Language Instructional Materials Research Articles

Challenges Encountered by Secondary School Teachers in Teaching English Language: The Case of Micheweni District

This study investigated challenges encountered by secondary school teachers in teaching English in public secondary schools of Micheweni District. The study was guided by three specific objectives; to explore challenges related to English language instructional materials, to investigate pedagogical challenges in teaching English, and to examine challenges related to the nature of the students in learning English. A qualitative research approach under a multiple case study design was employed with 36 participants. Focus Group Discussion and interviews were used in data collection. Data were analyzed through content and thematic analysis and presented through quotations and narrations. The findings revealed that the major challenges related to English language instructional materials were shortcomings of English language curriculum content, poor access to ICT facilities which include absence/scarcity of ICT tools, and lack of skills to access ICT tools as well as absence/scarcity of instructional materials. Pedagogical challenges in teaching English were ineffective teaching/learning environment, students’ low level of English Language Proficiency, high teaching load among English language teachers and students’ negative attitude towards learning English. Also, the study found that the nature of students affects teaching/learning English language therefore, teachers should be very careful to find the best teaching strategies regarding individual learning styles. The study concluded that if these challenges were dealt with, English language teachers would teach effectively and students would perform better in their examinations

Authenticity in Language Learning: A Study of Language Materials in Public High Schools

Instructional materials are paramount in effecting language instruction. However, there are contextual issues related to the use and selection of these materials. This study focused on authentic language instructional materials in public secondary schools in the Philippines. This study employed a mixed-methods research approach. This study concludes that internet-based authentic language instructional materials are inadequate in language instruction, showing limitations on the capacity of the school and the language teachers to provide adequate internet-based materials; there are concerns about using authentic language instructional materials that hinder learners' authentic response and comprehension to authentic language instructional materials, and there were measures to overcome the concerns which could develop authentic language instructional materials into the ideal learning materials. It is recommended that language teachers select resources according to the learners' unique requirements, proficiency levels, cultural contexts, and educational contexts. The participation of learners in the selection process and activity design is crucial to ensure the materials are engaging and culturally pertinent. To effectively address the challenges associated with using these resources, a collaborative approach is recommended, involving teachers, students, and other stakeholders in implementing the suggested solutions.

A study on needs to design English teaching materials at vocational school

English for Specific Purpose (ESP) instruction in vocational schools necessitates the use of English materials that are tailored to the students' particular requirements. However, the English materials currently available for vocational institutions lack an adequate needs analysis. In order to address this issue, the purpose of this study is to determine the requirements of students in the computer and network engineering department for procedure text teaching materials. Eleventh-grade students majoring in computer and network engineering were selected by simple random sampling and surveyed for the study. The results indicated that the primary objective of the students' explanation-based learning process was to enhance their speaking skills. In addition, instructors favoured interactive, engaging, and simple-to-understand multimedia learning to teach English. This research can be used as a guide for designing English language instructional materials that meet the requirements of vocational students, especially those majoring in computer and network engineering.

Socio-Cultural Factors Affecting How Africans Interpret Instructional Materials and Chinese as a Foreign Language

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the influence of socio-cultural differences in the interpretation of Chinese Language Instructional Materials (CLIM) by African students.
 Methodology: The paper used a desk study review methodology where relevant empirical literature was reviewed to identify main themes and to extract knowledge gaps.
 Conclusion: The study concluded that there are adequate Chinese language instructional materials at Stellenbosch University but they contain culturally unfamiliar elements for the African learners. In addition, many textbooks for foreign languages include cultural references that are foreign to their students. Because of the cultural differences, the information presented in the course materials is less easily understood. Students at Stellenbosch can be said to have an optimistic outlook on Chinese in general
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study recommended that the introductory topics in the Chinese language curriculum emphasize more on teaching of the Chinese culture. Also, efforts should be made to localize the learning resources for a more effective teaching of the language. The Chinese language curriculum could place greater emphasis on helping African students gain an appreciation for Chinese culture in its foundational or introductory materials. CFL course requirements in universities should also be examined in light of the foregoing

Module and Lesson Unit Templates in the Course Book English in Mind: A Content Analysis

Using coursebooks in language learning is a crucial means of obtaining knowledge. This study focused on Indonesia, delves into examining the first edition of Cambridge University Press's English in Mind: Student's Starter Book through content analysis. The research objective is to uncover the book's module and lesson unit templates. The analysis concentrates on two of the four modules and their accompanying lesson units. Findings indicate that the module template is consistent and includes three significant components: topics and learning outcomes, lesson units, and assessment. The template for lesson units, however, displays a certain degree of variability regarding the number of sections and the content of learning tasks. This variance arises from the necessary scaffolding processes to achieve the unit's intended learning outcomes. Examining coursebook content through content analysis is crucial in understanding the language learning process and determining the effectiveness of instructional materials. In conclusion, the results of this study contribute to the advancement of language education by highlighting the significance of coursebook analysis in evaluating the quality and consistency of language instructional materials.

