Language Pupils Research Articles

Reading Errors of Dyslexic Pupils in Malay Language According to Dyslexia Syndrome Theory

Reading Errors of Dyslexic Pupils in Malay Language According to Dyslexia Syndrome Theory

Second language pupils’ anxiety and motivation: a meta-analysis

Second language pupils’ anxiety and motivation: a meta-analysis

Alphabet primer as mother tongue-based multilingual education supplementary instructional material

This study aims to develop MTB-MLE instructional material such as alphabet primer for the use of Grade 1 pupils in Iyakan language and to test its effectiveness. 100 pupils (Grade 1) participated in the study from a selected public elementary school in a particular city and province in Mindanao, Philippines. The study used a one-group pre-test-post-test design where the worksheets were taken from the Iyakan Alphabet Primer as instruments. Experts in mother-tongue education and members of the community validated and critiqued the alphabet primer. The results of the study demonstrated that the alphabet primer may be tailored to meet the needs of students at the Grade 1 level. Word identification, alphabet knowledge, spelling knowledge, and handwriting are all areas where the learners have shown substantial improvement. The findings suggest that the mother-tongue alphabet primer has potential as a means of raising students’ achievement. Based on the findings, it is suggested that the developed alphabet primer book be used as a supplementary resource for teachers of MTB-MLE with the Iyakan language as L1, that additional teaching guides be created to support teachers in the classroom, that more instructional materials in the first or local languages be created and used in the classrooms, and that the alphabet primer be translated into other dialects or languages in the city or province to maximize their use.

Reflecting on Climate Change Education Priorities in Secondary Schools in England: Moving beyond Learning about Climate Change to the Emotions of Living with Climate Change

Schools in England remain a valued and important site of climate change education for secondary school pupils (aged 11–18 years). Drawing on focus group data (n = 85) from young people based in eight schools in England, we explored the language pupils used about climate change. We found that young people’s responses to climate change were predominantly focused on content knowledge about climate change, including the concept of global warming and a range of negative impacts, such as biodiversity and habitat loss and extreme and unpredictable weather. In addition, the young people expressed emotions in relation to climate change that were primarily negative and were focused on fear of the future and fear of frustrated youth action. We highlight that school-based climate change education requires support and resources from policy-makers so that young people do not solely learn about climate change, but rather, they are able to live with the emotions of a future shaped by the impacts of climate change. We highlight the need for teacher professional development which enables them to respond to the emotions young people experience in the context of climate change education.

Projections for Sámi in Norway


 The paper presents three different projections of the future number of Sámi language users in Norway based on the contemporary number of children receiving instruction in Sámi in the Norwegian school system, either North, Lule or South Sámi. There exist three different curricula for the subject Sámi, one for first language pupils (Sámi 1), one for second language pupils (Sámi 2), and one for pupils with no previous knowledge of the language (Sámi 3). Depending on whether only Sámi 1 pupils become future language users, or also Sámi 2 or even Sámi 3 pupils do so, a sober, moderate, and optimistic prognosis can be made, respectively. The sober prognosis predicts a dramatic decrease for North Sámi and slight decrease for the other two varieties, whereas the moderate prognosis predicts stability for North Sámi and increase for Lule and South Sámi, and the optimistic prognosis predicts an increase for all three varieties. A number of factors that are likely to modulate the prognoses are brought to attention and discussed, unveiling that more information is needed regarding a number of issues that bear on how the future of the Sámi languages in Norway can be estimated.

Scientific methodological basis of teaching primary school pupils language by developing speaking activities

The purpose of this research is to develop speaking activities for primary school students and to get teachers’ opinions on the scientific methodological foundations of language teaching. The participant group of the research consists of 55 primary schoolteachers who are teaching in various primary schools in the city of Almaty, Kazakhstan, in the 2021–2022 academic year. The research was designed according to the phenomenological method, one of the qualitative research methods. Research data were collected with a semi-structured interview form developed by the researchers. As a result of the research, the majority of primary schoolteachers who participated in the research stated that the language skills and speaking skills of the students were partially sufficient. The majority of teachers categorised the methods they applied for the effectiveness of the language education they gave to the students as using different methods, techniques and materials, if there were a problem, giving the students keywords before the speaking activity, enabling the students to develop ideas and asking the students to tell the parts that were interesting to them after the listening activity. The suggestions of the primary schoolteachers participating in the research on establishing the scientific methodological foundations of language teaching by developing speaking activities were mostly categorised as gaining critical speaking skills, providing speaking skills with games, providing speaking skills with different methods and techniques and creating practices that eliminate speaking anxiety in students.
 
