ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
The Use of Images for Teaching Abstract Words versus Concrete Words: A Semiotic Study
Author: Qadha, Adil Mohammed Hamoud
Date: 2019-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teaching Methods,Semiotics,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Arabs,Vocabulary Development,Learning Processes,Comparative Analysis,Advanced Courses,Undergraduate Students,Foreign Countries,Pretests Posttests,Language Tests,Instructional Effectiveness

Semiotics has been investigated in the literature to enhance second language vocabulary acquisition. The previous studies have examined how semiotics could aid second language (L2) learner to learn concrete words. This study aims at investigating the effect of semiotics on learning abstract words. Fifty-five Arab learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) participated in the study and assigned into three groups. The first group was taught abstract words using semiotics. The second group was taught concrete words using semiotics. The third group was taught the same words using a traditional way, i.e., without semiotics. Results of the post-test indicated that participants in semiotics groups (either concrete or abstract) outscored the participants who did not use semiotics to learn new words. The study concluded that semiotics is a useful tool to enhance learning new words. Also, semiotics can be more helpful in learning concrete words than abstract words.
Lesson Plan: An Interactive Digital Notepad to Upgrade Foreign Language Teacher Education during Practicum
Author: Barros-del Río, María Amor
Date: 2020-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Lesson Plans,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Practicums,Teacher Education Programs,Language Teachers,Computer Software,Student Teachers,Integrated Learning Systems,Intervention

Practicum is an essential and meaningful form of teacher training but due to the great diversity of educational programs worldwide, their nature and quality depend too much on each particular situation. For this reason, an Interactive Digital Notepad (IDN) prototype, based on Kanban and powered up by Trello, is presented as a solution to the challenges related to the Practicum in foreign language teacher education programs. This article presents a lesson plan with the following objectives: (1) to present an interactive digital notepad to foreign language student teachers; (2) to upgrade their practicum experience; and (3) to create a personalised interactive digital notepad.
Virtual Reality Assisted Pronunciation Training (VRAPT) for Young EFL Learners
Author: Alemi, Minoo
Date: 2020-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Pronunciation Instruction,Teaching Methods,Computer Simulation,Robotics,Computer Assisted Instruction,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Foreign Countries,Elementary School Students,Pretests Posttests,Language Tests,Test Items,Vowels

Technology integration has become increasingly prevalent in language education and technology teaching tools are currently used for English instruction. In line with this trend, it is also believed to be influential in teaching and learning pronunciation. To cast an empirical light on this issue, this study aimed to analyse the influence of Virtual Reality Assisted Pronunciation Training (VRAPT) on pronunciation of young Iranian EFL learners. With respect to this, 18 low-intermediate English language learners (6-12 years old) were invited to take part in the study held in the lab at Sharif University of Technology in Iran. First, their English language pronunciation was measured by a pronunciation pre-test through &quot;Speech ace Browser.&quot; Next, in a virtual environment, during 10 sessions (each session 90 minutes), the participants received instructions on all of the pronunciation items measured in the test (consists of English vowels like /[near-close near-front unrounded vowel]/ and /i/ and also vowels of /[near-close back rounded vowel]/ and /u/) through the Virtual Reality (VR) game administered by a humanoid robot. The results of a paired samples t-test revealed that there was a significant difference between learners' performance before and after the training sessions. This paper recommends that simulated games within virtual reality could be applied in enhancing pronunciation skills of EFL learners and utilized in helping them to develop native-like pronunciation. It also generates new ways of thinking about VRAPT as an innovative teaching approach and creating an efficient and pleasurable English learning environment.
Effects of Learning Culture on English-Language Learning for Saudi EFL Students
Author: Aldawood, Arwa Abdulaziz
Date: 2019-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Cultural Awareness,Learning Processes,Undergraduate Students,Student Attitudes,Universities,Females,Arabs,Teaching Methods

