Language Teaching In Schools Research Articles

Division of International Special Education and Services (DISES) Information Brief February 2021

Division of International Special Education and Services (DISES) Information Brief February 2021

A Comparative Study of the Teaching Methodologies Employed by English Language Teachers in Private and Public Sector Schools

The aim of the study was to make a comparison between the teaching methodologies employed by English language teachers at public and private sector schools at primary level. Foreign language teaching methodologies has become a much-discussed phenomena and has been given immense importance from the last few decades, however, it still needs development in teaching practices. The data for the present study were collected in the form of semi-structured interviews, which were related to the objectives and research questions. The target population of the study was primary level teachers of Lahore, Punjab (Pakistan), while the sample of the study was comprised of primary level teachers of a public and private sector school in Lahore. The results of the study indicated that the teachers of the public sector schools were mostly relying on the structural methods of language teaching, whereas the teachers of the private sector schools were using blended methods.

“Assessment for Learning” Practices Amongst the Primary School English Language Teachers: A Mixed Methods Approach

This study aimed to investigate the practices of the AfL strategies and the stages of assessment in pedagogy by English language teachers in primary schools. In Phase I: the Quantitative Strand, the Assessment for Learning Audit Instrument (AfLAi) was distributed to a total of 89 primary schools in the Hulu Langat district. The AfLAi results determined the cut-off points and the divergent categories to be further investigated in Phase II: Qualitative Strand. The 244 respondents were clustered into two subset participants of four higher and four lower scorers in the AfLAi who were investigated via a semi-structured interview and/or observation. The results from the AfLAi cum the cut-off points were Mean=3.7 on QCD (SD=0.74), sharing LOSC (SD=0.79) and FB (SD=0.77), and mean=3.3 on PSA (SD=0.87). From Phase I, 15 divergent categories were selected. Phase II findings on the 115 recurring categories were divided into three profiles: the higher scorers (29 categories), the lower scorers (26 categories) and the consensus (60 categories). Consequently, the 15 divergent categories were explained in a joint display to observe the similarities and the differences of practised amongst the higher and the lower scorers in the AfLAi. The joint display affirmed that 11 categories were practiced similarly. The four differences were on the “Availability of LOs”, “Questioning strategies”, “Compliment with FB”, and “Pupils’ progress report/self-assess”. It indicated that regardless of their scores, the participants had contributed some practical approaches to the study framework, which were beneficial beyond disciplines and classroom situations.

Digital competence and online language teaching: Hong Kong language teacher practices in primary and secondary classrooms

Hong Kong was one of the first public school systems in the world to shift to online learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Primary and secondary school language teachers had to adapt instruction to cater to their students' diverse linguistic and educational needs. Drawing from the European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators (DCE), the current study examines the experiences of primary and secondary school English language teachers’ digital competence as they navigated digital resources, teaching and learning, assessment, and empowering learners in an emergency remote teaching context. Using a two-stage design, this study drew from qualitative survey data (N = 73) and follow-up interviews (N = 10). Findings illuminate how language teachers responded to their students' educational and linguistic needs in online environments. Notably, educators adapted their virtual instruction to cater to students with varying English language proficiency levels and leveraged both synchronous and asynchronous platforms to best support student learning. Moreover, the current study sheds light on how the DCE framework might be used as a tool to assess the digital competencies of educators and better prepare them for virtual teaching. It concludes with a call for more research on emergency remote teaching, particularly within primary and secondary language classrooms.

Sources of Work Stress of English Language Teachers in Secondary Government Schools in Saudi Arabia

The study aimed to reveal the level of work stress among secondary school English language teachers in government schools affiliated with the education directorates in Abha, Saudi Arabia, and knowing the impact of both gender, and experience on their estimates. The study population consisted of (105) male and female teachers. A questionnaire was prepared to measure the level of work stress among teachers, and it consisted of (31) items. The results showed that the work pressures facing secondary school English language teachers were at a high level on the dimensions as a whole. The results also showed that there were no statistically significant differences due to the variable of gender and teaching experience.

