Non-native Contexts Research Articles

Police interviews in a non-native context: Misconstructions and possible solutions

Section 6(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa serves as the material cornerstone for promoting the equitable use of all official languages in government departments. This right, however, is not always granted equitably to the greater society, such as the police who use English as a second language. This is problematic because in 2015 writers like Ralarala highlighted in forensic linguistics how difficult it can be for police to generate incisive English reports. The present article contributes to the discussion, but from an applied linguistic standpoint. It sheds some light on the nuances in both written and oral accounts that impact the exactness of a police statement. The data in the study (observations and handwritten statements) were analysed through the interaction and error analysis technique. The results of the research reveal that police use their linguistic capacity to generate target language structures that as a result render the text difficult to understand. This could make it difficult to understand how the actual incident occurred, making police reports less reliable as evidence in court. The results of the study are expected to highlight the language difficulties in the police and help in improving their statement-taking ability.

Unlocking the function promiscuity of old yellow enzyme to catalyze asymmetric Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction

Exploring the promiscuity of native enzymes presents a promising strategy for expanding their synthetic applications, particularly for catalyzing challenging reactions in non-native contexts. In this study, we explore the promiscuous potential of old yellow enzymes (OYEs) to facilitate the Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction (MBH reaction), leveraging substrate similarities between MBH reaction and reduction reaction. Using mass spectrometry and spectroscopic techniques, we confirm promiscuity of GkOYE in both MBH and reduction reactions. By blocking H- and H+ transfer pathways, we engineer GkOYE.8, which loses its reduction ability but enhances its MBH activity. The structural basis of MBH reaction catalyzed by GkOYE.8 is obtained through mutation studies and kinetic simulations. Furthermore, enantiocomplementary mutants GkOYE.11 and GkOYE.13 are obtained by directed evolution, exhibiting the ability to accept various aromatic aldehydes and alkenes as substrates. This study demonstrates the potential of leveraging substrate similarities to unlock enzyme functionalities, enabling the catalysis of new-to-nature reactions.

Language Teacher Identity in a Non-Native Context: The case of Teachers of English Language in Ghana

The study investigated how English language teachers in Ghana construct their identities as teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ESL teachers who were selected through purposive sampling. The data was analysed qualitatively by coding, identifying, categorising and interpreting the emerging themes. It was found that the ESL teachers’ identity is defined by three elements: personal attributes, professional attributes, and contextual factors. On the personal level, the identity of the ESL teachers is characterised by passion, diligence, self-efficacy, and sense of inadequacy. Professionally, subject-matter knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and technological knowledge were found. Lastly, key contextual identity defining factors are curriculum and educational policies, classroom conditions and intrinsic motivation from learners’ success stories. The study recommends further investigation into other factors such as gender on non-native ESL teachers identity formation. Key words: Identity, teacher identity, language teacher identity, identity and teachers of English

Enhancing English Speaking Proficiency through Group Discussions

The purpose of the following study to discuss the group discussion and its influence on improving the English speaking skills amongst the university students. Evidence from the study goes on to demonstrate that speaking English is the most difficult yet crucial component of learning the language, particularly in a non-native context. The question at hand in this research pertains to whether structured group discussions effectively improve the spoken English skills among students. The issue is, therefore, relevant; the need for such practice to happen in academic settings amongst students who can speak English effectively. The study used a quantitative pre-test/post-test design for the evaluation of improvement before and after intervention by implementing group discussions. Findings reported significant improvements in students' speaking fluency, accuracy, and confidence. This finding implies that the language learning curricula should be designed and taught complete with the group discussions on topics of relevance to learners. This would be a better vehicle for the development of speaking proficiency in English.

Performance and race: teaching Shakespeare to Saudi students using current events and popular culture

ABSTRACT This article considers the relevance of Shakespeare’s works to foreign students when taught in a non-native context, specifically, in Saudi Arabia. It argues that a student-centred approach could shed light on what is relevant to young people today, even if the texts themselves may seem anachronistic. Adopting a comparative approach that explores common factors between early modern England and contemporary Saudi Arabia, I examine the theatrical practices of both periods in relation to gender, religion, and race. I offer an historical overview of Saudi theatre, highlighting factors that played a role in delaying its development, such as women’s absence from the stage and the antitheatrical sentiments influenced by the reformist Sahwa movement. Aiming to make Shakespeare accessible through connections to current events and popular culture, I consider Saudi Arabia’s fast-changing socio-political landscape, including cultural reforms and recognition of women’s role in theatre. In particular, I focus on blackface, a theatrical trope that has traces in the early modern period and still persists in the western world. I have found that this approach has helped develop students’ ethical sensitivities to ethnic bias and religious intolerance, as well as directing them towards making appropriate choices as future playwrights, performers, and directors.

