scholarly journals EFL Teachers’ Perceptions on the Implementation of Mobile-Assisted Language Learning in Saudi Arabia During COVID-19: Challenges and Affordances

2022 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-100
Author(s):  
Norah Alghamdi
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Elementary Schools ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Mobile Assisted Language Learning ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Efl Teachers

This study aimed to explore EFL teachers’ perceptions regarding mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) in elementary schools in Saudi Arabia, including their attitudes, levels of proficiency, and challenges they experienced regarding the use of MALL. The study also sought to investigate whether EFL teachers’ backgrounds have any significant impact on their perceptions of MALL. To this end, survey data were collected from 123 EFL teachers who have worked in elementary schools in Saudi Arabia. The results revealed teachers’ positive perceptions of MALL, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, participants stated that mobile learning is beneficial and has the potential to support and enhance EFL teaching. Most EFL teachers reported that they did not have a sufficient level of skills/abilities required to develop MALL activities and cited some challenges they faced. The results also indicate a significant difference among participants’ perceptions of MALL based on their professional development and teaching experience, but no difference based on their gender was found. These results indicate that placing a greater emphasis on offering professional development in MALL for Saudi EFL teachers could cultivate both greater proficiency and the ability to overcome challenges. This study concludes by providing recommendations on how to improve MALL implementation as well as directions for future research.

scholarly journals Adoption of Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) in Saudi Arabian EFL Classrooms

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 312
Author(s):  
Sulaiman Alnujaidi
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Stages Of Concern ◽  
Mobile Assisted Language Learning ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Stages Of Concerns ◽  
Teachers Professional Development ◽  
Manova Analysis

This study aimed to examine EFL teachers' concerns about the adoption of Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) in Saudi Arabia. The Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) was used to analyze the participants' stages of concern (SoC) about MALL. The study also investigated whether some specific demographic and technographic variables (gender, age, teaching experience, and professional development) had any statistically significant effect on EFL teachers’ stages of concern about MALL. The participants in this study were (130) Saudi EFL public school teachers. The results revealed that the participants had high concerns at the Informational, Personal, and Management stages and minimal concerns at the Awareness, Refocusing, Collaboration, and Consequence stages. The MANOVA analysis revealed no significant difference among EFL teachers in terms of their MALL stages of concerns in relation to their gender, age, and teaching experience. Such findings indicate that Saudi EFL teachers' gender, age, and teaching experience have no effect on their concerns about using and implementing MALL. However, The MANOVA analysis yielded a significant difference among EFL teachers in terms of their MALL stages of concerns in relation to their professional development. These results entail that Saudi EFL teachers' professional development has a significant effect on their concerns about MALL. The study concluded that technology-related professional development could help decrease teachers’ self-concerns and increase their impact-concerns. The study recommended providing EFL teachers with technology-related professional development to ensure successful MALL adoption.

An Investigation into the Effect of Individual Differences on Iranian EFL Teachers’ Perceptions Concerning Professional Development Obstacles

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (7) ◽  
pp. 570
Author(s):  
Sara Rahimi
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
English Language ◽  
Small City ◽  
Teaching Career ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Academic Qualification ◽  
Gender And Age ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Postgraduate Studies

The aim of this study is to examine Iranian EFL teachers’ perceptions of the professional development obstacles they face during their teaching career. A total of 50 Iranian EFL teachers at different language academy within a small city of Kangan, participated in this study. The following items were found to be most highly frequent among the participants of the current study: [“Observers’ visits are rare” for institutional professional development obstacles; (M= 3.91)], [“Some teachers cannot afford pursuing postgraduate studies” for self-directed professional development obstacles; (M= 4.76)], [“English language conferences in Iran are rare” for professional development obstacles related to the nature of the work; (M= 3.74)]. On the contrary, the following problems were found to be the least highly frequent ones the participants were facing during their professional development: [“Institute administration considers English less important than other languages”; (M= 3.04)], [“Some teachers always feel frustrated with most students”, (M= 2.97)], [“Teaching is a type of work that rapidly becomes routine” for professional development obstacles related to the nature of the work; (M= 2.85)]. Finally, no significant difference was found in teachers’ perceptions of professional development obstacles with regard to their academic qualification, ELT experience, gender, and age.

scholarly journals Examining Teachers' Perceptions on Empowerment According to Various Variables

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 127-146
Author(s):  
Yeliz Özkan Hıdıroğlu ◽  
Abdurrahman Tanrıöğen
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Union Membership ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Teacher Empowerment ◽  
Educational Status ◽  
Length Of Service ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Education Status ◽  
Teachers Professional Development

The purpose of the study was to determine the perceptions of teachers regarding their empowerment and whether these perceptions differ significantly depending on their gender, age, branch, professional seniority, length of service at their school, education status, union membership, and the size of the number of students present at the school. In this study, teacher empowerment was considered to ensure teachers' professional development, increase their status, ensure their trust in their organizations, and increase cooperation among organization members. Four hundred forty-one teachers working in the public secondary schools in Denizli Merkezefendi and Pamukkale district participated in this quantitative study carried out during the 2019-2020 academic year. The data of the research were collected with the "Teacher Empowerment Scale."  The survey results showed that teachers' perceptions of teacher empowerment, status, trust, and cooperation were high, and their perception of professional development was very high. Accordingly, teachers perceive their status as lower than other dimensions of teacher empowerment. There was no statistically significant difference in the teachers' perceptions regarding their empowerment according to their gender, branch, educational status, and union membership. The age of the teachers was between 31-40 and 6-15 years of teaching experience.

