Search

Education is an intervention that can change individuals' lives and also communities by building skills such as listening, speaking, reading, and writing LSRW. It is important to point out that educational tools assist in developing the above-mentioned skills and change communication and dealing with the environment. Evaluating the role and significance of educational tools in enhancing LSRW skills, it can be stated that one of the most significant changes is boosting the literacy level. Again, the availability of books, use of the internet and other forms of media and facilities via the internet as well as electronic learning tools can enhance the levels of literacy in reading and writing. Anything that provides language practice such as listening or speaking, be it via audio such as Broadcast, podcasts, or using apps for learning languages, enhances the client's exposure to different cultures and ways of thinking. Teaching aids can enhance learning as they help the learners to understand what is taught given that some of them have disabilities or learning difficulties. They can easily organize learning environments and tailor them to the learning processes and orientation of students. Technology can be incorporated into a learning management system, assessment tools, and multimedia resources that apply to the teaching-learning process. When educational tools are used frequently, one can transfer most of the skills being taught in a class to other areas of life, via informal learning processes. With the modern improvement of technology and innovation in education, the possibility for those educational tools to change lives and communities for the better through developing LSRW skills is boundless. Ed Tech's role and how it multiplies the ESL classrooms in producing enhanced LSRW skills The increase in the learning experiences and the motivation of the students is seen in combination with the improved language skills. About the future of educational tools and their influence on mastering the language, it is possible to state that due to the constant developments in the field of IT, there are more potential possibilities for creating new advanced tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The Malaysian Education Blueprint (MEB) 2013-2025 introduced differentiated instruction to address the diverse needs of students in a heterogeneous classroom, aligning with 21st-century learning goals. This paper aims to assess teachers’ knowledge and understanding of differentiated instruction within the Malaysian ESL context to support inclusive education. Methods: A descriptive research design was employed, involving 96 respondents from 20 public secondary schools in the Northeast district of Penang. Data were collected through surveys to evaluate teachers’ perceptions, levels of implementation, and understanding of differentiated instruction. Results: The findings revealed that teachers generally held positive perceptions towards the implementation of differentiated instruction. However, the actual level of implementation was perceived to be only moderate. Further investigation indicated that teachers harbored several misconceptions about differentiated instruction, reflecting limited knowledge and understanding of its principles and practices. Discussion: The study highlights the gap between teachers’ positive perceptions and their moderate implementation levels of differentiated instruction. Misconceptions and limited knowledge among teachers suggest the need for targeted professional development to enhance their understanding and effective application of differentiated instruction in the classroom. Conclusion: While teachers in the Malaysian ESL context are positively inclined towards differentiated instruction, their implementation is hindered by misconceptions and limited understanding. Addressing these issues through comprehensive training programs is crucial for fostering an inclusive education environment that meets the diverse needs of all learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces 'Inclusive Integrativeness' as a novel approach to address ESL classroom challenges, focusing on learners' diverse linguistic backgrounds. Unlike traditional integrativeness, which aims for assimilation into the target language and culture, this approach embraces multilingual identities. In multilingual regions like Assam, India, it emphasizes the importance of learners' reflexivity on their linguistic repertoire to develop an inclusive multilingual identity. The study also advocates for classroom practices such as translanguaging and culturally relevant materials. A survey of 105 secondary school students in Assam revealed positive perceptions towards inclusive multilingual identity and the use of these practices. The findings support 'Inclusive Integrativeness' as a comprehensive pedagogical approach for integrating multilingualism and English proficiency in ESL education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Total Physical Response, also called TPR, is a teaching approach that stirs the interest of ESL teachers, and not only, a fact that is demonstrated by the plethora of articles and videos that appear in a basic Google search. The following article describes the pros and cons of using TPR in the ESL classroom. The article argues that TPR is a method that should be used both in young learners’ classrooms as well as in those of adults, focusing on the benefits of using this method in the adults’ classrooms.

