ESL Students Research Articles

FOSTERING ESL STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION IN WRITING THROUGH THE INTEGRATION OF ICT: A FOCUS ON TEACHERS AND STUDENTS

This study investigated the motivation in English writing by using the ICT in secondary school. The objectives of this study are to examine the impact of using ICT on ESL students’ motivation to engage in writing skills, and to explore how teachers incorporate ICT into ESL writing instruction to enhance motivation among students. This study used qualitative approach as the main approach by implemented semi-structured interview and open-ended questionnaire as the instruments. The total eight respondents including two secondary school English teachers age 31 and 46 years old meanwhile 6 secondary school students age 13 to 16 years old were participated in this research. The result reveal that ICT significantly enhances student motivation and engagement, making the learning more enjoyable and less monotonous, helping students clarify doubts and develop ideas more quickly especially in writing lesson. Implications of the study are where it enhanced student engagement and motivation, and improve learning and understanding in English writing lesson. Future research for this study is recommended due to the fact that majority of secondary schools in Malaysia such as rural area might need a better ICT implementation especially in English writing lesson. Addressing these issues could involve exploring how to improve ICT infrastructure, provide targeted professional development for teachers, and develop strategies to incorporate technology into curricula more effectively.

Enhancing vocabulary acquisition through Memrise in an English second-language class: Action research at a TVET college

As the basis of a language, vocabulary is important because it promotes dialogue and the expression of individual ideas and opinions, has an impact on reading comprehension, and improves academic achievement. The purpose of this action research was to use the Memrise application to improve the vocabulary of English Level 2 second-language students (ESL) in the TVET (technical and vocational education and training) sector. The study of a first-year cohort of ESL students at Level 2 was selected through purposive sampling and the data were collected using pre- and post-testing, questionnaires and reflective journal entries documenting the teacher’s self-reflection and observations on Memrise usage. Memrise was used in Author One’s classroom during a six-week period. Using Guskey’s (2002) model of teacher change, the research revealed improved, varying degrees of academic achievement among students following the implementation of the application. In addition, the study highlighted these students’ preference for technology-enhanced learning experiences, such as the Memrise application, over traditional text-based approaches. This research not only challenged the teacher– researcher to embrace technology in order to engage in enhanced teaching practices, but also provided the student cohort with an engaging pathway towards vocabulary acquisition, a process that fostered mutual development.

The Effectiveness of Grammarly Features in Building Arguments in Writing Essays

Technology has already taken over to affect the way languages are learned. Tools such as Grammarly have become trendy among students to improve their writing. One of the helpful things for a student to write an effective essay is to have assistance like proper tools and support for better writing, and one of them is using Grammarly. This study aimed to measure how Grammarly affected the ESL students’ writing provided in their essays, focusing on improvements in the build of the argument. This research also measured grammar, usage of tense, and overall structure. This research used mixed methods by collecting the data through essay assignment submission, taken both before and after using Grammarly. Each of the essays used as the assignment was a 5- paragraph essay consisting of an introductory paragraph, three body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. By comparing their essays from both stages, The results of this study show that Grammarly provided corrections not only for common mistakes such as grammar, misspellings, and inconsistent verb tense but also offered suggestions for improving sentence clarity. The analysis revealed an improvement of 60.24% in the clarity and structure of students’ arguments as Grammarly helped rewrite the sentences into more concise and well-structured complex and compound forms.

Benefits and Challenges of Online Teaching and Learning among Upper Primary ESL Students: The Teachers’ Perspectives

Benefits and Challenges of Online Teaching and Learning among Upper Primary ESL Students: The Teachers’ Perspectives

