UCLan Open Journals (University of Central Lancashire)
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Theory and Practice in Foreign Language Writing Instruction
Full text linkForeign language (FL) instruction in the United States currently suffers from a lack of consensus regarding the teaching of writing within the FL curricula. Despite a series of advances in second language (L2) writing theory, many university FL instructors continue to use writing to focus almost exclusively on language surface form and do not encourage/require their students to focus on other deeper functions of writing. This case study investigated levels of knowledge of four of the most important L2 writing theories among 10 FL faculty members responsible for first and second-year FL curricula working at 6 U.S. universities. Participants also provided materials they use to teach FL writing and participated in a series of classroom observations which showcased their teaching of writing in the classroom. Results revealed overall very low levels of knowledge and implementation of mainstream L2 writing research among these participants
Literary dialogues as models of conversation in English Language Teaching
Full text linkThis study explores dialogues from a corpus of 19th century fiction as a possible model of conversation for use in English as a second or foreign language classrooms. We employ corpus linguistics methods to investigate the extent to which such dialogues contain lexical chunks and conversation strategies. This is then compared to usage in unscripted 21st century conversations, as found in a large spoken corpus. Findings show that there are a number of similarities to modern day spoken language in the chunks used in the 19th century data but also some key differences in how some common chunks function. It is also clear that many conversation strategies are significantly underused in the fictional dialogues. Overall, the study shows that dialogues from fiction have some potential as a model of conversation and could be used to supplement materials offering very contrived dialogues
Non-native Students’ Dismay in the Spoken Context in the United Kingdom
Full text linkNon-native English users may not be comfortable during their stay in a native context experiencing that English is used slightly in a different way from what they learnt from books. The differences between the English of text-books and the English of daily life in a native context can contribute to an experience of language shock for non-native English users who need to use English in a native context when they travel abroad for higher education. Though both native and non-native speakers can experience language shock in either a spoken or a written context, English users who have learned English mainly from text books are at a higher risk of language shock in a native spoken context than in an academic context. This paper will critically examine how naturally spoken English in a native context differs from the academic English of text books, illustrating why the experience of language shock is more probable in any spoken context than in any written context
The Pragmatic Functions of the Expression ‘Insha’a Allah’ in the Speech Acts of Non-native, Non-Muslim Arabic Speakers
Full text linkThere is a large volume of published studies on the pragmatic functions of the Arabic expression ‘insha’a Allah’, which has a literal translation of (“God willing”). However, these studies investigated this issue from the perspective of Arab or Muslim participants only. Thus far, no attempt has been made to understand how the expression is used by non-native, non-Muslim speakers of Arabic as a second language. Based on the speech-act theory, this paper reports on a pilot study which investigates the different intercultural pragmatic functions of the expression ‘insha’a Allah’ in the speech acts of seven non-Arab, non-Muslim participants who speak Arabic as a second language, and who have been aware of the expression ‘insha’a Allah’ for at least four years. Accordingly, this qualitative study is unique because it is the first that aims to (1) contribute to the fields of intercultural communication and pragmatics; and (2) shed light on misunderstandings of the expression ‘insha’a Allah’ before and after individuals become familiar with it. To obtain data, the researcher constructed a questionnaire to generate factual and attitudinal information (Dörnyei, 2003). The questionnaire consisted of twelve open-ended questions to provide the participants with the opportunity to answer freely (Creswell, 2014). The results revealed that the intercultural pragmatic functions of the expression ‘insha’a Allah’ as recognised by the participants serve six illocutionary and two perlocutionary functions. Also, the results showed that the participants’ motivations for using it reflect their deep understanding of the importance of integrating with Arabs in order to communicate successfully
Explicit Instruction of Memory Vocabulary Learning Strategies in an ESP Context
Full text linkRecent studies have shown that proficient language learners make substantial use of vocabulary learning strategies (VLS). However, teaching VLS is not emphasized in English education in Japan. This is especially problematic when students are required to learn the technical terms of their field in university since those terms are usually low-frequency words that the students do not encounter when learning academic English. The present study examines the effectiveness of explicit VLS instruction for learning biology terms for Japanese students who major in biology. The study also investigates which VLS are suitable for these students in accordance with their vocabulary size. The instructed VLS in this study were all memory strategies: imagery, association, grouping, and a strategy using affixes. The results revealed that both students with smaller vocabulary sizes and those with larger vocabulary sizes were satisfied with explicit VLS instruction but that lack of vocabulary can hinder the use of some types of memory strategies. The study demonstrates the efficacy of explicit memory VLS instruction in ESP settings, especially the strategy using affixes and roots
The Constraints that Influence the Application of Feature Films in EFL Classrooms in Algeria
Full text linkMany learners of English in Algeria struggle with the basics of the language: poor understanding, weak grammar, inadequate vocabulary, and a lack of the four language skills. One of the crucial challenges a teacher of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) may face in Algeria is that English is not used authentically in the settings in which learners live, and learners are not motivated to learn in a conventional way. One of the widespread multimedia technologies that have become gradually more common in the teaching of English as a foreign language is film application. The research literature highlights the advantages of using films in language classes and how they can improve students’ language skills. This study investigates the constraints that influence the use of feature films in Algeria based on the main findings of a research study that was carried out at one university in Algeria involving teachers of oral expression and first-year EFL students through the use of semi-structured interviews. The findings show that the use of films is, to a great extent, effective in EFL classes. However, a key issue is how teachers can avoid the potential challenges that may influence the whole process
Omani EFL Undergraduate Students’ Knowledge of and Attitudes towards Essay Writing
Full text linkWriting is still understudied regardless of its increasing significance in the academic and professional fields which demand writing proficiency in English from their candidates. However, writing in the EFL context (English as a Foreign Language) is a considerably challenging activity, with which many students struggle. Essay writing is usually a vital element in EFL writing courses and is considered an essential academic requirement. Therefore, utilizing a quantitative approach, this study investigated students’ knowledge of and attitude towards essay writing in an Omani university in relation to their majors and English language proficiency. Sixty-four male and female students responded to a two-part questionnaire that tested students’ knowledge of essay writing and examined their attitudes towards it. The study revealed a moderately positive attitude towards essay writing. It also showed a statistically significant moderate positive correlation between their knowledge of and attitude towards essay writing. It revealed that knowledge of essay writing differed significantly based on students’ English proficiency levels but not their majors. The study also showed that students’ attitude towards essay writing could be predicted based on their knowledge of essay writing but not based on their majors and English language proficiency