English Language Students Research Articles

First-year English Additional Language students’ insight and attitudes on blended learning methods in academic writing

First-year English Additional Language students’ insight and attitudes on blended learning methods in academic writing

The needs of graduates required by the employment industries: analysis of English language speaking course outlines at Pakistani universities

Since a syllabus is an essential teaching tool, it should contain relevant content and a well-organized curriculum based on practical skills needed at the workplace. Proficiency in spoken English can unlock a wealth of international career prospects. Despite the Higher Education Commission's efforts to improve the educational landscape, elevated levels of joblessness are hampering advancement. The primary goal of this qualitative study was to examine the functional English-speaking course outline at the BS level in private and public Pakistani universities. English language course outlines (communication and presentation skills) were collected from various private and public universities that were conveniently available to the researcher. Data from employed graduates was collected through purposive sampling techniques. Additionally, data was collected from 10 recently employed graduates through a questionnaire to explore the job needs of BS English language students in Pakistan. As the research was qualitative, data was collected using a purposive sampling technique. For reliability, the research questionnaire was validated by three subject matter experts. The syllabi need to be presented more coherently and meet most of the ideal syllabus's requirements. The English language speaking course outlines were found to focus on grammar and give little attention to speaking skills required for the workplace. The study recommends creating an efficient speaking skills-based English language course outline at the BS level for both HEC and university authorities based on the survey data collected from recently employed graduates.

Benefits of Exposing Third-year English Language Student Teachers to Service Learning in One Rural-based University

The study explored the benefits of exposing third-year Bachelor of Education students to Service Learning at a rural-based South African University. Service Learning (SL) is a practice that links community service with learning activities to promote substantive learning. This study aimed to explore whether third-year student teachers could benefit from helping first-year student university students acquire literacy skills through SL. The study was underpinned by the Experiential learning theory (ELT). A qualitative research paradigm underpinned by an interpretative epistemology was used in this study. A non-random sampling technique was used to select participants from the Faculty of Education at the participating institution. Data were generated using observing classroom activities, semi-structured and focus group interviews. Data analysis emerged with themes and sub-themes. Overall, the results revealed that the third-year students gained self-confidence, enhanced self-esteem and enhanced academic skills. The study revealed that exposing students to SL made them gain academic knowledge, cognitive skills, interpersonal skills, and self-confidence as they endeavoured to put theoretical knowledge into practice. As a pedagogy, SL created an enabling environment for learners to express themselves freely – thereby creating space for the expression and consolidation of new experiences. Thus, the study suggested that SL be incorporated into pre-service teacher education programmes from the first year in a spiral curriculum modality up to the fourth (last) year of study. Incorporation of SL into teacher education programmes may be done by infusing it into School experience modules as proposed by the participants.

The Use of Online English Language Learning Platforms by Undergraduate Students of Federal College of Education (Technical) Gusau

The status of the English language in Nigeria has made it the most widely used language. People of various backgrounds aspire to speak the language and become competent in it. With technological advancement, which led to the social media invention, various means of teaching the English language are made available on different platforms. Therefore, this paper aims to find out the online English language learning platforms by undergraduate students of Federal College of Education (Technical) Gusau. Three objectives were formulated to guide this study. These are, to find out the students’ awareness of the vast online platforms for learning the English Language, to find out the aspect of the English language the students have an interest in studying and to determine the benefit of engagement in the chosen aspect. Rogers’ (2003) Diffusion of Innovation theory was adopted as the theoretical framework- The population of the study consists of 1,417 Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria-affiliated undergraduate students of various fields of study. Purposive sampling was used to select level two English language students. Focus group discussion was used for data collection and thematic analysis of the data was conducted. The finding is by Roger's (2003) Diffusion of Innovation theory which emphasises that “getting a new idea adopted, even when it has obvious advantages, is difficult” Hence, the availability of more user satisfaction, compatibility, simplicity, triability, and observability make the Innovation-Diffusion process faster. Therefore, the present study concludes that the use of these vast materials by the students is very low. However, the participants who employ its use agreed on its enormous benefits and have tagged it as a priority.

