Libyan EFL Research Articles

Teacher Power and Gender in the Classroom Discourse of EFL Teacher Educators: Insights from a case study

How Teacher Power (TP) is exerted impacts affective learning and class participation. This mixed-method case-study research explores TP and the role of gender in a Libyan EFL Teacher Education context. Classroom discourse is analysed to determine the scale of Teacher Power Strategies (TPS) manipulated by both male and female educators with respect to Pro-social Teacher Power (PTP) and Anti-social Teacher Power (ATP). Six teacher educators (three males and three females) have been observed over 18 lectures involving 47 second-semester students. How the student teachers perceive and react to TP is explored through focus group interviews. The findings reveal interesting gender differences in the application of anti and pro-social power; the males’ TP ratio (2.3:1) is much greater than the females’ (1.5:1) who display far less ATP, e.g. command power, with zero criticism and zero coercion; PTP is distinguished by politeness and compliment; “command softening”, mitigated power and lowered anxiety. The students tolerate teachers’ command, interruption, questioning for pedagogic reasons; cases of unwarranted coercion and unconstructive criticism are met with silent protest. In conclusion, a balance of power is deemed essential in fostering students’ well-being, promoting a relaxed stress-free atmosphere, and facilitating active student participation.

An Exploration of Grammatical Errors in Written English of Libyan EFL Students with Special Reference to Arabic as their First-Language

This study focuses on an exploration of grammatical errors in written English of Libyan EFL students with special reference to Arabic as their first language. One of the most important factors that negatively affect EFL students' writing is grammatical errors. Several studies have looked at grammatical errors made by learners of English as a foreign language. Some studies have reported that L1 interference has been indicated as an important factor in the commission of such errors. The current study explores the phenomenon of EFL learners making grammatical errors. It also examines whether the time spent learning English and using English in daily life positively affects a student's writing (fewer grammatical errors appear). In addition, it examines whether first language interference leads to errors by Arab learners in particular. Data was collected from 30 EFL participants studying in Faculty of Arts and Sciences Kufrah- Benghazi University by writing an essay, in English, about the students themselves, their families, and the cities where they live in. The subjects also answered a Grammar Recognition Test. The results of this study indicated that the subjects made 205 errors in 10 different grammatical areas, the highest number of errors found in using articles, the second was word/verb form errors, whereas the third was preposition-related errors. Furthermore, errors of active and passive voice, plural, word order, tense, 3rd person morpheme, and copula “be”. The analysis of these results indicated that the appearance of these errors was more common among learners who have less time learning the language as well as who use the language less in their daily life. Furthermore, the results also revealed that Arab EFL learners tend to translate directly from Arabic to English; in this case, L1 interference appears to be a reason for committing grammatical errors by the Arabs. Moreover, students 'lack of competence in English plays an important role in such an occurrence. The study concludes by giving some suggestions for teaching grammar and reducing the occurrence of errors in this area.

Production of English Vowel by Libyan EFL learners: Insights from Unnormalized and Normalized Data

Previous studies have established that male and female speakers differ in their production of foreign language (FL) vowels due to biological differences in the vocal tract. These differences present a challenge when subjects recruited for an instrumental analysis of speech sounds include speakers of both genders. Most previous studies, therefore, focus on only one gender to avoid the problem of biological differences between males and females. However, different gender groups may perform differently in speaking tasks as their language experience may be influenced by other social factors. Therefore, the aim of this study is to assess the differences between Libyan male and female speakers in the production of English vowels, by examining the data with and without the use of normalization to determine the most difficult English vowels for Libyan male and female speakers. To achieve this goal, seventy Libyan participants (35 male and 35 female) were recruited to perform a speech production task of eleven English vowels embedded in carrier sentences. The data were collected and analyzed using PRAAT to extract the F1 and F2 formant frequencies for each vowel and to calculate the Euclidean distance (ED) of the English vowels produced by using the centroid as the reference point. With the unnormalized data, more overlaps were found for the male speakers when compared to the female speakers as the vowel space were more centred for the males compared to the females. With the unnormalized data, different pairs of vowel contrasts were identified as potentially problematic. However, with the normalized data, better categorical distinction is found in general. Only three vowels emerged as potentially problematic as the other pairs could potentially be disambiguated using vowel duration as a cue. The study demonstrated the utility of the Lobanov method for normalizing speech data to reduce variability associated to gender differences. The efficacy of the Lobanov method of normalization remains to be tested further to verify if the predictions made about difficult vowel pairs for Libyan EFL learners are indeed attested in their discrimination of these vowel pairs in future research.