Comparative Study of the Two Sets of Chinese Textbooks in Singaporean Secondary Schools

In the ethnically heterogeneous and linguistically hybrid Singapore, its bilingualism education is characterised by the mandatory mother tongue policy for its three main ethnic groups. For Chinese students’ language acquisition, this is practised in a way that Chinese language instruction in Singapore has been differentiated into four streams according to their individual differences in language proficiency. This study reports the findings obtained from a public funded large-scale empirical research project with a focus on the Mother Tongue Language curriculum in Singapore secondary schools. The questionnaire survey consists of 4811 students from 24 Singaporean secondary schools categorised on the basis of three key family language backgrounds, namely: Chinese-dominant, Chinese-English mixed, and English dominant. Using a comparative study methodology, the study seeks to juxtapose the perceptions of Secondary 2 and 3 students regarding their current language textbooks (developed in 2011) against the textbooks published in 2002. The survey revealed two key findings which highlight the diverse learning needs of students from varying backgrounds, thus indicating a greater and more complex challenge surrounding the revision of upcoming Mother Tongue Language instructional materials. It is our hope that the details of main findings manifested in this study can shed some light on the future endeavours in innovating Chinese education in other parts of the world with the similar sociolinguistic context.

Challenges Confronting the Administration of English Language Program: Secondary School Context in Nigeria

This objective of this study was to investigate the challenges facing the administration of English Language program in Senior Secondary schools in Abaji Area Council of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nigeria. The study used questionnaire as instrument for data collection. 80 respondents were selected from the entire population of English teachers and school administrators in Abaji. Purposive research techniques were employed to select the respondents. Research survey method was adopted for the study. To determine the reliability of the instrument, test and retest methods. The data collected were analysed using simple percentage, mean statistical and chi-square was employed to test the hypotheses. The result collected from the study led to the following conclusion that scant fund, shortage of professional English teacher, inadequate English language instructional materials, deficient English laboratory, poor capacity development of English language teachers and paltry motivation of English language teacher are the challenges affecting the effective administration of English language program in Abaji secondary Schools.

The Instructional Materials of the Arabic Language Teaching for Non-Arabic Speakers in the Republic of Indonesia: A Typical Study of the State University of Malang, Indonesia.

The aim of this research work is to identify the extent of the effectiveness of the Instructional Materials in teaching of the Arabic Language at the State University of Malang in Indonesia. Meanwhile, the two researchers have chosen the State University of Malang in Indonesia as a case study because it is one of the renowned universities in Indonesia and as it takes much interest in Arabic Language Education. Therefore, both researchers evaluated the Arabic Language Instructional Materials adopted in the State University of Malang, Indonesia under the light of Communication Approach in the Arabic Teaching Language where they distributed questionnaires to the teachers of the university concerned in order to get facts on the content about the Arabic Language Instructional Materials therein, then they analyzed them through quantitative and evaluative methods for the purpose of achieving the rightly desired outcome. The Communication Approach in the teaching Arabic for Non-Native Speakers observes that Arabic language is a communication means, and it is necessary that its teaching be made for this purpose. Therefore, the existence of the suitable Instructional Materials which can empower students on the communication skills in Arabic language is a very important issue in the teaching of Arabic language under the light of this approach. Thus, this research paper is a quantitative evaluative work as it exploits quantitative method to identify some facts about the proper instructional materials for Arabic Language Teaching at the State University of Malang in Indonesia from a widest and comprehensive perspective (Obserne, 1977). As for the evaluative method, it has been adopted for the purpose of rendering an accurate objective ruling, on some approaches, processes and products. Consequently, the areas of strengths and weakness are identifiable to facilitate the adoption of suitable resolutions that can rectify the detected points of weakness and failure (Yusuf, 1962). The research has consequently arrived at an outcome that the positive sides of the instructional materials for the Arabic Language teaching in the State University of Malang in Indonesia are visibly apparent as it is grossly equipped with various (audio-visual) teaching aids. Likewise, the majority of the teachers are highly interested in using them during the teaching process, because of its perfection, development and enhanced effectiveness, in addition to the availability of a number of teachers who are well-versed in using them. In regard to the negative sides, it is obviously seen in the manner of oversight of small number of them while using the materials during Arabic Language Teaching. This negative side should be improved in order to acquaint all the teachers of that university with the application of various teaching aids in the teaching procedures, in addition to a big number among them who are not well-versed in using them to some extent. That is a weak side of it which should be improved so as to achieve perfection in Arabic Language teaching at that university in a better way. Likewise, some instruments adopted in the instructional materials are outdated and need to be rectified. Article visualizations:

