ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
An Empirical Examination of the Association between Multiple Intelligences and Language Learning Self-Efficacy among TEFL University Students
Author: Moafian, Fatemeh
Date: 2015-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Correlation,Multiple Intelligences,Self Efficacy,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Student Attitudes,English (Second Language),College Students,Statistical Analysis,Regression (Statistics),College Faculty,Language Teachers,Teacher Education,Curriculum Development,Language Tests,Questionnaires,Reliability,Foreign Countries

The current study investigated the association between multiple intelligences and language learning efficacy expectations among TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) university students. To fulfill the aim of the study, 108 junior and senior TEFL students were asked to complete the &quot;Multiple Intelligence Developmental Assessment Scales&quot; (MIDAS) (Shearer, 1996) and the &quot;Learners' Sense of Efficacy Survey&quot; (Gahungu, 2009). Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and regression analysis were employed to analyze the data. The findings of correlation analysis indicated that, among the different types of intelligences, Linguistic and Intrapersonal intelligences had strong positive correlations with learners' self-efficacy beliefs. The results of regression analysis showed that Linguistic and Intrapersonal intelligences were positive predictors of learners' efficacy beliefs, whereas Mathematical intelligence was the negative predictor of students' self-efficacy beliefs. All in all, the findings of the present study contribute to the understanding of the interplay between students' multiple intelligences and their language learning self-efficacy beliefs; furthermore, they convey some implications for university teachers, material and curriculum developers and language testers.
Using Convergent and Divergent Tasks to Improve Writing and Language Learning Motivation
Author: Marashi, Hamid
Date: 2015-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teaching Methods,Statistical Analysis,Writing Attitudes,Student Motivation,Comparative Analysis,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Task Analysis,Experimental Groups,Females,Second Language Instruction,Writing Instruction,Pretests Posttests,Scores,Learning Motivation,Foreign Countries,Language Tests,Writing Tests,Attitude Measures,Student Attitudes

This study was an attempt to investigate the comparative impact of convergent and divergent condition tasks on EFL learners' writing and motivation. Sixty female intermediate EFL learners were selected from among a total number of 90 through their performance on a sample piloted PET and further homogenized in terms of their writing and motivation. Based on the results, the students were randomly assigned to two experimental groups with 30 participants in each. Both groups underwent the same amount of teaching time during 18 sessions of treatment which included using divergent tasks for the first group and convergent tasks for the second. A posttest (the writing section of another sample PET) and Gardener's Attitude and Motivation Test Battery (used also earlier for the homogenization) were administered at the end of the treatment to both groups and their mean scores on the test were compared through independent samples t-tests. The results led to the rejection of the first null hypothesis, thereby demonstrating that the learners in the convergent group benefited significantly more than those in the divergent group in terms of improving their writing. The second null hypothesis was not rejected, however, meaning that the two treatments were not significantly different in terms of improving the learners' motivation.
The Effect of Explicit Affective Strategy Training on Iranian EFL Learners' Oral Language Proficiency and Anxiety Reduction
Author: Mostafavi, Fatemeh
Date: 2016-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Oral Language,Language Proficiency,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Learning Strategies,Affective Behavior,Experimental Groups,Pretests Posttests,Teaching Methods,Anxiety,Communication (Thought Transfer),Likert Scales,Measures (Individuals),Language Tests,Scores,High School Students,Control Groups,Foreign Countries,Females,Taxonomy,Instructional Effectiveness,Material Development,Statistical Analysis,Qualitative Research

The current study aimed at investigating the possible effects of explicit teaching of affective strategies on Iranian EFL learners' oral language proficiency and the extent of their anxiety in EFL classroom. First, PET test was administered to a total number of 120 female third grade high school EFL students. Then, 60 participants whose score fell within the range of + or - 1 SD from the mean score were selected for the main study. Next, they were randomly assigned into two groups (one control and one experimental). The design of the study was Experimental comparison-group plan. Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale adopted from Horwitz (1986) was used to examine the EFL learners' anxiety level in English class. Moreover, two equivalent oral tests adopted from Heaton (1975) were administered to the participants of the two groups both at the beginning and at the end of the study served as pre and post-tests. The treatment for the experimental group included Oxford's (1990) taxonomy of affective strategies, which included explicit affective strategy instruction (in relaxation, music, visualization, humor, positive self-talk, risk-taking, and monitoring emotions). The control group did not receive any special instruction in terms of affective strategies. To investigate the possible effects of explicit affective strategy use instruction on the participants' oral language proficiency and their anxiety level, the pre and posttests of oral tests and the participants' self-reports of anxiety control in both groups were analyzed and compared. The results of independent samples T-test indicated that while the two groups were homogeneous in terms of oral proficiency and level of anxiety control before introducing the treatment, the experimental group performed better than the control group in the oral post-test. Moreover, the level of anxiety control for the experimental group was significantly different and higher than that of the control group. The results confirm the positive effects of affective strategy instruction on oral language proficiency. The findings of this study provide a greater understanding of affective strategy use among Iranian EFL learners. This study might also have some implications for material developers to consider strategy use in materials development.
&quot;The Waste Land&quot;: Eliot's Expiatory Pilgrimage from Church to Pagoda
Author: Kuriakose, John
Date: 2016-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Poetry,Poets,Twentieth Century Literature,Literature Appreciation,Religious Factors,Literary Criticism

