Female EFL Learners Research Articles

Effects of inductive and deductive aural vocabulary pre-teaching on EFL learners' word recognition from speech.

This study explores the impact of inductive and deductive aural vocabulary pre-teaching on word recognition from speech (WRS) among 72 Iranian EFL intermediate learners from a language institute. Participants were randomly divided into three groups: Group A (inductive), Group B (deductive), and Group C (routine instruction of the language institute). Each group consisted of 24 participants, with 12 male and 12 female intermediate EFL learners. Assessments included pre-test, immediate post-test, and delayed post-test. Statistical analyses, including mixed ANOVA, one-way ANOVA, Scheffe tests, and paired samples t-tests, were conducted. Results indicated superior performance in experimental groups with no significant difference between inductive and deductive methods, showcasing lasting effects on WRS. This study provides valuable insights for language educators, learners, curriculum designers, and institutes to enhance EFL listening proficiency through aural vocabulary instructions.

THE EFFECT OF BLENDED LEARNING ON EDUCATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND CREATIVITY OF IRANIAN EFL LEARNERS

This study investigates the influence of blended learning instruction (BLI) on the educational accountability and creativity of intermediate EFL learners in Iran. Moreover, it aims to identify EFL learners’ attitudes toward BLI. To this end, 60 female intermediate EFL learners were selected out of 90 through their performance on a sample of the Oxford Quick Placement Test (OQPT). The participants were assigned into two 30-learner groups (i.e., BLI and control). The first questionnaires were administered as their pre-test to check EFL learners’ educational accountability and creativity level before the treatment. During the intervention, the experimental group received instruction through BLI, while the control group received conventional instruction. The second questionnaires were administered as a post-test to check EFL learners’ educational accountability and creativity level after the treatment. Moreover, 10 EFL learners were randomly selected from the BLI group to be interviewed. The results of the two separate ANCOVAs indicated that BLI significantly affected EFL learners’ educational accountability and creativity. The results of the interviews indicated that the majority of the participants believed that BLI made them more self-directed and autonomous. Similarly, 90% of the learners believed that BLI had changed their views towards self and cooperative learning.

Vocabulary Learning Strategies in Learning New Words for EFL Learners Based on Gender Differences

This study investigates vocabulary learning strategies (VLS) among male and female EFL learners at Muhammadiyah University Jember. Using questionnaires and interviews, the research explores gender differences in discovering and consolidating new vocabulary. The findings reveal that both genders primarily use dictionaries for discovery, with males preferring visual aids and females relying on social interactions. For consolidation, males favor spaced repetition and word lists, while females use mnemonics and narrative techniques. These insights highlight the need for differentiated instruction to accommodate diverse learning preferences.

Revolutionizing language learning: Unleashing the power of the engage model to supercharge writing skill in cognitively more and less active EFL learners

The ever-growing need for fluency in written English around the world, because of the role of English as the world’s international language, has given priority to finding more effective ways to its teaching. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of using the ENGAGE Model on writing performance of EFL learners through a mixed-method study. The participants of the study were 60 advanced level female EFL learners with the age range of 20 to 30 in one of the private language institutes in Isfahan, Iran. The participants were non-randomly selected from a large pool of advanced female students. The selected participants were assigned to the two groups of the ENGAGE Model (the experimental group) and TBLT (the control group), with 30 students in each. The participants were also specified in terms of their cognitive ability as cognitively more or less active based on their answers to a validated cognitive profile questionnaire. In the quantitative phase of the study, the participants went through the processes of pre-testing, intervention, and post-testing and the data collected were fed into the SPSS software version 26. The results revealed that the ENGAGE Model had a statistically significant effect on the writing development of cognitively more and less active EFL learners. The qualitative findings of the study proved that the cognitively more active learners enjoyed the ENGAGE Model class more than the cognitively less active ones. Likewise, the cognitively more active learners could benefit from the class more than their counterparts in the cognitively less active camp and assessed themselves more positively in terms of L2 writing. The finding of the study suggested that EFL teachers and stakeholders should increase interaction and higher-order thinking, and make connections to learners’ previous learning.

