FOSTER: Journal of English Language Teaching
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The Ghanaian Perspective of Attitudes towards Francophones Learning English as a Second Language
Get PDFThe study investigates the attitudes of Francophone students learning English as a Second Language (ESL) at the Ghana Institute of Languages (GIL), focusing on the influence of gender and age. Using a quantitative approach, the research surveyed 267 students from various Francophone countries through questionnaires. Statistical analysis, including descriptive statistics and ANOVA, revealed that students generally hold positive attitudes toward learning English. Female students demonstrated significantly more favorable attitudes (M = 4.46, SD = 0.36) than their male counterparts (M = 4.21, SD = 0.77), while age showed a negative correlation with attitudes. Younger students (16–20 years) exhibited the most positive attitudes (M = 4.39, SD = 0.45), which declined in older groups. These findings highlight gender and age as critical factors in shaping attitudes toward second language learning. The study underscores the importance of attitudinal factors in ESL acquisition, offering practical and theoretical insights for policymakers and educators. It calls for targeted interventions to sustain positive attitudes across demographic groups and further research incorporating qualitative methods to explore factors like anxiety and cultural adaptation. The findings contribute to the growing body of literature on language attitudes, particularly within multilingual African contexts
The Impact of Powerpoint Animation in Increasing the Students' Listening Skills at Islamic Senior High School
Get PDFThis study centered on utilizing animated PowerPoint presentations as audiovisual aids for enhancing the listening skills of tenth-grade students at Islamic Senior High School of Al-Falah Lemahabang. The study employed a pre-experimental approach, employing pre-test and post-test to evaluate the influence of PowerPoint animation on listening skills among tenth-grade students at Islamic Senior High School of Al-Falah Lemahabang. The sample, comprising 24 students, was selected through random sampling. Both pre-test and post-test scores were optimized as research tools. Examination of the data demonstrated a notable contrast between the pre-test (59.79) and post-test (76.67) outcomes. The paired sample test results yielded a significance value of 0.001, below the threshold of 0.05, prompting the rejection of the null hypothesis (H0) and acceptance of the alternative hypothesis (H1). This suggests that employing PowerPoint animation as an audiovisual learning tool effectively enhances listening skills in the context of the Islamic Senior High School of Al-Falah Lemahabang. It means that PowerPoint animation as audiovisual media can increase listening ability in tenth-grade students at Islamic Senior High School of Al-Falah Lemahabang in 2023/2024 academic years
Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) in Improving Speaking Skills of Tertiary Level EFL Students of Bangladesh
Get PDFIn the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context, students must be given a proper foundation of communication skills necessary in various dynamic real-world situations. This study investigates learner perception of the effectiveness of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) in improving the speaking skills of tertiary-level EFL students in Bangladesh. A mixed-methods approach was used to collect and analyze data from 30 students, of different private universities of Bangladesh. The data was gathered by analyzing the results from the survey. The results of the study showed there was a statistically significant improvement in the speaking skills of EFL students after the CLT intervention. The students demonstrated an increase in fluency and complexity in their speaking performance. Furthermore, findings revealed that the students had positive perceptions of CLT and found it effective in enhancing their speaking skills. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the benefits of using CLT as a teaching method in EFL environments. This suggests the importance of incorporating communicative and interactive activities in language classrooms to promote language learning and student engagement
An Investigation into the Pragmatic Competence of the Front-Office Trainees of Valombola Vocational Training Centre
Get PDFThis study aimed to analyze the front-office trainees' pragmatic competence at Valombola VTC. The trainees were tested on their ability to formulate and implement strategies for requests, their politeness principles in the speech acts of refusal and apologetic responses, and the factors that impact their pragmatic competence. Fifteen out of thirty (2022) front-office trainees enrolled in the Hospitality Department's program were chosen for the study using a systematic random sampling method. A Written Discourse Completion Task (WDCT) and a questionnaire were utilized as data collection devices. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were conducted on the data about the students' pragmatic abilities. According to the study's results, the trainees' pragmatic competence was a dismal 30% when it came to the verbal act of refusing. It can be concluded that the trainees at the front desk lacked the pragmatic competence necessary to effectively respond to requests, offer apologies, and employ a refusal approach. Taking into account the outcomes of the three speech acts of asking, apologizing, and refusing, their pragmatic competence was found to be fairly low. This is in line with their preference for using their vernacular language when interacting with others, as shown even in the questionnaire. Furthermore, the results show that trainees employ various aggressive apologetic methods and reaction styles when asked to apologize. Finally, the results show that pragmatic competence is affected by several underlying issues, such as a lack of education, a low level of everyday activities involving English, and the misunderstanding of pragmatic implicature. Finally, the TVET sector as a whole and front-desk trainees in particular were advised to take English for Specific Purposes with an emphasis on pragmatic skills
Android-Based Learning: Developing Easy with Grammar Application to Learn Grammar