Using Novels as Pedagogical Tools for Teaching Cross-Cultural Competence to English Language Students: Focus on Speech Acts

Using Novels as Pedagogical Tools for Teaching Cross-Cultural Competence to English Language Students: Focus on Speech Acts

Possessive pronouns in Welsh: Stylistic variation and the acquisition of sociolinguistic competence

Abstract This paper examines possessive pronoun forms in Welsh, a feature thought to be undergoing change (Davies, 2016). First, we seek to add to the understanding about how and in which stylistic contexts these forms are used. Second, we examine whether students in Welsh-medium schools with different home language backgrounds show the same sociolinguistic competence. In contrast to what is prescribed in many grammar books, the colloquial form mam fi ‘my mum’ is used at much higher rates than the traditional literary fy mam and sandwich variants fy mam i. This is particularly the case in more casual styles. We also find differences between north and south Wales in overall rates of use, but within the two schools studied, the English home language students broadly show the same patterns and constraints as the Welsh home language students, underlining that language background does not affect the acquisition of sociolinguistic competence.

“Enhancing English Language Students Productive Skills through Project-based Learning: A Mixed Method Research”

Project-based learning (PBL) is an alternative teaching approach which addresses the need for student-centered learning fostering a global shift towards 21st century skills of collaboration and problem-solving. This research examined the effect of PBL on English language students' productive skills during their freshman year at Majmmaah University. The research used a mixed-method design, including pre- and post-tests, semi-structured interviews, and participant observations. The sample size was calculated using Sloven’s formula employing a simple random sampling technique. Twelve female freshmen undergraduate students aged 18-22 from Majmmah University's first-year were sampled for writing and speaking IELTS test, observation research and interviews. The researchers used t-test using SPSS 24.0. The significance level was found to be less than the threshold of 0.05, indicating that the students speaking and writing performance improved after getting introduced to the PBL strategies. Semi-structured interviews revealed that PBL significantly improved students' English proficiency, including linguistic proficiency, individual and social attitudes, autonomy, motivation, confidence, research skills, creativity, and collaborative learning skills. It was also noted that during 10 weeks, initially, participants showed reduced use of L2, with L1 being their primary mode of communication. Their writing assignments contained 45% mistakes, plagiarism, and copied words. After the third stage, participants showed progress in linguistic proficiency and learning skills. They became more engaged in class discussions, developed autonomy, and increased personal skills. Thus, the study recommends implementing PBL in the Universities of Saudi Arabia to enhance speaking and writing skills of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students.

ROLE OF METACOGNITION IN EAP VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT: CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Metacognition is most broadly defined as higher order thinking process which presupposes active control over the cognitive processes engaged in learning. The teachers are not the only ones who should address the learning issues in the classroom, the learners should also be geared toward being aware of the thinking process as this will help them prepare in making conscious decisions about what they can do to improve their learning. Metacognition, the ability to think about one’s own thinking processes, plays a crucial role in empowering students to effectively retrieve and deploy strategies they have learned in specific contexts and apply them to other situations. When students engage in metacognitive practices, they gain a deeper understanding of how they learn, which enhances their overall learning experience and academic performance. The main objective of such attempts is to allow students to become more aware of their preferred learning strategies and to help them become more responsible for meeting their own objectives.The aim of the cross-sectional study is to investigate metacognitive strategy awareness in the context of EAP vocabulary development. Specifically, the research aims to assess the level of metacognitive strategy awareness among English learners. By employing a quantitative research approach and utilizing a questionnaire to survey 54 students of English Language and Literature at the Faculty of Philosophy in Kosovska Mitrovica, the study aims to provide an understanding of metacognitive strategy awareness in EAP vocabulary development at the tertiary level of education.