Speaking is always regarded as a difficult task to perform by many ESL learners. Basic knowledge of vocabulary, sentence structures and pronunciation are a must to speak and respond accordingly. Therefore, this paper explores the usage of Spoken Word Poetry (SWP) as an alternative method to teach speaking skills in the ESL classroom. This study engaged a quantitative method approach to collect the data namely experimental method. The aim of this study is to identify the extent to which SWP improves students speaking skills in the ESL classroom. Ninety ESL learners of Health Sciences participated in the study. Students were placed into two groups, an experimental group and control group to test the usage of SWP in the classroom. The findings revealed a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of the experimental group students receiving SWP approaches. Based on mean, the experimental group showed better score (mean = 15.36) than the control group (mean 11.42) in their post-test. It was observed as well that the experimental group had higher scores of posttest than control group in terms of vocabulary knowledge especially the usage of low frequency words. In addition, at the end of the study, it was seen that the post-test scores of the students in the experimental group were higher than the post-test scores of students in the control group even though they were almost equal before the study. Therefore, based on these findings, the current study shows that it is significant to use SWP as a new approach to teach speaking skills in the ESL classroom as its improved students' proficiency in speaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing needs for employing multimodality in teaching have sparked research activities all around the world. Due to its broad range of applications, multimodality has received a lot of attention as an approach to be applied in any fields specifically in education. This bibliometric study aimed to evaluate the global research trends in applying multimodality to ESL classrooms based on publication outputs, co-authorships among authors and affiliated countries, and co-occurrences of author keywords. A total of 1303 journal articles published between 1972 and 2022 were retrieved using the Scopus database. The results demonstrate that the number of publications has been steadily increasing since 1972. Approximately 29% of the global total publications were contributed by researchers from the United States and the TESOL Quarterly published the greatest number of articles related to research on the multimodal approach in ESL classrooms. The findings of this review show that the application of multimodality to ESL classrooms may eventually supplant the clusters that dominated multimodality research in the past. In conclusion, the recent progress in implementing the multimodal approach in ESL classrooms includes the following, but not limited to, i) teaching strategies, ii) teaching environments, and iii) teaching and learning with educational technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Dynamic assessment has demonstrated effectiveness in enhancing writing skills among ESL learners and may be especially useful in the improvement of writing mechanics by enabling individualized mediation and adaptive instruction. The major objectives of the current study were to examine the effectiveness of dynamic assessment in reducing writing mechanics errors among Pakistani learners in their essay drafts. The study also explored how experimental group students perceive the mediational intervention and dynamic assessment as an alternative approach to static assessment in improving writing mechanics. Methodology: To perform the study, a sequential explanatory design was used to explore the effect of dynamic assessment instruction on Pakistani ESL learners' writing mechanics. The sequential explanatory design allowed us to understand the phenomenon under study more comprehensively by collecting both quantitative and qualitative data in sequence. The quantitative part of the study used an interventionist model, with a pretest-treatment-posttest design, while the qualitative part used semistructured interviews. Following a quantitative test of the efficacy of treatment, the researchers interviewed the participants of the experimental group to investigate their perceptions of the mediation approach. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for recurring themes and sub-themes. Results: The quantitative findings of this study confirmed the significant impact of dynamic assessment and were consistent with previous research reporting it as an effective approach to improving writing skills. Regarding the qualitative findings, dynamic assessment positively affected students' writing mechanics. Students reported that dynamic assessment could reduce writing anxiety, enhance self-efficacy, and provide ample opportunities to learn from their errors. Conclusion: The findings of the current study showed that the interaction between teachers and students during mediation significantly contributed to their writing development and helped them work toward self-regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning English language is not merely to score marks and qualify oneself for the job that one is desirous of. Instead, it has to help the learners communicate well with people around them. In addition, English language learning must equip the learners with confidence to articulate their thoughts related to arts, science, business, trade, etc. In this regard, English language teachers hold prime significance in making the students