non-English Majors Research Articles

Motivation of Iraqi Non-English Majors in Learning English

Motivation of Iraqi Non-English Majors in Learning English

AN EXPERIMENT ON APPLYING MOBILE-ASSISTED LANGUAGE LEARNING (MALL) IN TEACHING SPEAKING TO NON-ENGLISH MAJORS IN OFFLINE CLASSES AT A UNIVERSITY IN VIETNAM

The quasi-experimental research focuses on impacts of applying mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) in teaching speaking skills to non-English majors in offline classes at a university in Vietnam. The participants were 65 accounting-majored students in 2 classes - one was control group (CG) with 33 students and the other was experimental group (EG) with 32 students. After 8 weeks of experimenting in using MALL in speaking lessons, the researchers’ observations and experimental group’s survey results were analyzed in relation with the comparison of progress test results of the two groups in week 10. The findings revealed that MALL was effective in offline speaking classes, helped students not only improve their fluency and accuracy but also increase their non-verbal communication skills. The EG had better speaking test results and positive perception towards using MALL in speaking lessons.

A Study of Non-English Majors’ Foreign Language Enjoyment and Anxiety in Project-based Learning

A Study of Non-English Majors’ Foreign Language Enjoyment and Anxiety in Project-based Learning

Reform of College English Teaching Content in Engineering Colleges against the Background of New Engineering Education

In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to the development of new engineering education. College English, a compulsory course aimed at non-English majors in China’s universities, bears great responsibilities in training high-quality innovative engineering talent with an international perspective. After an examination of the current College English teaching content and an analysis of college students’ needs for English learning, the paper proposes three ways to reform the teaching content of College English in light of nurturing new engineering talent: integrating language and cultural knowledge with subject-specific knowledge, enhancing students’ ability of applying English in their professional domains, and emphasizing both humanistic education and professional competence in College English teaching.

The Relationship Between Self-Efficacy and Writing Anxiety in Foreign Languages: A Case Study of Non-English Majors at a Chinese Institution

The Relationship Between Self-Efficacy and Writing Anxiety in Foreign Languages: A Case Study of Non-English Majors at a Chinese Institution

Peer Instruction Integrated with Process Writing in EFL Writing Sessions: A Classroom Observation

This study investigated how peer instruction integrated with process writing influences EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students’ writing competence in a Chinese university. It randomly chose one intact class of non-English majors to implement the peer instruction and process writing approaches. The researcher divided the class into seven sub-groups to fulfill the writing tasks smoothly. Employing a qualitative research design, this study utilized observation methods to collect data. Three non-participant observers were invited with the researcher to observe the writing sessions among the sub-groups in the intact class. Thematic analysis of observation data showed that students effectively used peer instruction skills during all stages of process writing: planning, generating ideas, translating, editing, and revising. Integrating peer instruction with process writing served as a positive catalyst, motivating EFL students. Following Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) principle, this integration significantly broadened students’ ZPD. By working within this zone, students unlocked their full developmental potential, surpassing their current abilities, leading to a more efficient and effective writing process.

Chinese university EFL learners’ perceptions of a blended learning model featuring precision teaching

ABSTRACT The present quantitative study aims to explore how students perceived the incorporation of precision teaching with Pinpoint, Record, Change, and Evaluation (PRCE) in a blended English course. This study surveyed 80 non-English majors at a Chinese university and utilised a questionnaire that focused on online learning experience, interaction, teaching quality, and evaluation, and overall satisfaction. The analysis of students’ responses showed that the blended design based on precision teaching gained positive learner perceptions due to its greater spatial and temporal flexibility, accessibility, targeted classroom instruction, increased learning autonomy, and more learner-instructor interaction. This study also established that learners’ positive attitudes towards blended learning featuring precision teaching were significantly linked to teaching quality and evaluation. The findings are discussed in alignment with those of earlier research, and practical implications for foreign teaching and learning in Chinese universities are also provided.

