English-speaking Teachers Research Articles

Using Seesaw Application in Improving English Speaking Skills: the Case of an International Middle School

This study is designed to identify factors affecting the 6th grade Korean students’ English speaking learning as well as the difficulties they encountered and then investigate the impacts of SeeSaw on speaking skills at an international middle school in Hanoi. In this study, the students’ improvements on speaking skills were measured by a pre-test and a post-test after the intervention. In order to address the factors causing the students’ difficulties in speaking, their learning motivation, interactions with teachers, peers and parents, and attitudes towards SeeSaw, 20 post-intervention questionnaires were delivered to the 20 students belonging to the experimental group. The questionnaire result analysis with SPSS also provided qualitative data on the social well-being of the Korean students. Furthermore, qualitative data taken from the interview with some random respondents were used to make the results obtained from the questionnaires clearer and more reliable. The study results revealed the students’ difficulties in learning English speaking skills and some enhancement in their speaking skills. It can be concluded that SeeSaw is a useful tool for the teaching and learning English speaking skills.

University Instructors’ Enactment of Professional Agency in Teaching Spoken English as a Foreign Language

Although previous studies on teacher agency have examined its manifestations and significance from the socio-cultural perspective, university English as a foreign language (EFL)-speaking instructors’ professional agency has been underrepresented in the Chinese context. Based on a narrative inquiry approach and cross-case analysis, this qualitative multiple case study explores how four university EFL-speaking instructors exercise their professional agency and the key factors facilitating their agency enactment. The study finds that EFL-speaking instructors work as agentic practitioners to translate their career pursuits into concrete teaching duties, teacher learning, and researching. Their different professional agency enactment is closely related to their agency competence, agency disposition, and identity commitment as well as multifarious contextual factors. The findings imply that understanding the trajectories of teachers’ career development and fostering their teacher agency can assist more practitioners in getting ready for future challenges. It is suggested that frontline teachers hold onto the notion of life-long learning, build academic research profiles, and conduct active reflections to enhance their agency. University administrators should consider creating a more conducive environment to boost EFL-speaking instructors’ agency to facilitate their professional development.

Model of Teaching English Speaking Practiced for English Department Students at IAIN Palopo

The objectives of the research are to discover models of teaching speaking practiced at IAKN Palopo, students’ perceptions of teaching models, teaching speaking models to students’ speaking achievement.The researcher employed qualitative methods for the study. The data resources for the research chosen through random sampling lectures at IAIN Palopo. The instruments for the research consist of observations, interviews in analyzing the data, the researcher employed a qualitative method.The results show that the models of teaching speaking practiced at IAKN Palopo is presentation, practice, production model (PPP) the model divided into three phases as follow: Presentation, refers to new topic and contextualizing, teaching Demonstration (cookies activities), teaching English based on classroom situation. Practice refers to learners practice the structure using accurate reproduction techniques including choral and individual repetition and cue-response drills, students did demonstration based on lecturer’s instruction and Students’ perception toward the model is good, there is positive indicator perception because almost students said, happy, lecturer as a good figure in teaching speaking, simple material.

Diversification, desire, and hierarchization of unequal Englishes on online eikaiwa

ABSTRACT Online eikaiwa, or English conversations via teleconferencing platforms, is a popular informal English learning avenue among Japanese nationals. Although online eikaiwa has received scholarly attention in recent years, only a few studies have investigated the current diversification efforts in the industry in terms of hiring teachers from various ethnic and linguistic backgrounds. Using critical discourse analysis, this paper analyzed multimodal semiotic resources of texts, videos, and photos found on online eikaiwa companies’ websites and student customers’ reviews. The findings reveal that the diversification trend initiated by online eikaiwa schools supports everyday discourses that hierarchise unequal Englishes and reinforce native-speakerism. We also found that despite the ubiquity of native speaker bias, female teachers from the Philippines and Serbia are highly commodified because of the unequal social and gendered relations among teachers and student customers. Our analysis shows that male Japanese consumers engaged in conversations with female LX (Dewaele, J. M. 2018. “Why the Dichotomy ‘L1 Versus LX User’ is Better Than ‘Native Versus non-Native Speaker’.” Applied Linguistics 39 (2): 236–240) English speaking teachers (ESTs) not primarily for language development but for their desire and fetishes for female teachers. The paper ends by arguing that the inequities and gendered formations found in online eikaiwa intersect with pre-existing economic, historical, and political connections between Japan and the host countries of LX ESTs.

