Successful Foreign Language Learning Research Articles

The impact of Google Assistant on adolescent EFL learners’ willingness to communicate

ABSTRACT Willingness to communicate (WTC) is considered to be an important factor contributing to successful foreign language learning. Many studies aim at finding effective tools for enhancing WTC. With the support of AI and Automatic Speech Recognition technology, intelligent personal assistants (IPAs) seem to have potentials in improving foreign language learners’ WTC. However, few empirical studies focus on the possible impact of IPAs on learners’ WTC. This study was conducted to investigate the potentials of an IPA, Google Assistant, for developing adolescent EFL learners’ WTC and their perceptions of IPAs for EFL learning. This study recruited 112 eighth-grade EFL learners who engaged in Google-Assistant-language-learning activities for two weeks. Two WTC questionnaires were administered at the beginning and end of the intervention. The results demonstrated that Google Assistant significantly promoted EFL learners’ WTC, enhanced communicative confidence, and reduced speaking anxiety. Analyses of interviews revealed that participants enjoyed playing games with Google Assistant and talking to chatbots, which helped them feel less anxious and motivated to use English for real and meaningful communication. The findings indicated that IPA-based interaction provided a less threatening environment, in which learners displayed higher levels of engagement, motivation, confidence, and, in turn, their WTC in the target language.

Promotion of Student Autonomy in Learning the German Language. University Case Study

Summary The concept of learner-centered teaching is very popular in modern foreign language didactics. Specialized literature emphasizes repeatedly how important it is to enable individual and self-directed learning processes and to support them with advice. It is obvious that autonomy can be seen as a key competence that is urgently needed in a constantly changing world of work. With the principles of learner orientation and learner autonomy, the roles of university lecturers and students are also changing. So it seems to be essential for lecturers to answer the following questions: Under what conditions can self-determined, efficient and successful foreign language learning take place in a university-learning environment? How much freedom students can or want to endure in a foreign language class? What are the limitations of learner-oriented teaching in foreign language classes? This article reports on the implementation of the pedagogical concepts of learner orientation and learner autonomy and shows why the use of the didactic principle of learner autonomy in universities is a challenging task for both teachers and learners. The statements are based on the insights gained during the BA seminar on contemporary German language at Kaunas Vytautas Magnus University.

Motivation Strategies in FL classes Review and Comparison of Empirical Researchs on Learners

Motivation is considered as a pivotal component in successful foreign language learning, and has been the subject of increasing research attention in recent decades. This paper collected and reviewed the literature on motivational strategies in the language classroom. The review focusses on studies that investigate the importance student attached to strategies and juxtaposes the findings. The results confirm that motivation is context-dependent, however some strategies – especially those related to teacher behaviour, creating a positive classroom climate, and recognizing students’ efforts – can transfer across contexts, and therefore should be emphasized in future teacher training.

Listening Comprehension as a Key Component towards the Success of Foreign Language Learning

The objective of this article is to clarify the importance of using listening comprehension to facilitate the process of teaching and learning a foreign language. The approaches underlying the trends supporting listening comprehension teaching and learning, coupled with the literature review point to the development of listening skills as a sure way of smooth foreign language learning. The success of developing listening comprehension skills is hedged on involvement of the learner in well thought out activities by the teacher, their effort and practice, as well as the use of ICT. Researchers in the study exhibit components of oral speech communication which provides the basis for development of other speech aspects and cognitive development. Those findings suggest that oral speech communication is a prerequisite for language acquisition

The Impact of Multimedia Materials Teaching on EFL Elementary School Learners

Nowadays, it is hard for EFL students to learn a foreign language well because of the learning environment and limited teaching materials. Therefore, if we are willing to create a successful foreign language learning classroom, the use of multimedia will be very important. Besides, learning with multimedia has become the latest tendency among the education field. For instance, many researches and professionals all approve that various materials of multimedia learning can make the learning more productive, impressive, abundant, and memorable. In this research, multimedia materials were constructed by video clips. Furthermore, after adopting multimedia materials, some findings showed that multimedia-material teaching can strongly increase the vocabulary acquisition in a short period of time. In addition, students can learn not only by spelling and images, but also by vivid of video clips presentation and sounds to make connections to their daily life. Furthermore, through the interect program, their learning motivation is higher than the traditional teaching styles. Students get more positive learning attitude and their self-efficacy all been improved. Therefore, multimedia-material teaching can make learners learning more productive, abundant and efficient; therefore, using multimedia-material teaching will be one of the important teaching materials that can be applied in the classroom.