Motivational Strategies and EFL Teachers’ Perceptions: A Saudi Survey

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 663
Author(s):  
Saleh Mohammad Ali Alqahtani
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Research Design ◽  
Student Motivation ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
Motivational Strategies ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
The World ◽  
Ranking Order

The present study is only the second one of this kind in the Saudi context. As a first stage of the study, 117 EFL teachers with varying demographic characteristics (age, qualifications, teaching experience and the like) rated 55 motivational micro strategies on 5-point scales, which were then grouped into 10 macro strategies in accordance with previous research. Since the present study is a modified replication of previous studies, the expectation that the ranking of strategies in the Saudi context will match to a degree the rankings found by researchers elsewhere in the world was borne out - four of the macro strategies that came out in the top five scales in this study were ranked in the top five scales in three other studies conducted by Dörnyei and Csizér (1998) in Hungary, Cheng and Dörnyei (2007) in Taiwan, and Alrabai (2010) in Saudi Arabia. The order in which the macro strategies were ranked in the present research differed from the ranking order found previously, including Alrabai’s (2010) in the Saudi context. Unlike in any previous research, however, when inferential statistical analyses were applied on the collected data, statistically significant differences in the ranking order of the macro strategies emerged as a function of the respondents’ qualifications and length of teaching experience. The results may have implications for teacher training and the research design of future investigations into the effects of the motivational strategies deployed by teachers on student motivation and FL achievement.

What Makes an Effective EFL Teacher From Saudi Preuniversity Students’ Perspective

2021 ◽  
pp. 002205742098870
Author(s):  
Ali Abbas Falah Alzubi
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
Teaching Effectiveness ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Teacher Student ◽  
Efl Teacher ◽  
Efl Teachers

The successful output of language learning process should ensure effective inputs by the key figures (teacher, student, stakeholder, and curricula) of education. This study aimed to examine preuniversity students’ perceptions on the attributes of an effective English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher in Saudi Arabia. Mixed-methods research design was applied to a sample of 231 students (135 males & 96 females) enrolled in the preparatory year program at a Saudi public university in the southern region of Saudi Arabia. The data were collected using two instruments: 5-point Likert-type scale and open-ended questions. The students’ responses on the closed questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive analysis and independent t test, whereas the data from the open-ended questions were analyzed by chi-square (cross tabulation) and MS Excel using thematic analysis. The findings indicated that 88% of Saudi preuniversity students agree on the high importance of the attributes of personality, methodology, and language knowledge that make an effective EFL teacher. Cultural awareness is of significance to the effectiveness of EFL teacher. However, gender was reported as an insignificant variable to the effectiveness of EFL teacher. In addition, fame, age, and country of EFL teachers did not reveal any connection to the teaching effectiveness of EFL teachers. Recommendations, implications, and suggestions for future research are discussed.

scholarly journals The Power of Continuing Professional Development on EFL Teachers’ Creativity

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Mohammadifar ◽  
Mona Tabatabaee-Yazdi
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Significant Relationship ◽  
English Language ◽  
Structural Model ◽  
Continuing Professional Development ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Leading Role ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Years Of Teaching Experience ◽  
Efl Teachers

Creativity has played a leading role in education that not only attracts many learners but also teachers. According to Ismail, Desa, and Balakrishnan (2018) creativity is one of the main skills that is extremely noticeable in teaching. Moreover, because of the alteration of generation and expansion of knowledge and technology, the instruction requires creative teachers that can use up-to-date and modern techniques. Within this framework, the researcher tried to investigate any significant relationship between Iranian EFL teachers’ Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and their creativity. To comply with the objective, a total of 210 Iranian EFL teachers took part in this study. For gathering the data two questionnaires were administered through Google Form that shared via social media like Telegram and WhatsApp. The results of correlation analyses revealed that there was a positive significant relationship between Iranian EFL teachers’ CPD and their creativity. Accordingly, this study proposed a structural model to examine CPD factors contributing to EFL teachers’ creativity. Due to the outcome of SEM, collaborating is the best predictor of Iranian EFL teachers’ creativity. Moreover, this study provides evidence that there is no significant difference in the level of Iranian EFL teachers’ creativity between male and female teachers and years of teaching experience. Together these results provide important insights into the significant role of CPD on the teachers’ creativity. These findings provide a potential mechanism for teachers, supervisors, and administrators of English language institutes or schools to elevate teachers’ creativity knowledge, and education by applying beneficial practices and activities of CPD.