Exploring Motivation and Engagement: Sociocultural Influences on Saudi Female EFL Learners

The major theoretical works of Albert Bandura and Lev Vygotsky apply to this quantitative study on how female English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners enrolled at a public university in Saudi Arabia respond to the sociocultural orientations influencing motivation and engagement in foreign language learning. By evaluating the peer-reviewed academic literature and accounting for evidence gaps in this research area, the study seeks to address how a small group comprised of the target population feels motivated and engaged with the EFL instructional content. The main results revealed that female EFL learners in Saudi Arabia prefer learning a second language in collaborative environments with peers. While these results provide empirical evidence that young women in Saudi Arabia have more opportunities to become proficient in L2 English and participate in the global economy, these results suggest that in Saudi Arabia, there are increasing opportunities for young learners to achieve proficiency in L2 English and engage in the global economy. Furthermore, the role of technological innovation in enhancing learner autonomy is noteworthy. Additionally, the prevailing sociocultural norms in Saudi Arabia influence the skill sets acquired by EFL learners. Future studies on how female EFL learners in Saudi Arabia respond to constructive emotional and intellectual challenges will help researchers close evidence gaps. The future research implications of this study are such that ongoing progress is possible despite the limitations.

The Impact of ChatGPT in Developing Saudi EFL Learners' Literature Appreciation

Teaching foreign language learners literature appreciation can be a tricky task as it follows from a deep and clear understanding of literature as the first step. This study examines whether and how an AI tool (ChatGPT) can contribute to the literature appreciation skills of EFL learners. The study was conducted with a sample of 28 female EFL learners at Prince Sattam Bin Abdelaziz University (PSBAU), Saudi Arabia in the first semester of 2023 spanning a ChatGPT- based intervention period of three weeks. Results indicated that learners’ literature appreciation scores improved from 17.96 before the intervention to 22.21 afterwards with a probability value which was a statistically significant change. The parameters on which the improvement was observed were the ability to identify and interpret literary themes, symbols, and character development using the chatbot. The study employed a unique method of gathering real-time experiential data from the participants by encouraging them to share their ChatGPT interaction experiences after each interventional session. The participants reported gains over conventional learning including cоntext and nuances, general language proficiency by helping with error correction, cohesion, and coherence, identifying themes, motifs, symbolism, and character development, exposure to world literatures, adjustment to learners’ proficiency levels, cultural and historical information, and freedom to ask questions. Based on these results, the study highly recommends the integration of ChatGPT into the EFL classroom but with appropriate investment in educating the learners on the ethics of AI use as was done by the researcher here.

Emojis in EFL Communication: An Analysis оf the Language-Like Functions in Emoji Use by Saudi Female Learners

Emojis are fast becoming an integral part of communication and taking the shape of a ‘language’ in its own right. This raises pertinent questions as to the future look of formal digital communication and the purposes for which this visual input is used by EFL learners. This mixed methods study investigated what prompts female EFL learners at Qassim University to use emojis, the communicative functions they fulfill, and whether their use hinders or facilitates communication. A WhatsApp group was created. A total of 21 female students were added to the group. The researcher observed their chat for 4 weeks. An interview was also used to collect data on the purposes and functions of using emojis. Results indicate that there are nine broad functions that are fulfilled by emojis when used by EFL learners: expression of emotions, enhancing tone, visual quotient, regional variations, efficient communication, creativity, word substitution, peer prompt, and playfulness. Further, irrespective of the purpose of emoji use, the participants see it as an enhancement of their English communication on a formal platform, and that fears that visuals can fully replace the text for foreign language learners are totally unfounded. This study recommends the investigation of using emojis for developing students' autonomy.

The Effects of Computer-assisted Language Learning (CALL) and Different Interaction Patterns on Vocabulary Development of EFL Learners

Background: Research on the integration of Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) in EFL contexts has witnessed a significant advance due to the modern changes in language education and technology over the last decades. However, the effects of CALL on vocabulary development through different interaction patterns have not been investigated by researchers.
 Purpose: Attempts have been made to assess the effects of CALL and Memrise software on the vocabulary development of intermediate EFL learners through the three interaction patterns: 1) pair-work interaction, 2) small-group-work interaction, and 3) individual content.
 Method: A total of 100 male and female Iranian EFL learners were selected through convenience sampling and assigned into three experimental and one control groups, each consisting of 25 learners. The Oxford Quick Placement Test was taken to assure the homogeneity of the participants. Then, a multiple-choice vocabulary test was taken as a pretest. The three experimental groups learned vocabulary through Memrise desktop software with three different interaction patterns, while the control group learned the same through the conventional pattern. A reshuffled version of the pretest constitutes the subsequent posttest.
 Result: The results of the comparison between all pretests and posttests indicated that there was a significant difference between the vocabulary scores of the pretest and the posttest of the experimental groups, indicating the efficiency of these treatments. It was revealed that the pair work was slightly more effective than small-group work and that these two types of intervention were more effective than individual-content interaction, where the latter was more effective than conventional instruction.
 Conclusion: According to the findings, students are advised to take advantage of CALL-based facilities and participate in interactive activities.