Libyan EFL Higher Education Students’ Perceptions of Using their Voice in the Classroom

This paper examines Libyan EFL higher education students’ perceptions of using their voice in the classroom. A qualitative study was undertaken targeting a group of 12 undergraduate university students majoring in English as a foreign language who were studying fulltime in a college of education at a university in Libya. The study was guided by the following aim: to explore the views and experiences of Libyan EFL higher education students regarding the use of their voice in the classroom. The study employed semi-structured interviews to gather data for analysis. Data analysis revealed little room for student voice in the classroom. Students were not encouraged or even allowed to participate in making decisions linked to their educational issues. They had a chance to use their voice only in situations related to exams and homework assignments. In the light of these results, the study suggests creating a more responsive classroom environment in which students find a chance to participate in making decisions linked to their educational issues and play their full part in implementing the curriculum.

An analytical study on theme choices in the academic essays of Libyan EFL undergraduate students

Theme is the element which a speaker or writer chooses as a point of departure for a clause. Theme is of different types; each of which has a certain function in the overall discourse. Choosing the appropriate theme is important to deliver the intended message of the discourse. Many EFL students encounter problems in their theme choice which might decrease the quality of their written products. The current study investigated the frequency of the different types of themes to find out the most dominantly used theme types. For data collection, 15 academic essays written by advanced semesters' students were utilized to fulfill the purpose of the study. In analyzing the written texts, the Halladian Analysis System was followed to categorize the type of themes used in the students' writings. According to the study findings, the Topical Unmarked theme was highly dominant in the students' writing. The Textual themes occupied the second place in the frequency of use. Not surprisingly, the Interpersonal theme was very rare in the students' essays. The results of the study were interpreted and contextualized within the existing body of literature. Finally, the implications and limitations of the study were discussed.

Exploring University Students' Preferences towards Written Corrective Feedback in EFL Context in Libya

This study was designed to explore Libyan EFL students' written corrective feedback preferences regarding their gender to explore the relationship between their gender and their preferences. The data were collected by applying a quantitative method by using a questionnaire. The main objective of this study was to investigate students' preferences on six types of Written Corrective Feedback and investigate which of these types they preferred the most. The researcher administered the questionnaire to a sample of 35 EFL students (16 males and 19 females) studying English (EFL) at Azzaytuna University in Libya. The data were analyzed to reveal the frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation values. Paired T-test samples were used to examine the gender differences regarding the types of feedback preferences. These results revealed that students had high preferences towards writing corrective feedback in all types. The results also revealed that there were no statistically significant differences between males and females related to their choices of corrective feedback types. In addition, the results demonstrated that form feedback is the most preferred type among students, followed by unfocused feedback, while content feedback is considered as the least preferable type. This study can be regarded as one of the aspects that may contribute to the improvement in the field of education, as it attempts to explore the characteristic and kinds of error feedback strategies which may promote EFL students at universities and colleges in Libya.