Conceptualizing Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) in the EFL Context: Ethnographic Experiences of CELTA and Non-CELTA Holders

Communicative language teaching (CLT) has become the favourite teaching approach of many English teachers because of its focus on communication (Kumaravadivelu, 2006). A number of researchers have investigated EFL teachers' perceptions and implementation of CLT in Saudi tertiary level education. Some researchers reported on how CELTA training affects EFL teachers' perceptions and implementation of CLT. However, there is a gap in the literature with regard to the lived experiences of how non-native English speaker teachers (NNESTs) who do or do not have a CELTA qualification understand and apply CLT in Saudi tertiary level EFL education. Therefore, this mixed-methods ethnographic research focuses on filling this gap. Data were collected through three research tools, namely a survey, vignettes and classroom observations. All the participants were teaching EFL at the Saudi tertiary level. Twenty-six CELTA holders and forty-four non-CELTA holders participated in the survey about their perceptions and implementation of CLT. Four CELTA holders and three non-CELTA holders wrote a number of vignettes on how they conceptualize and apply CLT. Classroom observations were conducted for two CELTA holders and two non-CELTA holders. The statistical survey data were analysed using SPSS, and the vignettes and classroom observations were examined thematically. The findings revealed that both CELTA and non-CELTA holders have a reasonable understanding of CLT. However, they also showed that the teachers only implement CLT to some extent, suggesting that more training on applying communicative activities and group- and pairwork is needed in EFL classrooms.

Is the Direct Method still Effective in Teaching English Speaking Skills in Indonesia?

Is the Direct Method still Effective in Teaching English Speaking Skills in Indonesia?

Implementation Of Talking Stick Technique In Teaching English Speaking At X Grade Students Of Smkn 1 Solok

The implementation of interesting learning techniques by the teacher can help students to be more enthusiastic about learning to speak English. One of them is with the teacher implementing the talking stick technique in learning to speak. The researcher found that the teacher who had applied the talking stick technique in learning to speak English was the teacher at the 1 Solok vocational high school. The object of this research is to analyze how the English teacher applies the talking stick technique in teaching speaking in the tenth grade of SMKN 1 Solok based on the steps and procedures of Helman's theory of Talking Stick. In this study, the researcher used a qualitative descriptive study in which the researcher analyzed 1 English teacher in applying the talking stick technique in learning to speak through four meetings. In collecting data, the researcher used the instrument of observation checklist, field notes, video and also documentation. Based on the results of observations that have been made by researchers on teachers who apply talking stick learning techniques in learning speaking with reference to the steps and procedures of Helman's theory (2009), in three meetings it can be found data from the steps and procedures in implementing the talking stick technique by teachers who have been implemented are categorized as very good with an average value of 3 meetings, namely 19, 6 because it lies in the score range 19, 6-24. Related to this, the teacher in implementing the talking stick technique is in accordance with Helman's theory which the researcher studied from one teacher in grade ten at a vocational high school 1 Solok.

A scoping study of “Snapshot” teaching framework

Despite the emergence of Dogme ELT in the 2000s, only small numbers of academic research employing this approach were documented, especially in the context of teaching English Speaking skills in Indonesian higher education. Also, as a response to Indonesian students’ unsatisfied performance in English skills, this study was aimed to introduce and propose an instructional framework using "Snapshot" for college students. As one of the Dogme ELT activities, it hopefully can boost students' motivation, participation, and ability to use the target language orally. Following the scoping study method by Arksey and O’Malley (2005), we gathered data by deriving and concluding theories and practices of research published in 2016 until 2020. As a result, there are thirteen studies on Dogme ELT. From those studies found, we derived and cultivated the implementation of the approach, the perspectives of teachers and students toward the activities, and then presented the proposed framework in teaching English speaking using Snapshot in three stages. Furthermore, the findings indicate that only five out of thirteen studies that empirically utilized and described Dogme ELT in the classroom with mostly favored by both teachers and students. In sum, the proposed framework hopefully can benefit educators in general, ELT teachers, and lecturers in particular.

Design of the Mixed Oral English Teaching Method Based on the Hierarchical Aggregation Algorithm

As a key skill for language learners, oral communication ability is one of the most important factors to measure one person’s overall quality. Being a widely used language, English has become an important communicative medium worldwide. Oral English teaching is an important part of the whole process of English learning and is generally an emerging topic for the education circle. However, the traditional oral English teaching model has no significant effect on improving oral English performance. Therefore, this paper studies the mixed oral English teaching model under the guidance of core qualities. The connotation of core literacy of oral English is analyzed and the general framework of the core literacy system of oral English is constructed. Then, the relationship between the four elements of English subject core literacy is examined based on the classification of the spoken English teaching resources. Next, the integration of spoken English teaching resources is realized and the oral English knowledge ontology and the cultural differences between Chinese and Western analysis are explored. Finally, a task-based oral English teaching hybrid model is developed. The experimental results show that there is a significant difference in the oral English level of the students before and after the experiment. The model can improve the overall quality and overall performance of English learning for our society.