Transactional Distance Perception as a Predictor for EFL Learners’ Online Self-efficacy

Nowadays, technology has been used in education in general and second language learning in specific, in different ways. So, there is a need to do more in-depth research on its implications. The current study examined whether EFL learners’ transactional distance perception could predict their online self-efficacy. To this end, 138 female and male Iranian EFL learners were selected through convenience sampling. Then, the participants were asked to complete two questionnaires, namely the transactional distance questionnaire and the online self-efficacy questionnaire. In order to answer the research questions, the data were analyzed using the Spearman coefficient of correlation and standard multiple regression. Based on the results of the data analysis, it was found that online self-efficacy was positively and significantly correlated with transactional distance perception, and transactional distance perception could significantly predict online self-efficacy findings of the present study have implications for the teachers, learners, and syllabus designers.

Delving Into Writing Anxiety of Rural College EFL Learners: A Quantitative Study

Anxiety in foreign language writing burdens EFL learners before, during, and after producing scientific written texts. This current research aimed to explore the types, levels, and causes of anxiety toward writing research reports and the final thesis of rural college EFL learners and the emerging causes of their writing apprehension. 103 EFL learners in two rural colleges in Indonesia participated in the quantitative study by employing the Second Language Writing Inventory (SLWAI) and the Causes of Writing Anxiety Inventory (CWAI). The results reveal that cognitive anxiety was the highest type and level of rural college EFL learners' writing apprehension. Independent t-test shows that female EFL learners dominate male learners regarding writing anxiety. Furthermore, junior learners were more anxious than seniors. The learners with writing training had lower anxiety than those without writing experiences. Moreover, the learners taking the Research Method course were anxious about writing a research report. However, no significant difference was found between each variable. The most dominant emerging factors deal with problems with linguistic matters, fear of lecturers or supervisors' negative feedback, self-regulation in writing, writing evaluation, and inadequate training in writing. In conclusion, current classroom practice in rural colleges needs to be aware of and take academic action towards such circumstances.

English Grammatical Morphemes 1({-s pl.}, {-s ps}, and {-s 3d}) by Iraqi EFL Learners: A Case Study

Acquiring grammatical morphemes is the main part in languageacquisition. Brown (1973), de Villiers and de Villiers (1973) and Larsen-Freeman(1975) mentioned that there is a natural order of acquisition of grammaticalmorphemes in English. This study investigates the development of acquisition of {-spl.}, {-s ps}, and {-s 3d} by Iraqi EFL learners and to find out if Iraqi EFL learnersfollow the same order of acquisition. It is also to differentiate between male andfemale learners in their acquisition. The study was based on a grammaticalityjudgment test that was administered for 30 participants each academic yearspecifically in May 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 respectively. The results of analysispresent the average of the percentage of identification of grammatical morphemesconcerned. The average displays that the acquisition of {-s 3d} more fulfilled, withan average (66.583%), than {-s pl.}, {-s ps} which are (58.083%) and (50.25%)respectively. Also the results show that Iraqi male and female learners have thesame order of acquisition of grammatical morphemes but there is a difference inthe averages obtained which reveals that Iraqi female EFL learners acquire these

Learning analytics in the EFL classroom: Technology as a forecasting tool

Ideal e-learning management systems (eLMSs) offer many applications given their huge dataset. They are a repository of information needed for the smooth functioning of the teaching-learning process in tech-enabled spaces. Databases created in these analytical systems permit not only the retrieval of data but also the updation of changing learning and pedagogical needs. This study aims to provide insights into predictive educational benefits to EFL classrooms as a result of the application of analytic methods by using grades in final exam scores of 25 EFL female learners of an undergraduate course at Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University (PSAU), Saudi Arabia. The study also analyzed the learning behaviours on Blackboard. Results show that lesson videos have the highest hit out of the three parameters (lesson videos, textual notes, practice exercises) offered on the e-learning platform (BlackBoard), followed by practice questions, and the least visitations were registered for the textual notes. Correlation between the learning videos (related to the three literature lessons taught) and final grades showed statistical significance at 95% confidence level, in addition to the factor of topic completion by the learners being a highly influencing factor in final grades. As a predictive model, Learning Analytics (LA) established that videos are a preferred way of learning English in the Saudi EFL context. The results of the study are likely to be of significance to course developers, teachers, and learners of EFL.