Obstacles Facing English Language Students in Speaking at the Faculty of Education in Nalut

Obstacles Facing English Language Students in Speaking at the Faculty of Education in Nalut

FORMATION OF COMMUNICATIVE GRAMMATICAL COMPETENCE OF B1 LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDENTS OF THE REPUBLIC OF KARAKALPAKSTAN

This article describes the process of developing communicative grammatical competence in the English language among students at the B1 proficiency level in the Republic of Karakalpakstan. As language proficiency is crucial for effective communication, understanding the specific challenges and strategies involved in acquiring grammatical competence is essential for language educators and policymakers. The article focuses on the unique linguistic and cultural context of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, considering how regional influences may impact the learning trajectory of English language students at the B1 level. Key aspects include the effectiveness of current language teaching methodologies, the role of cultural and linguistic factors in shaping grammatical competence, and the influence of socio-economic and educational backgrounds on language acquisition. The study also examines the use of technology and multimedia resources in language learning, aiming to identify innovative approaches that enhance grammatical competence among students at the B1 level. KEY WORDS: grammatical competence, innovative approaches, English language, acquisition, communicative, grammatical, competence.

Communication models in a foreign language in relation to cognitive style category width and power distance.

Understanding how category width of cognitive style and power distance impact language use in cultures is crucial for improving cross-cultural communication. We attempt to reveal how English foreign language students, affected by high-context culture, communicate in English as a foreign language. What models of foreign communicative competence do they create? We applied association rule analysis to find out how the category width of cognitive style affects the foreign communication competence in relation to culture and language. The requester tends to be more formal and transfers conventional norms of the culture of the mother tongue into English, which mainly affects the use of alerters and external modifications of the head act of request. A broad categorizer, regardless of social distance, prefers to formulate the request in a conditional over the present tense form, contrary to narrow categorizers who, in a situation of social proximity, prefer the request form in the present tense. A similar finding was shown in the case of external modifications of the head act, where we observed the inversion between broad and narrow categorizers, mainly in the use of minimizers and mitigating devices.

Strategies for Developing Speaking Skills by Utilizing Language Learning Podcasts

Background. Speaking skill development is a crucial aspect of language learning. This study aims to explore the effectiveness of podcasts as an innovative strategy in the development of speaking skills, opening up opportunities for further research into more progressive language learning methods. Purpose. The study aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the role of podcasts in the development of speaking skills and explore the potential of innovative language learning methods. Method. A quantitative approach with survey method was used, involving 25 Arabic and English language students as the sample. Data was collected through a questionnaire distributed through Google Form, with analysis using the Miles Huberman approach and data visualization in the form of charts to understand the percentage of responses. Results. From the questionnaire results, it appears that podcasts play an important role in the development of speaking skills. The varying frequency of use reflects the high level of student interest and engagement with the audio material. While most respondents saw the benefits of podcasts in improving confidence and language acquisition, the neutral responses provided opportunities for adjustments to the learning approach. Conclusion. The conclusions of this study provide a basis for designing more targeted learning strategies, considering the diversity of student experiences and needs.

Frekventnost anglicizama u verbalnim asocijacijama studenata anglistike

The paper deals with the research on the prevalence of recent anglicisms in the everyday language of the students at the Department of English Language and Literature of the Faculty of Philosophy in Kosovska Mitrovica. Since the anglicisms that have entered the Serbian language in the last two decades are the result of progress in information and computer technology, the goal of this research is to assess the most common Englishorigin vocabulary, especially in the speech of older adolescents. Although the sample was a group of English language students (N=50), it is assumed that their everyday language reflects the language of the wider population of students of English language and literature, which should be examined by including a much larger number of English speakers from different universities in Serbia, in order to reach more reliable results. One of the tasks of the linguists is to preserve the Serbian language from the influx of foreign words, while the role of lexicographers is to publish new dictionaries including all foreign words that enter the Serbian language and persist there. New words of English origin multiply every day in contact with content found on the Internet, starting from social networks, blogs that offer advice for various problems, sites that are full of lexical units originating from the English language, films, series, and so-called "tutorials" that are especially followed by the younger population. This paper will not discuss the justification of the use of anglicisms found, but an attempt will be made to find those that are most frequent, and thus the lexicon that, whether we like it or not, entered the Serbian language. The study relies on the free verbal association method to identify frequent lexical units originating from English. Comparative analysis is performed using the latest dictionaries Rečnik novih reči u srpskom jeziku 1 (Otašević i dr. 2022), abbreviated as RNR, and Srpski rečnik novijih anglicizama (Prćić et al. 2021), abbreviated as SRNA. Consequently, the paper highlights the most frequent lexical units from the students' perspective that are not listed in the dictionaries RNR (2022) and SRNA (2021). Through free verbal associations, students wrote anglicisms they use in their speech. The diversity in the choice of alphabets, as well as forms that the students chose while writing anglicisms, would be determined. This research, although it has shortcomings in terms of the small number of respondents, can still provide valid data in the field of lexicography and contact linguistics.