Multilingual English second language students’ voice in digital storytelling

Digital storytelling is a productive approach to engaging multilingual students in creative, expressive, and practical tasks to increase their English language development and meaningful thinking. Based on previous research, digital storytelling helps students stay motivated, expand their communication skills, and create narratives with multiple multimodal features (Robin, 2008; Reinders, 2011; Tecnam, 2012). This study expands on previous research by exploring voice in students’ digital storytelling to showcase their identities. A mixed-method study investigated whether the same author's voice could be differentiated among the raters. Therefore, 25 participants were recruited and asked to watch ten pairs of digital stories to evaluate linguistic and multimodal aspects of the stories and either attribute them or not to the same author. The study results indicated that the raters could distinguish between digital stories authored by the same multilingual ESL writer and those crafted by different writers, thus proving that multilingual ESL learners implement voice in their digital stories. The study also revealed that the raters relied on certain multimodal and linguistic features while making their decisions, therefore underlying the importance of developing those multimodal elements in multilingual classrooms. Finally, the study offers numerous activities that can be implemented in multilingual classrooms to develop ESL students’ voices and shape their identities.

An Investigation of E-Learning Stress, Anxiety, and Depression on ESL Students' Performance at Speaking Skills in the Gulf Region

This paper will investigate the stress of e-learning on ESL students’ mental health and their performance in speaking skill exams. This prolonged pandemic has put people at risk of developing mental illness and physical disease. The mental distress caused by the covid 19 has adversely affected the education sector significantly higher education students. The objective of this research paper will also review the relationship between prolonged exposure to digital learning stress, mental well-being, and student's performance. A cross-sectional descriptive study will be (survey)designed to assess the level of Anxiety, Stress, and depression in graduate students undergoing online classes in KSA. The population of this research will be ESL students studying for a graduate degree at Qasim University KSA and Kuwait University in GULF after the COVID-19 pandemic. A random stratified sample will be collected. The research tool will consist of a questionnaire based on DASS 21. Data will be collected and analyzed by SPSS (version 27). Results will be drawn, and remedial coping strategies will be recommended to help university students cope with the psychological burden affecting their speaking skill performance.

Exploring the Efficacy of a ChatGPT-Based Application in Enhancing Oral English Proficiency for Chinese ESL Students

This research explores the impact of Chat GPT AI Characters on ESL learning, comparing them to traditional peer practice in language education. It investigates AI's influence on language proficiency, engagement, and response quality, drawing from literature on ESL challenges. Using mixed methods—pre- and post-test questionnaires, classroom experiments—the study evaluates two groups' language fluency, response speed, and answer quality. Thematic analysis uncovers student perspectives, while statistical methods like t-tests and correlation studies highlight group differences. Ethical considerations prioritize privacy and consent. Anticipated outcomes include improved language skills and engagement. Acknowledging limitations in sample size and cultural biases, this study illuminates AI's role in ESL education, informing future teaching practices.

Effectiveness of English language textbook in developing Oral communicative competence of high school students

This study aimed to evaluate the revised English textbook "Comprehensive English Book One for Class XI" prescribed by the Sindh Textbook Board for its effectiveness in fulfilling the language needs of ESL students in Pakistan, particularly in developing oral communicative competence (OCC) of high school students. Using an interpretivist approach, the research adopted a qualitative method, employing semi-structured interviews with thirty participants-ten teachers and twenty students, purposively selected, along with participant observations. Data from these sources were analyzed using thematic analysis, ensuring validity and reliability through methodological triangulation. The findings indicated that the revised textbook was highly effective in enhancing students' oral communicative competence. However, a major issue identified was the improper classroom implementation of the textbook, undermining its overall effectiveness. The study highlights the need for improved ESL teaching practices in Pakistan, and contributes to existing literature on textbook development. It recommends capacity-building measures for teachers to optimize the use of teaching resources and ensure effective implementation of the revised textbook.