acquire fluency in the second language. While traditional method of teaching focuses on the completion of the prescribed syllabus, innovative method of teaching enhances the communicative skills of the learners to the next level. Hence, through the latter method, teachers provide the students with a chance to apply their English knowledge to real life situations. Using case study method in an ESL classroom not only increases the learning capacity of the second language learners but helps them remember functional grammar. This paper analyses the different aspects connected with the application of case study method to teach English as a second language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Vocabulary is the fundamental aspect of a language. However, second language (L2) learners often perceive vocabulary learning as boring and difficult. As such, various efforts must be made by teachers to empower pupils' vocabulary base to be able to be competent in the target language. Hence, this study attempts to address the use of blended learning on pupils' vocabulary development and motivation. Methodology: This research adopted the quantitative research design. The research participants consisted of two classes of primary school pupils chosen through purposive sampling. The pupils were divided into the experimental group and the control group. The instruments used were pre-test, post-test, and questionnaires. An independent t-test was used to compare the mean score to see any significant difference in terms of pupils' pre-test and post-test scores whereas mean interpretation was used to determine pupils' level of motivation. Findings: The results revealed that pupils who learned through blended learning performed better in terms of vocabulary development compared to the pupils who learned through traditional learning. Similarly, pupils have high motivation towards blended learning instructions. It is apparent that pupils become motivated learners when their need for autonomy, competence, and relatedness are fulfilled. Contributions: This research aids teachers in constructing suitable blended learning environments for content delivery as an alternative way for students to interact with information in preparation for classroom work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effects of metacognitive strategies and gender differences on ESL students' listening comprehension. This study employed a mixed-method approach, specifically a quasi-experimental research design consisting of pre-test and post-test control, experimental groups and focus group interviews. Focus group interviews were conducted with the ESL students to get more information on how they applied the metacognitive strategies for listening comprehension. Sixty-two Lower Form Six students participated in this study and were selected based on a random sampling technique from two schools in the Seremban district, Malaysia. Pre-test and post-test data were analysed using the paired t-test, and data from the focus group interviews were analysed thematically. Findings revealed that the students exposed to metacognitive strategies had a significant difference in scores with t (6.175), p < .001 attained in comparison to the traditional method. However, there is no significant difference in gender influence on the effects of metacognitive strategies on students' listening comprehension with t (60) = 0.628, p = .533 > .05. It can be inferred that gender does not influence the effect of metacognitive strategies on listening comprehension. Therefore, regardless of gender, if a student is exposed to such strategies, his or her listening comprehension will improve. Findings from the students' interviews showed three dimensions of the metacognitive knowledge applied: person knowledge, task knowledge and strategic knowledge. Findings suggest that these metacognitive strategies should be a part of the pedagogical approach and should be mastered by teachers to assist ESL students in improving their listening comprehension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Text comprehension will suffer if the readability level is not accessible to the students. Readability formulas predict text complexity, assisting in appropriate text selection that complements students’ reading abilities to improve their language development. Therefore, the study aims to find out the reading index of the prose forms in the literature component catered to lower secondary school students ages 13 and 14 years old in Form One (seventh grade) and Form Two (eighth grade) classrooms in Malaysia. The reading index is measured by using four readability formulas which are Dale-Chall, Fog, SMOG, and Flesch-Kincaid that focuses on the words, sentences, syllables, and polysyllable words. These formulas are used to predict the level of difficulty of the prose forms. The reading index calculated from these readability formulas reveals the grade level of the prose forms. The grade level indicates the best age for reading and understanding the prose forms. Two prose forms were chosen as samples in the study. A passage is chosen from each prose form to be uploaded using the online tool. The indices obtained from the readability formulas predicted that both of the prose forms were below students’ reading age. The study implicates reading index must be taken into consideration in literary texts selection because it is an indicator of the years of education that an individual requires to comprehend the literary text clearly. Suitable reading material at students’ age level can enhance literature learning and teaching in the ESL classroom.