Effective Pedagogical Approaches in English Language Teaching: Insights from a Kazakhstani Educator

This paper delves into the effective pedagogical approaches employed in teaching the English language, as practiced by educators in Kazakhstan. It aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of various teaching methods that emphasize cultural responsiveness, student engagement, and linguistic proficiency. The study employs a qualitative methodology, including in-depth interviews with experienced English language teachers and classroom observations in various educational settings across Kazakhstan. Key findings highlight the importance of integrating local cultural contexts into language instruction, thereby enhancing the relevance and effectiveness of teaching methods. The paper also explores the use of student-centered approaches, such as collaborative learning and problem-solving activities, which have shown to significantly improve student motivation and participation. Furthermore, it discusses the challenges faced by teachers in adapting to diverse student needs and maintaining high standards of language proficiency. The role of continuous professional development in equipping teachers with the necessary skills and knowledge to implement these approaches effectively is also examined. This study contributes to the broader discourse on English language teaching in non-native contexts, offering valuable insights for educators and policymakers in Kazakhstan and similar settings.

Closing The Gap: Evaluating Exclusive English Medium Instruction In Chinese Higher Education

In today's globalized world, proficiency in the English language stands as a critical skill, especially in non-native contexts such as China's higher education system. This research delves into the effectiveness of exclusive English Medium Instruction (EMI) in closing the prevalent gap between language input and proficiency among Chinese undergraduates. Utilizing Stephen Krashen's input hypothesis alongside modern language learning theories, the study assesses the capacity of monolingual instruction to significantly improve vocabulary, grammar, and overall language comprehension. It distinctively evaluates the impact of EMI within the Chinese educational framework, traditionally dominated by bilingual methods. Employing a robust quasi-experimental design with first-year undergraduate students, this investigation focuses on the influence of monolingual teaching on English language proficiency, particularly measuring performance in the College English Test—Band 4 (CET-4). Results indicate a marked enhancement in CET-4 scores within the EMI group compared to controls, thus supporting the hypothesis that immersive language exposure facilitates superior language acquisition. Furthermore, this research transcends academic discussion, providing actionable insights for curriculum development, teaching strategies, and policy making to boost English proficiency in Chinese undergraduate education. By adopting global linguistic trends and tackling specific challenges of English instruction in China, our study promotes a shift towards monolingual education as a fundamental element of linguistic mastery in higher education. Ultimately, this investigation not only validates the efficacy of exclusive EMI in improving English proficiency among Chinese undergraduates but also paves the way for significant pedagogical changes in language teaching, aligning with the global communication demands of the 21st century.

اللغة الإنجليزية في الكويت: ممارسات وتوجهات

The status of English in Kuwait occurs in Kachru's Model third circle (Expanding Circle). In this circle, English is used as a foreign language. However, English in Kuwait is not only a subject taught in schools, but also widely used in business communication, social events, and media. The study tends to achieve a twofold aim: 1) to excavate participants' perceptions of their course and course instructor and 2) to flesh out Kuwaiti linguistic features. The data come from the Appraisal Approach proposed by Lipovsky and Mahboob which enables participants to freely narrate and write what they think. The participants are students from the College of Engineering and Petroleum at Kuwait University. The narratives collected are all evaluations that express the students' perceptions of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) instructor and course. The research provides insights for students into the way English is used in the so-called nonnative contexts. The significance of the use of this approach lies behind the fact that most such studies use purely figures and numbers which only reflect a passive assessment. The appraisal approach provides richer and deeper insights for researchers since it analyses written discourses of the students. The data suggest that Judgement was the most salient attitude projected by the participants. Further, it was found that the use of narratives to elicit practices and features about language usage in nonnative contexts does not seem to be sufficient to carry out such an analysis.

MORPHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS IN THE SERBIAN EFL LEARNING CONTEXT: INSIGHTS FROM THINK-ALOUD PROTOCOLS

Word-building or morphological analysis features prominently in the EFL/ESL teaching lit- erature as an effective vocabulary learning strategy (cf. Gairns & Redman 1986; Nation 2001; Nunan 1995; Oz 2014) which enables learners to decipher the meaning of new lexical items by breaking them down into constituent morphemes. While L1 speakers can rely on this strategy upon encountering unfamiliar words from an early age (Anglin 1993; Clark 2001), the use of word-building in the field of EFL acquisition appears to be an under-researched topic (cf. Ward & Chuenjundaeng 2009; Diaz Contreras 2018). Therefore, the aim of this paper is to contribute to the growing body of literature on the development of morphological awareness in non-native contexts by investigating the way Serbian B2-level learners (CEFR) attempt to figure out the meaning of morphologically complex words, namely derivatives comprising one, two or three derivational affixes. Think-aloud protocols revealed that the upper-intermediate Serbian L1 English L2 learners mostly employed morphological analysis with multimorphemic words (i.e. those containing two or three derivational affixes) while bimorphemic words were often regarded as unanalyzable lexical units. Also, the data collected indicated that the learners rarely drew analogies between unknown words and words of similar morphological structure. The ensuing pedagogical implications and possible teaching interventions will be discussed.

On the Role of Social Media in Spanish Language Learning in Indian Context

Research on social media in the foreign language classroom has grown significantly in the last decade. The usage of social media has increased many times during the pandemic due to known reasons. The aim of the present study is to examine the perception of the use of social media in learning Spanish as a foreign language in a non-native context. The research was carried out in Indian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) where Spanish is taught as a foreign language at graduate and undergraduate levels. The objective was to explore the attitudes and perceptions of the students towards the use of social media platforms for learning Spanish as a foreign language and examine the differences in its use concerning gender, background and year of study. The research study was developed in the quantitative framework with the use of a comprehensive questionnaire as an instrument in this study. The results showed that the students tend to use social media for enhancing and reinforcing their communication skills and language learning capabilities including reading, writing, and learning new phrases and structures. Moreover, the study also found the benefits of collaborative learning embedded during the use of social media, which helped in improving the learning process sophistically.

Threat, Empathy or (Polite) Request? The Pragmatics of Administrative Letters in Cameroon English

Text types constitute a rich source of data for the investigation of pragmatic and cultural-specific features of language use in non-native contexts. Based on a small corpus of 62 administrative letters written in Cameroon between 2005-2008, this chapter investigates how the following speech acts are expressed in these letters: (1) seeking compliance/collaboration, (2) giving directives, (3) issuing threats, and (4) expressing solidarity/best wishes. The basic question the chapter addresses is how the illocutionary act of expressing the above four speech acts is viewed: threats, empathy or request (polite) request? The politeness theory with its related pragmatic empathy concepts is employed to analyze the data. Preliminary findings reveal that many of the propositions expressed in the letters may be interpreted as potentially face-threatening because they are direct request without redress. Further, there is generally a lack of empathy for the reader, and these in itself show that politeness is generally lacking. However, the conclusion is that these interpretations hold sway only if we ignore the pragmatics of the sociocultural and historical context of language use in Cameroon. The study concludes that much work still needs to be done to illuminate this aspect of language use in administrative letter writing in Cameroon English.

Marginalisation of Bangla at University-Level Academia: An Analysis with Theory of Reasoned Action

English has been investigated and criticised over centuries for its aggressive, invasive, and dominant nature, largely formulated by the British colonial enterprise and its legacy pertinent to the language. Given the coercion on minor cultures and languages in a non-native context, the use of English in education requires a detailed examination. The study critically examines the perceived superior position (e.g., tertiary educational institutions, social status hierarchy, and job market) of English and observes that a perniciously distorted perception of this language has permeated the minds of young learners in Bangladesh. This has raised grave concerns about the decadence of perception that influences students’ consideration of pursuing a tertiary-level liberal arts degree in English. Applying the Theory of Reasoned Action framework, this study – consisting of 142 participants – has identified that students prioritise English over Bangla as a subject, regardless of their literary values. They tend to fervently encompass the English language and literature together. Such incorporation helps sustain the neo-colonial attitude towards English as a language and, this is why the native tongue Bangla fails to fascinate them, despite having one of the world’s most treasured literary traditions. The discussion concludes that the overt promotion of English's benefits in this neoliberal era impairs the Bangla departments; therefore, English serves the learners only as a medium of global communication, not as a source of rich literary narratives.