Target Situation Analysis (TSA) To Examine The Expert Viewpoint About The Academic Writing Demands To Author A Research Thesis In Social Sciences: A Review Study In English For Academic Purposes

Target Situation Analysis (TSA) is used in this review study to investigate the expert opinion about the requirements for academic writing when producing a social science research thesis, specifically about English for Academic Purposes (EAP). According to Basturkmen (2010) and Dudley-Evans & St. John (1998), task-specific assessment (TSA) entails determining the particular tasks, abilities, and language requirements of students in the intended academic setting. This article focuses on the expectations of examiners in EAP, important academic norms for thesis writing, and linguistic and rhetorical elements that can help ESL students overcome obstacles. In order to fulfill the demands of ESL students doing social science research, this TSA intends to inform effective instructional approaches and support systems by reviewing the body of existing literature. These writing requirements were assessed using a systematic literature review methodology and a qualitative design. Themes including thesis writing, the function of the social sciences, academic expectations, and the flow and structure of the thesis were identified through thematic analysis of scholarly guides and studies. Important findings show that writing with precision, consistency, and clarity is still quite difficult, especially for non-native speakers. In order to produce high-quality theses, social science researchers need certain abilities including critical thinking and good communication in addition to language[1] competency. The results underscore the necessity of customized assistance, including focused writing training, mentorship, and peer evaluation, in order to improve research thesis quality in Pakistan and foster scholarly distinction. Future studies should concentrate on efficient teaching strategies, the influence of language ability on the caliber of theses, and the creation of assessment instruments to help students even more. By addressing these unmet requirements for academic writing in Pakistan, researchers will be better equipped to do excellent work that makes a significant contribution to their areas.

IMPACT OF BLENDED LEARNING ON ACQUISITION OF ENGLISH AS SECOND LANGUAGE AT UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL IN PAKISTAN

Blended Learning (BL), is a teaching approach that integrates face-to-face instruction with interactive online tools and resources. The research study was conducted to analyze students’ satisfaction with approach of Blended Learning in the second language learning classrooms. The research study’s objectives were to find out the impact of blended learning on the students’ speaking practice and to find out impact of Blended Learning on students’ listening practice. The simple random sampling technique was used in this study. In this regard, the data was collected from 317 undergraduate ESL students of different private and government universities in Lahore. After collection, data was encrypted in SPSS software version 22. The descriptive analysis of the collected data shows that most of the ESL students found BL supportive and helpful in learning English language and shows a positive attitude toward BL. The results offered important information from results of current investigation in reaching the conclusion wherein findings show that varying percentages of the students expressed their diverse sentiments regarding the blended learning as compared to the traditional classroom environments.

The Effect of Pre-reading Strategies on Adult ESL Learners’ Reading Comprehension

Reading comprehension plays a significant role in second language learning. Yet, it is still the most challenging skill to acquire for second language learners. Because reading is an active process, research indicated that readers need to apply different strategies before, during, and after reading. This study aimed to examine the effect of pre-reading strategies on reading comprehension of adult ESL learners. Fourteen adult ESL students participated in the study. Data were collected through pre and post reading comprehension tests during a period of three weeks. Students’ performance was measured before they were introduced to the pre-reading strategies and was compared to their performance after learning and applying those strategies. Results showed that students’ scores increased significantly after using pre-reading strategies.

Teachers' Perceptions in Using YouTube to Teach Listening in ESL Classroom

This study was centered around recognizing the impact of YouTube recordings as a listening learning media. It is accepted that the general media mode might work on students' ability to listen and make listening seriously intriguing. Although past research has been conducted to discuss the implementation of YouTube videos in ESL classrooms, not much research has been done that focuses on the teachers' perception of using YouTube for listening skills. The objectives of the study are to identify how frequently ESL educators at the secondary level use YouTube recordings in their classroom for listening practices and to find out how much YouTube recordings provide ESL students with new techniques that can assist them with practicing their listening ability. The researchers employed a survey method design and chose 30 respondents using purposive sampling. Observations field notes were also employed to triangulate the data. The results of the study revealed that the teachers feel that the use of YouTube to teach listening in ESL classrooms is efficient and effective. They also stated that the school facilities should be sufficient to conduct an effective listening lesson using YouTube videos.

