ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
English Language Needs Analysis of Qur'anic Sciences and Tradition Students in Iran
Author: Salehi, Hadi
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,English for Special Purposes,Islam,College Students,Majors (Students),Textbook Evaluation,Student Needs,Needs Assessment,Student Attitudes,Questionnaires,Likert Scales,Preferences,Teaching Methods,Qualitative Research,Statistical Analysis

Needs analysis is fundamental to determine what students need to achieve through the medium of English accurately analysis. In this regard, the present study seeks to evaluate the ESP course book entitled &quot;The ESP Course of Qur'anic Sciences and Tradition&quot; taught at some universities in Iran. More specifically, the study aims to identify the students' perceptions of their needs and their attitudes towards the course book. To this end, a researcher-made questionnaire was used and accordingly an interview was run. Sample of this study consisted of 80 junior students majoring in Qur'anic Sciences and Tradition and 6 teachers teaching them. Results of the study revealed that the course book is appropriate for the students of the Qur'anic Sciences and Tradition course in general sense. However, the book did not get high evaluation in some issues. The findings of this study would enable the ESP instructors to pay more attention to the students' needs in designing the Qur'anic Sciences and Tradition textbook. The paper concludes with suggestions that may help improve the current English language course based on the students' attitudes and needs.
Investigating Saudi Learners' Preferences for Giving and Receiving Macro and/or Micro Level Peer Feedback on Their Writing
Author: Alnasser, Suliman Mohammed
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Peer Evaluation,Writing Evaluation,Feedback (Response),Preferences,Undergraduate Students,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Evaluation Methods,Mixed Methods Research,Questionnaires,Cooperative Learning,Essays,Student Evaluation,Prior Learning

Several studies have addressed the subject of the preferences of L2 student-writers for receiving teacher feedback (FB) on macro level features (feedback related to meaning) and micro level features (feedback related to surface level issues); however, none of these have investigated their preferences when it comes to giving and receiving peer feedback (PF). In the present study, two forms of the peer feedback technique were introduced in two consecutive phases: in phase one the students practised providing both macro and micro peer feedback on five essays, while in phase two they provided only macro feedback to their fellow students while the teacher supplied the micro feedback. The participants were 41 EFL undergraduate Saudi students undertaking an English programme at a Saudi higher tertiary institution. The study adopted a one-group design for the data collection. A mixed method approach was employed using pre-, mid- and post-questionnaires, mid- and post-interviews, and also recording verbal protocol sessions while the participants provided peer feedback to one another. The findings of the study suggested that the participants had a preference for giving and receiving peer feedback on both levels. However, it also appeared that their responses may have been affected by the way they had been taught in the past.
&quot;I Love This Approach, but Find It Difficult to Jump in with Two Feet!&quot; Teachers' Perceived Challenges of Employing Critical Literacy
Author: Cho, Hyesun
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teaching Methods,Critical Literacy,Action Research,Preservice Teachers,Teacher Education Programs,Computer Mediated Communication,Group Discussion,Academic Standards,Barriers,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Resistance to Change,Parent Attitudes,Public Opinion,Comprehension,Reflection,Teacher Attitudes,Student Attitudes,Elementary Secondary Education

Accompanying myriad definitions of critical literacy is an absence of pedagogical models for implementing critical literacy in teacher education contexts. This action research explores critical literacy with pre-service and in-service teachers in teacher education courses offered in the United States. The primary data sources include online weekly discussions on course readings in the TESOL methods courses I taught in Hawaii and Kansas. First, I propose the working definition of critical literacy in the study (Luke, 2012) and then present course participants' perceived challenges of employing critical literacy in their current and future classrooms. Findings reveal that despite the differences in the two instructional contexts, both groups recognized that the current standards-based, test-driven educational environment would be the major obstacle for enacting critical literacy in their classroom. In addition, the lack of understanding of critical literacy was addressed by both groups of teachers. I also discuss my struggle and dilemma as a critical teacher educator. Finally, this article concludes with suggestions for introducing critical literacy in teacher education contexts.
The Validity and Reliability of Rhythm Measurements in Automatically Scoring the English Rhythm Proficiency of Chinese EFL Learners
Author: Chen, Jin
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Language Rhythm,Measurement,Validity,Reliability,Automation,Scoring,English (Second Language),Language Proficiency,Second Language Learning,Majors (Students),Native Speakers,Statistical Analysis,Multiple Regression Analysis,Correlation,College Students