Эффективность обучения иностранному языку в вузе: компоненты эмоционального и интеллектуального

The article considers the following issues: factors, components and criteria of higher school language education efficiency. The paper justifies the thesis that under the conditions of globalization and digitalization of higher school academic environment, both quantitative and qualitative aspects of language education efficiency should be taken into account. Scientific originality of the study lies in the fact that the authors determine structural and meaningful components of language education efficiency taking into account emotional and intellectual aspects. The research findings are as follows: the authors determine language education efficiency structure, clear understanding of which helps to ensure objectivity of knowledge assessment and to improve quality of students’ linguistic training.

ICT enabled Almajiri education in Nigeria: Challenges and prospects.

The Almajiri children in Nigeria are deserving of special interventions to reduce the life-long divide in educational achievement, social status, and economic empowerment. One way of speedily achieving this is through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). This study examined the prospects and challenges of using ICT in the teaching and learning processes of Almajiri children’s education in Nigeria. A descriptive research methodology was adopted and data were collected from the Almajiri children, their teachers, and parents from communities with a high concentration of Almajiri schools. The results showed that while the official language of instruction in schools in Nigeria is English, the language often spoken by children and teachers was Hausa. Also, while teachers and parents were quite familiar with ICTs such as mobile phones, computers, and television, the Almajiri children were more familiar with television and mobile phones, and very few had used a computer. Some strategies proposed for successful adoption of ICT in Almajiri education include the use of indigenous languages in courseware development and the use of one-to-many ICT facilities, such as multimedia teaching aids, projectors, and smart televisions.

Central Margins: Paradox and Transformation of Dichotomies in Two English Language Novels by Mauritian Lindsey Collen

The Indian Ocean region embodies the paradox of a marginalized crossroads. Its islands and coastal societies reflect the multiple influences of its position as a commercial center during colonization and accompanying slave trade. Yet its island nations, particularly their literature, are little known relative to their mainland Asian and African counterparts. Mauritius further reflects these ironies. Although Mauritius has attained a positive reputation for stability, growth, and tourist appeal, deep inequalities resulting from economic globalization persist, to the detriment of its citizens. Uninhabited until the arrival of the Dutch in the sixteenth century, its national identity is the most multicultural of the Indian Ocean islands. Despite its history as a British colony and the designation of English as the language of school instruction and government administration, English-language Mauritian literature remains scarce. A primary exception is the work of novelist Lindsey Collen. This paper examines Collen’s There Is a Tide and The Rape of Sita as examples that reveal margin and center as imagined divisions, created by patriarchal assumptions about power and humans’ relationship to the earth. Theories of hybridity and postcolonialism, as well as of feminism, eco-feminism, and ecocriticism, introduced to challenge these assumptions, have revealed both deeply intertwined concepts and continuing problems of cultural domination, despite efforts to counter legacies of colonial injustices. The reactive nature of many of these theories and the advocacy on which they are based ironically often reinforce the aforementioned dichotomies between center and margins. Collen’s novels deconstruct and transform these dichotomies by narrating the human condition across gender, class, nation, and time in ways that are difficult (if not impossible) to do through theoretical categorization.

Teaching Materials Needs: Student Worksheets in Exposition Text Learning

Indonesian language teachers in schools lack teaching materials. Even teachers don't have HOTS-oriented open materials. It will impact students who have difficulty in learning because they do not have learning resources. Professional educators must be able to develop teaching materials to address the learning objectives of the 2013 Curriculum in any learning situation. The readiness of teachers to carry out the teaching and learning process can be assisted by applying teaching materials that are by the 2013 curriculum. This study aims to conduct a needs analysis survey from various research and development stages to develop and validate products and determine appropriate teaching materials. The stages of research and development are applied from the learning process, analysis of targeted learning outcomes, and analysis of students and their needs. The research subjects consisted of class X students with a population of 185 students and 2 Indonesian language teachers. The number of samples is 28 students, or 15% of the population. The first data collection technique is a questionnaire of student needs and interviews. Based on the findings and discussion, the LKS recommended by researchers is the exposition LKS with a scientific plus approach. Students can practice it and find accurate information for the exposition text with this worksheet. On the other hand, teachers can also unite and facilitate students to construct their knowledge of the text.