THE INFLUENCE OF CULTURE IN THE INTERPRETATION OF JAPANESE LANGUAGE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

The mastery of any foreign language is affected by several factors, among them the cultural environment in which the language learning takes place. In an attempt to reinforce the language learning process, instructors of foreign language often make use of language instructional materials to enable students engage in motivating, appealing and interactive learning activities. The content of such instructional materials must be interpreted easily and accurately if they are to be effective. A major impediment in interpretation of instructional materials is the socio-cultural barrier which may interfere with the learner’s ability to decode the intended meaning in the content of the instructional materials. This hinders the achievement of the language lesson objectives. This paper discusses the influence of cultural elements on interpretation of the information in Japanese Language Instructional Materials (JLIM) by Kenyan students. This paper is based on the results of a pilot study carried out among college Japanese students in Kenya. It attempts to establish the influence and impact of culture on the interpretation of the Japanese language instructional materials by the Kenyan students. It is part of an ongoing research aimed at identifying the factors influencing the mastery of the Japanese language among Kenyan students. Theresearch is guided by schema theory, which describes the process by which readers refer to their own background knowledge in order to comprehend new information. The learners of Japanese language were subjected to some instructional materials and asked to answer several questions designed to establish their interpretation of the materials. Teir responses were compared with what is expected from the Japanese cultural context. Data was collected through a questionnaire. The results of the study show that unfamiliar cultural elements in the instructional materials negatively influence the interpretation of information. It is therefore recommended that the design of language instructional materials should take into consideration the culture of the learners.

At-Home Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) With Telehealth Support for Symptom Control in Chronically-Ill Patients With Multiple Symptoms.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) delivered in multiple sessions can reduce symptom burden, but access of chronically ill patients to tDCS studies is constrained by the burden of office-based tDCS administration. Expanded access to this therapy can be accomplished through the development of interventions that allow at-home tDCS applications.Objective: We describe the development and initial feasibility assessment of a novel intervention for the chronically ill that combines at-home tDCS with telehealth support.Methods: In the developmental phase, the tDCS procedure was adjusted for easy application by patients or their informal caregivers at home, and a tDCS protocol with specific elements for enhanced safety and remote adherence monitoring was created. Lay language instructional materials were written and revised based on expert feedback. The materials were loaded onto a tablet allowing for secure video-conferencing. The telehealth tablet was paired with an at-home tDCS device that allowed for remote dose control via electronic codes dispensed to patients prior to each session. tDCS was delivered in two phases: once daily on 10 consecutive days, followed by an as needed regimen for 20 days. Initial feasibility of this tDCS-telehealth system was evaluated in four patients with advanced chronic illness and multiple symptoms. Change in symptom burden and patient satisfaction were assessed with the Condensed Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (CMSAS) and a tDCS user survey.Results: The telehealth-tDCS protocol includes one home visit and has seven patient-tailored elements and six elements enhancing safety monitoring. Replicable electrode placement at home without 10–20 EEG measurement is achieved via a headband that holds electrodes in a pre-determined position. There were no difficulties with patients’ training, protocol adherence, or tolerability. A total of 60 tDCS sessions were applied. No session required discontinuation, and there were no adverse events. Data collection was feasible and there were no missing data. Satisfaction with the tDCS-telehealth procedure was high and the patients were comfortable using the system.Conclusion: At-home tDCS with telehealth support appears to be a feasible approach for the management of symptom burden in patients with chronic illness. Further studies to evaluate and optimize the protocol effectiveness for symptom-control outcomes are warranted.

Analysing foreign language instructional materials through the lens of the multiliteracies framework

ABSTRACTLiteracy, understood as a socially situated process of making meaning from texts, has been offered as a conceptual solution to collegiate foreign language curricular divisions, and multiliteracies pedagogy as a means of implementing that solution. Within multiliteracies pedagogy, the knowledge processes framework [Kalantzis, M., Cope, B., Chan, E., & Dalley-Trim, L. (2016). Literacies (2nd ed.). Melbourne: Cambridge University Press] facilitates deep engagement with texts and development of advanced language and literacy skills. As more programmes adopt this conceptualisation of literacy as a programmatic goal, additional research is needed to understand how this framework is applied in materials design and implementation. In response, this article documents the materials analysis of multiliteracies lesson plans developed as part of a revised lower-level collegiate Spanish curriculum. Using the knowledge process framework as an analytical lens, study participants examined 25 lessons targeting interpretive communication from two different courses. Results reveal an overwhelming emphasis on the knowledge process of experiencing; the knowledge processes of conceptualising, analysing, and applying occur much less frequently. The authors discuss conceptual and pedagogical factors contributing to the findings and implications for teacher development and student learning in collegiate foreign language contexts.

Kanji City An Exploration of Hypermedia Applications for CALL

Kanji City explores some of the possibilities for design of language instructional materials in hypermedia format. It takes advantage of HyperCard's potential to integrate text with digitized and synthesized sound, interactive graphics and animation. Furthermore, the application demonstrates how hypermedia can support inductive learning through trial-and-error exploration of a simulation of real-life environment, and promote contextualization of language and language use. Kanji City serves as an umbrella for a host of related language learning programs. Several of these modules exemplify the concept of presentation shells that are not restricted to teaching Japanese, but can be filled with contents from a wide range of subjects.