Search

Master’s Thesis in Education with English Didactics Department of Language, Literature, Mathematics, and Interpreting This thesis investigates the role of motivation on young Norwegian language learners’ willingness to communicate in the ESL classroom both in general and looking at gender differences. The study draws on literature from MacIntyre et al.'s (1998) L2 Willingness to Communicate model and Dornyei's (2005) two self-guides (the ideal L2 self and the ought-to L2 self) in the L2 Motivational Self System construct. To answer the thesis research questions, a mixed method design has been applied. An online questionnaire survey has been developed on the basis of the literature and conducted by 37 pupils from two ESL classes in a school in western Norway. Amongst them, four pupils were additionally interviewed using a semi-structured interview technique. Important to note is that the participants’ actual L2 willingness to communicate was not measured in this study. The findings are based on their self-reported willingness to use the target language in the classroom. The findings in the present study suggest a positive trend in that the ideal L2 self enhances young language learners’ L2 willingness to communicate. In contrast, the findings for the ought-to L2 self showed no correlation with the pupils’ L2 willingness to communicate. The positive correlation between the ideal L2 self and the pupils’ L2 willingness to communicate correspond with previous research but deviate from previous research in that there were not found a correlation between L2 willingness to communicate and the ought-to L2 self. When investigating gender differences, the only positive correlation at a statistically significant level was found between the girls’ L2 WTC and the ideal L2 self. In addition to the original scope of the thesis, findings showed that pupils without any additional language background also showed a positive trend toward the ideal L2 self, enhancing their L2 willingness to communicate. Based on the results, this thesis concludes with pedagogical implications, and further research are discussed. MGUEN550

This article deals with the importance of using mother tongue in English classes. It studies positive and negative effects of L1 in L2 teaching process.

This literature review explores the use of Extramural English in the classroom and its effects on students’ language acquisition. Through a systematic analysis of different studies on EE activities such as video games, the Internet, gaming, and other activities, this paper will investigate the possible positive or negative effects of EE activities on students’ performance. The results of this literature review show that students who are more exposed to EE activities have a better result with regard to the acquisition of English than their peers because the language of communication in Extramural activities is mainly English. The results also show that by incorporating EE in the classroom, teachers will be able to define the student’s strengths and weaknesses through eliciting the learning evidence when learning English as a second language.

Writing is considered as an important but a difficult language skill for undergraduates. To develop writing skills, undergraduates need to be given the opportunity to interact with and help one another in the writing process. They also need to be supported by teachers in the process. However, most of the traditional teaching methods adopted by writing instructors in Nigeria do not allow students to interact in the learning process. In this light, this study investigates the effects of a problem-based learning approach (PBL) on the writing performance of Nigerian undergraduates. The study employed a pre- and- post-treatment quasi-experimental research design. The participants (n=18) involved in the study were an intact class of second-year students taking English composition course and two tutors in a college in North-eastern Nigeria. The study was conducted over a period of 12 weeks. To determine the effects of PBL on the participants’ writing performance, a rating scale was used to rate the content, organisation, vocabulary, grammar and mechanical accuracy of the pre- and post-treatment writing scripts. A paired-sample t-test analysis was run to compare the mean scores of the undergraduates’ pre- and post-treatment writing. The results showed significant improvements in all the components (content, organisation, vocabulary, language use and mechanics) of the participants’ writing in the post-treatment. The paper concludes with a discussion on the pedagogical and theoretical contributions of the findings. It provides writing instructors with a student-centred approach that would help to develop their students’ writing skills.

This evaluation of research investigates the advantageous and disadvantageous aspects of utilizing cooperative learning into the ESL (English as a second language) classroom for pupils at an elementary education level. Teachers need to be contemporary with their pedagogy and lesson design and implement methods that can enable that the national criteria regarding knowledge requirements in the syllabus for English are met. The methods within cooperative learning corresponds with sociocultural theories of Vygotsky as it is based on the zone of proximal development where high achievers can develop accordingly to their own qualifications, as well as low achievers. In the current study, we examine a selection of empirical studies on cooperative learning. The results of this analysis reveal that Cooperative learning is an advantageous way of reaching every individual to make sure that their English language acquisition is nurtured, but that the aspects of group grading make it difficult when grading each individual pupil. The findings also revealed that the implementation of cooperative learning into the ESL classroom had advantageous outcomes when it comes to vocabulary learning, writing skills, speaking skills and a lot of the pupils gained a better confidence and had a high achievement level in comparison to more traditional teacher focused pedagogy. Pupils also showed that their motivation and attitudes changed over time, when exposed of the cooperative learning methods in the ESL classroom. It is advised that teachers utilize cooperative learning in the ESL classroom hence it is beneficial for both pupils and teachers. Keywords: Cooperative learning, English as a second language, English as a foreign language, elementary school, group grading, ESL classroom and EFL classroom.