Effects of Using Computer-Based Activities in Teaching English Speaking at a High School in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

It is well-acknowledged that the English language is becoming widespread worldwide, and the application of computer technology in teaching and learning foreign languages in general and English, in particular, has shown significant changes. To improve English speaking skills for high school students, we designed and applied some computer-based activities (CBA) using computer technology. This research aimed to explore the effects of using such CBA in teaching English speaking at a high school in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The study was carried out with a mixture of quantitative and qualitative methods. A total of 88 high school students were engaged as subjects in the form of experimental and control groups. The experimental group was given a treatment using CBA in their speaking sections for five months. A set of pre-test and post-test was conducted to assess the effectiveness of CBA on this experimental group in comparison with the control one who got no treatment with CBA. In the assessment, we employed the form of PET speaking and this international test's speaking rubric and a student questionnaire which helped to identify the experimental students' attitudes towards CBA. The results showed the positive effects of using CBA on students' speaking skills and significantly improving their communication problems after treatment. In addition, they were quite interested in using CBA, which is a great encouragement to recommend more use of CBA in teaching speaking to students in Vietnam's high schools and similar contexts.

Improving College Students' Speaking Skills with the Assist of Information Technology

With the acceleration of economic globalization and the increase of foreign exchanges in all walks of life, the application of oral English is becoming more and more important. However, college school English education pays more attention to mechanized ways to train students on grammar, as well as reading and writing ability. Coupled with the lack of the authentic language learning contexts, students’ speaking ability is hard to be developed. Thus, how to improve the efficiency of college oral English teaching has become a hot issue in the field of college English education. In the times of network information, a great amount of scholars have highlighted the potential values of integrating information technology into English speaking teaching and learning. This paper makes a brief discussion on technological products assist students' speaking skills in college.

Research on the Strategies of Improving English Speaking Teaching in Universities under the Perspective of Internet+

As a key part in the process of teaching English in colleges and universities, spoken English has a non-negligible role in the cultivation of students' comprehensive English literacy. However, from the current development of English teaching classroom activities in colleges and universities, There is a widespread phenomenon, college English teachers do not pay good attention to the status and role of English speaking classroom, and many of the students have cultivated the defects and shortcomings of only doing practice problems but not communicating fluently, which is an embarrassing situation for the cultivation of talent quality. At present, the coming of Internet+ era and the proposal of Internet+ education provide a new teaching and learning carrier for the teaching of spoken English in colleges and universities. Based on this, this paper conducts a research on the strategy of teaching English speaking in colleges and universities under the Internet+ perspective, in order to contribute to the improvement of the quality of English speaking teaching in colleges and universities.

Research on a New Mode of Oral English Teaching Based on Computer Network Assistance

Oral English teaching is an important form of cultivating students' English accomplishment and improving their English learning effect. In the context of intelligent education, by giving full play to the advantages of computer network and actively reconstructing the new mode of Oral English teaching, we will, on the basis of optimizing the form of oral English teaching and by integrating high-quality oral English teaching resources, to promote students to participate in oral English learning and speaking practice in a conscious and spontaneous way. Based on the analysis of the existing problems in spoken English teaching, this paper puts forward the construction and implementation of a new spoken English teaching model based on computer network.

Do Native and Non-Native English Speaker Teachers Really Matter?: EFL Chinese Undergraduate Students' Perceptions in A Sino-Foreign University

This descriptive-exploratory paper investigated Wenzhou-Kean University students' perceptions of their Native English Speaking Teachers (NESTs) and Non-Native English Speaking Teachers (NNESTs) in the aspects of linguistic, teaching, and personal factors. The mixed method collected information from 400 survey respondents and 16 interviews. Many agreed they learn better authentic pronunciation from NESTs' fluency and pronunciation, while more than half perceived NNESTs could better teach EFL students to remember and use words in sentence construction. About half claimed that NNESTs prepared teaching materials are more understandable because of their sensitivity to the EFL students' English language learning difficulties. Many students perceived that NESTs employ more engaging teaching methods to explain lessons with better clarity and effective student learning. Many felt nervous talking to NESTs because of possible misunderstandings from language barriers. A majority agreed that NNESTs' competence and overseas working experience make their qualifications comparable to NESTs in English language teaching.