The Impact of Teacher Technology-Enhanced Scaffolding on Female EFL Learners’ Grammar Achievement, Directed Motivational Currents (DMCs), and Mastery Goal

The Impact of Teacher Technology-Enhanced Scaffolding on Female EFL Learners’ Grammar Achievement, Directed Motivational Currents (DMCs), and Mastery Goal

Does Gendered Language Exist in a Foreign Language Context? A Study in Written Discourse of Saudi Male and Female EFL Learners

This investigation aims to verify the hypothesis that gendered language exists in foreign language usage as manifested in the EFL learners’ writing output in a Saudi university. The motivation behind this is to, ultimately, check and weed out elements of gendered language that are early on embedded amongst the genders which, with the passage of time, lead to various biases. Though it may be utopian to think of eradicating linguistic bias, yet this study hopes to contribute meaningfully to curb it and substitute the temptation of allowing it to seep into communication, by educating and training EFL users to substitute these with gender-free language and helping ensure greater gender equality. The writing output of 42 EFL learners was analyzed using an electronic parsing tool called Stanford Parser (v. 3.7.0), and all components classified as grammatical dependencies. Results showed that differences existed in male and female writings in the use of noun in subject position which occurred more frequently in female text at 69.15 mean dependency occurrence. This has long been held as a marked feature of female language use. The same dependency stands at a much lower 51.28 mean occurrence in males. Further, female writing has long been associated with a great deal of use of ‘empty’ modifiers, such as ‘very’ which act as modifiers to adverbs and adjectives. The current study upheld this contention as well. Lastly, backchanneling occurred more in female output in EFL than their male counterparts.

SUSTAINED SILENT READING AND READING RATE GAINS OF FEMALE PAKISTANI EFL LEARNERS IN A RURAL HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

Reading speed has long been recognized in scholarly literature as an essential component of reading fluency and successful reading. A variety of instructional techniques and activities are used to improve reading speed of learners. Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) is one such way that encourages the development of reading fluency and reading speed. This study investigated the impact of SSR on reading speed of female Pakistani EFL learners. A nine-week long SSR program was designed with 10 minutes timed-reading activity to improve students’ reading rate. Using random sampling procedures, fifty female students were selected to participate in the study. After the pre-test, twenty five students were kept in treatment group and twenty five in control group. Results of the study show that the experimental group’s average reading speed considerably increased from 115.60 wpm to 347.60 wpm after the intervention which indicates positive impact of SSR on reading speed of the participants. Statistically significant differences were found in reading rate gains between the two groups. Interestingly, a slight increase was also noted in the reading speed of students in the control group. The findings of the study indicate that SSR is a very effective instructional technique in developing EFL learners’ reading rate. Keywords: Reading rate, Fluency, Sustained Silent Reading, Reading fluency, EFL learners, Pakistan

Challenges in Teaching Pronunciation to Saudi Female Learners at Taif University

Prince Muhammad Bin Salman’s 2030 vision has amplified the importance of the English language in Saudi Arabia and efforts to increase its use in the Kingdom. This need is illustrated by the increasing trend of Saudi universities and certain corporations requiring prospective students to take regional standardized English examinations. The goal of this study is to identify female Saudi EFL learners’ pronunciation issues, assess needed help, and suggest teaching strategies to EFL instructors. Learners will be examined through a series of pronunciation exams intended to enhance their listening and pronunciation skills. This research is relevant because young people are a key element of HRH Mohammed Bin Salman’s Vision 2030 as they represent the kingdom, internationally. The questions in this study address the challenges instructors confront in dealing with the most common pronunciation issues faced by adult female Saudi students in the EFL classroom. The obstacles faced by ESL instructors teaching pronunciation in schools included self-confidence, professional development knowledge, and instructional methodologies. Fear of making mistakes while pronouncing words was commonly stated as an obstacle to confidence when teaching pronunciation to students. Moreover, several teachers admitted to having difficulty pronouncing some phrases, indicating a lack of familiarity with English pronunciation. According to respondents, the time given to cover the required courses in the program proved insufficient for pronunciation teaching. The most successful method was to include pronunciation tasks in English classrooms. Due to the unique qualities and needs of each student, there are a limited number of instructional materials and other resources accessible on pronunciation.

