunciation, specifically in terms of comprehensibility, pronunciation, intonation, and speech rate in second language learners. To this end, intact freshmen classes in an English language teaching program were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group carried out 11 shadowing tasks bi-weekly in two academic terms and submitted their shadowing recordings to the learning management system to receive feedback from their instructor. After the intervention, oral rating forms, an activity evaluation survey, and a semi-structured interview were used to investigate the outcomes. The oral assessment forms including pre- and post-treatment oral recordings of the participants were rated online through a 7-point Likert scale by native speakers of English. The ratings of the experimental and control groups were compared through ANOVAs. The descriptive statistics revealed that the experimental group demonstrated a relatively higher but small increase in the oral rating components (comprehensibility, intonation, speech rate) except for the pronunciation of individual sounds. However, the pre- and post-test differences of both groups were not found to be statistically significant in the ANOVA analysis. The 5-point Likert scale activity evaluation questionnaire and the content analysis of the interviews showed that the experimental group participants thought shadowing improves pronunciation and overall, participants had positive attitudes towards the shadowing practice.

Exploring Factors Influencing Students' Challenges in Academic Writing: A Qualitative Analysis Based on Student Perspectives

Writing proficiency poses significant challenges for learners of English as a Second Language (ESL) or English Foreign Language (EFL), particularly at the tertiary level where academic essay writing is a requirement. This study delves into the factors contributing to students' difficulties in an Academic Writing course, as perceived by the students themselves. Employing qualitative methods, including open-ended questionnaires and interviews, data were collected from 25 students enrolled in an Academic Writing class for repeaters in the English Language Education Program at a university in Hanoi. Thematic analysis of the responses revealed two main categories of factors influencing students' writing challenges: internal and external. Internal factors encompassed issues such as self-motivation, self-confidence, lack of knowledge, and feelings of pressure, while external factors included the teaching style of instructors, classroom environment, instructional materials, and various aspects of the writing process. The findings of this research aim to assist educators in developing effective teaching strategies for Academic Writing courses, with the goal of alleviating students' difficulties and enhancing their writing proficiency.

Indonesian higher education students’ perception on critical literacy

Critical literacy is a crucial aspect of education that empowers individuals to analyse, interpret, and evaluate texts critically. Despite its significance, the integration of critical literacy in the Indonesian higher education system remains limited. This study aims to bridge this gap by examining the perceptions of Indonesian higher education students about critical literacy. The research question guiding this study is: What are the perceptions of Indonesian higher education students regarding critical literacy and its importance in the context of their academic and professional development? The study employs a qualitative research design using the single-case study method. Data collection is conducted through interviews, and the data is analysed using case study analysis techniques. The study takes place in an English language education program at a private university in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, which prioritises critical literacy in its curriculum. The findings of this study contributed to the understanding of how Indonesian higher education students perceive and engage with critical literacy and inform strategies to promote critical literacy skills among students. Ultimately, it aims to cultivate a generation of critically literate individuals who can actively engage in social, cultural, and professional contexts, contributing to the development of a knowledgeable and empowered society.

STUDENTS’ LIVED EXPERIENCE OF SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT IN INTERNATIONAL CREDIT TRANSFER PROGRAM: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY

This study aims to look into the social experiences of students in the seventh semester of Universitas Muhammadiyah Kendari's English language education program who have completed the International Credit Transfer program at Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology in the Philippines. A phenomenological research design was used to conduct the study. The participants of this study were four students. Two of the four students were male, while the other two were female. Semi-structured interviews were conducted face-to-face with each participant. The findings showed that the ICT program provided the students with valuable experiences that broadened their perspectives, improved communication skills, and enhanced their ability to accept and adapt to diverse social environments.

Idiosyncratic Expression: Analysis of the Junior Students’ Paragraph Writing Test

The study analyzes the errors in the idiosyncratic expressions of 2nd-semester undergraduates in the English Language Education Program at Tanjungpura University. The objectives of the study are to describe the types of errors encountered in the students’ idiosyncratic expressions. The method of research is descriptive. The research participants were the 2nd-semester undergraduate students of the English Language Education Program of Tanjungpura University. The data were collected from corpora written by the students. Idiosyncrasy occurred in the students’ text. 187 constructions, out of 244, were deemed idiosyncratic. the types of errors found in the students’ idiosyncratic expressions were verb form errors (24,60%), subject and verb agreement errors (19,25%), plurality errors (9,63%), pronoun errors (9,09%), preposition errors (9,63%), verb tense errors (8,56%), word form errors (8,56%), article errors (5,88%) and word order errors (4,81%).