The Malaysian ESL (English as a Second Language) curriculum has undergone several reforms since the implementation of the Malaysian Education Blueprint 2013-2025. In 2016, the Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Rendah (KSSR) or the Standard Curriculum for Primary Schools (SBCPS), first introduced in 2011, was revised to align with the Common European Framework of References (CEFR) for languages. This more action-oriented approach resulted in fundamental changes to teaching, learning, and assessment including the integration of an innovative school-based assessment (SBA). It witnessed a shift from the traditional stance of assessment of learning to assessment for learning that emphasizes both peer and self-assessment as necessary components for the development of autonomous language learners. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to investigate the implementation of the CEFR-aligned SBA in the primary ESL classroom. Data were collected via a three-pronged procedure involving surveys, interviews, and document analysis from TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) teachers in five randomly-selected schools located in Damansara, Malaysia. The findings revealed that the implementation of SBA left much to be desired and was far from formative assessment. Though teachers expressed rather positive opinions on SBA, they lacked a full understanding of the method and admitted possessing a limited knowledge of the revised CEFR-aligned ESL curriculum altogether. Teachers provided little or no constructive feedback on assignments, and learners were not encouraged to reflect on assignments. There was little evidence of peer and self-assessment required for developing autonomous learners. Teachers cited time constraints, classroom enrolment, heavy workload, and lack of training as their main challenges against the effective implementation of the CEFR-aligned SBA.

The aim of this empirical study is to investigate the role of the L1 (Swedish for the purpose of this study) at upper secondary schools in Sweden, in English class. It also examines teachers’ and students’ attitudes towards the use of the L1 in the ESL classroom. The method that has been used for this thesis is a qualitative research method. In order to collect data, structured open-ended interviews were conducted. A total of eleven upper secondary students from the same school, and six upper secondary ESL teachers from four different schools, participated in this study. The results show that almost all of the participating students and teachers think that the L1 should be allowed in the classroom, as it can be used as a resource for learning. For instance, as the results demonstrate, the L1 was mainly used as a tool to clarify instructions, explain difficult terms, explain vocabulary and grammar rules, when translating, to manage discipline, and when they are socializing with each other. The majority of the participants suggest that the L1 worked as a very helpful tool in the learning process, especially in situations where students lacked understanding. However, there were also critical responses towards the use of the L1, particularly since the L1 can be easily overused. Previous research shares these latter views regarding the use of the L1 in the classroom, and confirms that it is important that learners are exposed to as much English as possible for successful language learning and development.

This quantitative study looked into class discussion strategies used by adult ESL learners. Findings revealed several benefits of class discussions for adult learners. Among some of them are, adult learners practice turn-taking skills in a non-combative environment. The sharing of ideas allowed freedom of thoughts among the learners. On the other hand, adult learners also learn to agree or disagree politely using turn-taking strategies. Finally, the benefits of class discussions may go beyond classroom needs such as improving critical thinking skills among learners. This ability is seen when learners participate in group work and discussions. Learners gain accessibility to participate comfortably in discussions when they are pun in a non-combative environment. This will thus give them the freedom to discuss any topics openly. This freedom will further enhance their general participation in the discussion. However, in a normal conversational process, speakers need to learn to speak up and also to give others space to voice their opinions. Learners need the knowledge of turn-taking skills in order to participate actively in the discussion. This turn-taking skills can be taught in ESL classrooms through class discussions.

An investigation on the extent learners’ attitudes towards corrective feedback (CF) may mediate learning was carried out in an English as a second language (ESL) experimental classroom. Two types of CF, recast (R) and metalinguistic information (MI), were used during oral interactional tasks. The experimental groups were compared to a task only group with no CF. Pre-intermediate Saudi adult participants (n= 36) were randomly assigned to complete three hours of communicative oral tasks over four successive weeks and to fill in an attitudinal questionnaire (k=21), at the post period of testing time. Correlation between participants’ attitudes and the effectiveness of the selected corrective feedback was measured by an attitudinal questionnaire and learners’ knowledge was measured by oral and written test battery. The results suggested learners’ preference to error correction, the interactional activities, and the different types of CF. It also suggested, to certain extend, the significant role of learners’ attitude in mediating language accuracy.