This article aims to find out the validity of rhythm measurements to capture the rhythmic features of Chinese English. Besides, the reliability of the valid rhythm measurements applied in automatically scoring the English rhythm proficiency of Chinese EFL learners is also explored. Thus, two experiments were carried out. First, thirty students of English major and five native English speakers were selected to read ten English sentences. The participants were divided into four proficiency groups according to human scoring. Then seven previously proposed rhythm measurements were investigated in four proficiency groups. One-way ANOVA results showed that five rhythm measurements were valid to distinguish different English rhythm patterns among four proficiency groups. Based on the valid measurements, an experiment of automatic scoring for English rhythm proficiency was also conducted through statistical technique Multiple Regression. The correlation coefficient between the autoscores and the scores made by experienced teachers reached 0.866. The result showed a high reliability of the objective evaluation for English rhythm proficiency of Chinese EFL learners.
Salient Key Features of Actual English Instructional Practices in Saudi Arabia
Author: Al-Seghayer, Khalid
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Teaching Methods,Educational Practices,Language Skills,Listening Skills,Speech Skills,Reading Skills,Reading Comprehension,Writing Skills,Grammar,Vocabulary Development,Cultural Awareness,Evaluation Methods

This is a comprehensive review of the salient key features of the actual English instructional practices in Saudi Arabia. The goal of this work is to gain insights into the practices and pedagogic approaches to English as a foreign language (EFL) teaching currently employed in this country. In particular, we identify the following central features of the Saudi English teaching portfolio: a) an overview the features of EFL teaching in Saudi Arabia, b) features of the actual teaching of the four macro-language skills, c) features of the actual teaching of language-related skills, and d) features of evaluation methods. By putting forth an inclusive, aggregate picture of the actual English teaching practices implemented in Saudi EFL classrooms, we hope to reveal and elucidate the total reality of the major modes of EFL pedagogic practices and assessments in Saudi schools.
A Comparative Study of the Effectiveness of Two Methods of Teaching Resumptive Pronouns in Writing: TBLT and Blended Learning
Author: Rajabi, Bahar
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Adolescents,Young Adults,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Second Language Learning,Comparative Analysis,Task Analysis,Teaching Methods,Form Classes (Languages),Blended Learning,Control Groups,Experimental Groups,Pretests Posttests,Instructional Effectiveness,Statistical Distributions,Statistical Analysis

Resumptive pronouns (RPs) are one of the most challenging grammatical points for EFL learners because this structure is different in their L1. We aimed to examine whether blended learning/TBLT are useful to teach RPs. We examined the extent to which such methods improve performance on the posttest. Forty learners took part in the study who were assigned to 2 groups: one group was taught via TBLT, and the other via blended learning. Before piloting the study, the participants were given an OPT to check their homogeneity. Besides, they were given a researcher-made test on RPs to check their knowledge, the result of which indicated that the participants did not have sufficient knowledge about this point. Finally, the participants were given a researcher-made test as the posttest to check the effect of the treatment and the extent to which it was helpful for the correct use of RPs. Findings indicated that TBLT was more fruitful. Findings of the present study have pedagogical as well as practical implications.
An Elaboration on the Effect of Reading Anxiety on Reading Achievement
Author: Mohammadpur, Bijan
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Anxiety,Reading Attitudes,Reading Achievement,English (Second Language),Reading Comprehension,Undergraduate Students,Reading Tests,Likert Scales,Language Tests,Second Language Learning,Statistical Analysis,Reading Ability

The present study was an elaboration on the effect of foreign language anxiety on reading comprehension achievement of Iranian EFL learners. The participants comprised 100 BA students, doing General English Course in different academic fields at Islamic University of Neyshabur. The participants took a reading proficiency test of TOEFL and answered a likert scale reading anxiety questionnaire, derived from Sarson's (1975) anxiety scale. The collected data were subjected to a set of parametric statistical analyses, including descriptive and inferential statistics such as one-way analysis of variance and post hoc tests. The findings presented significant differences among the participants at different reading ability levels. The students at the high and intermediate reading levels differed significantly from the students at the low reading level in reading anxiety. To put it simply, there is a negative relationship between the students' reading level and reading anxiety. The findings are of significance for language teachers as well as curriculum planners to reduce the affective filters and debilitating factors in language-learning environment to improve language learners' reading ability. One important way to reduce reading anxiety is to expose language learners to comprehensible reading sources and culturally familiar texts, which develop learners' feeling of reassurance and self-confidence.
Holistic versus Analytic Evaluation of EFL Writing: A Case Study
Author: Ghalib, Thikra K.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Writing Evaluation,Student Evaluation,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Scoring Rubrics,Holistic Approach,Writing (Composition),Undergraduate Students,Second Language Instruction,Correlation,Foreign Countries,Psychometrics,Evaluators,Statistical Analysis