A Programme Evaluation Study: The Case of English Language Teaching Programme

This case study aims to contribute to the relevant literature as it is one of the first studies to evaluate the English language teaching programme launched by the Council of Higher Education in Türkiye in 2018 from the perspective of graduate students. The data were gathered through two questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The data analysis revealed the merits and aspects of the programme that need improvement and revision. The graduates reported their high and low competence in various areas. The ELT methodology component was deemed effective, whereas general culture courses were not found to be that effective. In other words, they stated that general culture courses made the least contribution to their teacher competencies, while ELT methodology courses made the biggest impact. The graduates suggested the following to improve the programme: more opportunities for teaching practice should be offered; the medium of instruction for general education and general culture courses should be English; there should be courses which can cultivate their emotional intelligence; and there should be more focus on inclusive and special education. The findings bear implications for the teacher educators who are in the process of revising the teacher education programme by the authority delegation decision made by CoHE in 2020.

The development and validation of the teacher professional identity scale in a Chinese university context.

Professional identity has become a central topic in teacher education research and a crucial factor in shaping teachers' self-perception and perspectives on various aspects of their profession, including teacher roles, scholarly research, curriculum design, classroom instruction, instructional methods, and strategies, as well as their interactions within the educational context. Despite the considerable scholarly interest in teacher identity development, relatively few studies have considered how to measure teacher professional identity. This study developed and validated a new measurement of professional identity among Chinese pre-service teachers from an English language education program. A total of 560 pre-service teachers majoring in English language education were invited to participate in a survey and 542 questionnaires were deemed valid and subjected to analysis. Through this analysis, a scale with 17 items was developed, focusing on three different dimensions: professional self-efficacy, career commitment, and professional knowledge. After excluding items with a relatively poor correlation with factor loading, the final scale consisted of 13 items. The results showed that the developed scale has relatively good reliability (α = 0.939) and structural validity (χ2/df = 2.46, p < .001, CFI = 0.978, TLI = 0.971, SRMR = 0.033, RMSEA (90% CI) = 0.071 0.054, 0.089). This study may provide a quantitative instrument for future research to measure professional identity among pre-service teachers, both in Chinese and other contexts.

Exploring the Impact of Language Models on Undergraduate Thesis Writing Skills among Higher Education Students

This article explores the impact of language models on undergraduate thesis writing skills among higher education students. With advancements in technology, language models have become integral to the digital writing landscape. This study examined the influence of language models on students' confidence and motivation in academic writing. The research employs a qualitative approach, conducting semi-structured interviews with five students from an English Language Education program who utilized AI tools in their thesis writing process. Despite acknowledging the advantages, participants underscored challenges encompassing overreliance, inaccuracies, and disruptions in the natural flow of their writing. The impact of these tools on participants' confidence and motivation in academic writing manifested diversely, introducing varying degrees of perceived artificiality in writing proficiency. There were already numerous researches regarding the pretinence of language models usage on students’ writing aptitude. However, there remains a gap in understanding their specific influence on undergraduate thesis writing. Thematic analysis of the interview data reveals insights into the influence of language models, on the writing proficiency of higher education students engaged in the process of crafting undergraduate theses. Employing a methodology encompassing interviews, participants reported noteworthy enhancements in the coherence, clarity, grammar, syntax, and vocabulary of their theses facilitated by the utilization of these language tools. Overall, the incorporation of language models in the writing process emerged as a catalyst for heightened efficiency, skills development, and enhanced clarity in undergraduate theses, affirming the constructive role of AI technology in educational settings. Individualized experiences with language models exhibited variance contingent upon personal preferences and attitudes towards the writing process.

Empowering mentor teachers for supervision through an online mentor training program

AbstractThe study focused on the improvement of supervisory skills among mentor teachers in K‐12 who work with student teachers in an English language teaching program of an English‐medium state university in Istanbul, Turkey. The researchers explored how the mentor teachers' supervisory skills, namely observation and giving feedback, were improved after participating in an online mentor training program. The training program was designed based on Morrison et al.'s (2013) instructional design model and implemented for seven mentors during the practicum period. The program included mentoring tasks that asked mentor teachers to organize reciprocal observation sessions with the student teachers, followed by mutual feedback discussions. The researchers investigated the influence of the tasks through thematic analysis of the mentor teachers' reflection reports. The data showed that the tasks improved mentor teachers' understanding and practice of the supervision process and increased their awareness of their own teaching practices by promoting personal and professional growth. The results suggest that an online mentor training program may have the potential to empower mentor teachers both for their supervisory roles and ongoing professional development.