 Keywords: Language skills, speaking skills, primary school students, teachers’ opinions;

Resilience in the face of emergency remote teaching: EAL pupils’ experiences during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Resilience in the face of emergency remote teaching: EAL pupils’ experiences during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Addressing english reading comprehension difficulties by Somali origin pupils in England primary schools: Using parents as resources

The question of whether classroom reading activities in primary schools in England can be solely relied on to be sufficient for English as additional language (EAL) pupils to comprehend English text was the focus of the paper. Two case studies where Somali origin EAL pupils involved in learning English reading comprehension were utilized as a springboard to develop my argument that parents are an intrinsic part of developing pupils’ English comprehension as they may constitute financially less expensive and rich resources in terms of cultural experiences. Furthermore, England’s education policy regarding EAL pupils, reading for comprehension, and factors that influence it: vocabulary knowledge, teacher -students ratio in England school and parental involvement in schools were explored to provide an answer for the question of whether only reading for comprehension activities in the classroom is enough to promote the understanding of EAL Somali origin. It was argued that only those activities are not sufficient, and there is a need for the use of parents as resources to enrich the text input, which potentially increases the comprehension skills of Somali origin EAL pupils.

The Achievement of Spanish Speaking Students in Secondary Schools in England

ABSTRACT This research aims to examine Spanish-speaking students’ attainment to improve our knowledge about students at the end of secondary school in England. The sample consisted of students who completed the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) in inner London Local Authority. The findings of the analysis of GCSE results by language spoken at home suggest that, overall, students who speak Spanish language do less well than other groups, and their low attainment is a key concern for policymakers and teachers. However, while this is true overall, there were wide differences in performance when broken down into European speakers and Latin American speakers. The empirical evidence suggest that European Spanish speakers do better that Latin American Spanish speakers. A number of factors were identified in the underachievement of Spanish students, including the language barrier, poverty, and pupil mobility rate. Policy implications for data collection and further research are discussed in the final section.

Regional Differences in Educational Achievement among Swedish Grade 9 Students

ABSTRACT The current article examined educational achievement at lower-secondary level in Sweden (Grade 9), using grades and national test results (NTR) as the dependent variables. Linear regressions and bivariate correlations indicated that the proportion of highly-educated individuals in each municipality was positively associated with grades and NTR and that the proportion of welfare recipients and non-natives, as well as rural location, had negative associations. In relation to two case studies with fewer observations, teacher certification rates were more strongly correlated with higher achievement measures. Overall, the NTR of Swedish as a second language (SVA) pupils lowered the overall results in most municipalities. For instance, in low-performing municipalities the native students’ NTR was virtually identical to that of the “high-performing” or “best” municipalities when SVA scores were removed. Thus, it seems misguided to highlight “successful” school municipalities whose performance is only average.

Interacting with newly arrived migrant pupils: a sociocultural perspective

ABSTRACT The main contribution of this paper is to highlight the pedagogical orientations of reception teachers in Norwegian schools. I explore reception teachers’ approaches and their understanding of their own approaches when interacting with newly arrived minority language pupils (NAMLPs). The theoretical basis of the paper is L.S. Vygotsky’s work, emphasising that human learning and development occur in socially and culturally shaped contexts. The key research questions were: (a) What instructional approaches do reception teachers use when interacting with NAMLPs and (2) How do reception teachers make sense of their own approaches when reflecting on this?

Perspectives of Teaching in English in Gagauzia in Moldova

Gagauzia in Moldova is an multilingual autonomous region. This region is a multilingual region where besides of English language pupils study Russian, Romanian and Gagauzian languages. Recently, the ratio of foreign languages studied at the schools has changed dramatically in favor of the English language. The new language policy should also ensure that learning of multiple languages among students takes place in a protected perspective and create a positive outcome for them. Furthermore, EFL educators must ensure that they effectively prepare learners with various language skills that need to integrate into the multilingual society effectively. This can be accomplished through training individuals to respond appropriately to the sensitive linguistic and cultural needs of other people that they interact with. It is considerable to acknowledge that people live in a multilingual society. Therefore, how individuals cultivate the process of teaching and learning language must take into account the multilingual perspectives of the real world. This article discusses the definition and context of multilingualism, ways in which individuals can effectively interact with others while predominantly using English and accepting the reality that multilingualism has a massive impact on our lives. The article also discusses the importance of changing the current educational approaches and government policies to match the developing multilingual patterns in regions that attract mass migration. Above all, the article looks forward to developing new ways in which these ideas can be applied to help future language learning, teaching, and assessment to provide improved learning outcomes for all language learning students.