The Attitude of Undergraduate Students of English Language and Literature at Ferdowsi University Towards Virtual Learning Compared to On-Site Learning

The Attitude of Undergraduate Students of English Language and Literature at Ferdowsi University Towards Virtual Learning Compared to On-Site Learning

Effect of Gamification on Students Learning Ability: An Experimental Study

Introduction: The study investigated the impact of instructional games on the academic performance of 8th-grade English language students. The primary aim was to determine if educational games enhance English language acquisition and assess student engagement and commitment to these games. Methodology: An experimental research design was employed, focusing on elementary students in Pakistani public schools. The sample comprised 179 boys from Islamabad Model School for Boys I-9/4. From 60 pairs of male students, one student from each pair was randomly selected for the experimental group. After one month, post-tests were administered to both the experimental and control groups. Data were analyzed using SPSS, t-tests, and one-way ANOVA. Results/Findings: The study revealed that educational games significantly improved learning environments and English proficiency. They enhanced student interaction, autonomy, and collaborative learning. The games also provided versatile roles for easier language application and dynamically adjusted pacing to sustain motivation, outperforming traditional methods. Future Direction: Future research should explore the long-term effects of educational games on English language acquisition and their impact on different age groups and subjects. Additionally, examining the integration of advanced technologies in instructional games could further enhance educational outcomes

Utilization of neurological dominance science (NDS) to enhance students’ creativity in communication as implementation outcome based education (OBE)

This study aims to investigate the contribution of the Neuro Dominance Science (NDS) program in improving students' creative communication skills and the completion of six tasks as a result of the Indonesian National Qualifications Framework called KKNI, with six (6) tasks of KKNI. This study uses qualitative and quantitative method in analyzing the data. The participants in this study were 50 students of English language and Literature Department, Universitas Negeri Medan that completed NDS workshop as one of the programmed of Creative Innovative Communication (CIC) subject at the fourth Semester. Data was collected through a questionnaire made in the form of a Google form to measure students' creative communication abilities and completion of KKNI assignments. The results of this study indicate that the NDS program has a significant contribution to improving students' creative communication skills. Quantitative data analysis shows an increase in scores on creative communication assessment after students join the NDS program. In addition, the NDS program also assists students in completing the six tasks required by the KKNI, such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration. This research provides valuable insight into the contribution of the NDS program in improving students' creative communication skills and completing KKNI assignments. The results of this study can be used by policymakers and educators to consider implementing the NDS program in schools as an effort to improve students' skills in creative communication and achievement of KKNI tasks.

Need Analysis for Teaching English in Early Childhood Education Students

Analysis of needs for English language teaching in PG-Paud. English for Specific Purposes (ESP) in the learning process in higher education is often less effective. One contributing factor is the lack of a learning plan so that learning is not relevant to the field of science they are capable of. Therefore, it is necessary to start planning learning by conducting a needs analysis based on students' needs in learning English. This research aims to determine and describe the needs of English language students in PG PAUD Universitas Prima Nusantara Bukittinggi. This research was conducted using a qualitative descriptive approach. The objects of this research were students in the third year. Data was collected through questionnaires and direct interviews. The collected data is classified so that students' needs in learning English can be identified, then each one is explained. The research results show that (1) students' mastery of English is still relatively low, (2) 50% of students improve their oral communication or speaking skills and 30% write as the main priority in learning English in preparation for applying for work, (3) during learning English, students expect an increase in their skills related to both oral and written. Based on these results, it is recommended to prepare syllabus planning and develop English teaching materials in PG-Paud programs.