This quantitative study aimed to investigate the influence of incorporating English-culture learning into English-language learning by observing the perspectives of Saudi EFL learners. It illustrated if there is an effect of learning culture on English language competence to the students of Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University. The study's methodology included a questionnaire administered to 70 undergraduate female students in the English department at Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia. Results show that Saudi students recognized that culture and language are related to each other and the learning process cannot be fully realized without consideration of both aspects. Moreover, the study found that learning the English language with its corresponding cultural elements will enhance the speed and enjoyment of Saudi students' learning process. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that learning a foreign language not only involves studying syntactic structures or learning new vocabularies, but also should incorporate some cultural elements. From Saudi students' point of view, the only difficulty that might face them is the differences between Arabic and English cultures. Finally, this study recommends that further research can investigate the effect of culture on learning from the teachers' point of view.
An Analysis of the Relationship among Teacher Feedback, Feedforward, and Grade on Swedish University Students&apos; Compositions in English as a Second Language
Author: Karlsson, Monica
Date: 2019-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Correlation,Feedback (Response),Teacher Student Relationship,Grading,College Students,College Faculty,Teacher Attitudes,Writing (Composition),Summative Evaluation,Formative Evaluation,English (Second Language),Course Descriptions,Writing Skills,Error Correction,Foreign Countries

In the present study, with the aim of analyzing the relationship among teacher feedback, feedforward, and grade, the corrections and comments made by four experienced assessors on 187 compositions were under scrutiny. These essays were written by 56 Swedish university students studying English as a second language at three different educational levels. The results reveal that while there were clear links between mid-essay corrections/comments and grades given, the links between mid-essay corrections/comments and end comments were not only comparatively few, but less clear. Moreover, although valued highly in the research literature because of their ability to promote writing skills in an enhanced manner, there were more summative end comments than formative ones. The conclusion was, therefore, drawn that it is quite taxing for assessors, even for experienced ones, to produce connections that involve an alignment among a) mid-essay corrections/comments, b) end comments and c) grade that will, at the same time, promote students' writing skills in accordance with what is suggested by the research literature. The assessors were, however, irrespective of grade given, attuned to the educational level at hand, focusing more on analytic aspects at the two lower levels, while taking a more holistic approach at the highest educational level. This may indicate that offering corrections/comments does not only entail a developmental journey for students, but for teachers too.
An Action Research on EFL Writing Dilemmas: A Case of Saudi Students and Instructors
Author: Alkubaidi, Miriam
Date: 2019-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Action Research,Arabs,Intervention,Memorization,Teaching Methods,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Foreign Countries,Writing Skills,College Students,College Faculty,Teacher Attitudes,Learning Processes,Writing Instruction,Grammar

Learning to write in a second language is a great challenge for students; however, certain factors might minimize these challenges. In general, the Saudi students face difficulty to develop the writing competence in a foreign language because they rely on instructors as a sole source of knowledge. Therefore, the study investigated the English language writing in a university in Saudi Arabia. It implemented an action research design based on three main phases; namely, exploration, intervention, and reflection stage. The main questions asked include how the instructors view the writing style of students within the setting and how they perceived the English language writing curricula among the students. The data drew several conclusions that provided insight into the Saudi Higher Education concerning English as a foreign language (EFL) classes. The first is the spoon-feeding of Saudi learners throughout their educational years; therefore, they find it challenging to gain hold of their learning. Second, writing in English is a challenging task for Saudi students. Third, some of the students memorize writing passages to pass their English course. Fourthly, teaching to write was done by focusing on form, writing mechanics, rather than communicative aspects of writing and genre. This study has contributed towards the understanding of Saudi learners in university language classrooms analyzing their perceptions and expectations.
An Analysis of the Most Common Essay Writing Errors among EFL Saudi Female Learners (Majmaah University)
Author: Khatter, Sanaa
Date: 2019-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Error Patterns,Writing Difficulties,Writing Instruction,Advanced Courses,Essays,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Undergraduate Students,Females,Punctuation,Spelling,Form Classes (Languages),Interference (Language),Semitic Languages,Foreign Countries

This study was conducted to explore and analyze the most common essay writing errors among Saudi female learners at the departments of English, Majmaa'h University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Therefore, the aim has been to identify those difficulties from an error analysis standpoint and identify the sources underlying them. An analysis of a written corpus of forty students' written essays was thoroughly conducted. Types of errors were categorized, and the factors that contributed to them were analyzed. &quot;The participants were English majors in their third year of study&quot; enrolled in an advanced writing course during the first term pertinent to the academic year 2018-2019. &quot;Three essays were given to each participant to write about two to four pages&quot; using the narrative, descriptive, and compare/contrast organization. A writing difficulties questionnaire was further employed. &quot;The findings showed that the most frequent types of errors made by the participants were&quot;: punctuation errors forming the most troublesome area, followed by spelling errors, preposition errors, article errors, wrong verb tense, wrong word form respectively. The findings suggested that writing in English as a foreign language is quite challenging for students. Interlingual and intralingual transfer was found to be the source underlying the most common errors.
A Plea for a Focus on the Contrasts between Two Paradigms and Their Implications for Problem Statement
Author: Boukezzoula, Mohammed
Date: 2019-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Graduate Students,Masters Programs,Applied Linguistics,Research Methodology,Student Research,Barriers,Research Skills,Learning Processes,Ethnography,Teaching Methods,Logical Thinking,Comparative Analysis,Intellectual Disciplines