A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF LEXICAL BUNDLES USED BY NATIVE AND NON-NATIVE NOVEL WRITERS

The current study intends to explore the lexical bundles in English novels written by native and non-native writers. The study focuses on lexical bundle types and frequencies in the novels of native and non-native English writers. In this modern era of advancement, English has become a dominant language in every field and every country has accepted the preeminence of the English language as the “Tyrannosaurus rex of the linguistic grazing ground” (Swales, 1997). The novel is a genre of fiction and the language of novels is characterized by the use of various expressions, the use of lexical bundles is one of them. In non-native context knowledge about the English language can be improved by reading novels written by native writers. The present study provides insight into the native speakers’ use of lexical bundles in novel writing. Two novels namely Me Before You and Kartography serve as the corpus for study. The research paradigm is quantitative and Biber and Conrad’s (1999) structural taxonomy has been used as the framework for the study. The results revealed that native writers used far more lexical bundles than the non-native writer. Both novel writers used distinct and unique types of lexical bundles, only some types were common in both novels. The category “others” of lexical bundles held the highest place in both native and non-native novels. A variation regarding types can be seen in the second highest category of lexical bundles as in the native novel Me Before You the structure of other noun phrases held the second highest place while in the non-native novel Kartography the structure of other prepositional phrases held the second highest place. Keywords: Lexical bundles, Preeminence, Fiction, Expressions, Expertise

Reliability and validity for perceptual flexibility in speech

The study of perceptual flexibility in speech depends on a variety of tasks that feature a large degree of variability between participants. Of critical interest is whether measures are consistent within an individual or across stimulus contexts. This is particularly key for individual difference designs that aredeployed to examine the neural basis or clinical consequences of perceptual flexibility. In the present set of experiments, we assess the split-half reliability and construct validity of five measures of perceptual flexibility: three of learning in a native language context (e.g., understanding someone with a foreign accent) and two of learning in a non-native context (e.g., learning to categorize non-native speech sounds). We find that most of these tasks show an appreciable level of split-half reliability, although construct validity was sometimes weak. This provides good evidence for reliability for these tasks, while highlighting possible upper limits on expected effect sizes involving each measure.

Individual Differences in Phonetic Plasticity Across Native and Nonnative Contexts.

Purpose Individuals vary in their ability to learn the sound categories of nonnative languages (nonnative phonetic learning) and to adapt to systematic differences, such as accent or talker differences, in the sounds of their native language (native phonetic learning). Difficulties with both native and nonnative learning are well attested in people with speech and language disorders relative to healthy controls, but substantial variability in these skills is also present in the typical population. This study examines whether this individual variability can be organized around a common ability that we label "phonetic plasticity." Method A group of healthy young adult participants (N = 80), who attested they had no history of speech, language, neurological, or hearing deficits, completed two tasks of nonnative phonetic category learning, two tasks of learning to cope with variation in their native language, and seven tasks of other cognitive functions, distributed across two sessions. Performance on these 11 tasks was compared, and exploratory factor analysis was used to assess the extent to which performance on each task was related to the others. Results Performance on both tasks of native learning and an explicit task of nonnative learning patterned together, suggesting that native and nonnative phonetic learning tasks rely on a shared underlying capacity, which is termed "phonetic plasticity." Phonetic plasticity was also associated with vocabulary, comprehension of words in background noise, and, more weakly, working memory. Conclusions Nonnative sound learning and native language speech perception may rely on shared phonetic plasticity. The results suggest that good learners of native language phonetic variation are also good learners of nonnative phonetic contrasts. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.16606778.

Use of Language Learning Strategies by Indian Learners of Spanish as A Foreign Language

Learning a foreign language in a non-native context is both a challenging and difficult task. This learning encompasses many processes and follows different trajectories. One of the offshoots of these processes is the strategies used by the learners in their learning route. During the last forty-five years, the research in the learning strategies field has grown many folds and has contributed to our understanding of how the learners use these tools in their learning path. This article examines some of the common language learning strategies (LLS) employed by the students while learning Spanish as a foreign language (SFL) at two major Central Universities of India. The present study is carried out by using a mixed-method under the descriptive framework in which the common learning strategies have been analyzed and discussed. In terms of the higher proficient group, the result shows no statistically significant differences in the use of LLS, on the contrary, concerning the year of study, there were statistically significant differences in the use of LLS among the three groups. Finally, regarding the effectiveness of the use of LLS among the participants, the results underlined a need for explicit or implicit strategic training.