The Impact of Adopting Facebook on Developing Descriptive and Narrative Paragraph Writing Skills of ESL Young Adult Learners

Facebook, as one of the popular social media sites worldwide and in Sri Lanka, has been highlighted as a powerful influencer on language learning. While Sri Lanka is working to modernize its paper-based traditional education system and follow global trends of incorporating technology and social media into teaching methods, Facebook use by students for learning reasons is a rarely explored area. The current study's problem stems from students' poor performance in English writing assessments and decreased interest in paper-based education. The objective of this study was to see how using Facebook assisted tertiary-level ESL students build descriptive and narrative paragraph writing skills. The study used an intervention research approach, with data obtained through pre and post-tests. The study included 60 intermediate-level ESL students from the University of Kelaniya who studied in the first-year "English for Social Sciences" course. Participants were chosen after the pre-test, and the experimental group's 30 students were taught for six weeks through a closed Facebook group, whereas the control group's 30 students were taught using paper-based method in regular classes. The similar lessons on descriptive and narrative paragraph writing were delivered to the students on the Facebook group and for the controlled group employing the conventional paper-based approach. The findings demonstrated statistically significant differences between scores of the controlled group and the experimental group, in favour of the experimental group subjected to Facebook learning, proving that Facebook is a modern arena that should be promoted as an appealing online platform to refine students' language skills.

Enhancing ESL Students’ Writing Skills through Natural Language Processing Model Chat GPT

This research paper describes an experimental study to determine the effectiveness of using Chat GPT based natural language processing (NLP) model to improve the writing proficiency of ESL students. The study shows how such approach can be integrated into the teaching process to improve the quality of writing skills. The paper provides an overview of methods of teaching writing according to certain criteria for assessing writing skills. The effectiveness of the model is assessed in comparison with traditional teaching methods. Recommendations are given for optimizing the learning process using NLP technologies. The conclusion highlights the significance of the technology used in improving writing skills and discusses the prospects for using the Chat GPT model to optimize these skills in ESL students.

Exploring the Role of English Literature in Developing Cultural Competence among ESL Students

The study of English literature is a fascinating and effective technique for teaching English. It combines language instruction with literary analysis, contextualizing language, raising cultural awareness, honing critical thinking skills, expanding vocabulary and knowledge, boosting interpersonal skills, and enhancing writing ability. Teachers can enhance students' learning experience in English as a second language by employing these strategies: selecting appropriate texts, integrating reading practices, designing literacy exercises, assessing aesthetic aspects, and creating writing projects. The use of English literature in language studies fosters students' language development in relevant and real-world contexts, leading to a greater understanding of the language and its cultural nuances. Furthermore, culture affects values, beliefs, rituals, and behaviors and is reflected in language, dress, food, materials, and social institutions of a group (“Purnell, 2002”) qtd in (Sharifi et al., 2019). This understanding underscores the importance of integrating cultural elements into language instruction to provide students with a holistic view of language and its sociocultural context. Additionally, this approach allows us to examine how literature and language resources portray people of various origins, identities, demographics, and competences, seamlessly integrating diverse perspectives into the educational framework. This research involves investigating how a more varied educational environment affects student motivation, self-esteem, and the ability to communicate across cultures.

Movies as Tools for Enhancing ESL Learning: Insights into Students’ Emotions and Experiences

Numerous studies have reported that ESL students often struggle with poor motivation, low self-confidence, and high levels of anxiety. Watching movies has a strong potential to ignite these students’ interest in learning English, thereby enhancing their language learning journey. However, integrating movies into language learning is only effective if it positively impacts students’ anxiety, motivation and self-confidence. This study explores university students’ emotional factors along with their experiences to determine whether movies enhance their language learning. An online questionnaire via Google Forms was distributed to 76 participants, including 43 students from the LG241 program (Malay Language for Professional Communication) and 33 from the LG242 program (Arabic Language for Professional Communication) at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Shah Alam. Data were extracted and analysed using SPPS version 29 via descriptive statistics. Results showed that movies created a calm and non-intimidating learning atmosphere, fostering increased self-motivation and self-esteem while reducing anxiety. Students also reported improved language skills, as movies provided real-life examples of English usage and immersive learning environments. This study demonstrates that integrating movies into English lessons can improve students’ emotions and experiences, making language learning more effective. Collecting ESL students’ feedback on using movies for language learning helps educators identify areas for improvement. By incorporating students’ perspectives, educators can develop more effective teaching methods, ultimately enhancing the learning experience through unconventional means.