Evaluating TPACK knowledge and skills among Arabic pre-service teachers in implementing online assessment during movement restriction control (MCO) of COVID-19

The importance of having the knowledge and skills in Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) among teachers when dealing with teaching via technology is very clear. In TPACK, there are three essential components that need to be practiced during teaching and learning in using technologies, including the current situation of COVID-19 pandemic. This study was conducted to evaluate the level of TPACK knowledge and skill among Arabic trainee teachers in implementing online teaching and assessment during Movement Restriction Control (MCO) of COVID-19 by the Malaysian government, whereby the schools are closed to face-to-face learning activities. The pre-service teachers were purposively selected among final year students of Bachelor of Education in Teaching Arabic as a Second Language, from the Kulliyah of Education, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). They were sent to various secondary schools in Selangor to complete the graduation requirement of Bachelor of Education degree in teaching practicum. The research instruments were investigating the teachers’ knowledge about three essential components of TPACK, which include technology, content, and pedagogy as well as open-ended surveys on obstacles and challenges in home-based teaching and online assessment of Arabic language before and during MCO, online learning platforms used and further suggestions to improve the use of technology in implementing online assessment of Arabic language teaching in schools during pandemic. The findings showed that the understanding of the trainee teachers’ level of knowledge and understanding of TPACK is very good towards implementing online teaching and assessment during the home-based and online teaching during pandemic. The responses of online learning platforms used and proposed suggestions to improve the use of technology in implementing online assessment may also beneficial to teachers in preparing the online teaching and assessment in home-based setting during COVID-19 pandemic.

The concept of a common core of language proficiency in developing argumentative skills of bilingual European Schools students

The article presents the possibility of using the concept of a common core of language proficiency in developing the argumentative skills of the bilingual students of European Schools – an institution comprising a network of educational centres operating in the European Union, which provide multilingual and multicultural pre-school, primary and secondary education. In the study, conducted with the desk research method, the author analysed curriculum documents constituting the basis for the work of native and foreign language teachers in European Schools. The research shows that the curricula for different languages provide for similar general competences, but differ in terms of the philosophy of language education and the emphasis placed on particular content and teaching methods. This opens up the possibility of collaboration between teachers, who can increase the effectiveness of their work by building on skills common to all languages.

Assessing Language Learners’ Knowledge and Performance during Covid-19

The new reality created by the COVID-19 caused a lot of changes in the educational sphere. The transition from face-to-face to distance learning was not smooth in Ukraine because distance learning was not a common practice in the country before and teachers were unprepared for teaching online. This unusual situation prompted us to start our qualitative research primarily to get insights into the altered daily routines of teachers and educators. In particular, we were interested in how they assessed their students’ performance online. This article focuses on secondary school language teachers (n=65) and language tutors at the tertiary level (n=18). The research findings have revealed that teachers gave feedback through different digital applications like Google Classroom. Oral performance was evaluated either synchronously or asynchronously. The most crucial implication is that teachers should improve and further develop their digital skills and distance teaching and assessing skills in order to provide quality education in the modern form.

English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI): A primary school teachers’ and students’ perceptions