This paper investigates the performance of holistic and analytic scoring rubrics in the context of EFL writing. Specifically, the paper compares EFL students' scores on a writing task using holistic and analytic scoring rubrics. The data for the study was collected from 30 participants attending an English undergraduate program in a Yemeni university. The authors used psychometric statistics (Inter-rater Agreement, Intra-Class Correlation, t-test and ANOVA) to compare the performance of the students on the two rubrics in accurately diagnosing students' strengths and weaknesses and placing them along a continuum of foreign language writing proficiency. The raters of the writing samples included three experienced instructors working at the same department. The results of correlating the students and raters' holistic and analytic scores and of examining the variations among the correlations provide evidence for the reliability and validity of both rubrics. Analytic scoring rubrics, however, placed the examinees along a more clearly defined scale of writing ability, and are, therefore, more reliable than holistic scoring rubric instruments for evaluating EFL writing for achievement purposes than holistic scoring rubric.
An Empirical Study on Pragmatic Transfer in Refusal Speech Act Produced by Chinese High School EFL Learners
Author: Jiang, Lingyun
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,High School Students,Speech Acts,Pragmatics,Interlanguage,Comparative Analysis,Native Speakers,Chinese,English,Language Proficiency

Pragmatic competence plays a very significant role in cross-cultural communication. In Chinese high school, many English teachers focus more on lexical and syntactic aspects of English. The aspect of pragmatics, however, is relatively neglected by high school English teachers. The aim of this research is to investigate pragmatic transfer in refusal speech act made by Chinese high school EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners. Written DCT (Discourse Completion Test) was used for data collection. Research subjects included three groups: native Chinese speakers (NC), Chinese English learners (CE), and native English speakers (NE). The performance of three groups were compared to find out the differences of refusals made by Chinese and Americans, the characteristics of pragmatic transfer in EFL learners as well as the relationship between pragmatic transfer and L2 proficiency. Results show that 1) In terms of the frequency of semantic formulas, American speakers liked to use more direct refusal strategies and positive feelings than Chinese speakers. 2) Apparent pragmatic transfer could be found in CE1 and CE3 groups as regards to the frequency of semantic formulas. For instance, both Chinese speakers and EFL learners used address forms while no one in NE group use them. 3) A large amount of pragmatic transfer could be found in the content of refusal strategy of excuse. Statistics show that both NCs and CEs used the similar content as an excuse when giving a rejection. 4) In terms of pragmatic transfer and L2 linguisitic ability, results indicate that the overall tendency of the co-relationship is negative. More pragmatic transfer happened in CE1 group than CE3 group.
How Do Concept-Maps Function for Reading Comprehension Improvement of Iranian Advanced EFL Learners of Both Genders?
Author: Khaghaninejad, Mohammad Saber
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Advanced Students,Concept Mapping,Reading Comprehension,Reading Improvement,Gender Differences,Pretests Posttests,Reading Tests,College Students,Statistical Analysis

This study was an attempt to examine the effect of concept mapping on reading comprehension of Iranian EFL learners. Pretest-posttest design was employed to scrutinize the possible improvement of the study's participants who were male and female learners whose ages ranged from 19 to 40 and had taken general English courses at Islamic Azad University of Kharg. Two groups (one experimental and one control group) were exposed to the same reading comprehension test as the pre-and post-test, however, only the experimental group received the special treatment of concept mapping techniques for different texts during the treatment. After the application of the study's treatment, data analysis procedure initiated which indicated that experimental group who received explicit concept mapping instruction had a better performance than the control group on the final reading comprehension test. In addition, the findings shows that students who used this strategy during the seven-week treatment had better results on comprehension reading test and could understand the reading passages better. The findings imply that concept maps can positively affect the reading comprehension ability of Iranian advanced EFL learners. It was also revealed that female learners were superior at employing concept-maps in comparison with their male peers.
Critical Pedagogy: EFL Teachers' Views, Experience and Academic Degrees
Author: Mahmoodarabi, Mahsa
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Language Teachers,Critical Thinking,Teacher Attitudes,Teaching Methods,Questionnaires,Correlation,Teaching Experience,Teacher Background,Educational Attainment,Factor Analysis,Foreign Countries,Mixed Methods Research,Teacher Characteristics,Multivariate Analysis,Construct Validity