To adequately tackle a research problem, master students of applied linguistics should learn that the selection of (a) data elicitation technique (s) should be made in consistence with choices at three other levels: method, methodology and paradigm. Hence, this paper addresses the following question: how should the methodology course be reformulated to render it more efficient in raising students' awareness of this issue? An analysis of some research methods manuals currently in use reveals that two major obstacles hinder students 'ability to learn this issue: the pluralistic nature of applied linguistics and the rampant use of mixed methodologies. To overcome these obstacles, this paper proposes a teaching strategy consisting of focusing the initial phase on a contrastive analysis of two methods, which stand at extreme positions on the methodological continuum in applied linguistics, namely, experimental design and ethnography. Moreover, given that the presentation of the differences between these two methods is not sufficient, the paper argues that this presentation should be reinforced by a foregrounding of the essential differences in problem statement in the two research traditions in question. The paper concludes with some recommendations on the appropriate way to implement the proposed teaching strategy.
A Study on Vocabulary-Learning Problems Encountered by BA English Majors at the University Level of Education
Author: Afzal, Naeem
Date: 2019-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Vocabulary Development,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Instructional Effectiveness,Undergraduate Students,Males,Late Adolescents,Majors (Students),Learning Strategies,Learning Problems,Foreign Countries

Proficiency in English language depends on the knowledge of its vocabulary possessed by the second and foreign language learners and even the native speakers. Though developing the vocabulary is vital, it poses several problems, especially, to non-native students of English. Students with a low vocabulary knowledge show weak academic performance in different courses related to the language skills, linguistics, literature, and translation at the university level of education. This study, in particular, aims to investigate the problems faced by English majors in learning the vocabulary at Prince Stattam bin Abdulaziz University (PSAU) in Saudi Arabia. It also puts forward some vocabulary-learning strategies to minimize the potential problems. The data consist of the responses of 100 student-participants (undergraduates) randomly picked up from five different levels (four, five, six, seven, and eight) of 4-Year BA English Program at PSAU. This quantitative study uses an online questionnaire, as an instrument, to collect the data. The results reveal that the English majors at PSAU face several problems in learning the vocabulary such as knowing the meanings of new words, pronouncing new words, using new words correctly, memorizing and spelling new vocabulary and so on. To its contribution, this study emphasizes the importance of learning the English vocabulary, draws students' attention towards it, highlights the problems encountered by students, and raises their awareness of the vocabulary. Future research may explore teachers' perspectives on students' vocabulary-learning problems and instructional methods implemented to teach the vocabulary in English language classrooms.
Perceptions and Practices of EFL Pre-Service Teachers about Reflective Teaching
Author: Alsuhaibani, Zainab
Date: 2019-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Case Studies,Reflective Teaching,Student Teachers,Student Teacher Attitudes,Preservice Teacher Education,Decision Making,Portfolios (Background Materials),Undergraduate Students,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Teaching Methods,Islam,Foreign Countries,Females,Language Teachers,Teacher Education Programs

Current theories of teacher education and teaching expertise as a process consider teacher/ student teacher reflection one of the main ways of learning how to teach effectively. Such theories of teacher expertise reinforce the claim that teachers who engage in reflective practices can develop a deeper understanding of their teaching, assess their professional growth, develop informed decision-making skills, and become proactive and confident in their teaching. Given the importance of reflective teaching, this case study focused on exploring pre-service teachers' perceptions and practices of reflection in teaching. Three student teachers took part in the study. Portfolios, reflective journals, observations and discussions were used to collect the data. The qualitative analysis showed that pre-service teachers generally believed that reflection was useful and helpful, particularly at the beginning of their teaching experience. Then, it became just a repetitive routine act. Analyzing pre-service teachers' practices, the study indicated that student teachers' reflection was general, brief, and mostly descriptive in nature. Pre-service teachers did not really engage in effective reflection practices. The study suggested that there is a need for reconsidering reflective teaching in undergraduate courses of Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL).
Promoting and Assessing EFL College Students&apos; Critical Thinking Skills through Argumentative Essay Writing
Author: Sharadgah, Talha A.
Date: 2019-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Critical Thinking,Thinking Skills,Writing Skills,Skill Development,Persuasive Discourse,Essays,Writing Instruction,Student Evaluation,Direct Instruction,Instructional Effectiveness,Correlation,Undergraduate Students,Late Adolescents,Males,Foreign Countries