The English language is becoming a global lingua franca, given its association with critical turns such as globalization, global economy, international communication, and the Internet. Many countries try to develop their countries start from the educational sector and put English as the language needed to learn in schools of many countries such as Indonesia. The use of English was becoming a global phenomenon that English is becoming a language of instruction in schools. The impact of utilizing English suggests that in a few universal academic settings, there is an apace developing inclination for English received as a medium of instruction (EMI). EMI applied in many educational levels started from the University, High School, and even in the early grade, such as Primary School. With the use of EMI in many educational systems, several issues rose related to its use in the classroom. Many of the studies found a lack of English proficiency, both from teachers and students in the use of EMI and several other problems. Related to this issue, the researcher conducted a study. Through a qualitative study in a case study design, the perception of teachers and pupils of a primary school in Palembang was explored and investigated. The participants of this study were the fifth-grade teachers and pupils in Paramount School Palembang. The data were collected by open-ended interviews with 3 Science teachers, 2 Mathematics teachers and 12 pupils in Paramount School Palembang. Thematic analysis was used in analyzing the data, and then the data were coded and classified into categories to form big themes based on the perceptions and information. The data analyzed revealed a consistency between teachers' and pupils' perceptions about EMI use in the classroom. The result mentioned that the teachers and pupils had positive perceptions because of the benefit of using English as a medium of instruction.

Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) Strategies in Daily Lesson Plans of Oral Communication Teachers and their Alignment to Standards in Curriculum Guide

Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is an approach that has been the subject of many practitioners and researchers in the field of language teaching and applied linguistics in many countries like the Philippines because of the recent changes and educational reforms, including lessons and curriculum innovations. Anchored to the CLT theory, this study used quantitative-qualitative content analysis of the daily lesson plans of the 7 purposively sampled Senior High School (SHS) language teachers teaching Oral Communication in Context (OCC). This aimed to identify the activities by cluster, assess which activities are CLT strategies, and determine their alignment to standards in the curriculum guide. Results revealed that the strategies used as classified through content analysis, and according to type and frequency included task-completion activity, opinion-sharing activity, mechanical practice activity, information-transfer activity, reasoning-gap activity, information-gap activity, communicative activity, information-gathering activity, fluency activity, accuracy activity, meaningful practice activity, and others. A number of strategies matched the CLT principles and features but vary on their respective percentages in each of the four phases, i.e., Activity-Analysis-Abstraction-Application (4As) of the lesson. These CLT strategies were found to be aligned to the Department of Education’s curriculum guide in terms of content standards, performance standards and assessment types. Implications of the findings to language teaching in the Philippines were drawn.

HISTORY OF COMPARATIVE DIALECT STUDIES

This article discusses the dialect system of the Russian and Uzbek languages in a comparative aspect. Studying the dialect system of the Russian and Uzbek languages in a comparative aspect makes it possible to create a comparative dialectological competence. This article is devoted to the creation of dialectological competence at the comparative level of different languages. In long-distance areas dialects, dialect systems and folklore still exist. Improving the system of comparative dialect competence of the Russian and Uzbek languages at present can give a methodical direction to students of the national group. A competent approach to the study of the dialect system develops the knowledge of future Russian language teachers in national schools. Dialect words in both the Uzbek language and the Russian language are considered in a semantic aspect.

Pragmatic Politeness of the Imperative Speech Used by the Elementary School Language Teachers

As a means of communication, the politeness aspect of language always comes together with interpersonal communication. People can reflect politeness in communication activities through their verbal language. This research aims to analyze and describe the elementary school language teachers' imperative speech focusing on the form, meaning, and imperative pragmatic politeness. This study is descriptive qualitative research. The data were teachers' speeches during the teaching-learning process. The data were collected by using the observation method with observing, recording, and note-taking techniques. The imperative pragmatic meaning of the prohibition and interrogative speech describes the pragmatic meaning of imperative commands widely used by SD Integral Lukman al-Hakim Sumenep language teachers. Meanwhile, according to Leech's politeness principles, the teachers use six maxims categories; tact maxim, generosity maxim, approbation maxim, modesty maxim, agreement maxim, and sympathy maxim. In addition, imperative speech with the complete agreement is also found, namely in the form of action as a student's reaction to the teacher's imperative speech; the findings also prove that imperative speech found in the imperative form and the non-imperative form of politeness. Both of the politeness in the speech of the Language teacher forms are based on the construction of Leech's politeness principles.