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.

The application of technology in education has become a significant option for a more efficient and interactive approach, particularly in language teaching. However, few studies have investigated the use of technology in the teaching of writing in English language classrooms, especially in the Malaysian context. The present study investigates the teaching of writing practices and technology tools employed by English as a second language teachers when teaching writing skills. Using Technology Acceptance Model as the underpinning theory, this study also examines the effectiveness of the use of technology in the teaching of writing by collecting data from forty secondary school English teachers in Malaysia using a set of questionnaires. The findings indicated that technology is an important tool to improve students' writing skills, assist teachers as a teaching aid and promote student engagement in the classroom. However, the lack of technical support hinders some teachers from using technology because it takes a lot of time which disrupts the teaching and learning process. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that technology plays an important role in helping teachers to improve students' writing skills. Significantly, the findings of this study provide evidence to improve the application of technology in language teaching and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focused on finding the relationship, which might exist, between non-verbal immediacy behaviors of teachers and students' motivation in Pakistani ESL classrooms. The study adopted a quantitative survey design for which questionnaire was developed for data collection purposes. The researchers focused on finding answer to how do students perceive their respective teachers' nonverbal behaviour in Pakistani ESL classes, and whether any relationship exists between teachers' non-verbal immediacy behavior and students' class motivation. Sample of the research study consisted of university students in order to ascertain the afore-mentioned relationship in ESL classrooms. Findings of the study show that there exist both motivating and de-motivating factors which have strong relationship with teachers' non-verbal immediacy behaviors. Students' perceptions of teacher's immediacy behaviors are positively connected with student's class motivation. In light of the findings, the study has suggested some recommendations regarding teachers' immediacy role in the motivation of their students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study focuses on the enactment of discursive manifestation ongender position and status in the second language classroom. The ESL classrooms involve the classroom participants in learning the non-native language through the explanatory discourses initiated and moderated by the language teachers. The classroom participants in any setting prefer their own socially constructed norms and values to be preferred whether it is ideology or power structures or any other preferred practices about women, men or society. Since, classroom is a constituent of the social growing practices; the classroom approved practices contribute a substantial part in developing and establishing social norms, particularly, in terms of gender issues. All the universities of the Islamabad were taken as the sites of the study where the undergraduate four-year English program is being taught. The study is a census enquiry where all the population (in terms of teachers) of the sites is considered as the sample; and all study participants were contacted to be part of the study. The data were collected through semi structured interviews. It was found that the gender is clearly differentiated and male participants of the second language classrooms try to dominate as supported by the teachers, too. Although the classroom discourses have freedom of thought and expression regarding the individual identities and views. In order to obtain reasonable and desired results in the ESL multicultural classroom, the teachers need to understand, perceive and sensitize themselves as well as to the students regarding the equity and equality of both the gendersin the classroom discursive and non-discursive practices for a smooth academic process in the language classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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.