Eliot's poem &quot;The Waste Land&quot; is a pilgrimage in quest of an answer to the problem of desire--universal as well as personal--especially deviant sexuality, immoral behavior and their consequences. The traditional tags on the poem such as &quot;a poem about Europe&quot; and a poem about the &quot;disillusionment of a generation&quot; serve only to blinker the reader against its universal and spiritual dimensions. From the epigraph to the very concluding line of the poem, through numerous references and allusions to literary masterpieces and religious texts ranging over history, Eliot addresses the question of desire--craving--in view of the essentials of Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism. Thrashing out the problem in the light of St. Augustine's &quot;Confessions&quot; on burning and Buddha's &quot;Fire Sermon&quot; on its remedy, Eliot preaches &quot;Datta,&quot; &quot;Dayadhvam&quot; and &quot;Damyata&quot; as the key virtues for the attainment of &quot;Shantih&quot; or &quot;the peace that passeth understanding.&quot; Thus the poem becomes a pilgrimage of Eliot across the spiritual landscape of the world.
The Linguistic and Social Aspects of the Bedouin Dialect
Author: El Salman, Mahmoud
Date: 2016-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Dialects,Rural Areas,Semitic Languages,Foreign Countries,Sociolinguistics,Language Variation,Tribes,Diachronic Linguistics,Migrants,Pronunciation,Speech Communication,Statistical Analysis

This is a sociolinguistic study that tries to investigate the peculiarity of the Bedouin dialect regardless of the place where it is used. Some variants that are used in their dialect are used wherever they are from. Two sounds in particular were chosen to carry out this study. These are the /?/ variant of the (Q) variable, and the /ts/ variant of the (K) variable. The study shows that some sounds that are known to be exclusively used by Bedouins, are still used by the old Bedouins wherever they live. For example, Old informants from Jordan used the /ts/ variant within the tribe domains, and the old informants from other tribes living in Saudi Arabia used it as well. This is also seen with regard to the /?/ sound. The /?/ is used also in relatively high percentage in the speech of the old in Jordan and Saudi Arabia. This shows that belonging to the Bedouin group per se, is what matters in determining the sound used regardless of the region to which one belongs. Unlike the rural people who might use the different alternates of the (Q) variable depending on the region to which they belong, for example, [k] is used in some parts of Palestine while [q] is used in other parts like Tirat Haifa village in the northern part of Palestine. Bedouins are consistent in using the [g] variant or the /?/ of the (Q) variable regardless of the area where they live. In other words, the two sounds appear in the dialects of the Bedouins whether they live in Jordan or Saudi Arabia. This raises the possibility that their sharing the same culture (being Bedouins) leads to their sharing these linguistic features. Part of their culture is belonging to their tribes as they are traditionally divided into tribes. The dialect of the tribe remains important where ever they are.
EFL Teachers' Stress and Job Satisfaction: What Contribution Can Teacher Education Make?
Author: Sadeghi, Karim
Date: 2016-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Marital Status,Questionnaires,Language Teachers,Foreign Countries,Teacher Attitudes,Job Satisfaction,Second Language Instruction,Stress Variables,Teacher Education Programs,Tenure,Age Differences,Statistical Analysis

The present study was conducted to find out the level of job satisfaction and stress among Iranian EFL teachers. More precisely, an attempt was made to investigate the main sources of EFL teachers' stress, their level of satisfaction with the job and the relationship between occupational stress and instructors' age, marital status and tenure. Using a localized self-reported questionnaire, adapted from Ferguson, Frost, and Hall (2012), data was collected from 149 EFL teachers working in Urmia, Iran. The analysis of the data revealed that 29.93% of the teachers reported feelings of stress in one way or another. In addition, more than one-third of the teachers claimed to be somewhat or very dissatisfied with their job. It was also observed that age, marital status and employment play significant roles in the level of occupational stress perceived by EFL teachers. Suggestions are offered for relieving teachers from stress and how teacher education programmes can contribute.
TESOL, a Profession That Eats Its Young! the Importance of Reflective Practice in Language Teacher Education
Author: Farrell, Thomas S. C.
Date: 2016-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Language Teachers,Teacher Education,Reflective Teaching,Beginning Teachers,Foreign Countries,Teacher Persistence,Teacher Education Programs,Qualitative Research,Case Studies,Interviews,Teaching Styles,Educational Theories,Educational Practices,Theory Practice Relationship