Returning to Graduation Project: Attitudes and Perceived Challenges of Students and Staff at a Libyan EFL Department

In 1997, the Department of English (Faculty of Languages, University of Tripoli) canceled Graduation Project (GP) as a graduation requirement primarily due to growing student plagiarism. Two decades on, the Department decided it is time for Returning to Graduation Project (RGP). In preparation for this, a Research Methods (RM) module was delivered to students, and an intense ‘research design and methodology’ course was taken by the staff. In this exploratory mixed-methods case-study research, the main question focuses on attitudes and perceived challenges facing students and staff concerning RGP. The aim is to tackle negative attitudes and perceived obstacles in anticipation of a successful RGP, which spells out the significance of the research. Data were collected through a questionnaire (n=52) and a focus group discussion with seventh-semester students (10); semi-structured interviews with staff (13). A small majority of students (54%) supported RGP; the remaining 46% raised two kinds of concerns: realistic challenges of lacking resources, inadequate RM skills, and supervisor issues; unrealistic challenges involved time constraints, fear of presenting, and problems of determining research topics. Staff members were receptive to RGP but raised numerous concerns. Whereas experienced members expressed cynicism due to low students competencies and lacking resources, others saw RGP as an opportunity for students to gain practical research experience ahead of postgraduate study. Several challenges were perceived, chief among them are students lack of research skills, inexperienced supervisors, inadequate resources, and an ever-lasting concern with plagiarism. New staff reported the need for tuition in ‘data analysis and interpretation’, and ‘supervision practice’. Peculiarities characteristic of the case milieu emerged.

Relationship between Willingness to Communicate in English and Classroom Environment among Libyan EFL Learners

Oral communication skills can be regarded as core and significant skills in foreign language learning. English language teaching (ELT) educators have always been concerned with finding appropriate ways that can help English as a foreign or second language learners (EFL/ESL) to improve their oral communication skills. Such skills are closely related to the learners’ willingness to communicate (WTC). Currently, researchers in ELT have focused their attention on the significance of classroom environmental factors in developing learners’ WTC. Therefore, this study examines the association between classroom environmental factors and Libyan EFL students’ WTC. The results of the descriptive analysis indicated that the individual’s level of WTC and classroom environment among Libyan EFL students is at a moderate level. Analysis using correlations indicated a positive relationship between WTC, students’ cohesiveness, and task orientation. Multiple regressions analysis revealed that only students’ cohesiveness and task orientation were significant predictors of WTC. However, for teacher support, there was no apparent correlation and prediction relationship between teacher’s support and learners’ WTC. The study has implications for EFL university instructors and the academic authorities who are concerned with enhancing the oral communication skills of undergraduate students and enable them to become better communicators in the future.

Using Hybrid Problem-based Learning (HPBL) Approach to Enhance Libyan EFL Students’ Engagement with English Language

This article explores how the Hybrid Problem-Based Learning (HPBL) approach can improve the Libyan EFL learners’ performance in English language speaking. The paper employed the case study research design in which qualitative data through observation and interview were collected and analysed thematically. The participants involved in the study were 30 first-year undergraduate students in one of the Libyan public universities. The study was conducted in the period of 9 weeks. The course was conducted alternatingly between traditional and PBL lessons. The PBL lessons were based on 7 steps of Schmidt, Dauphinee and Patel (1989). At the end of each PBL lesson, students presented their possible solutions for the problem presented in a form of oral presentation (OP). It was found that after undergoing the HPBL process, the speaking ability of the learners improved in fluency, grammar, comprehension, vocabulary, confidence level, intonation skills and pronunciation. It is, thus, concluded the HPBL approach is a worthwhile alternative for English lecturers for the transformation of the stagnant approach to the teaching of English language in the Libyan EFL context.

Analysis of Errors Made by First Year Secondary School Students in Writing English Sentences: A Case Study of Libyan EFL Students

The aim of this study is to identify, classify and explain the reasons behind the written errors and difficulties encountered by First Year Secondary School Students, Al-Jufra Region, Libya. A random sample of students and teachers is selected. The sample is thirty students and ten teachers. The data is collected through three tools: written task by students and two questionnaires; one for the teachers and one for the students. The data is analyzed by using a descriptive method. The findings reveal that First Year Secondary School Students encounter difficulties in writing English sentences including verb tense and form, subject verb agreement, word order, prepositions, articles, plurality and auxiliaries. It is also revealed that students are not motivated enough to engage into written activities. These writing errors are mainly due to first language (L1) interference. The study concludes with some recommendations that will help First Year Secondary School Students to minimize their writing difficulties.