Students’ understanding of literature is often neglected, while curriculums are usually determined by educationists whose expectations might not suit the students’ ability. To achieve a positive learning outcome in the literature classroom, the students’ perceptions and interests must be accorded much consideration. Therefore, this study aims to determine students’ perceptions of the importance of the English literature component in selected secondary schools in Terengganu, Malaysia. The study employed a descriptive survey method in which a structured questionnaire was used as a data-gathering instrument. The data were gathered from a sample of 403 students across four different public secondary schools in Terengganu: SMK Kompleks Seberang Takir, SM Sains Sultan Mahmud, SMKA Dato Haji Abbas, and SMK Kompleks Gong Badak. The study found that the students have positive perceptions of the English literature component to a large extent. The students also believe that English literature enables them to develop their cultural awareness, critical thinking skills, as well as improve their English grammar and vocabulary. The moral-philosophical approach is the most preferred approach amongst the students, followed by the information-based approach and the language-based approach. It is envisaged that the findings of this study could be especially useful in the process of curriculum development, particularly in the Malaysian context. Besides, this study could raise teachers’ awareness of their students’ level of understanding of the English literature component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study focuses on the Islamic ideological discursive manifestations in the second language multicultural classroom as to how they are enacted. The ESL classrooms involve the classroom participants in learning the nonnative language through the explanatory discourses as enacted by their teachers. The classroom participants in any setting prefer their own socially constructed religious values. Since, classroom is a constituent of the social growing practices; the classroom approved practices contribute a substantial part in developing and establishing social norms in terms of ideological preferences. All the universities of the Islamabad were taken as the sites of the study where the undergraduate four-year English program is offered. The study is a census enquiry where all the population (students) of the sites is taken as sample of the study for data collection. The data were collected through, closed-ended questionnaires. It was found that the ideologies of the dominant groups are prevalent in the ESL undergraduate classrooms discursive practices. Although the classrooms have religious freedom; however, Islamic ideology prevails in terms of its practice and preference. In order to get plausible academic results in the ESL multicultural classroom, the teachers need to understand, perceive and sensitize themselves to the cultural, ideological and social understanding of the students for a smooth academic process in the language classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current paper deals with the identification of the role of English literary texts in ESL classroom intended for the improvement of writing skills at elementary level. Qualitative approach was used in this study. Data was collected through document analysis and open-ended questionnaires. Six teachers who taught literary texts in ESL classroom were selected to fill the questionnaires. Twenty specimens of ESL learners’ classwork were analyzed using ESL Profile Composition (Jacobs, Zinkgraf, Wormuth, Hartfiel, & Hughey, 1981, p.30). This research offered promising results regarding the beneficial role of literary texts in improving writing skills. It also paves the way for future researchers to further investigate the role of literary texts in the learning of English language.

This paper is based on a study conducted to develop an insight into the problems that arise in an ESL classroom due to the lack of awareness in teachers about learning disabilities. It focuses on the importance of professional training for ESL teachers before they start teaching. The population of the research included primary school students, members of the administrative staff, ESL teachers of four primary level schools of Lahore and a number of diagnosed students suffering from one or more learning disabilities. The tools used for data collection included four questionnaire surveys designed specifically to cater the target population. The research concluded that teachers should have sufficient knowledge about learning disabilities. They should be given professional training and awareness about learning disabilities before they start teaching. Moreover, they should be able to identify disabled students and cater their special needs, so these students can enjoy a motivating learning experience. Some features that should be included in teachers’ training are suggested at the end of this research.

Discourse markers improve the quality of writing and increase the comprehension of text. This paper attempts to throw more light in measuring the students’ knowledge about Discourse Markers. This paper aims to exponentiate the Discourse Markers in ESL students’ essay writing. The Qualitative data was collected from intermediate students of grade 9 from a school in Dubai. Six of their essays were chosen randomly and only nine extracts were analyzed. These extracts focus on how students use Discourse markers with cohesion and coherence. The findings were categorized into three parts: Misused Discourse Markers’, Overused Discourse Markers’, and Advanced used Discourse Markers’. Based on the results, opportunities for further studies were underlined and recommendations were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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.