EXPLORING LANGUAGE INPUT OF THE READING TEXTS IN NORTHSTAR TEXTBOOKS FOR FIRST-YEAR ENGLISH-MAJOR STUDENTS AT UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES, HUE UNIVERSITY

There are many studies on English Language Teaching materials evaluation, but very few investigate the language input of reading materials though text input is considered a primary factor for successful foreign language learning. This research explored the language input of reading texts in a book series used in teaching reading for first-year English-major students at a foreign language university in central Vietnam. It aimed at investigating text topics, genres, length, language difficulty level and students’ as well as teachers’ perceptions of the studied texts in an attempt to facilitate students’ reading comprehension. Thirty-two reading texts were studied using a descriptive analytical approach. Individual and focus group interviews were implemented with 15 students and 7 lecturers. The findings showed the textbooks incorporated a wide variety of topics which are interesting and familiar to students. Article was the most popular text genre. The text length and language difficulty level proved to be appropriate to students’ levels. The lecturers’ and students’ perceptions of the texts also supported the textbook analysis findings. These findings implicated the selected textbooks should be kept in the curriculum but need further adaptation. Besides, some suggestions were made to help ELT lecturers modify the text input effectively.

Factors that influence Ecuadorian university students’ motivation towards English learning: An exploratory research study

Although learning English as a foreign language has commonly been associated with special cognitive abilities or learners’ aptitude, it has also been found that motivation plays a key role. Thus, this exploratory research study aimed to determine what factors motivate Ecuadorian university students to learn English, so a survey was administered to 422 students in different undergraduate programs from three public universities. The questions focused on learning about and determining the level of agreement the study participants had with statements related to integrative and instrumental motivation. Additionally, an open-ended question was formulated to find out the most important reasons behind their learning of English. The findings showed that a large number of study participants feel motivated to learn the language in order to achieve short-term goals such as traveling and being able to communicate in the target language, as well as long-term goals that include earning academic degrees and obtaining better job opportunities. It was concluded that the role of the teacher and an effective language teaching methodology are key components of students’ motivation and attitudes towards successful foreign language learning.

Taiwanese University Students’ Ideal L2 Selves and Autonomy: Does High School Program Make a Difference?

<p style="text-align: justify;">There has been an increased interest in L2 learners’ motivation and autonomy over the past several decades, and both variables are recognized as characteristics of successful language learners. The L2 motivational self system (L2MSS) is a recent approach to L2 motivation research that sheds light on many aspects of a language learners’ self. Additionally, autonomy is known to promote long-term foreign language learning success. Understanding these measures and what variables influence them can help educators determine how to best help their students achieve success in language learning. This study examines Taiwanese university students’ ideal L2 selves and autonomy as measured on questionnaires. This study seeks to examine whether any differences exist between Taiwanese students who attended normal, comprehensive, or vocational high school programs in Taiwan. The results show that while differences exist and several of the L2MSS and autonomy variables are strongly correlated, there are no significant differences between students in these three groups. The results suggest that there may be other variables not measured in this study which do have an impact on a learners’ L2MSS and/or autonomy.</p>

Emotional Intelligence and its Relationship to Academic Performance Among Saudi EFL Undergraduate Students

AbstractThe purpose of the present study was to provide a description of the emotional intelligence level of Saudi EFL undergraduate students, as well as to examine the effect of emotional intelligence on success in foreign language learning. A total of 80 Saudi undergraduate students from the English Department at King Khalid University participated in this study. Data was collected by means of Schutte Self Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT), and by an English achievement test. SSEIT questionnaire data was matched with the students’ academic scores in the English language achievement test, and was analysed using SPSS. The findings indicated that Saudi EFL students scored a high level of emotional intelligence. The most popular intelligence subscales they used were “Utilization of Emotion” followed by “Management of Others Emotion” and “Management of Self Emotion” and finally, “Perception of Emotion”. Another finding indicated that two of the four subscales, “Utilization of Emotion and “Management of Others Emotion” were significantly associated with their English achievement level. The implications of the value of emotional intelligence in fostering academic achievement were considerable for both EFL teachers and academic policy makers.

An Investigation of the Relationship Between University Prep Class Students’ Intelligence Types and Their Success of Foreign Language Learning

In the 21st century, when foreign language learning has become almost compulsory, everyone is trying to fulfill thisobligation. In fact, foreign language has become a very important thing not only for the people who work onlinguistic sciences but also for politicians, academicians, and even sportsmen. In this context, the main purpose is tocompare the English achievement levels of students with physical/kinesthetic intelligence to those with otherintelligence areas. 198 males, 66 females, in total 267 students, who study at Karabuk University, School of ForeignLanguages during the summer term of 2017-2018, have participated in this study. “Personal Information Form”developed by researchers; “Multiple Intelligence Observation Form” from the book “Multiple IntelligenceApplications” (2003) by Selçuk, Kayılı, Okut; Karabük University Preparatory Summer School foreign languagesuccess averages for determining the English achievement levels of the students, have been used as data collectiontools. Kolmogorov Smirnov, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal Wallis, and Spearman Correlation tests have been used toanalyze the data. Consequently, there are no significant differences between the foreign language scores of thestudents according to the variables of doing sports with a license, gender, age, and licensed sports branches. However,there is a significant difference between the foreign language scores of the students according to the variable ofexercising regularly (p=0.04<0.05). There is no statistically significant relationship between students' multipleintelligences and foreign language scores.