Locating Spaces for San Mother-Tongue Education in the South African Education Framework

ABSTRACT Twenty five years after the advent of democracy in South Africa, indigenous language education for San communities in South Africa is a goal that still needs to be realised. There have been various attempts, though none of these have resulted in sustained programmes or projects. In particular, attempts to implement the recommendations of a report on Khoe and San language education in schools submitted to the Northern Cape Education Department (NCED) in 2001 are reviewed. Two types of language programmes are relevant, namely language revival programmes to reintroduce languages no longer spoken by communities, and mother tongue education (MTE) programmes to ensure home language maintenance. This paper will focus on the latter, namely the possibility of providing some form of MTE within the context of the two San speech communities of Platfontein township located outside Kimberley. Different scenarios are provided taking into account the South African policy environment.

The Action Research of Arabic Language Teachers in General Education: Awareness, Experience, and level of Application: البحث الإجرائي لدى معلمات اللغة العربية بالتعليم العام: دراسة في الوعي، وطبيعة الخبرة، ومستوى التطبيق

The study aimed to explore the awareness of Arabic language teachers in Madinah toward action research, their experience, and the level of practices in professional development. The qualitative approach was adopted, and data collection included focus group method of (22) Arabic language teachers in (6) schools at the three phases of Education: Primary, intermediate, and secondary in the academic year 1439/1440H. A Semi-structured interview was prepared. In addition, examined the portfolio of teachers’ performance, and other written evidence. The Credibility, Dependability and Confirmability criteria for the study were provided. The analysis of qualitative data shows results that deal with three aspects: First, Awareness: As most of the teachers did not have any knowledge of the concepts of action research. Weakness of spelling and composition was the most important problem in teaching Arabic language, as administrative and supervisory barriers had also a significant impact in the absence of the action research practices. Teachers have optimistic expectations of its future production and the proposal of specific procedures for its broadcasting, the most important of which is: training and exchange of experiences. Second, the teachers’ experience: participants showed deep conviction of the importance of action research and the desire for professional development. Third, Level of application: the variance of the teachers in the implementation of some specific steps to address the problems of language without commitment to scientific methodology or documentation. In light of the results, the study recommended enriching the professional development plan for Arabic language teachers with integrated training programs on action research. The study also recommended further research for a case study of successful models for implementation action research and to explore teachers’ experience in various disciplines and their practice.

Development Of Integrative Knowledge On Comparative-Dialectological Competence Of Future Teachers Of The Russian Language

This article discusses the importance of dialect concepts in a comparative plan and the path of development of future teachers in the professional sphere. In long-distance areas dialects, dialect systems and folklore still exist. Improving the system of comparative dialect competence of the Russian and Uzbek languages at present can give a methodical direction to students of the national group. A competent approach to the study of the dialect system develops the knowledge of future Russian language teachers in national schools. Dialect words in both the Uzbek language and the Russian language are considered in a semantic aspect.

Impact of an Awareness-Raising Workshop on the Pragmatic Awareness and Attitudes of High School English Language Teachers in Iran

Despite the conspicuous momentum of research on L2 pragmatic competence, this construct is not adequately represented in in-service high school teachers’ professional development programs in Iran. This study investigated the impact of an awareness-raising workshop on in-service high school English language teachers’ (a) pragmatic awareness and (b) attitudes towards instructed pragmatics. The participants were divided into a control group (CG) (N=21) and an experimental group (EG) (N=24). The workshop intended for EG was held in four 3-h sessions over 2 weeks, rotating on pragmatic competence and the instruction of speech acts, implicature, and pragmatic routines. Pragmatic awareness was measured through a 12-item test, wherein the participants detected problems in the pre-given apology and request statements, and produced, in written form, their own speech acts. Moreover, attitudes were probed through a 30-item scale developed by the researchers on the basis of two focus-group interviews. The results showed that (a) CG and EG made significant gains in their pragmatic awareness from the pretest to the posttest, but EG’s gain was significantly greater, and (b) EG, but not CG, held more positive attitudes towards instructed pragmatics at the post-treatment phase. The study has implications for high school language teachers’ professional development programs.