This empirical degree project explores the use of Swedish in foreign language learning such as English and the subsequent consequences. For this study, we explored the positions of researchers regarding the topic and investigated how, when and why three teachers in Sweden used the Swedish language during English teaching. The study provides an overview of theories and literature regarding the use of first language during foreign language teaching. Some findings suggest that the first language should not be excluded in second language acquisition but incorporated with limited use. However, it could be problematic to incorporate the Swedish language for the students with different origins. In that scenario, the students would be forced to acquire a foreign language through their second or third language. The study also connects these findings and research to the theoretical background of the socio-cultural views in the classrooms and the zone of proximal development. The method used for this study was a qualitative data collection in the form of semi-structured interviews with three primary teachers. The results show that these teachers reported using the Swedish language with variations thus the common reason for usage of Swedish during English learning would be for instructing purposes. Moreover, research suggests that maximising the target language during foreign language learning would expose the students to utilize the target language and that if the teacher would overuse Swedish during foreign language teaching the students would not sense the need to practise the language. The study also investigates when and how the teachers believe their students are exposed to the English language. The participants agreed upon that the exposure of the English language occurs on daily basis for the students moreover, participants would also agree that most of the exposure would be extramural. Our major conclusion is that incorporating the Swedish language in English learning should be considered with care. Some research suggests that the first language may provide enough scaffolding for the students however, the teachers may find several variations of providing the scaffolding for the students without the incorporation of the Swedish language.

Speaking is an essential part of how we communicate in day to day life. Teaching communication to second language learners requires the knowledge of variety of techniques. By applying a humanistic approach to the classroom, teachers are able to consider the holistic learner and cater to their needs. The present paper elaborates on some of the very useful techniques that may go long way in developing speaking skill of ESL learners. Some samples of different successful techniques and other ideas are also outlined in this paper.

This research looks into collaborative learning with teacher leadership in the ESL classroom of Guizhou, China. The phenomenon, purpose, research methods, main results and conclusions of the study are provided in the abstract. Under the phenomenon of New High School Curriculum Reform Program in China in 2004, all Chinese schools are trying new teaching methods to improve students’ English level. The purpose of the study is getting a better understanding of collaborative learning with teacher leadership in the ESL classroom. Qualitative research is applied to collect the data from the Chinese school. The research data is collected through two questionnaire surveys (open-ended questionnaires), one is for teachers, and another one is for students. The results of this study mainly indicate how to create a collaborative ESL classroom through teacher leadership. The results include some reform changes, teachers and students’ attitudes, advantages and disadvantages, barriers, the ways of utilizing collaborative learning with teacher leadership, and many advices from teachers and students. The central contribution of the study is that the researcher made an investigation of collaborative learning with teacher leadership in an undeveloped ESL classroom of Guizhou, which has Chinese characteristics. Limitations and recommendations of the study are also summarized

This portfolio was written for the Master of Second Language Teaching (MSLT) program. It reflects the author's beliefs on effective methods for teaching English as a second language (ESL) to adult learners. It includes the author's teaching philosophy, which focuses on communicative language teaching, creating an encouraging classroom environment, and providing meaningful instruction. The teaching philosophy is followed by four artifacts. First, the culture artifact is a review of complimenting behavior and how to teach pragmatics to language students. Second, the literacy artifact is a study of effective strategies for improving the writing skills of ESL learners. Third, the language artifact discusses wether listening or reading activities are better tools for teaching vocabulary. After the language artifact is an additional teacher artifact that explains the importance of teacher empathy. Finally, the annotated bibliographies provide an outline of the author's study and research throughout the MSLT program.

The aim of this paper is to report findings from an on-going research using Computer-supported Collaborative Learning in an ESL classroom in Malaysia. Collaboration is the act of working together to produce a piece of work. Collaborative learning deals with instructional methods that seek to promote learning through collaborative efforts among students working on a given task. Class based CL fits well with the philosophy of teaching: working together, building together, learning together, changing together and improving together. Computer-supported CL (CSCL) has an impact on the development of deep thinking about ideas as students are engaged in writing rather than talking. By doing so, they have more time to think about the responses; able to engage in developing arguments; have time to follow up references and read literature, etc. Selected students from Malaysia were asked to work collaboratively (through e-mail) with students from the USA. At the end of the collaborative activities they were expected to complete written projects. The students were interviewed on their perceptions on this innovative way of learning. The findings indicate that the students have responded positively towards computer supported collaborative learning.

The teachers need to understand that in many schools, students come from different cultures and backgrounds and each student deserves to be respected as an individual and their needs vary from one another. Thus, teachers must establish a positive relationship with their students in order to provide the learning opportunity as well as motivation they needed to be successful in both academic and life lessons. Therefore, it is necessary for future teachers to be exposed with such awareness as preparations before they went out into the real world. Research overseas has shown that better contact and more closeness between teachers and students results in higher student motivation. However, not many studies have been conducted locally, in Malaysia. Hence, this study investigates the pre-service teachers’ perceptions regarding teacher-student relationship factor affecting student's motivation and academic performance in ESL classroom. The findings will be presented and elaborated upon this paper. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.