Form-first approach in foreign language word learning

This article reports a study examining whether foreign language (FL) word learning can be improved with reduction in cognitive load. Cognitive load theory has received substantial supports in various fields of learning but never in FL word learning. Due to the defined poverty in exposure to the FL, hence deprived cognitive pre-requisites for natural FL development, cognitive load could be critical to FL learning success. Thus while word learning may be a simple attempt of associating word forms with their meanings for L1 children, for FL learners, the cognitive load is multiplied by the additional task of taming the often intractable phonological forms (both perceptive and productive) at the same time they are making the association. In light of cognitive burden reduction, FL learners could thus benefit from learning phonological forms first as their L1 counterparts do. The present study examined whether beginning learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) learn English novel names better if first familiarized with the phonological rimes of target names whose referents are taught only later. Chinese-speaking first graders were assigned to one of three teaching conditions: rime familiarization, which familiarized children with rimes through rhyming activities without any meanings involved; spoken vocabulary, which taught words in rhyming groups together with their referents; and semantic control, which focused on word use. As the results showed, the rime familiarization group outperformed the other two by an improvement score several times greater, suggesting the critical role of cognitive load in FL word learning success.

Use of Facebook, students’ intrinsic motivation to study writing, writing self-efficacy and writing performance

ABSTRACTThe study aimed to scrutinise how incorporating Facebook into a conventional writing class might impact on students’ intrinsic motivation, self-efficacy and writing performance, and to uncover how best to provide corrective feedback on students’ writing posted on Facebook. Sixty-four subjects from an intact group were recruited by means of purposive sampling. All participants sat the pre-test measuring intrinsic motivation to study writing, writing self-efficacy and writing performance. Following the pre-test, participants attended a regular conventional writing class incorporating Facebook for four months. At the conclusion of the study, participants sat the post-test and were interviewed regarding their learning experience. Participants were also requested to indicate which type of feedback provided on FB is preferred and to justify their responses. It was found that students’ intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy, as well as writing performance, improved markedly in the post-test and that direct corrective feedback is more favoured by students. Overall, the study suggests that not only does incorporating Facebook into a conventional writing class benefit students academically, but it also helps boost their intrinsic motivation to study writing and writing self-efficacy – two critical variables that dictate success in foreign language learning.

The role of aptitude in the failure or success of foreign language learning

The role of aptitude in the failure or success of foreign language learning

Developing Students’ Cognition Culture for Successful Foreign Language Learning

This paper presents results of the research aimed at determining essential aspects of the development of university students’ cognition culture as a factor of successful foreign language learning. The authors define cognition culture as a complex of capabilities and skills, enabling students to look for, analyze, process, organize and critically assess information in the text, considering its historical and cultural value background. The investigation proves that a student’s cognition culture is manifested in his/her knowledge of national mentality, language, and cultural picture of the world as well as in the student’s skills of search, procession and critical assessment of information, the skills of analysis, comparison, generalization, cognitive motivation and aspiration for constant improvement of foreign language skills. The research determines the contents of the cognitive component of foreign language learning and works out a complex of teaching techniques for developing students’ cognition culture. The results prove that the application of the complex of special teaching techniques ensures effective development of the university students’ cognition culture for successful foreign language learning. Thus, students’ cognitive culture conditions their social adaptation and academic mobility.

Influence of Motivation and Language Learning Environment on the Successful EFL Learning

The research seeks to investigate successful learners’ motivational changes and learning histories from the first time they studied English until the achievement of high proficiency in the foreign language in Riau Province Indonesia. The central research questions are to reveal what motivational changes and learning histories successful learners display and how these learners have sustained their learning motivation until they eventually achieved high level of proficiency while studying in EFL environments. The participants are six adults who have achieved high levels of English proficiency. The design used in this case study involves both holistic and specifically focused analyses, by which each participant’s learning history is collected through individual interviews. The research reports each participant’s learning history, and the initial proposition concerning motivational change and salient motivational sources found in the participants’ learning histories are collectively analyzed and discussed. Exploring the data concerning how the participants have sustained their language learning motivation resulting in the idea that sustained motivation is not always present in successful foreign language learning. What make these six successful EFL learners different from other learners in Riau are their perseverance and intensively-prioritized EFL learning. In other words, they develop a more intentional psychological force, known as commitment. The results provide new, engaging, and important information to people who are seriously involved in foreign language learning in EFL contexts, especially Riau Province where the majority of learners fail to attain high levels of foreign language proficiency after receiving years of formal education.