Effective Instructional Strategies to Enhance Chinese EFL Learners’ Engagement in a Blended Learning Environment

This study aimed to investigate the effective instructional strategies perceived by EFL students to enhance their engagement in a blended learning environment. Data from an English Reading and Writing blended course at a Chinese university were collected and analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods. A total of 162 non-English majors responded to a survey and 10 were interviewed to express their views. The results identified 16 instructional strategies either online or face-to-face, which could enhance students’ behavioral, emotional, cognitive or social engagement. These strategies were further categorized into four groups, namely instructor presence, process monitoring and feedback, learning assessment and group cooperation. Student interviews were analyzed to gain a deeper understanding of the strategies. Pedagogical implications have been provided, with an emphasis on the fundamentals of developing effective instructional strategies for teachers in blended learning environments.

A Study on the Correlation Between the Participation of Flipped Classroom and the Pleasure and Boredom of Non-English Majors in Foreign Language Classroom

In recent years, in order to improve the shortcomings of traditional classrooms, the flipped classroom model has been widely implemented in foreign language teaching. This paper discusses the pleasure and boredom of non-English majors in the flipped classroom in the foreign language classroom. Based on the "broaden-build" theory and the "control-value" theory, 243 non-English majors were studied by questionnaire and interview. It is found that (a) Non-English majors’ acceptance of the foreign language classroom under the flipped classroom model is generally high. (b) The flipped classroom model is conducive to improving the participation of non-English majors in foreign language classrooms. (c) Non-English major college students are generally more enjoyable and less bored in the foreign language classroom under the flipped classroom model. (d) The emotions of non-English majors in the foreign language classroom under the flipped classroom model are influenced by many factors such as teachers’ enthusiasm, utilitarian psychology and autonomous learning ability. The results of the study can provide useful enlightenment for the teaching side to improve the flipped classroom teaching model.

Exploring the Impact of Online Translation on Writing Revision among Chinese Non-English Major Students

The present study examined the efficacy of online translation as an auxiliary revision tool for Chinese non-English majors, assessing its influence on writing performance and the students’ perceptions of its role in the revision process. This study employed writing task, questionnaire survey, and semi-structured interview to examine the efficacy of online translation as an auxiliary revision tool for Chinese non-English majors, assessing its influence on writing performance and the students’ perceptions of its role in the revision process. A total of 94 Chinese non-English majors who learn English as a foreign language (EFL) participated in the study. The results indicate that compared with those who revise their texts independently, those Chinese non-English majors who refer to online translation in the process of revision, made significantly more changes at the below-clause and clause and above levels in terms of revision domain, with increased additions and substitutions. Additionally, having access to online translation in the process of revision, Chinese non-English majors significantly increased their text length in final drafts, with decreased error rate, more low-frequency and sophisticated words, and varied lexical choices. Besides, virtually most of the participants use online translation frequently in English writing activities with a generally positive attitude towards the integration of online translation into English writing revision. For English teachers, they can consider allowing students to use online translation in the process of revision and giving students sufficient guidance on how best to realize its fullest potential. For Chinese non-English majors, they’d better keep improving their self-learning ability and double-check the online translation output by using other resources.

Engaging Beyond Academia: Exploring Non-English Majors' Motivations for English Language Community Participation in Indonesia

This study explores the motivations and experiences of non-English major students participating in an English language community at Institut Syekh Abdul Halim Hasan Binjai, Indonesia, where English proficiency is viewed as a crucial tool for personal, educational, and professional advancement. The research, conducted through in-depth interviews with 18 volunteer participants from diverse academic fields such as Sharia Banking, Sharia Economics, Sharia Economic Law, Family Law, Islamic Education, and Early Childhood Islamic Education, reveals that the English community plays a pivotal role in fostering language development. It provides a supportive and immersive environment that facilitates English practice, boosts confidence, and enhances cultural engagement. Moreover, the findings highlight the significant impact of instructors in motivating students by creating a pressure-free atmosphere and encouraging continuous professional development. The study concludes that English language communities, complemented by tailored instructional strategies, are effective in enhancing English learning for non-English majors, empowering them to meet their varied goals and succeed in global settings.