The field of teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) is similar to other fields in that we must not take it for granted that novice teachers will survive their first year without some kind of support. This paper outlines how three novice ESL teachers in Canada survived their first year without any support from the school they were placed. Specifically, the paper outlines how they, with the aid of a facilitator, engaged in reflective practice by using a framework for reflecting on practice to help them navigate complex issues and challenges they faced during their first year of teaching. Had they not engaged in such structured reflection during their first year, they would have probably become another statistic of those who quit the profession and contribute to the growing perception that TESOL is a profession that eats its young. The paper suggests that language teacher educators and novice teachers should not just wait until their first year to learn the skills of reflective practice but should do so much earlier in their teacher education programs so that they can be better prepared for the transition from their teacher education programs to the first year of teaching.
The Effect of Written Corrective Feedback on Grammatical Accuracy of EFL Students: An Improvement over Previous Unfocused Designs
Author: Khanlarzadeh, Mobin
Date: 2016-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Grammar,Control Groups,Pretests Posttests,Experimental Groups,Revision (Written Composition),Feedback (Response),Accuracy,Error Correction,Writing Evaluation,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Males,Writing Assignments,Foreign Countries,Teaching Methods,Statistical Analysis

The effectiveness of written corrective feedback (WCF) in the improvement of language learners' grammatical accuracy has been a topic of interest in SLA studies for the past couple of decades. The present study reports the findings of a three-month study investigating the effect of direct unfocused WCF on the grammatical accuracy of elementary students in an EFL context. The researchers selected two intact classes totaling 33 students, and assigned each to a direct feedback group (n = 16) and a control group (n = 17). The students produced eight pieces of writing (a pretest, three writing tasks along with their revisions, and a posttest) from which their grammatical accuracy was obtained. The results indicated that while the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group in the revision of the three writing tasks, no significant difference was found when the two groups produced a new piece of writing after a one-month interval. The study concludes that accuracy improvement caused by unfocused WCF during the revision process does not extend to EFL learners' future writing when no feedback is available, at least at the elementary level.
Secondary EFL School Teachers' Perceptions of CLT Principles and Practices: An Exploratory Survey
Author: Anani Sarab, Mohammad Reza
Date: 2016-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Secondary School Teachers,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Communicative Competence (Languages),Language Teachers,Teacher Attitudes,Qualitative Research,Statistical Analysis,Foreign Countries,Educational Principles,Curriculum Development,Teacher Surveys,Teaching Methods,Educational Change,Semi Structured Interviews,Questionnaires

Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is advocated by many applied linguists as a common vehicle to curriculum innovation in many ELT contexts. It represents a change of focus in language teaching from linguistic structures to learners' need for developing communication skills. In recent years, the Iranian Ministry of Education has introduced the development of a new English curriculum for secondary schools with the aim of establishing the use of communicative activities in language classes. The present study was an attempt to investigate Iranian teachers' perception of CLT principles and practices through a survey of 75 secondary school teachers in the context of the newly introduced English language curriculum developed based on CLT principles. Based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative data using a semi-structured questionnaire supplemented with interviews with a smaller group of teachers, the results of the survey revealed that a change in classroom arrangements is required before CLT can be practiced in secondary school English classes in Iran. The results also showed that the employment of CLT procedures at the local level is at its beginning stages and might take time to take root. The conclusion is that for the suggested changes in the curriculum to be implemented and realized in English education in Iran, the findings of more comprehensive surveys complemented with observation of teachers' instructional practices is required to inform the change implementation.
Understanding Gaps between Student and Staff Perceptions of University Study in South Africa: A Case Study
Author: Jaffer, Faeeqa
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Case Studies,College Freshmen,Student Attitudes,Student Behavior,Teacher Expectations of Students,College Faculty,Qualitative Research,Essays,Interviews,Comparative Analysis

