ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Spelling Errors of Saudi Beginner Learners of English Enrolled in an Intensive English Language Program
Author: Alhaisoni, Eid M.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Programs,College Second Language Programs,Spelling,Spelling Instruction,Error Analysis (Language),Error Patterns,Writing (Composition),Vowels,Pronunciation,Phonemes,Accuracy,Essays,Gender Differences

This study reports the types of spelling errors made by the beginner learners of English in the EFL context as well as the major sources underpinning such errors in contextual writing composition tasks. Data were collected from written samples of 122 EFL students (male and female) enrolled in the intensive English language programme during the preparatory year at the University of Ha'il in Saudi Arabia. Students were given 1.5 hours to write on one of four different descriptive topics related to their life and culture. The spelling errors found in the writing samples was analysed and classified into four categories of errors according to Cook's Classification: omission, substitution, insertion, and transposition. An analysis of errors established that errors of omission constituted the highest proportion of errors. The majority of learners' spelling errors were related to a wrong use of vowels and pronunciation. When uncertain about accurate spellings, beginner learners often associated a wide range of vowel and consonant combinations in an attempt to spell words accurately, sometimes even combining two distinct lexical items by overlapping vowels. The findings suggest that spelling errors are mainly the outcome of anomalies existing in the target language of the learners as well as L1 interference from their internalized Arabic language system.
An Empirical Study on the Application of Process Approach in Non-English Majors' Writing
Author: Zhou, Dongmei
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Nonmajors,Writing (Composition),Process Approach (Writing),English (Second Language),Questionnaires,Instructional Effectiveness,College Students,Foreign Countries

Process approach has been introduced to China for more than two decades. This approach which views writing as a recursive mental cognitive process is one of the most popular methods for teaching writing. It attaches more importance to a series of activities in the process of writing and the interaction among the student writers. Meanwhile, it emphasizes that writing should be learned in the writing process. This paper aims at exploring the influence of process approach on non-English majors. The author first made a questionnaire to investigate how the non-English majors accomplished their writing tasks and then did an experiment to explore the influence of process approach on their writing ability. The research findings show that non-English majors tend to employ the traditional product approach in writing and that process approach has positive influence on their writing ability. This study sheds light to non-English major teachers in teaching writing.
A Comparative Study of Writing Anxiety among Iranian University Students Majoring English Translation, Teaching and Literature
Author: Olanezhad, Mahdie
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Anxiety,Writing (Composition),English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,English for Academic Purposes,College Students,Majors (Students),Questionnaires,Statistical Analysis,Self Esteem,Student Evaluation,Translation,English Instruction,English Literature,Likert Scales,Student Attitudes

This study is designed to examine writing anxiety in three groups of EFL students who use English writing in their academic programs. The main purpose of this study is to determine the level and sources of anxiety that students experience while writing in English as a foreign language. To this end, 150 university students from Iranian EFL students majoring English related fields (Translation, Teaching, and Literature) in Tehran University, Faculty of Foreign Languages were asked to complete the EWAT questionnaire. The collected data will then be analyzed by the SPSS computer program; also the descriptive statistics were applied to examine the level and sources of anxiety that students experience while writing in English as a foreign language. Analysis of the EWAT results showed that participants felt most anxious about statements referring to evaluation and confidence in writing. They felt more secure about the statements referring to share their ideas. Writing was the least anxiety-provoking when statements were generally about enjoying writing. Finally, the students' answers to the open-ended question indicated that writing apprehension resulted from one or more sources: mainly the weakness of their past education, followed by a lack of confidence, and concern for the teacher's evaluation.
On Written Corrective Feedback in L2 Writing
Author: Shao, Xu
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Error Correction,Feedback (Response),Second Language Learning,Writing (Composition),Grammar,Educational Research,Literature Reviews,Instructional Effectiveness,Writing Instruction

Truscott (1996) questions the practicability of grammar correction, and he believes that written corrective feedback (WCF) is not only a waste of time, but even harmful to the students as well. This has led to a great deal of discussion and research on WCF in second-language (L2) writing. Ferris (1999) is the representative opponent of Truscott's point of view, who argues that WCF should not be abandoned in that it can improve the accuracy of L2 learners' writing. Many empirical studies have been conducted and the results support Ferris' view that WCF is useful in promoting the development of L2 writing. This paper gives a literature review from a dichotomy perspective of WCF.
Doll's Pedagogical Theory and Its Enlightenment on British and American Literature Teaching
Author: Gang, Xu
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Theories,United States Literature,English Literature,Postmodernism,Majors (Students),College Instruction,Student Evaluation,Ability,Teaching Methods,Language Skills,Creative Thinking