scholarly journals "The role of English teachers in achieving the vision of the Kingdom 2030. "Survey: دور معلمي اللغة الإنجليزية في تحقيق رؤية المملكة 2030. "دراسة استقصائية"

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Noura Awdah Al - Zahrani
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
English Language ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Government Schools ◽  
Survey Tool ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
High Level

The study aimed at exploring the role of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in public schools in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in achieving ‘Vision 2030’ which relates to the development of education in the EFL discipline. The study adopted the descriptive approach by utilizing a survey tool for the study which consisted of nineteen items divided into four constructs. The study sample consisted of 550 female and 450 male, Saudi government schools EFL teachers from all regions of the Kingdom. The results of the statistical analysis of the responses of the participants indicated overwhelmingly a high level of positive attitude towards professional development in the teaching of the English Language (EL), reaching 91% and a lack of statistically significant relationship between the responses of the participants towards implementing 2030 Vision through the achievement of professional development as well as working towards establishing international networking with teachers of English in various countries around the world. The results also indicated that there are still certain obstacles that may adversely affect the implementation of the vision of Saudi Arabia in 2030. Thus, the researcher has made several recommendations including conducting future research studies that will look into further areas not covered by this study.

scholarly journals Peer Observation as a Means to Develop Teachers’ Professionalism

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tosriadi Tosriadi ◽  
Abdul Asib ◽  
Sri Marmanto ◽  
Umu Arifatul Azizah
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Reflective Practice ◽  
Teaching Method ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Peer Observation ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Development Tool ◽  
Depth Interview ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Teacher Professional

The emergence of reflective practice in promoting teacher professional development has been discussed in many literatures. Research studies showed the benefits of conducting reflective practice to improve teachers’ classroom instruction. Peer observation as one of the reflective practice activities is viewed as an effective strategy in developing teachers’ pedagogy and professional competences. Peer observation refers to the act of teachers collaborate to identify the strength and the weakness of their teachings. By doing so, it is expected there will be improvement in learning outcomes. This study explored EFL teachers’ perceptions on peer observation as means to develop teachers’ professionalism. Two EFL teachers who worked as English teachers were purposively selected as the respondents of the study. The participating teachers got at least 1 year teaching experience to assure their involvement in peer observation. To meet the objectives of the study, the data were gained through classroom observation, and followed by in depth interview. Then, they were analyzed by using interactive model data analysis for qualitative study. The results of the study indicated teachers’ positive perceptions on peer observation as professional development tool. Peer observation brought some benefits for teachers. It helped teachers solve the problems they encountered in their teachings, instead it also could be used as learning opportunity by observing new teaching method/strategy from other colleagues.

scholarly journals Attitudes and Perceptions of Saudi EFL Teachers in Implementing Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurah Oddah Ahmad Al-Zahrani ◽  
Hussam Rajab
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
English Language ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Government Schools ◽  
Survey Tool ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Attitudes And Perceptions ◽  
High Level

The study aimed at exploring the attitudes and perceptions of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers at public schools in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in achieving the Kingdom’s ‘2030 Vision’ which relates to the development of education in general and to the EFL discipline in particular. The study adopted the descriptive approach by utilizing a survey tool for the study which consisted of nineteen items divided into four constructs. The study sample consisted of 550 female and 450 male, Saudi government schools EFL teachers from the main regions of the Kingdom. The results of the statistical analysis of the responses of the participants indicated overwhelmingly a high level of positive attitude towards professional development in the teaching of English Language (EL), reaching 91% as well as a near unanimity in the responses of the participants which was reflected in the lack of statistically significant relationship between the responses of the participants towards implementing 2030 vision through the achievement of professional development as well as working towards establishing international networking with teachers of English in various countries around the world. The results also indicated that there are still certain obstacles that may adversely affect the implementation of the vision of Saudi Arabia in 2030. Thus, the researchers have made several recommendations including conducting future research studies that will look into further areas not covered by this study.

scholarly journals The EFL Teachers’ Perceptions of Teacher Identity: A Survey of Zhuangang and Non-zhuangang Primary School Teachers in China

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tao Xiong ◽  
Xiuzhen Xiong
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Teacher Identity ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
English Teachers ◽  
Primary School Teachers ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
The Status

Zhuangang (literally means “transferring post”) English teachers, usually in the primary schools of rural areas in China, refer to the English teachers who used to teach school subjects other than English. Some of them may at the same time still teach other subjects in addition to English. They are a part of the solutions to the shortage of English teachers due to the policy of popularizing English learning in primary schools in China in 2001. Although they account for a large percentage of primary English teachers especially in rural areas in China, relatively little research has been conducted to investigate the status of their professional development and identity. This study is aimed at finding out whether there is a significant difference between zhuangang and non-zhuangang English teachers in their perceptions of teacher identity and if it is the case, what may be the contributing reasons. A questionnaire was allocated and a significant difference (p=0.005) was observed between zhuangang and non-zhuangang English teachers in their perceptions of teacher identity. Implications for enhancing their teacher identity and professional development are also discussed.

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