AN INVESTIGATION OF THE USE OF THE FIRST LANGUAGE IN LIBYAN EFL CLASSROOMS

This article attempts to explore the use of first language (Arabic) in the Libyan EFL classrooms as well as teachers' and students' attitudes towards using it. To this end, 5 Libyan EFL teachers and 143 Libyan EFL undergraduate students from the English department of Sebha University took part in the study. Data were gathered through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The findings of the study indicated that the Libyan EFL students had positive attitudes towards using Arabic in the classroom to some degree; however, they were in favor of using English more than Arabic. It was also found that the students employed Arabic frequently to translate words from English into Arabic. The results also reported that the Libyan EFL teachers used Arabic in their classrooms to accomplish many purposes such as helping students to understand, giving instructions, emphasizing information and giving the meaning of new and unfamiliar words. Additionally, teachers held positive attitudes towards the use of Arabic inside the classroom, but they were of the opinion that Arabic can be only used in certain cases and it should not be overused.

The Effects of Writing Apprehension in English Language on Mastering the Writing Skill

Writing apprehension has been considered as one of the affective factors that has a negative impact on foreign language leaners’ performance in writing. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate how writing apprehension effects Libyan EFL university students’ writing at the Faculty of Education-Janzour. The participants of this study were 36 female students majored in English. They were enrolled in the third semester of the academic year (2014-2015). The data of this study was generated from an adapted version of Daly and Miller’s Writing Apprehension Test (WAT) by Gungle and Taylor (1989). The results revealed that students have been suffering from a high level of writing apprehension. Accordingly, the English writing instructors have been recommended to apply the appropriate methods for eliminating the impact of writing apprehension.

Introducing video to Third Level Libyan EFL learning contexts: small steps, big challenges

It is commonplace in many western countries, (Berk 2009, Hubbard 2013) to use video in second language teaching. Yet, at the time of writing, there has been no formal academic research carried out in the area of English language teaching with video sources in Libyan 3rd level educational contexts. This paper seeks to redress this heavy imbalance by examining teachers’ attitudes and preferences toward using video (YouTube) materials in EFL teaching (small steps) in the Libyan 3rd level contexts. For data elicitation purposes, a survey was conducted in the second half of 2018 in three public universities: University of Tripoli; University of Azzawia; and Azzaytuna University. The EFL teacher-respondents revealed the importance of taking into account pedagogical issues, cultural differences and sensitivities when using YouTube video clips. Certain respondents revealed a series of reasons for not using video clips in their teaching, from pedagogical practice to, again, cultural sensitivities and curriculum design. These represent some of the big challenges in introducing video to Libyan Higher Education language learning.

'The choice is made from no choice': What motivates Libyan EFL teachers to work in times of change?

'The choice is made from no choice': What motivates Libyan EFL teachers to work in times of change?

A Study on the Integration of ICT by EFL Teachers in Libya

Given the high importance of adopting ICT into education for developmental purposes in the recent era, the present study is designed to investigate Libyan EFL teachers’ attitudes toward ICT adoption in the field of English Language Teaching (ELT). This study looked into attributes (proposed by Rogers, 1995) contributing to adopting ICT, and, more importantly, addressed the relevance of ICT to the socio-cultural context of Libya and adaptations that need to be made for successful adoption and use of ICT. The participants were selected based on availability. The study had a mixed-method design and both quantitative procedures (surveys) and qualitative procedures (interviews) were used to collect data. Both descriptive and interpretive approaches were utilized to analyze data. The analysis led to the identification of a series of problems which were classified into school-level, teacher-level, student level, and system level.