Due to the outmoded teaching method and the popularity of utilitarianism nowadays, the marginalization of British and American literature courses has become a prominent problem for the education of English majors in colleges and universities, but the American postmodern curriculum theorist, Prof. William E. Doll, Jr.'s pedagogical theory, which advocates the cultivation of students' comprehensive ability in the process of teaching, can offer great enlightenment on British and American literature teaching. So this article will apply Doll's pedagogical theory on teaching mode and academic evaluation to explore a more dynamic and instructive teaching method for British and American literature course so as to give full play to this important subject for English majors for the cultivation of their comprehensive ability, both language skills and creative thinking on literature analysis.
The Role of Peer Facilitator in Enhancing English Language Proficiency in a Simulated Environment
Author: Ismail, Nur Salina
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Language Proficiency,Informal Education,Anxiety,Outdoor Education,Mixed Methods Research,Questionnaires,Role,Simulated Environment,Foreign Countries,Second Language Learning,Facilitators (Individuals),Peer Relationship,Undergraduate Students,Case Studies,Structured Interviews

For many learners, language class can be anxiety-provoking than other courses. Mostly, university students are seen to have language anxiety especially in their second language learning. They tend to be nervous when using English language in the formal situation like in classroom. English Outdoor Programme (EOP) in 2011 as part of informal setting was carried out by Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) in an effort to improve the standard of English of its students. The study aims to explore the role of peer facilitators in assisting the students learning English during the EOP from the view of participants and the peer facilitators themselves. This research applies mixed method approach using questionnaire and interview with both participants and peers involved in this programme. Data obtained from the questionnaire was analysed using SPSS and data from interview was analysed using thematic coding to answer the research objectives given. A significant finding is the positive role the peer facilitators had in the participants' language learning process; not only for the participants but also the peer facilitators themselves.
Chinese University EFL Learners' Foreign Language Writing Anxiety: Pattern, Effect and Causes
Author: Liu, Meihua
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,College Students,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Writing (Composition),Anxiety,Writing Tests,Semi Structured Interviews,Self Esteem,Student Attitudes,Attitude Measures,Gender Differences,Language Proficiency,Questionnaires,Student Characteristics,Factor Analysis

This paper reports on the result of a study on Chinese university EFL learners' foreign language writing anxiety in terms of general pattern, effect and causes. 1174 first-year students answered the 26-item Foreign Language Writing Anxiety Scale (FLWAS) (Young, 1999) and took an English writing test, 18 of whom were invited for semi-structured interviews. The results showed that 1) FLWAS had three principal components--low confidence in English writing (FLWAS1), dislike of English writing (FLWAS2) and English writing apprehension evaluation (FLWAS3), 2) the whole sample, as well as male and female students, were generally confident in and liked English writing, and were not apprehensive of having their English writing evaluated, 3) significant differences existed between male and females students, and among different proficiency groups in all the FLWAS scales, 4) foreign language writing anxiety significantly negatively affected students' performance in the English writing test, and 5) a number of factors contributed to the students' foreign language writing anxiety.
A Comparative Study of Foreign Language Anxiety and Motivation of Academic- and Vocational-Track High School Students
Author: Liu, Hui-ju
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,High School Students,Vocational Education,Track System (Education),Academic Education,Anxiety,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Student Attitudes,Learning Motivation,Statistical Analysis,Comparative Analysis,Correlation,Elementary Education,Learning Strategies,Questionnaires