Although critical pedagogy has brought about positive changes in the field of education by shifting from traditional pedagogy to emancipatory pedagogy, not much attention has been paid to the factors affecting teachers' beliefs of critical pedagogy and only few studies have been conducted to design reliable and valid instruments to study EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers' beliefs about different aspects of teaching in the field of critical pedagogy. Consequently, there is a gap in our knowledge of critical pedagogy in terms of Iranian EFL teachers' beliefs about critical pedagogy and their tendency to implement it in teaching EFL. This study was conducted to help fill this gap, through developing a questionnaire and focusing on the relationship between teachers' teaching experience and educational background, and their beliefs about critical pedagogy. To this end, a critical language pedagogy questionnaire was developed and validated, using factor analysis. The questionnaire was administered to 403 respondents. Pearson Correlation Coefficient and MANOVA were used to analyze the data. The result indicated that there were significant differences among the BA, MA and PhD participants' awareness of critical pedagogy, with the PhD holders found to be the most aware of principles and practices of critical language pedagogy. Furthermore, teachers' teaching experience had a significant relationship with their awareness of critical pedagogy with more experienced teachers scoring higher on the four factors in the questionnaire.
A Cross-Sectional Study on the Roles of Lexical Aspect and L1 Transfer in Tense-Aspect Acquisition
Author: Qian, Cuijing
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Case Studies,Statistical Analysis,Asians,Grammar,Multivariate Analysis,Role,Verbs,Transfer of Training,Second Language Learning,Native Language,Cloze Procedure,College Students,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Linguistic Theory,Morphology (Languages),Language Proficiency,Foreign Countries

This study aims to investigate the acquisition of English verb morphology by learners of two typologically different L1s and the role of L1 transfer in the acquisition pattern, a cross-sectional study (n = 180) carried with Chinese and Mongolian college students learning English at two proficiency levels, using the cloze passage and composition. 120 cloze passages and 20 compositions were selected as data to be analyzed. Consistent with the Aspect Hypothesis, the results of MANOVA tests show a significant effect of lexical aspect on tense-aspect marking use: the perfective and past markings are strongly associated with Achievements/Accomplishments; the progressive marking is strongly associated with Activities; the present marking is strongly associated with States. Even though Mongolian and Chinese learners show virtually the same acquisition pattern, their performances in using the past, perfective, and progressive markings are different. Mongolian learners exhibiting superiority over Chinese learners in associating and correctly using the perfective and progressive markings, overuse of progressive markings by Mongolian learners, and overextending progressive markings to States by both L1 groups show evidence of L1 transfer. Contradictory findings are greater use and correct use of past markings with States than with Activities, overextending progressive markings to States, and learners' preference for using progressive markings with Achievements to Accomplishments, which suggest that the methodology, L1, sentence structures and input may somewhat affect the results of tense-aspect marking studies.
Functional Grammar and Teaching of Reading--A Pedagogy Based on Graded Teaching of College English in China
Author: Xu, Tuo
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Grammar,Reading Skills,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,College Students,Foreign Countries,Second Language Instruction,Language Proficiency,Asian Culture,Cultural Differences,Reading Instruction

This article discusses the importance of functional grammar and demonstrates its application to the teaching of reading among graded college students. Functional grammar holds that a discourse is composed of two levels: the interior level and the exterior level. Therefore, reading activities involve both linguistic elements and contexts. Implications of functional-grammatical view of reading are discussed, with techniques suggested for teaching of reading to English learners in the beginning and advanced proficiency levels.
Developing a Portfolio Assessment Model for the Teaching and Learning of English in Malaysian L2 Classroom
Author: Singh, Charanjit Kaur a/p Swaran
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Portfolio Assessment,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Second Language Learning,Models,Secondary School Teachers,Instructional Development,Student Evaluation,Semi Structured Interviews,Observation,Qualitative Research,Case Studies,English Teachers

Standardized testing is viewed as particularly incompatible to the process of learning due to its summative nature as it measures what students are able to recall and produce. Because of the discrepancy between the process of learning and products of learning, educators today have come to recognize that an alternative form of assessment is required to complement the existing form of assessment. This study intends to determine the techniques ESL teachers use in implementing portfolio as an assessment tool. The techniques ESL teachers employed while implementing the assessment process in the classroom enabled the researchers to propose a model for portfolio assessment. Currently, ESL teachers in Malaysia do not have a specific model or technique to conduct the portfolio assessment process because portfolio is heard of but not widely used. Therefore, this study was carried to scrutinize procedures ESL teachers use as a guide in instructional planning and student evaluation based on their teaching in the L2 classroom. The participants were nine ESL secondary school teachers in Malaysia. Semi-structured interviews, classroom observations and teachers' individual portfolios were utilized to explore the techniques which served as a guideline for ESL teachers employed for the teaching and learning in the classroom. Findings indicate that the portfolio assessment model developed has provided ESL teachers the opportunity to document individual student's growth. Furthermore, the teachers divulged that teaching is sustained when teaching materials, teaching techniques and assessment techniques were upgraded to help students in achieving the learning outcomes. The results of the study have implications for assessment, teaching and learning of English as a second language.