The Use of Grammar Learning Strategies by Libyan EFL Learners at Sebha University

<em>For most English language learners, grammar can be a very hard subject and some students tend to use different types of strategies to learn grammar. Using learning strategies is very beneficial as they facilitate the learning process and make it more controlled, enjoyable and effective for learners. This study explores the grammar learning strategies used by Libyan EFL undergraduate students at the English Department of Sebha University and the most frequents used strategies. The study also aims to find out if there is a significant difference between the students' use of learning strategies and gender. The population of the study were 121 Libyan EFL undergraduate students who are currently in their first and second years. Data was collected through questionnaire distributed to the participants in the class. The result of the study revealed that Libyan EFL learners used different types of grammar learning strategies which included memory strategies, metacognitive strategies, socio-affective strategies and cognitive strategies which were the least frequent used ones. It was found that the most frequent used strategies were memory strategies. The findings also showed that there is no significant difference between the use of grammar learning strategies and the participants' genders.</em>

Investigating Strategies Used By Libyan EFL Teachers In Teaching Reading Comprehension At Sirte Basic Education Schools

Investigating Strategies Used By Libyan EFL Teachers In Teaching Reading Comprehension At Sirte Basic Education Schools

Some Libyan EFL University Instructors’ Beliefs and Practices of Integrating Facebook in ELT

This study investigates the beliefs and practices of fourteen Libyan EFL university instructors of integrating Facebook in language teaching and learning. A qualitative approach of investigation was employed and the data was collected through an open-ended questionnaire sent to the instructors via FB messenger. The results revealed that all the participants liked the idea of integrating FB in their teaching and they all reported their useful and successful experiences of this integration. However, lack or poor internet, time convenience, lack of knowledge and skills of using this social network, privacy and disclosing identities issues, and female students and instructors reluctance in joining FB mixed groups were reported as influential challenges in limiting the usefulness and effectiveness of using FB in Libyan universities. Nevertheless, the improvement in internet service in Libya and the increasing popularity of FB among university students and instructors should encourage them to effectively use it for academic purposes. It is certainly a useful educational tool and its integration can help in creating more interactive teaching and in developing more learner autonomy.

Problems in Conceptualizing the Timeline of Past Tense Aspects by Libyan Students

To master any language, grammatical rules are the backbone of producing accurate and meaningful messages. Past tense and aspect is one of the most important components of grammar that EFL learners and teachers should take into consideration. However, Libyan EFL learners encounter difficulties in forming and using past tense and aspect as a result of either their mother tongue influence or the lack of language competence which may lead to fossilization. On the other hand, teachers who teach English may not be aware of the importance of giving it right from the beginning. Therefore, teachers should give more emphasis on those areas of weaknesses in order to help students to master the past tense and aspect.

Role of Faulty Instructional Methods in Libyan EFL Learners⿿ Speaking Difficulties

Abstract A body of research indicates that Arab EFL learners are incompetent in oral communication. This has been the case of the Libyan EFL learners who encounter great difficulties in speaking skills. Despite spending years in learning English, and building good linguistic knowledge, they fail to employ that knowledge in real communicative situations. This might be the outcome of inadequate teaching approaches that are employed by Libyan EFL teachers. Their overreliance on traditional methods that emphasize extensive linguistic input rather than communicative output result in what Wolff (2010) calls ⿿mute English learners⿿, who can only read and write but are unable to speak. This paper aimed to investigate the Libyan EFL learners⿿ speaking difficulties and the factors underlying this problem. Total 125 students, from Sebha University, Libya participated in the study. Questionnaires and interviews were deployed for gathering data. The questionnaires and interviews were designed to elicit information about the participants⿿ learning experience, the way they were taught English and speaking difficulties. Data were analysed using SPSS and content analysis. The study revealed that Libyan learners face difficulties in oral communication due to linguistic and psychological barriers. The results also showed that insufficient exposure to the target language and frequent use of Arabic, inside and outside the classroom, were the main factors contributing to the Libyan EFL learners⿿ speaking difficulties. Lack of speaking activities and overemphasis on accuracy at the expense of fluency by the teachers were other contributing factors.