scholarly journals Pre-Service Foreign Language Teachers’ Perceptions of Research Skills: A Qualitative Study

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eda Elmas ◽  
Selami Aydin
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning Processes ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Research Skills ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Efl Teachers

While research skills seem significant for effective and successful foreign language teaching and learning, few studies focused on how English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers perceive research skills in the EFL teaching and learning processes. Research also lacks how EFL teachers perceive research skills and to what extent they are aware of the role, teacher as researcher. Thus, this study aims to explore pre-service EFL teachers’ perceptions of research skills for a deeper understanding of how their perceptions of research skills affect or contribute to the teaching and learning processes. The sample group in the study consisted of 44 pre-service EFL teachers studying at a state university. A background questionnaire, diaries, reflections and interviews were the tools to collect qualitative data. Results showed that research activities develop pre-service EFL teachers’ content knowledge, research skills and target language proficiency, while they perceive several problems during the process. The study suggests that research skills should be a must course in pre- and in-service teacher education programs.

scholarly journals Foreign Language Teachers’ Perceptions of Error Correction in Speaking Classes: A Qualitative Study

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nuriye Değirmenci Uysal ◽  
Selami Aydin
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Error Correction ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Target Language ◽  
State University ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Teacher Training Programs ◽  
Correction Strategies

Limited studies have been conducted on the effects of error correction on acquiring oral proficiency and the teacher’s role as error corrector. Thus, the present study aims to investigate English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers’ perceptions of error correction in their speaking classes, reasons and types of errors they correct and their error correction strategies. The sample group in the study consisted of 15 English instructors working at a state university in Turkey. The data collection instruments consisted of a background questionnaire, reflections, interviews and essay papers. Results showed that EFL teachers seem to make corrections to improve learners’ accuracy during speaking, grammar and vocabulary knowledge and pronunciation skills and that EFL teachers believe that error correction may contribute to habit formation in terms of self-correction among students, pragmatic and appropriate use of the target language, learners’ accuracy and fluency. Another conclusion was concluded that teachers concentrate on pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary errors that directly distort meaning while speaking, and that they seem to use various strategies to correct errors. It was recommended that the curricula of teacher training programs should include topics to raise awareness of the issues such as reasons to make corrections, situations that require corrections, error types and correction strategies.

scholarly journals WASHBACK TO LANGUAGE TEACHERS: A REVIEW OF MODELS AND EMPIRICAL RESEARCH IN AND BEYOND VIETNAM

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dinh Minh Thu
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Empirical Research ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
The Past ◽  
Key Innovation ◽  
Teachers Professional Development

Washback, i.e., test effects on teaching and learning, has been emerging as an attractive research topic in language training and assessment for over the past 20 years for its significant implications of test validation and fairness for both policy-makers and practitioners. Presently, it deserves more Vietnamese researchers' interest in the context of the enactment of the National Foreign Language Project 2020 (extended to 2025), which puts language assessment as a key innovation requirement. Washback operates either positively or negatively; i.e. promoting or inhibiting learning. Teachers are considered the precursor in the washback mechanism. There is only one washback model on the washback effects on teachers, which is proposed by Shih (2009). This paper aims to critically browse other washback models besides Shin’s (2009) to generate a washback framework on teachers' perceptions and practices. Previous empirical washback research on teachers in and beyond Vietnam is, then, investigated in alignment with the aspects illustrated in the framework to point out achievements and gaps in the field. A qualitative approach of document analysis of over forty studies of differing types, i.e. books, dissertations and articles, has been adopted to reach the research aim. The discussion is divided into two major parts, including the washback models pertaining to teachers to scaffold a model for teachers' perceptions and practices, and the results in empirical research in terms of the aspects mentioned in the model. Findings show that washback on teachers' perceptions ranges from perceptions of the test itself, students' language ability, teaching contents and methodology to teachers' professional development. Plus, washback on teachers' practices concerns their selections of teaching contents and methodology in class as well as their involvement in professional development. The element of professional development can be considered a new light in the reviewed washback model. This has a significant meaning by raising teachers' awareness of developing themselves professionally. The current paper expects to contribute to elaborating the scenario of washback research for interested researchers, practitioners and policymakers not only in but beyond the context of Vietnam.