The significance of this study is heightened by the fact that critical thinking (CT) is vastly seen as a major objective of higher education and the basis for the development of learning outcomes. Thus, this quasi-experimental aims at promoting and assessing students' critical thinking skills (CTSs) through argumentative essay-writing. It also investigates the correlation between CT and essay-writing skills. The main question addressed is: what is the effectiveness of promoting CTSs through argumentative essay-writing among English major students in terms of interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference, and explanation? An instructional material was designed and implemented in classroom teaching to enhance CT. The study was conducted on 98 English major male participants enrolled in an essay-writing course at Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University (PSAU), Saudi Arabia. The participants were randomly assigned to either intervention (n =49) or control (n =49) groups. Quantitative-qualitative methods were employed. Pretest and posttest were applied to both groups. The Facione and Facione (1994) CT scoring rubric was utilized for assessing CTSs. Findings revealed that CT and essay-writing skills are significantly positively correlated. Assessment of students' essays denoted that the intervention group significantly surpassed the control in the five CTSs: &quot;interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference, and explanation&quot; (Facione 1990, p. 8). It can be concluded that explicitly teaching CTSs through essay-writing can be effective in the development of these skills. The study recommended that further studies be implemented in different universities and also using other CT definitions and skills, and comparisons between the findings could be made.
Scaffolding Effects on Writing Acquisition Skills in EFL Context
Author: Hasan, Moin
Date: 2019-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Undergraduate Students,Writing Skills,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Scaffolding (Teaching Technique),Thinking Skills,Teaching Methods,Nonverbal Communication,Verbal Communication,College Faculty,Conventional Instruction,Academic Language

This paper is aimed to examine the effects of scaffolding on the development of higher-order thinking skills as evidenced in the academic writing of undergraduates at tertiary levels in the university education system. A lot of empirical research so far has examined the applicability of scaffolding in acquiring writing skills; however, few of them have studied the motivational aspect of scaffolding and its impact on the acquisition of writing skills of English as foreign language (EFL) learners. This study argues both motivational and demotivational factors with respect to scaffolding. During this study, the learner's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) in accordance with Vygotsky's principles shall also be studied to determine whether the learners in the process of writing are following teacher's implicit instructions and teachers are dealing appropriately with the deployment of scaffolding techniques. References shall be drawn from the findings of Nunan (1991) who felt a positive feedback functions as an incentive to students and fairly motivates them and those of Ellis (2008; 2010; 2012; 2013) who apprehended that a negative feedback may be &quot;potentially dangerous&quot; to students and can damage their receptivity to learning. The findings of the study bear evidence of how the teachers, as well as the learners, follow similar patterns in understanding the scaffolding technique in the acquisition of writing skills.
Investigating the Students&apos; Writing Ability in Responding to Environmental Issue
Author: Setyowati, Lestari
Date: 2019-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Content Analysis,Private Colleges,Academic Language,Foreign Countries,Essays,Environment,Writing Processes,Teacher Education Programs,Language Teachers,Metacognition

The purpose of this study is to investigate Foreign Language (FL) learners' ability in writing an essay by using an environmental topic in terms of how they write the introduction, the body of the piece, and conclusion through content analysis design. Twenty-nine students, who took an academic writing class in the academic year 2019-2020 in a private College of Teachers Training and Education (STKIP PGRI) in Pasuruan, Indonesia, become the sample of the study. The result shows that to write the introductory paragraph, the majority of the students (69%) uses general way to open the essay, while the rest prefers questions (24%) and anecdote (7%). The result also shows that almost all the students can state their thesis statement (97%). The body of the essay is organized by using a cause-effect relationship (17%), reasoning (38%), problem-solution (10%), and the combination of those (35%). Moreover, almost all the paragraphs in the body of the essay have their topic sentences (90%). In terms of the concluding section, all students can provide proper conclusions for their essays by using recommendation or advice (48%), summary (48%), and hope (4%). In sum, using an environmental topic can help the students to write better because the issue is close and personal. Furthermore, the issue triggers students' self-awareness to protect their environment.