&quot;Under-preparedness&quot; of students entering higher education is an issue that many academic institutions in South Africa are currently trying to address. Such students are seen as disadvantaged, lacking the skills, knowledge and/or language proficiency to navigate their way to success in higher education. This paper seeks to identify students' understanding of the behaviour they should display in higher education and how this clashes with the expectations of academics, through the lenses of different discourses and academic literacy models. Specifically, the focus is on how students try to engage with the institutional discourse and how they try to identify a &quot;sense of being&quot; through a case study of the Extended Curriculum Programme in Nature Conservation at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Here, qualitative research was used through the administration of student essays, as well as individual face-to-face interviews. Lecturers were also interviewed so that a comparison could be made between what students perceive and the expectations of higher education. Different themes were identified through the analysis of the data, using an inductive approach; by developing the themes, the gaps are better identified and analysed with a view to redress.
First Language Transfer in Second Language Writing: An Examination of Current Research
Author: Karim, Khaled
Date: 2013-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Native Language,Transfer of Training,Second Language Learning,Writing (Composition),Role,Communication Strategies,Applied Linguistics,Second Language Instruction,Teaching Methods,Interlanguage,Writing Strategies,Translation,Language Proficiency,Writing Instruction

First language (L1) transfer has been a key issue in the field of applied linguistics, second language acquisition (SLA), and language pedagogy for almost a century. Its importance, however, has been re-evaluated several times within the last few decades. The aim of this paper is to examine current research that has investigated the role of L1 transfer in second language (L2) writing. The paper begins by discussing the different views of L1 transfer and how they have changed over time and then reviews some of the major studies that have examined the role of L1 transfer both as a learning tool and as a communicative strategy in L2 writing. The paper concludes with a number of suggestions for L2 writing instruction and future research.
Iranian EFL Teachers' Perceptions of Teacher Self-Disclosure
Author: Rahimi, Ali
Date: 2016-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Language Teachers,Teacher Attitudes,Self Disclosure (Individuals),Gender Differences,Likert Scales,Cultural Background,Cultural Centers,Privacy,Teaching Methods

Teacher self-disclosure (TSD) as a communication behavior can influence students' learning by increasing their engagement and class participation as well as helping them establish effective interpersonal relationships. Owning to its context-sensitive and culture-dependent nature, however, TSD topics, purposes, and considerations may vary cross-culturally. This study was an attempt to explore Iranian EFL teachers' perceptions of appropriateness of TSD as well as to investigate whether there was a significant difference between male and female teachers' perceptions of appropriateness of TSD. To this end, the Appropriateness of Teacher Self-Disclosure Scale was distributed among 68 Iranian EFL teachers (34 females and 34 males) from six language institutes. The results of the study indicated the extent to which the Iranian EFL teachers perceived TSD topics, purposes, and considerations to be appropriate or inappropriate. Furthermore, the study found convergence and divergence between male and female teachers' perceptions in terms of the topics used in TSD, the purposes TSD serves in classroom, and considerations the teachers take into account when practicing TSD. The results of the study suggest that Iranian EFL teachers can practice TSD as a pedagogical tool to enhance learning although they should be wary of its consequences in some aspects as TSD is contingent upon context and culture.
Not Just Academics: Supporting International Graduate Students at an East African Private University
Author: Rasmussen, Janice
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Private Colleges,Universities,Foreign Students,Graduate Students,Interviews,Participant Observation,Student Attitudes,Learning Experience,Student Personnel Services,Informal Education,Needs Assessment,Models,Information Dissemination,Student Needs,Immigration,Recordkeeping,Student Adjustment,Holistic Approach,Social Support Groups,Case Studies,Self Esteem,Self Actualization,Qualitative Research

The number of students enrolled in higher education outside their countries of origin increased from 0.8 million in 1975, to 2.1 million in 2000, and to 3.7 million in 2009 (Ryan, 2012). This growing trend of student mobility leads to increased university competition for students around the globe. However, little is known about the experiences of international students in Africa. This lack of understanding could leave the continent at a disadvantage for attracting and retaining international students, while other parts of the world continue to benefit. To begin to address this gap, I conducted a qualitative phenomenological study at one private university in East Africa that attracts about 20% of its population as international students. As International Student Coordinator at this university, I interviewed 13 graduate students from various countries and conducted participant observations on campus for three years. I aimed to understand students' perceptions of their learning experiences. This article focuses on students' non-academic learning. Students' positive and negative experiences highlighted the difference that student affairs and administrative staff can make in the quality of students' educational experiences. A needs model shed light on students' non-academic experiences. Student affairs and administrative staff were essential in 1) providing pre-arrival information, 2) meeting students' initial basic needs, 3) connecting them with others, keeping immigration documents current, and 5) understanding the new academic system. Ecologically, students were required to make a variety of connections in their adjustment process on campus and beyond.If the university could adequately address international students' non-academic issues, then students would be better able to focus on their main purpose: their academics. It is recommended that the university revisit its procedures and develop more holistic international-student-friendly policies. Then, it could better support the learning of its present students and attract more international students, thereby more greatly impacting the world.