VARIATIONS IN METADISCOURSE USE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE INTRODUCTION AND LITERATURE REVIEW THESIS CHAPTERS

Studies have established that thesis chapters are both similar and dissimilar with respect to their rhetorical choices. This paper examined metadiscourse use in the Introduction and Literature Review (LR) chapters of English Language theses from a nonnative context. The Introduction and LR chapters of ten theses, resulting in 50, 000 and 100, 500 words respectively, constituted the data sets for this study. Drawing on Hyland’s metadiscourse model, we manually coded all the metadiscursive elements. The study reveals statistically significant differences across all the interactive and interactional subcategories, affirming the stance that the rhetorical function of a thesis chapter influences its metadiscoursal choices. The study also found a new subcategory of meta-discoursal category labeled continuants. The paper has implications for the teaching and supervision of postgraduate theses, and the theory of metadiscourse.

The Study of Generic Patterns of Mission and Vision Statements of the Universities

Due to the significance of mission and vision statements (MS and VS) in academia across the world, this study aims at analysing generic patterns of MS and VS of universities from four different countries: two belonging to the native users of English language (UK and US) and the other two from non-native contexts (Pakistan and India). The purpose of the study is to investigate the rhetorical patterns in vision and mission statements to uncover structures used to establish universities’ global outreach and competitiveness in research and teaching. The data was collected from university websites and analysed through genre-based approach of Move Analysis introduced by Swales (2004) and applied on promotional genres by Bhatia (2004). The overall rhetorical structures of vision and Mission statements comprised of three moves with each move realized through further steps. The findings revealed that text of MS and VS provides the information about the university with an intended purpose of attracting the students by declaring the values, aims, obligations and strategic plans alongside establishing the aspects of global outreach and status in education and research as well as enriching the society and facilitating the individuals with the provision of best resources.

Challenging listening environments in higher education: an analysis of academic classroom acoustics

PurposeAs oral communication in higher education is vital, good classroom acoustics is needed to pass the verbal message to university students. Non-auditory factors such as academic language, a non-native educational context and a diversity of acoustic settings in different types of classrooms affect speech understanding and performance of students. The purpose of this study is to find out whether the acoustic properties of the higher educational teaching contexts meet the recommended reference levels.Design/methodology/approachBackground noise levels and the Speech Transmission Index (STI) were assessed in 45 unoccupied university classrooms (15 lecture halls, 16 regular classrooms and 14 skills laboratories).FindingsThe findings of this study indicate that 41 classrooms surpassed the maximum reference level for background noise of 35 dB(A) and 17 exceeded the reference level of 40 dB(A). At five-meter distance facing the speaker, six classrooms indicated excellent speech intelligibility, while at more representative listening positions, none of the classrooms indicated excellent speech intelligibility. As the acoustic characteristics in a majority of the classrooms exceeded the available reference levels, speech intelligibility was likely to be insufficient.Originality/valueThis study seeks to assess the acoustics in academic classrooms against the available acoustic reference levels. Non-acoustic factors, such as academic language complexity and (non-)nativeness of the students and teaching staff, put higher cognitive demands upon listeners in higher education and need to be taken into account when using them in daily practice for regular students and students with language/hearing disabilities in particular.

Phonological Perversion as Detriment to Effective Use of Spoken English among Secondary School English Teachers in Non-Native Context

This study investigates the effect of phonological perversion in the use of spoken English among secondary school English Teachers in Ogun State, Nigeria. The population of the study comprised all English Language teachers in the selected schools with the sample size of 120. The validated instruments used for collecting data were pronunciation test and questionnaire. A reliability index of 0.84 was achieved using Cronbach’s alpha. The data collected were statistically analyzed using frequency, percentages and t-test at 0.05 level of significant. The findings revealed that the English Language teachers in Ogun State whose language background is Yoruba had problems in pronouncing some English sounds, e.g., /v/ and /f/, /z/ and /s/, /ei/ and /e/, /i?/ and /ea/, /i:/ and /i/ and h-dropping (hard as add). It is recommended that Nigerian teachers of English Language be professionally developed in the rudiments of English sounds for intelligent communication.