Strategy to Improve English Vocabulary Achievement during Covid-19 Epidemic. Does Quizizz Help?

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education is being increasingly recognized as needing vital emphasis at a national level. To enhance learning in Science and Mathematics, the repertoire of vocabularies plays a significant role. As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues its spread across the world, people’s vocabulary learning has been limited. Responding to this situation with appropriate awareness, e-learning is being applied to teach the English language. The intent of this study is to utilize Quizizz to enhance the vocabulary achievement among primary English as Second Language (ESL) pupils in rural schools. The study’s research employed mixed methods with purposive sampling of 13 participants. The research site was a rural school located 60km from the nearest town. The data were collected both pre and post-test as designed by the researcher and Likert scale questionnaire. The data was analyzed using appropriate quantitative analysis. To shed more light on the implementation, a thematic analysis by use of a semi-structured interview was conducted. The study finds that 10 out of 13 participants have shown an increase in their post-test of filling in the blank scoring test. The data is strengthened by a moderately high mean score of a Likert scale questionnaire. Furthermore, the participants highlighted that the Quizizz’s leaderboard matched their favored learning style. In this way, this feature tends to evoke a positive learning atmosphere. Thus, it can be concluded that Quizizz could enhance vocabulary achievement among primary English as Secondary Language (ESL) pupils in rural schools.

Common Mistakes in Primary Year 6 English as Second Language (ESL) Pupils’ Sentence Construction Using Word-Phrase-Sentence (WPS) Pyramid Strategy

Writing has been one of the difficult learning skills to be learnt in the English as Second Language (ESL) classrooms in Malaysia. Pupils in the sub-urban or rural areas tend to make some major mistakes in sentence construction due to the lack of exposure towards English Language as well as lack of interest and motivation in learning the language. This paper aimed to discuss on the common mistakes made by the ESL learners in their English Language writing specifically on their sentence construction. Pre and post-tests had been given to the participants of Primary 6 ESL pupils in one of the primary schools in Saratok, Sarawak. The pre and post tests were given before and after the teaching of sentence construction using Word-Phrase-Sentence (WPS) Pyramid strategy. The research had unveiled that the WPS Pyramid strategy had helped the pupils to improve their sentence construction ability in the ESL writing. The research is suggested to assist English Language teachers, ESL students and teacher trainees in the learning and teaching of English Language.

How Do Norwegian Reception Schools Cater to the Academic and Integrational Needs of Newly Arrived Minority Language Pupils: Cases From Two Municipalities

This article explores the perceptions and experiences of the professionals about integrational and academic programs for newly arrived minority language pupils in elementary reception classes in two Norwegian municipalities: Oslo and Trondheim. The data were collected through interviews, field conversations, and available relevant documents. The head teachers, subject coordinators, and reception teachers were interviewed. Framed by activity theory, the article offers a combinative analysis of all aspects of the reception classes. The findings reveal the complex layers of challenges built into the process of integrational and academic programs for newly arrived migrant pupils in the reception classes.

Classroom Management and Performance of Pupils in English Language in Bekwarra Local Government Area, Cross River State, Nigeria

Classroom Management and Performance of Pupils in English Language in Bekwarra Local Government Area, Cross River State, Nigeria

Learning Upper Sorbian. The problems with minority language education for non-native pupils in the Upper Sorbian Grammar School in Bautzen/Budyšin

ABSTRACT This study examines the attitudes of German-speaking pupils towards Sorbian-language education and the problems these pupils indicate as an obstacle to becoming bilingual through educational settings. Based on the research carried out in the Upper Sorbian Grammar School in Bautzen/Budyšin (Germany) combining a statistical survey, in-depth interviews with pupils and participant observation of pupils language practices, this paper discusses the case study of a school with a three-type education programme of Upper Sorbian language: immersion, bilingual, and teaching it as a foreign language. The paper contributes to the discussion on the effectiveness of bilingual and foreign minority language learning in a situation of unequal bilingualism in a territory inhabited by a small minority language community. The text presents these problems from the German-speaking pupils’ viewpoint and concerns: the teaching methods and their effectiveness; possible language contacts as a factor of acquiring a minority language; attitudes of native pupils and teachers to learners; the ideology of language ownership and speakers legitimisation. These aspects are presented in the context of different types of minority language speakers: ‘learners’, ‘new speakers’ and ‘native speakers’ and is presented against the background of the discussion on minority language education in the process of Upper Sorbian language revitalisation.

Does the effect of enjoyment outweigh that of anxiety in foreign language performance?