How Teachers Can Communicate Effectively with Parents Who Speak a Different Language

Language differences between parents and teachers, if not carefully managed, can cause miscommunication or communication gaps that could hinder both the school’s and students’ progress. This paper explores various ways of translating real-time conversations between teachers and parents who speak a different language. Fourteen K-12 teachers in the United States were surveyed and nine were interviewed to determine how English-speaking teachers can communicate effectively with non-English speaking parents. The findings from the study suggest Microsoft Translator technology for speech translation for conversations to break the language barrier, bridge communication gaps and promote effective bi/multilingual parent-teacher conferences.

TEACHING SPOKEN ENGLISH IN SPAIN: CLASSROOM PRACTICES AND TEACHERS´' PERCEPTIONS

Aim. This article presents the results obtained in a qualitative research related to classroom practices and perceptions of teachers of English as a foreign language in Spain. The aim of this study is to present examples of good teaching practices, including the types of resources, materials and assessment used in spoken English teaching. Methods. A qualitative investigation that used ethnographic (non-participant) observation in primary and secondary English classes was implemented in thirty-two schools. Additionally, twenty semi-structured interviews with primary and secondary teachers were conducted. Results and conclusion. The results show significant differences between both applied methods Non-participant observation indicates that spoken communication in English is not practised sufficiently. However, based on interview results, teachers do apply appropriate language learning strategies that could allow them to successfully teach speaking skills in their students. The results imply that in Spain, there are still many teachers and educational institutions that follow the Grammar Translation Method and other traditional methodologies, which still focus primarily on writing skills. However, several examples of good practices and inspiring methodological and motivational strategies have been found throughout this research, which might be considered as a precedent for those that focus on writing approaches. Cognitive value. This article displays an original research supported by University of Oviedo, through which, the reader can approach to the teaching of spoken English in Spain by means of some teachers´ perceptions and examples of good practices.

Application of Virtual Scenario Teaching in Spoken English Teaching

The ultimate goal of learning the English language is oral communication. Virtual scenario teaching (VST) provides the speaking and listening opportunities for learners of spoken English, and allows students to actively participate in the creation of an English environment. Based on VST, this paper summarizes the status quo of spoken English teaching, applies VST to the teaching of spoken English, and evaluates the teaching effect. The results show that VST enhances the students’ ability of language expression, and stimulates their learning interest. With the aid of VST, students can master relevant knowledge, learn spoken English more fluently, and acquire better skills of oral expression. About 95% of teachers speak highly of VST. The research results lay a theoretical basis for reforming and improving the teaching of spoken English.

Students’ perceptions towards native and non-native english speaker teachers

There was an argument that native English teachers have many advantages than non-native English teachers and students preferred native to non-native teachers; however, the argument had to be assessed. Many researchers had been exploring students’ perceptions of native and non-native English teachers worldwide in formal education institutions. This study aimed to explore students’ perceptions of native and non-native English teachers in a non-formal education institution. This was a qualitative study based on a descriptive approach conducted using three instruments: close-ended questionnaire, semi-structured interview, and documentation. The study revealed that native and non-native English teachers had their own specific roles in the Indonesian context. Students needed native more than non-native teachers because the latter were bilingual having the same mother tongue as them, and they enabled a successful learning process because of the effective learning strategies they shared. Also, non-native teachers helped students deal with difficulties and challenges in their learning process.

Alternative modes of publication for novice researchers

Alternative modes of publication for novice researchers

Language Teacher Identity and English Education Policy in Japan: Competing Discourses Surrounding “Non-native” English-speaking Teachers

This paper examines English teacher identity of Japanese “non-native” English-speaking teachers through a multi-layered analysis of discourses and identity. Informed by poststructuralist views of identity, it explores dominant discourses surrounding “non-native” English-speaking teachers by analyzing their portrayal in national English education policy in Japan. This analysis is combined with qualitative data analysis of interview accounts of five Japanese high school “non-native” English-speaking teachers, which allows for examination of the interrelation between dominant discourses and their teacher identities. The data analysis demonstrates how the policy documents portray “non-native” English-speaking teachers, framing them within two competing discourses: the discourse of teaching professionals vis-à-vis students and the discourse of “nonnative” teachers vis-à-vis imagined “native” speakers of English. This discursive portrayal corresponds to the “non-native” English-speaking teacher identity illuminated by narrative accounts from the participant teachers, manifesting the paradoxical and conflicting nature of teacher identity. The discussion concludes with implications and recommendations for English education policy design and teacher education with a heightened sensitivity to identity.