INDONESIAN L2 LEARNERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS GROUP WORK: A SURVEY STUDY ON GENDER DIFFERENCES

This study was conducted to investigate the possible interaction between the attitudes of Indonesian learners from non-English majors towards group work in the English as second/foreign (L2) classes and their gender. The study employed an online survey. In this study, 187 learners from various regions in Indonesia participated. The study found that learners generally reported positive attitudes towards group work to facilitate a better learning atmosphere, for their self-improvement, and a medium of learning with their classmates. Furthermore, this study found no statistically significant difference in their attitudes towards group work seen from their gender. The no significant difference indicates that both male and female learners reported relatively similar attitudes towards group work. Limitations are acknowledged, and the possible contributions and pedagogical implications are stated alongside suggested directions for future studies in the fields of gender and group work in L2 classes.

Topic familiarity, syntactic maturity, and lexical competence of Chinese college non-English majors in EFL writing

Topic familiarity, syntactic maturity, and lexical competence of Chinese college non-English majors in EFL writing

The Implementation Approach of Ideological and Political Education in College English Based on the Production-oriented Approach

Based on the “Production-oriented Approach”, this paper takes the textbook “New Horizon College English (Third Edition) Viewing, Listening & Speaking” as the carrier of ideological and political teaching of the course, aiming to investigate how to explore the ideological and political elements of the college English course, and how to combine the college English course with the ideological and political elements to realize the integration of the knowledge system and the value system. Methodologically, this paper conducted questionnaire surveys with 55 non-English majors in an international studies university and carried out a semester-long teaching experiment. The findings reveal that the students have a high degree of acceptance of ideological and political teaching based on the theory of “Production-oriented Approach” (POA) in college English courses. The implementation approach explored in this study is to integrate the “ideological and political education through courses” into college English teaching from the aspects of motivating, enabling, assessing, and ultimately integrating the value shaping, knowledge transfer, and ability cultivation, which not only provides more possible implementation approaches to improve college English teaching quality, but also offers more possibilities for the improvement of college English teaching. This study is expected to provide more useful inspirations and references for ideological and political education in college English courses.

The Effects of Asynchronous Cross-cultural Communication on EFL University Students’ Writing Performance and Motivation

Background: Researchers have integrated cross-cultural communication (CCC) with writing to examine students’ writing performance, motivation, and perceptions in EFL classrooms. However, the exploration of how authentic CCC with students from different cultural backgrounds benefits lower-proficiency students’ English writing competence and motivation remains underexplored. Purpose: This mixed-methods study, employing pre-test and post-test designs, examined the effects of asynchronous CCC on EFL university lower-proficiency students’ writing performance, motivation, and perceptions to determine whether asynchronous CCC facilitated EFL lower-proficiency students’ writing competence and motivation and to elucidate its impact on their writing performance. Method: Twenty-nine freshmen, who were non-English majors, were divided into lower-proficiency (N=15) and higher-proficiency (N=14) groups. Data were collected from the writing tests and Writing Motivation Questionnaires (WMQ) completed in the pre-test and post-test. The questions in the writing tests were identical in both tests, while the WMQ comprised 33 five-point Likert-scale questions and an open-ended question aimed at exploring the students’ motivation and perceptions regarding writing in this study. Results: The results indicate that the features of social interaction and cross-cultural engagement within asynchronous CCC significantly developed lower-proficiency students’ writing performance and mitigated their negative writing motivation. Utilising asynchronous CCC, which facilitated feedback exchange and collaborative writing with higher-proficiency peers, notably bolstered lower-proficiency students’ writing proficiency. Additionally, the integration of meaningful, intriguing, and authentic asynchronous CCC activities contributed to reducing negative writing motivations among lower-proficiency students. However, delayed responses from online peers and a sense of demotivation while collaborating with lower-proficiency peers may have contributed to the insignificant development observed among higher-proficiency students. Conclusion: Engaging EFL university lower-proficiency students in asynchronous CCC to exchange cultural and linguistic knowledge could enhance their writing performance and reduce their negative writing motivation. This is because the features inherent in asynchronous CCC render English writing meaningful, intriguing, and authentic.

SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE PRONUNCIATION FOR NON-ENGLISH MAJORS AT HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY

The purpose of this study is to find out pronunciation mistakes made by non-English majors at Hanoi Open university, thereby proposing solutions to help students improve their pronunciation. The study data were collected from 133 first-year students in Economy and Law department at Hanoi Open university through an online questionnaire. The study used quantitative method in combination with statistical and analytical techniques. The results showed that students recognized the crucial role of pronunciation in the learning process. However, the study also provided information on students' mistakes when learning pronunciation. Students’ mistakes mainly related to mispronouncing plural noun endings, stress, linking sounds and intonation. Some suggested solutions for teachers and students have been proposed such as: taking advantages of technology, using free applications, diversifying classroom activities.

The Effects of Blooket oThe Effects of Blooket on Motivation in Learning English among First-Year Non-English Majors at A University in Ho Chi Minh Cityn Motivation in Learning English among First-Year Non-English Majors at A University in Ho Chi Minh City

This study reviews Blooket's impacts on 51 non-English major university students' vocabulary and reading skills through their intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in comparing when teachers use traditional and technological methods in teaching based on Ryan and Deci's self-determination framework (2020). The research conducted by Shliakhtina et al. (2023) has indicated that old-fashioned approaches, like the Grammar Translation Method with appropriate teacher support, can also enhance students' motivation. However, students sometimes need more support learning vocabulary and reading skills because it is a learned-by-heart process. The study gathered data on students' motivation levels when exposed to different teaching approaches by conducting action research. This data can help identify the effectiveness of Blooket in enhancing students' intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, according to the research of Tran (2022) and Thu & Dan (2023). The results indicate that incorporating elements of extrinsic motivation, such as points or badges within Blooket, also contributes to overall motivation. Students may feel a sense of achievement and be further motivated to participate actively in language learning activities. The interactive nature of Blooket, along with its ability to create a supportive learning environment, fosters a sense of learning and self-awareness among learners. This, in turn, allows students to understand their strengths and weaknesses and take ownership of their learning process.

Error Analysis of English Pronunciation Acquisition by Chinese Non-English Majors

Chinese non-English majors are a large group of English learners. In the process of English pronunciationacquisition, issues such as incomplete phonological knowledge, transfer of mother tongue, and overgeneralization, lead to confusion of phonemes and stress, misunderstanding of syllable structure, and errors of assimilation, drop, and epenthesis. The accuracy of English pronunciation can only be improved by knowing both English and Chinese phonological systems, strengthening the teaching of English phonological knowledge, and adopting various phonological training activities.

外语学习无聊情绪与外语成绩关系探究

The “affective turn” and “positive turn” in applied linguistics have brought positive psychology into the field of SLA, making emotion studies a focal point. This study, framed within positive psychology and Complex Dynamic Systems Theory, analyzes boredom, the scores of college entrance examination and the English final exam scores for 369 non-English majors in Class B and 75 in Class C. Results indicate:1) Class C students’ foreign language learning boredom is significantly lower than Class B, while their English exam scores are significantly higher. 2) Class B students’ foreign language learning boredom is significantly negatively related to English exam scores. This study suggests that students with different language proficiency exhibit differences in foreign language learning boredom, and boredom negatively influences academic achievements. College English tiered teaching should align with the dynamic emotional development of students, fostering emotional intelligence to improve students’ academic achievements and personal well-being.

Investigating the interrelationship among academic emotions, classroom engagement, and self-efficacy in the context of EFL learning in smart classrooms in China

ABSTRACT Objective This study aims to fill in the gap by exploring the interrelationship among academic emotions, classroom engagement and self-efficacy in EFL learning among Chinese non-English majors in smart classrooms. Methods A total of 409 non-English majors in their first year from a Chinese university completed the revised version of the academic emotions scale, classroom engagement scale and self-efficacy scale and their interrelationship has been analysed by Structural Equation Modelling. Results Positive emotion significantly enhances classroom engagement, while negative emotion does not. Classroom engagement has a significant effect on promoting self-efficacy, which is influenced by both positive and negative emotions, with positive emotions having a greater impact. Specifically, classroom engagement mediates the relationship between positive emotion and self-efficacy, whereas it does not mediate between negative emotion and self-efficacy. Conclusion Smart classrooms can stimulate students’ positive academic emotions, increase their engagement in learning so as to enhance their self-efficacy.