A contextualised examination of target language use in the primary school foreign language classroom

2004 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 104-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
David R. Carless
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Classroom Language

Abstract This article discusses an issue which is of longstanding and central importance to foreign language teachers in a variety of contexts, namely teacher use of classroom language. It uses detailed qualitative case study data to explore how and why an expert practitioner uses English in her Hong Kong Primary school language classroom. Through the interplay between teacher beliefs, experiences and classroom transcript data, the paper develops a contextualised picture of classroom language use with young foreign language learners. The paper suggests that it is not necessarily the language proficiency of the learners which plays a major role in the quantity of target language use, but the teachers’ own proficiency, experience and beliefs.

scholarly journals Plurilingualism and monolingualism in foreign language classrooms: The perspective of EFL teachers in Saudi Arabia

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-29
Author(s):  
Ali Alsaawi
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Gulf Region ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Efl Teachers

Abstract The idea of teaching a target language via a monolingual medium of instruction in the classroom has long predominated in the pedagogical context. In Saudi Arabia, excluding the students’ mother tongue (Arabic) in the foreign language classroom has been seen as a tool that accelerates the acquisition of the target language (English). This is widely viewed as the most practical and effective method of language learning, especially in the Gulf region, where English is a foreign language employed in the fields of economics and business. The recent academic argument that exploiting the students’ linguistic repertoire, including the mother tongue, in the target language classroom boosts and fosters the students’ learning cycle is still encountering huge resistance, especially among second/foreign language teachers. To explore this dispute from the perspective of English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers in intermediate and secondary schools, a case study was conducted with 34 teachers in the Qassim region, Saudi Arabia, through questionnaires and a focus group interview. The study found that most teachers believe that the policy of using the target language (English) only is the most effective method of language learning. They employed the students’ mother tongue (Arabic) on an ad hoc basis to ensure complete comprehension, organize classroom tasks or convey personal remarks. In addition, the study revealed that teachers’ understanding of plurilingualism was unclear and limited to the verbal use of two languages, and that EFL teachers need more clarification on its application in the classroom.

scholarly journals Saudi Female Teachers’ Perceptions of the Use of L1 in EFL Classrooms

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 12
Author(s):  
Bayan Al-Hashemi Al-Amir
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
First Language ◽  
English Language Proficiency ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Students First ◽  
Efl Classrooms ◽  
L1 Use

In the literature of second language teaching and learning, the use of students’ first language (L1) has been an issue of debate for many years. Despite the changing state of teaching and learning aspects over the years, the belief that L1 should not be used in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms has stood the test of time. Nevertheless, many studies have recently started to put this belief under question and to give the effectiveness of L1 use, the benefit of doubt. This paper investigates EFL teachers’ perceptions of the use of students’ first language at one of the universities in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, given the fact that those teachers speak students’ native language and have different English language proficiency levels. The data gathered through a questionnaire were analyzed using the IBM Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS)® to find frequencies, percentages and mean scores. The overall results of the study show that the majority of teachers agree to the use of students’ first language in their EFL classrooms. Moreover, when investigating the relationship between teachers’ English language proficiency level and their perceptions of L1 use, the results suggest that there is no correlation between the two. Furthermore, the results of the study conclude that EFL teachers are selective when it comes to the areas of language teaching where L1 is used.

Teachers' perceptions of self-efficacy, English proficiency, and instructional strategies

2011 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cevdet Yilmaz
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Instructional Strategies ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Teaching Efficacy ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Foreign Language Teachers ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Proficiency Level

The main purpose in the study was to examine the efficacy beliefs of Turkish EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers. Teachers' perceptions of their teaching efficacy regarding personal capabilities to teach English and their self-reported English proficiency level were also investigated. The data were collected through a survey completed by 54 teachers. Results indicated that teachers' perceived efficacy was correlated with their self-reported English proficiency, and that teachers' efficacy for instructional strategies was greater than their efficacy for management and engagement. The study provides useful insights into the need to help teachers develop their language proficiency that, in turn, has relevance for their perceived self-efficacy.