Teacher support and its impact on ESL student engagement in blended learning: The mediating effects of L2 grit and intended effort

BackgroundIn the shifting paradigm of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction, blended learning has become increasingly prevalent, necessitating understanding factors that drive student engagement. The research delves into the intricate interaction between teacher support and student engagement, postulating that L2 grit and intended effort function as mediators within this dynamic. MethodsWe employed a cross-sectional design involving a sample of 712 EFL students engaged in blended learning courses. Through quantitative analysis, we measured the constructs of teacher support, L2 grit, intended effort, and student engagement with validated scales. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was applied to investigate the relationships between these variables and to test the hypothesized mediation effects. ResultsThe results demonstrated that teacher support correlated with higher levels of student engagement. L2 grit and intended effort were identified as significant mediators in this relationship. L2 grit acted as a bridge between teacher support and student engagement, reflecting the essential role of perseverance and passion for long-term language learning objectives. Intended effort further mediated this relationship, indicating that supportive teacher behaviors foster greater student effort, enhancing overall engagement. The study also revealed a chain mediation effect, suggesting that teacher support sequentially enhances L2 grit, which in turn increases intended effort, cumulatively leading to improved student engagement. ConclusionThe findings offer evidence of the central role of teacher support in bolstering student engagement through the development of L2 grit and the enhancement of intended effort. This paper underlines the necessity of a supportive learning environment in blended EFL settings and presents a novel sequential mediation framework that can guide educators, curriculum designers, and policymakers in creating more effective learning experiences.

Optimizing the Effectiveness of Chat GPT’s Feedback on ESL Student's Written Productions

This essay explores the integration of AI technologies, specifically ChatGPT, into ESL education to enhance the feedback process. It argues for a rubric-based framework to ensure the feedback aligns with pedagogical objectives and effectively meets student needs. The discussion includes various studies highlighting the importance of feedback in language learning and the potential of AI to offer timely, personalized feedback. By employing a systematic evaluation of ChatGPT’s responses through a well-defined rubric, educators can refine the feedback to be more supportive and effective. This approach not only optimizes AI's utility in ESL education but also promotes a deeper understanding of effective teaching and learning strategies. The essay underscores the transformative potential of AI in education, advocating for a balanced integration that enhances rather than replaces traditional educational methods.

Graduate students’ use of ChatGPT for academic text revision: Behavioral, cognitive, and affective engagement

Amidst the growing hype surrounding ChatGPT and its use for writing purposes, numerous studies have emerged, but there has been limited emphasis on investigating how individual students utilize it for text revision. Against this backdrop, the present study examined how six Iranian graduate ESL students from STEM fields engaged with ChatGPT when revising their academic research proposals. The study employed a tripartite multidimensional framework encompassing behavioral, cognitive, and affective aspects of engagement. Behavioral engagement was analyzed by studying students’ texts and their screencasts using ChatGPT for text revision. Cognitive and affective engagement were evaluated through students’ comments during stimulated recall of the screencasts, along with semi-structured interviews and follow-up surveys. The findings show that participants used ChatGPT behaviorally for lower-order concerns, relying on a training prompt. While they generally noticed and comprehended the feedback, they expressed doubts regarding its accuracy whenever necessary, implying a reasonably high level of cognitive engagement. Affective engagement revealed high satisfaction, with participants' favoring ChatGPT for paraphrasing to enhance professionalism in writing. The research offers insights for educators on how to effectively integrate ChatGPT into L2 writing classrooms.

Vocabulary background knowledge, working memory capacity, and reading comprehension among Chinese ESL students

Vocabulary background knowledge, working memory capacity, and reading comprehension among Chinese ESL students