This study aimed to investigate EFL learner language anxiety and learning motivation of high school students. Subjects included 155 students from the same private senior high school in central Taiwan, 60 in academic track and 95 in vocational track. The majority of the participants started taking English lessons either before entering elementary school or during the first two years in elementary school. Statistical methods were conducted to investigate 1) whether learner motivation and language anxiety significantly vary between academic- and vocation-track high school students, 2) whether both academic- and vocational-track high school students feel an above-average level of language anxiety, and 3) whether there is a significant relationship between language anxiety and motivation among the EFL high school students. The findings of the study revealed that first, both groups of students felt moderate levels of language anxiety; there were no significant differences in anxiety level between the two groups of students. Second, students in the academic-track were also found to have higher extrinsic motivation and overall learning motivation than their vocational-track counterparts. Furthermore, a significant negative relationship was identified between the two important affective variables, motivation and anxiety. Important pedagogical implications for English teachers were discussed in the study.
Orienting ESL/EFL Students Towards Critical Thinking through Pictorial Inferences and Elucidation: A Fruitful Pedagogic Approach
Author: Thakur, Vijay Singh
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Critical Thinking,Inferences,Language Skills,Cartoons,Second Language Instruction,Learning Activities

The notions of Critical Thinking (CT) and Lifelong Learning (LL) are mutually inseparable as both are required in every domain of one's educational and professional life in order to survive and flourish in today's world of increased literacy and competition. CT is an important functional skill, needed for students to analyze concepts and ideas to get a clear understanding of them. Review of a host of definitions of CT, included in this paper, suggests that it basically involves a plethora of thinking abilities for the purposes of evaluating one's own thinking process that results in a meaningful learning experience. However, unlike ordinary thinking, which is an inborn human ability, CT needs to be inculcated through implicit and/or explicit instruction. Many researchers (e.g. Benesch, 1993; Atkinson, 1997; Oster, 1989; Brookfield, 1987; Shor &amp; Freire, 1987; Fox, 1994; etc.) explain CT as a means to transform learning and society and they believe that social practice is one of the indispensable components of CT. In view of this, we need to orient our ESL / EFL students towards CT, along with the teaching of language skills, through interactive instructional practices. Considering the role(s) CT can play in developing information-based societies and the pedagogical gains that can be made through the use of visuals in teaching language skills and CT, this paper aims to discuss and demonstrate how certain schematic pictorial presentations can be exploited as stimuli to orient ESL/EFL learners towards CT. The significance of this paper also lies in encouraging researches which explicitly link CT with pictorial presentations of cartoons and caricatures.
Perceptions and Problems of English Language and Communication Abilities: A Final Check on Thai Engineering Undergraduates
Author: Rajprasit, Krich
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Undergraduate Students,Engineering Education,Communication Skills,Language Skills,Language Proficiency,Student Attitudes,English Teachers,English for Special Purposes,College Faculty,Questionnaires,Interviews,Self Concept,Statistical Analysis,Speech Skills,Listening Skills,Writing Skills,Reading Skills,Work Environment,Workplace Literacy

English language and communication abilities are an essential part of the global engineering community. However, non-native English speaking engineers and students tend to be unable to master these skills. This study aims to gauge the perceived levels of their general English language proficiency, to explore their English communicative problems, to investigate their perceived abilities when performing English-related tasks in an engineering workplace communication situation, and to obtain feedback on student performances from English instructors in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses. The participants included 130 Thai undergraduate students and two English instructors at a government university. There were two instruments; a questionnaire for the students and a series of interview questions for the instructors. The results revealed that (a) although the students perceived their abilities to be at a fair level, they experienced difficulty using productive skills in English communication; (b) the English-related tasks that the students performed best and worst in were reading and writing tasks respectively; and (c) in the ESP courses, the ability of the students to use English in the 'real world' was not dramatically improved, and (d) these students also had unrealistic language learning goals. These results would benefit both ESP instructors and stakeholders in terms of increasing awareness of both language and communication problems, and designing tailor-made courses that are a perfect fit for their students with regard to the contemporary engineering community.
Teaching and Learning English in Thailand and the Integration of Conversation Analysis (CA) into the Classroom
Author: Teng, Bunthan
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Conversational Language Courses,Communication Skills,Speech Skills,Teaching Methods,Interpersonal Communication