Metaphor and metaphorical expressions are phenomena of interest in teacher education research and research on teacher identity. However, little attention has been given to teaching of English to young learners (TEYL) teachers' metaphorical expressions, and what these expressions might tell us about their identities and experiences. This study explores the metaphorical expression constructed by an experienced teacher to describe what it means to be a TEYL teacher in the ESL context. Data were gathered from semi-structured interviews, stimulated recall interviews, and a metaphor elicitation prompt: 'Who do you see yourself as a teacher?' The results revealed that while the metaphorical expression of 'mother' stands out as a concept that associates teaching with being nurturing, the teacher's enactment of other roles; projected as 'knowledge provider', 'law enforcer', and 'facilitator', is more strongly oriented to the behaviourist idea of teaching. These findings shed light on the role of identity in expanding the in-service teachers' perspective of teachers and teaching using selfconstructed metaphors. A major recommendation of this study is that teacher educators need to promote reflective practice in TESL teacher training to critically explore the concept of knowledge about self. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we discuss ways and usefulness of using authentic advertisement materials inside the classroom. Media and technology play a major role in our life. Students are usually aware of the value of using these in a proper way. But using media and technologies for their educational practice in a graded manner requires some discretion and skill. Advertisements (Ads) can relate to more than one branch of knowledge. Advertisement can provide plenty of ideas/concepts to write about and suggest many interrelated words. Thus, ads are a good source to develop all language skills, in particular writing skills. This paper will present some ways as to how we can incorporate advertisements in a proper way inside the ESL classroom. Through appropriate activities, both group as well as individual activities, given to students they were able to develop their language skills and also develop communication among themselves using English. These activities led to positive inclination to learn English more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to examine how a first-grade ESL teacher understands teaching and learning as she explores her agency (and that of her students) in implementing and experimenting with project-based instruction (PBI) in her economically, culturally, and linguistically diverse classroom. Utilizing video-cued ethnography and drawing on teacher agency, pedagogy of hope, and identity in discourse, we explore how the process of implementing PBI and opportunities for reflection supported this teacher in examining her teaching approach while teaching in a high-stakes testing environment. Data suggested that when teachers have the professional agency to embrace more dynamic teaching practices without fear of failing, they can discover spaces to enact agency, extend agentic opportunities to their students, and create classrooms of hope, especially for marginalized communities in this era of standardization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper gives a brief overview of the role of the internet for qualifying authentic writing and defines the meaning of YouTube as well as explains how this tool can be used. This is followed by a discussion of the benefits and limitations of using this tool in a classroom and the theoretical framework of using YouTube in an ESL classroom. Later, it proceeds to discuss how YouTube can help promote writing skills in an ESL classroom. The next section of the paper deals with the importance of some pedagogical procedures of video comment tasks for contexts with access to the internet, and provides my own practice of YouTube videos in an ESL classroom. The paper ends with recommendations and a conclusion derived from the findings of the paper. Overall, the paper advocates YouTube as a technology-mediated learning tool to promote authentic writing for ESL/EFL learners. ;"If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow" (Dewey, 1944, p. 167). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learner reticence is a real and much discussed problem in the ESL classroom; one interesting though rarely talked about phenomenon is the adoption of teaching practices and teacher beliefs that lead to silence and non-participation among learners. To a lesser extent it may be argued that the materials in use may also have their own contributory role to play in the (nOn)-learning process. This paper argues that teacher attitudes, beliefs, and practices militate against attempts by learners to acquire spoken English. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper proposes to shed light on how to establish and manage an effective and successful language classroom in terms of learners' motivation in accordance with the fact that teachers are presently expected to be informed enough to be able to pilot their teaching, satisfying various requirements of different learners. It is designed to explore the significance of motivation in ESL learning and the factors that might affect learners' motivation in language learning context from a theoretical perspective. Motivation is a very significant and effective element in the realm of second language learning. To be precise, motivation has a direct effect on both quality as well as quantity of language learning. It is based on Gardner's (1982, 2010) socio-educational model of second language acquisition. Thus, the language teachers and researchers would discover, realize and pay attention to the whole personality of their learners. It also provides a brief discussion and a few valuable inferences and suggestions for practicing teachers and researchers in the field of English language teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims at emphasizing the use of short stories in English language teaching classrooms, for developing students' communicative competence. It also attempts to find out the problems of