Translanguaging as a teaching resource in early language learning of English as a an additional language (EAL)

Traditionally, language teaching has been grounded on a monolingual bias and the strict separation of languages has been conceived as a requirement to ensure foreign language learning success. However, the flexible use of one’s linguistic repertoire, known as translanguaging, has also proven beneficial in EFL settings (vid. Jones & Lewis, 2014).The present study aims at examining translanguaging practices in early language learning taking into account the functions proposed by García et al. (2011). Qualitative data were collected in 3 sessions of English for 25 Valencian kindergarteners. Participants (aged 4-5) were in their second year at a Catalan-immersion school, where other two languages are taught as media of instruction (Spanish and English).Results depict how very young language learners use their L1, L2 and L3 strategically in order to serve different communicative functions, without compromising their exposure to the target language (i.e. English). As a conclusion, we argue that a monolingual approach to teaching English as an additional language (EAL) is not a realistic picture of learners’ linguistic behaviour both inside and outside the classroom in multilingual settings.

Promoting self-regulation through collaborative work

There is plenty of evidence both from classrooms and from research literature suggesting that the teacher can help monitor learners’ minds, seeing beyond their surface behaviour, and can thereby help them deal with learning issues more appropriately. Self-regulation is one of the key factors determining success in foreign language learning, and self-regulated language learning should be seen as an important aspect of L2 study. This paper reports on a multiple case study of two graduate students who took part in a hands-on workshop on self-regulated language learning. It asks what is going on in their minds to account for success or lack of success in performance. A qualitative analysis of multiple data sources revealed that through the hands-on workshop and the focus-group interview, the participants came to be able to monitor what was impeding their language learning and decide what they needed to do to make the flow of the self-regulation cycle smoother. The qualitative analysis also highlighted the reciprocal and cyclical relations between self-regulation and co-regulation, suggesting need of the social aspect in explaining the cyclical phases of self-regulation.

The Development of Anticipatory Abilities in the Foreign Language Learning

The objective of the research is to study prognostic abilities in the process of foreign language learning with regard to a multi-level anticipation system. The main method is comparative analysis of anticipation studied at three levels: during actualization of particular words, during cogitative perception of speech, in the conditions of communication. Empirical research results demonstrated the increase of foreign language learning efficiency in the development of prognostic efficiency in the speech activity. Comparative analysis of speech anticipation specific features of students with different levels of foreign language abilities afforded to define how violations of probabilistic anticipation in the speech appear when a statement in a foreign language is generated and they can cause inadequacy of a communicative situation. Successful foreign language learning requires a high level of prognostic abilities which appears in cause-and-effect relations establishment, flexibility of cogitation, reconstruction and transformation of concepts and planning.

English Language Learning Strategies Reported By Advanced Language Learners

The purpose of the present study is to investigate effective English language learning strategies (LLSs) employed by successful language learners. The participants in this study were 20 student interpreters enrolled in the graduate school of interpretation and translation in Korea. Data on LLSs were collected through unstructured essay writing, a method employed to encourage participants to freely reflect on their language learning experiences and report what strategies and study methods helped them develop a high level of English proficiency. Qualitative data analysis produced several findings related to the use of learning strategies. Specifically, metacognitive strategies, such as disciplined approach to language learning and monitoring of progress, and cognitive strategies, such as reading-aloud and text analysis, were frequently mentioned as effective strategies. In addition, a number of participants emphasized the importance of conscious attention to language input during language learning activities. Testimonies of advanced English language learners in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context suggest that learner autonomy manifested in self-regulated learning activities may be crucial for successful foreign language learning. These and other findings are discussed with respect to their pedagogical implications for strategy-based instruction in English education.

A Survey Study: The Correlation between Introversion/Extroversion and Oral English Learning Outcome

Introversion/extroversion is generally considered to be one of the most important factors affecting the success of foreign language learning, especially spoken language. Extroverts are usually thought to be better at learning a foreign spoken language than introverts. With the intention of finding out whether extroverts are better learners of spoken English (learned as a foreign language in China) than introverts, this study investigated 117 English majors’ personality types (in terms of introversion and extroversion) in Chongqing (a municipality city in China), and their spoken English performance through a spoken English test. With the data collected, this paper analyzes the correlation between introversion/extrusion and spoken English performance. The result shows that the two are not correlated. The author discusses factors leading to this phenomenon from various aspects of learning environment, motivation, language intake and output, culture, and concludes that introversion/ extroversion is not a key factor contributing to the success of spoken English learning. The research result is of great significance to both English teachers and learners, especially those who are concerned about their personality (introversion) being a barrier to their oral English learning. What matters most in spoken English learning probably are the strategies that learners employ to improve it, which is well worth researching.