This paper provides an overview of English language teaching and learning, specifically as it pertains to teaching English conversational skills in Thailand. The paper examines the shortcomings of the Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) approach, the current dominant pedagogical approach in the nation, and explores how the integration of Conversation Analysis (CA) can potentially address those shortcomings.It is argued that CA can be used as a teaching tool to raise awareness of the mechanisms of conversation, which are potentially critical to a successful interaction, but often go unnoticed by both teachers and learners. This paper also posits that CA can serve as a diagnostic tool for examining talk and identifying problems that can hinder students from achieving targeted communicative teaching and learning goals. It is recommended that English teachers be trained to deploy CA in conjunction with CLT so as to increase students' overall communicative competence.
Children Literature Based Program for Developing EFL Primary Pupils' Life Skills and Language Learning Strategies
Author: Abdelhalim, Safaa M.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Childrens Literature,Teaching Methods,Elementary School Students,Singing,Child Development,Cognitive Development,Social Development,Language Skills,Daily Living Skills,Questionnaires,Pretests Posttests,Student Attitudes,Qualitative Research,Foreign Countries,Experimental Groups,Control Groups,Comparative Analysis,Faculty Development,Training,Student Characteristics,Cognitive Style,Grade 5,Elementary School Teachers,Check Lists,Story Telling,Statistical Analysis

This study examines the effectiveness of a proposed English language program based on integrating two forms of children literature, mainly short stories and songs, in developing the needed life skills and language learning strategies of primary school students. Besides, it emphasized the importance of providing EFL fifth year primary students with activities and opportunities to raise their awareness of their learning, as it helped students understand how to plan, monitor and evaluate their learning. The study targeted ten life skills distributed under four main categories: cognitive, personal, social and linguistic skills. Ninety fifth grade primary students participated in the present study. Five instruments were used: the needed life skills and language learning strategies checklists, a criterion for selecting the stories and songs, the pre/post life skills measures (situation test, questionnaire, oral interpersonal communication test), language learning strategies questionnaire and the students' satisfaction/dissatisfaction questionnaire. The program was taught over a period of two months (two sessions per week). Data collected were analyzed using quantitative and qualitative methodology. Qualitative methods were used to assess students' development over the 8 weeks. Results revealed that life skills and language learning strategies can be taught effectively through the medium of children literature. As a whole, this study contributed to the ESL/EFL field by providing information about the importance of skill building for life at young age and that fundamental changes needed for language instruction. Furthermore, the study presents a detailed teaching strategy for teaching life skills through children literature.
Discourse Analysis and Development of English Listening for Non-English Majors in China
Author: Ji, Yinxiu
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Listening Skills,English (Second Language),Nonmajors,College Students,Language Proficiency,Listening Comprehension,Discourse Analysis,Self Esteem,Barriers,Comparative Analysis,Pretests Posttests,Control Groups,Experimental Groups,Semi Structured Interviews

Traditional approach of listening teaching mainly focuses on the sentence level and regards the listening process in a passive and static way. To compensate for this deficiency, a new listening approach, that is, discourse-oriented approach has been introduced into the listening classroom. Although discourse analysis is a comparatively new field and there are still considerable gaps in our knowledge about it, it has in effect provided new insights into language teaching involving listening. Some theories in discourse analysis such as cohesion, coherence, schema, relevance, etc. are critically important in enhancing the students' listening comprehension ability and improving their communicative competence. The present study was undertaken to observe the correlation between the theories of discourse analysis and the nature of listening comprehension and to further trace the developmental differences in the learners' listening proficiency brought from this discourse-oriented approach. Through analysis of listening difficulties and experiment, the present study confirmed the effectiveness of discourse-oriented approach, which might add a bit more to the understanding of discourse analysis. Pedagogically, it suggested a relatively uncomplicated procedure that might have considerable and varied payoffs in terms of listening teaching and learning.
Problematic Approach to English Learning and Teaching: A Case in Indonesia
Author: Panggabean, Himpun
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Teaching Methods,Second Language Instruction,Grammar,Language Proficiency,Elementary Secondary Education,English Curriculum,Misconceptions,Learning Processes

This article deals with problematic approach to English learning and teaching due to misleading conception on the nature of English and on the process of acquiring it as well as the clues to the issues. The clues are: Firstly, English is not more difficult than any other languages, including Indonesian language, &quot;Bahasa Indonesia&quot;. Secondly, there are two approaches that need considering in English instruction, grammar free and strict grammar approaches. The former is highly recommended for early age instruction and beginners whereas the latter is recommended for instruction for specific purposes. However the two approaches should collaborate and their applications should be based on needs analysis. Thirdly, Conflicting conception on whether L1 and L2 are the same processes should not deter the strategy of how language is acquired naturally. When proper conception on the nature of English is attained and it is approached properly, English subject is not burdensome and needs not be eliminated from Primary School curriculum, and there is no need to reduce time allotment for the subject in Senior High School as stipulated in Indonesian English curriculum amendment.