General English Proficiency or English for Teaching? The Preferences of In-service Teachers

RELC Journal ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 339-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pham Thi Hong Nhung
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Ministry Of Education ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Teaching Context ◽  
Implementation Level ◽  
English Training

At the implementation level of the national project ‘ Teaching and Learning Foreign Language in the Public-Sector Educational System for the 2008–2020 Period’, the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) provided large-scale general English proficiency training for key English teachers and classroom English training for a pilot group of teachers. This research explores in-service teachers’ perceptions of the usefulness of the training and of the changes which occurred in their classrooms as a result of the training. The findings have shown that although in-service teachers across different levels of proficiency appreciate both sets of training, they found classroom English training more relevant and practical to their teaching context. The results of the study also suggest that in contexts with insufficient numbers of qualified foreign language teachers, high proficiency standards for teachers compared with their current level of proficiency, and limited support for in-service teachers to achieve and maintain the required proficiency, classroom English training can be considered as a strategic choice and hence, should be prioritized.

scholarly journals The Effects of Study Abroad on Spanish Teachers’ Self-Efficacy: A Multiple Case Study

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-45
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Jochum ◽  
Jared R. Rawlings ◽  
Ana María Tejada
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Classroom Practice ◽  
Qualitative Inquiry ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Field Note ◽  
Multiple Case

Teacher efficacy, or the degree to which teachers feel as though they can affect positive outcomes in their classrooms, has received considerable attention over the last three decades (Bandura 1977, 1997; Tschannen-Moran & Johnson, 2011). Research has shown that, among foreign language teachers, self-efficacy is associated with their language proficiency (Chacón, 2005; Yilmaz 2011) and students’ achievement (Swanson, 2014). The purpose of this qualitative inquiry was to better understand how the study abroad experience affected four, inservice Spanish teachers’ feelings of self-efficacy as it relates to language proficiency and instructional practice. Using a multiple case design (Stake 2006), we conducted interviews, recorded field note observations and collected participant reflection journals. Findings revealed that, as a result of the study abroad experience, participants described awareness of their foreign language proficiency, discussed re-assessing their classroom practice and explained a commitment to increasing target-language use in the classroom.  

scholarly journals EFL Teachers' and Students' Approaches in Using Teaching Aids: A case Study

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arab World English Journal ◽  
Awwad Othman Abdelaziz Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning Processes ◽  
Classroom Setting ◽  
Teaching Aids ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Teachers Attitudes ◽  
Effective Teaching And Learning

The use of teaching aids plays an important role in enhancing students' interaction and participation. Therefore, this research aims to investigate teachers' and students' approaches in using teaching aids and to reinforce their importance. This research also tried to verify whether teaching aids activate teaching and learning processes and more specifically if they make students interactive and effective participants. Moreover, it encourage teachers to update their methods of teaching. A questionnaire is used as an instrument to collect the necessary data. The questionnaire content was based on items to maximize the benefits of various teaching aids use in English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom settings. Twenty teachers and fifty students took part in the questionnaire survey. Findings from the teachers' and students' questionnaires demonstrated that teaching aids help teachers and students activate their teaching and learning processes. Moreover, they help in classroom setting and management. Teachers' attitudes as well as their perception toward using teaching aids to motivate students are positive since they all find the necessity of using them to improve students' English performance. As a result, teachers should be aware that disregarding of teaching aids use impedes learners' motivation. It has been recommended that teachers need to systematically design their own teaching aids for effective teaching and learning betterment.

scholarly journals Comprendre les représentations des enseignants de langues à travers des récits visuels

EL LE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Maria Melo Pfeifer
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Prospective Teachers ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Visual Methods ◽  
Before And After

Teachers’ representations are of paramount importance to understand their situated professional action. Following a discussion of the concept of “representation” and its importance in foreign language education, a revision of the use of visual narratives in this disciplinary field will be presented, focusing on: i) (prospective) foreign language teachers’ representations concerning the target language; ii) their representations regarding teaching and learning methods; iii) teachers’ professional development. Afterwards, an empirical study using visual methods in initial teacher education, before and after a school professional internship, will be presented and discussed, illustrating the professional development of prospective teachers of French.

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