The Usage of Adverbial Connectors by Saudi Female EFL Learners

The paper investigates the different usage of adverbial connectors in Saudi Female EFL learners’ (NNS) writings compared to native English (NS) writings. The 10 most frequent connectors in the two corpora, a compiled Saudi English learners’ corpus and the BNC Baby Corpus of academic prose were selected to examine the differences between both writing samples. The results support previous studies that Saudi learners are generally more prone to overuse and underuse connectors and tend to overuse specific listing and contrastive connectors while ignoring others redundantly. It also presents evidence of Saudi learners’ tendency to position adverbial connectors only sentence-initial or sentence medial, whereas native speakers of English interchange between medial and initial positions. These findings should be considered pedagogically to enhance EFL learners’ understanding of English discourse connectors to produce better cohesive writing.

Effect of Pre-task Planning on the Speaking Accuracy of Iranian EFL Learners

Introduction: Speaking is at the heart of second language learning. Nowadays, it is believed that pre-task planning, which is planning prior to performing a task, may enhance the speech production of learners. Therefore, the current study aimed to determine the effect of pre-task planning on the speaking accuracy of EFL intermediate learners.
 Methodology: The participants in this study were 90 male and female EFL learners studying English at language institutes in Iran. To investigate the effect of individual and group pre-task planning on learners’ accuracy in speaking, the participants were randomly divided into three equal-in-number groups. In this regard, 30 participants were in individual pre-task planning, group pre-task planning, and no-planning groups. The obtained results of the pretests and post-tests were compared.
 Results: The findings of the study revealed a positive meaningful relationship between pre-task planning time and speaking accuracy of Iranian EFL learners. It was found that individual pre-task planning was significantly more effective than group pre-task planning in terms of accuracy in Iranian EFL learners’ speaking. The findings indicated pre-tasking could improve learners’ speaking accuracy, compared to no-planning.
 Conclusion: The obtained results of the current study may help language teachers, particularly syllabus designers, design pedagogical activities that pay specific attention to accuracy in language production so that learners can develop these elements of language production in a good balance.

Dialogic Inquiry: A Tool for Developing Oral Communicative Competence and Increasing the Willingness to Communicate among EFL Learners

The current study sought to investigate how far dialogic inquiry influences the oral communicative competence of EFL learners and their willingness to communicate levels. The study participants comprised thirty EFL female learners in an English language and translation context. By using ten topics distributed over ten cycles, and administering an oral comprehension test with an analytic rubric for analysis, a willingness to communicate questionnaire, and an observation form, the results of the study revealed considerable improvement in terms of the students ‘oral comprehension skills and their levels of willingness to communicate. The study ends with some conclusions and suggestions that can be of benefit for scientific purposes.

Vocabulary Learning Strategies Used by Saudi Female EFL Learners

The present study aimed at investigating vocabulary learning strategies (VLSs) applied by ten adult female EFL learners at Taif University, Saudi Arabia. In addition, it explored how the current widespread of internet-assisted tools have influenced vocabulary learning strategies and how participants treat new words after encountering them. The data of this study consists of a mixed-methods approach. First, introspective and retrospective verbal reports of ten English-major learners who met new vocabulary while reading a passage. Secondly, in the interview stage, participants were asked about how the internet and mobile resources affect how they approach new words and their lexical knowledge/size. Furthermore, they were asked if they follow specific strategies to commit new vocabulary to memory. The findings of this research showed that the participants used similar vocabulary learning strategies. During the reading task, the most preferred strategy was guessing the meaning of the words from the context. Consulting a monolingual or bilingual dictionary was the second most used strategy, while the least used strategy was asking the teacher to discover the meaning of the unknown words. Participants in this study reported that they prefer memory strategies over cognitive strategies. Moreover, they said that the accessibility of internet learning tools has contributed to increasing their vocabulary size and lexical knowledge.