Investigating the Translation Strategies that English Language Students' Utilized in Translation Diverse Topics

Objectives: By analyzing students' translations, instructors teaching translation can acquire insight into the most common concerns, challenges, and strategies regarding various subjects. This study aims to uncover the methods and techniques students use to translate journalistic, literary, and political materials and the differences in translation strategies used by male and female students.
 Methods: Twenty-seven male and female 4th-grade students from the Department of English, Colleges of Basic Education, University of Kirkuk participated. The research will be carried out during the first semester of the academic year 2022-2023. A test was used to collect the data. The test consisted of three questions, all of which were texts: journalistic, literary, and political.
 Results: The results reveal that students adopt low-accuracy translation procedures. Students use the trans-position method more than other translation procedures when translating a journalistic text. Regarding the literary text, the results show that students preferred the adaptation technique above the different translation strategies. Finally, the Political text was translated using a borrowing and adaption technique. Furthermore, the findings demonstrated that female EFL students used more accurate and precise translation procedures than male students.
 Conclusion: Translation strategies must be thoroughly taught to EFL students. They must be knowledgeable about translation theories and strategies and the types of texts they may be exposed to. They must also be taught the purpose of employing a specific translation technique. It is essential to note that the borrowing strategy should be used with caution, as it can lead to linguistic interference and can sometimes be confusing for native speakers of the target language.

Emotional intelligence, self-esteem and gender as correlate of secondary school students’ academic achievement in Anambra State, Nigeria

This study investigated emotional intelligence, self-esteem and gender as correlate of secondary school students’ academic achievement in Anambra State. Three research questions and two null hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance guided the study. The study was carried out in Onitsha, and Awka education zones of Anambra State, Nigeria. The design adopted for this study was correlational research designs. The population of the study comprised all the year two senior secondary school (SSS2) students in the 263 public secondary schools in Anambra state. The sample for the study consists of 1,028 students obtained through non-proportionate stratified random sampling technique from 18 secondary schools in Onitsha, and Awka education zones. The instruments for data collection include a structured questionnaire that was used to collect data on the student’s emotional intelligence called Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (EIQ), a Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI) and Mathematics and English Language Achievement Test (MEAT). The instrument was face and content validated by two experts. The research questions were analysed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (Pearson r) while hypothesis was tested using multiple regression. Results of the research showed that there was a significant relationship between emotional intelligence, self-esteem and gender with academic achievement of secondary school students in mathematics and English language. Based on the findings of this study, recommendations were made. One of the recommendations is that government should organize seminar and workshop for teachers to enable them to understand the concepts of emotional intelligence and self-esteem in order to build their own emotions and that oftheir students.

Reading (in) law: A critical appraisal of the impact of language on disciplinary novices’ cognitive reading strategies

This article adopts a critical approach to literacy and genre analysis to explore the place for multilingualism at a South African historically white university's law faculty. Drawing on data from think-aloud protocols and semi-structured interviews, it seeks to gain insight into the following: the (meta)cognitive reading strategies used by first-year English additional language (EAL) students in reading the legal judgment; the impact of language on strategy use, and lastly, students' perceptions of the value of their home languages for mediating reading challenges as surfaced in the think-aloud protocols. Drawing on Tardy et al.’s (2020) theoretical framework for researching genre knowledge, the findings demonstrate how reading strategies are utilised differently for different purposes. Participants' uses of the strategies of ‘setting a context’ and ‘rereading’ illustrate how language intersects with home and school-based discourses and the impact thereof on reading.