learning language skills by the tertiary level learners of engineering colleges and offers solutions to overcome those problems. The identified common problems are: learners' lack of interest in their subject, lack of opportunity to speak in the class room and no room for creative writing. In addition to that most students do not have confidence to speak to their peer groups or friends as they come from vernacular medium with less vocabulary stock. Again the existing syllabus given to engineering students for technical English has also widened the gap between students' interest in the subject and their communication skills. Hence this paper attempts to prove that the proper integration of short stories into the syllabus is expected to bridge the abovementioned gap by way of creating interest in their subjects and motivating the learners further and further to acquire all the four skills, i.e., LSRW (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing), which are necessary for effective communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Idiomatic expressions (IE) are so pervasive that the teacher and students can encounter them as unknown expressions in any classroom of language arts. Particularly in the L2 classroom, the unknown idiomatic expressions appear frequently and sporadically during the integrated classroom activities of listening, reading and writing. The unpredictability of occurrence of unknown idiomatic expressions during the class, which might hinder the students from following the primary class activity, requires the teacher's immediate treatment to make sense of how to proceed. The sporadic IE instructions in this sense are embedded in any integrated language classroom activity. Prior research into idiomatic expressions have focused on cognitive theory about the difference between L1 and L2 learners in their processing, teaching strategies for the effectiveness of IE instruction, etc. This study employs sequential analysis (Sacks, Schegloff & Jefferson, 1974) for the transcribed classroom interaction between the teacher and the student. Sequential analysis considers the meaning of every next turn in classroom discourse as an outcome of the contingently coordinated interactional work (Moerman & Sacks, 1988). Through sequential analysis, this study examines how the teacher makes sense of the meaning of idiom instruction for the course of the classroom activity and produces language pedagogy in an actual classroom occasion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a preliminary investigation into the teaching of English literature in the ESL (English as a Second Language) secondary classroom in Brunei Darussalam. Although English literature has been taught in Brunei for more than twenty five years and is one of the subjects offered in the Brunei-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level (GCE 'O' Level) examination, very little is known about this area in language education, in terms of how it is taught and the attitudes towards it. Based on the distribution of questionnaires and a focus group interview with English literature teachers in the secondary schools, this paper explores (i) the teaching methods used, (ii) the factors which helped influence the changes in teaching methods, and (iii) how teachers perceive students' attitudes towards English literature as a school subject. It is hoped that this exploratory study will initiate a whole new area of research within language education in Brunei. Furthermore, it could contribute to the pool of research studies on the teaching of English literature in the ESL classroom contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper arises from the large-scale need of students of English as Second Language to have simultaneous access to academic knowledge and language proficiency for academic success. Researches on ESL students consider their Limited English Proficiency (LEP) as a barrier to school knowledge and consider ESL as a medium of learning. This paper takes Mohan's language socialization perspective model (1990) as an example and attempts to critique earlier researches on ESL as medium of learning as undemocratic, and solicits the application of Knowledge Framework Structures (Mohan, 1986) such as Classification, Description and Sequence for actuating active discourse between language and expository text in the ESL context. This paper argues the proposition: Can we facilitate ESL poetry reading for comprehension by explicit teaching of knowledge structures that are content-based and language-focused? Beginning with literature research related with ESL learning, this paper presents an argument for poetry as expository text, illustrates with project data conducted by the writer with two ESL students in the Canadian context, and offers implications to both ESL teachers and ESL students for knowledge and language enhancement that is freer, creative and more enjoyable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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 email) 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has become common practice for library instruction to be included in lower-level college composition courses. Students are typically required to visit the library once or twice a semester to receive instruction on how to find books and journal articles for an upcoming writing assignment that incorporates formal research. But does this current model of instruction truly address course outcomes that seek to produce students who are information literate, critical thinkers and life-long learners? Faculty who teach such courses are often reluctant to surrender precious class time to a librarian, but this paper argues that the merging of bibliographic instruction with composition curriculum can more effectively tackle course goals with minimal interruption to the class schedule. The aim of this paper is to challenge the conventional relationship between library instruction and lower-level composition courses by assessing and discussing the implementation of a new freshman writing course that fully integrates library instruction into the course and into the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]