Interest in the effect of positive and negative emotions in foreign language acquisition has soared recently because of the positive psychology movement (Dewaele & MacIntyre, 2014, 2016; MacIntyre, Gregersen & Mercer, 2016). No work so far has been carried out on the differential effect of positive and negative emotions on foreign language performance. The current study investigates the effect of foreign language enjoyment (FLE) and foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA) on foreign language performance in a group of 189 foreign language pupils in two London secondary schools and a group of 152 Saudi English as a foreign language learners and users of English in Saudi Arabia. Correlation analyses showed that the positive effect of FLE on performance was stronger than the negative effect of FLCA. In other words, FLE seems to matter slightly more than FLCA in foreign language (FL) performance. Qualitative material collected from the Saudi participants shed light on the causes of FLCA and FLE and how these shaped participants’ decisions to pursue or abandon the study of the FL.

Teaching modern foreign languages in multilingual classrooms: an examination of Key Stage 2 teachers’ experiences

ABSTRACT The statutory inclusion of modern foreign languages (MFL) into the Key Stage 2 curriculum in England in 2014 aimed to raise the language skills of younger learners in preparation for their secondary education. This change to the curriculum has occurred at a time in which the linguistic diversity within primary schools across the country has been consistently increasing. This study used interpretative phenomenological analysis to qualitatively examine the impact of the curriculum change on teachers implementing it in multilingual classrooms in Greater Manchester. Six teachers with varying experience in teaching MFL participated in semi-structured interviews focussing on different aspects of the curriculum change. This paper focuses on the teaching of MFL, as well as on teachers’ perceptions of English as an additional language (EAL) pupils’ aptitude for language learning in comparison to their monolingual peers. The superordinate themes identified from the data included the inconsistent delivery of MFL in primary schools, and the role of multilingual classrooms as opportunities for augmented MFL provision. The findings from this study will have implications for teachers, head teachers and policy-makers regarding the effectiveness of the initial implementation of MFL into the primary curriculum, with specific reference to the EAL school population.

THE BASIC CONDITIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF MATHEMATICAL SPEECH OF STUDENTS IN THE PROCESS OF BILINGUAL EDUCATION

Introduction. Many teachers and methodologists note that children, especially at the first step of education and at the initial stage of the secondary school, often can not fully understand and precisely express in oral and written forms their thought and information which is presented in mathematical texts. In the process of mathematical education of the bilingual pupils of younger and middle school age studying at schools with teaching national (native for them) and Russian (state) languages, this task becomes complicated even more since children do not possess the so-called control mechanisms to switch from one language into another as well as speech and thought processes are generally operated in the native language. The aim of the present publication is to determine the main conditions for the development of the mathematical speech of the bilingual students. Methodology and research methods. The research was carried out with a support on activity and personality oriented approaches in education. The research methods involved: analysis of psycho-pedagogical and educational-methodical literature; observation of the process of education in Mathematics of the bilingual students; questioning of school students and teachers; conversations with the respondents. Results and scientific novelty. The close interconnection of the processes of the development of mathematical speech and mathematical thinking is demonstrated, wherein a connective component of speech and thinking is perception of the meaning of the educational material by pupils. The stages of formation of the mathematical speech of pupils and non-language abilities which have to be acquired in the course of bilingual education in mathematics are described. The set of basic communicative qualities for assessment of formation level of the mathematical speech of pupils is designated. On the example of the activities of national schools of the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic, the problems existing today in bilingual education are revealed. One of them is the fact that at primary school and when moving to secondary school the features of bilingual students’ speech and thought activities, which are usually formed and operated in the native language, are not considered. However, when choosing educational means, the teachers have to give preference to the Russianlanguage sources and to pay considerable attention to the Russian language itself, as the Russian becomes the main language at the secondary school. Besides, the texts of All-Russian Test Works (an obligatory monitoring activity for graduates of primary school) are not translated into the native language of pupils. Practice has shown, however, that early education in a non-native language has negative effect on school students’ development of thinking and mathematical speech that lead to formal knowledge. In contrast, a child whose mathematical speech is formed in the native language at primary school, then, at the secondary school, easily switches into the Russian-language education and successfully improves own mathematical speech based on the acquired experience and complete system of mathematical concepts. Therefore, the most part of the teachers interviewed during the conversations and questioning are convinced that younger school students need to be taught in the language which they speak and think. Smooth transition into the Russian-language education should be introduced in the 5–6th grades; at the same time, continuity between education stages has to be maintained. Practical significance. The materials of the research and the authors’ recommendations on designing the conditions for successful development of mathematical speech and thinking of school students studying in the bilingual national-Russian environment can be useful to experts who are engaged in the development of techniques and methods for national comprehensive schools of Russia.