Get PDFThe writers aimed to develop an application for learning grammar namely Easy with Grammar (EWMAR). The writers applied the Research and Development method by adapting the ADDIE Model, which has five stages: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. 70 learners of the first semester of the Shariah Management Business study program answered a need analysis questionnaire. Sixty-six learners were involved in the field try-out and three experts assessed the writers’ product. The instruments consisted of questionnaires and grammar tests. The technique of data analysis included descriptive qualitative and quantitative. Based on learners' perception questionnaire results, the mean score was 4 (100%), classified as "Excellent," which means that the EWMAR application was appropriate for the eleventh graders of senior high school learners. The average score of experts’ assessments was 3.27, and at the percentile, 81.75% met the "Good" criteria to use it with minor revisions. Therefore, the EWMAR application is feasible as a learning medium. The writers recommended another scholar develop more modern Android-based learning to facilitate the educational process
The Use of Literary Adaptations in the EFL Classroom: A Case Study
Get PDFThe marriage of the two arts, literature and cinema, gave birth to the production of literary adaptations, which is inspiring to explore in an EFL (English as Foreign Language) literature classroom because EFL students are becoming reluctant readers with limited critical literacy. Literary texts in print might cause a loss of interest in literature class. That is why the teacher has always secured material that will keep students' learning literature an enjoyable experience. The researcher experimented on a group of fourth-year English classical system students at Djilali Liabes University, Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria, to bring about a change. In their British Literature classroom, one projected "Pride and Prejudice," Austen's film adaptation (2005), to observe students' abilities in criticizing the Film and discussing it and to discover to what extent it will make them eager to read the novel and get engaged. Hence, based on the structured observation during the film projection and the semi-structured questionnaires, the researcher found that Austen's adaptation was fruitful since it pushed students into critiquing what is visual and showing interest in further reading the written word. In addition, it contributed to memorizing and discovering some of the British cultural aspects of that era. Therefore, opting for a cinematic milieu in a literature classroom can have dual aims: educating and entertaining, raising students' visual awareness through readings of adaptations by concertizing what is written
Morning English Program (MEP) as a Strategy to Improve Students' Speaking Skills at SMK Bhakti Mulia Pare Kediri
Get PDFThis study aims to describe the activities of MEP and their impact on improving students' speaking skills. This study applied a descriptive quantitative method. In collecting the data, the researchers of the administered questionnaire were divided into two groups: an English teacher at SMK Bhakti Mulia Pare and 11th-grade students who became members of the MEP. Then, the researcher interviewed five students and one teacher to expand the information received. Data analysis was done by calculating the percentage of students' participation in each activity. The supporting qualitative data was analyzed by collecting, displaying, and drawing conclusions. The reliability of the study data was checked through data triangulation. The results of this study showed that the MEP activities consisted of speeches, reading aloud, telling stories and group discussions. Following the implementation of these activities, students' speaking skills, which include grammatical accuracy, pronunciation skills, vocabulary mastery, fluidity, and the ability to organize concepts in speaking, improve. In addition, students experience low anxiety and are more interested in learning English. This positive impact results from the teacher's role in preparing appropriate teaching methods and creating a positive learning environment. Henceforth, this study emphasizes the importance of planning before implementing an English program and adopting similar activities to improve students' speaking skills
Students’ Motivation in Learning English in Islamic Higher Education
Get PDFIn the learning process, motivation has an important role because motivation can foster interest in learning. This research will be conducted on semester 1 students of the Islamic Religious Education study program at IAIN Palopo with the aim of describing student motivation in learning English and the factors that influence student motivation in learning English. This research is a descriptive research, which describes existing events by combining quantitative and qualitative. Data collection techniques are questionnaires, observations, and interviews. The subjects of this study were first semester students of the Islamic Religious Education study program who took Basic English courses. The results showed that second semester students of Islamic Religious Education had high motivation in learning English, which consisted of internal and external factor
The Effects of Video Materials on English-Major Students’ Learning: A Test of Hypotheses in the Vietnamese Context
No full textVideo materials are used more frequently in English as a foreign language (EFL) classes since they are perceived to be effective. However, using video materials is challenging because it requires EFL teachers’ abilities to determine the videos' suitability for their learners. As a result, this study was conducted qualitatively to listen to language learners’ voices about using video materials in their English classes. There were six hypotheses related to the use of video materials in the Vietnamese context. Fine focus-group interviews were organized to collect data from 25 English students learning in a tertiary institution in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. The data revealed that Vietnamese students perceived using video materials to be effective. The animated videos with beautiful sounds helped improve their learning motivation. Regarding the existence of video materials on various online platforms, the students could learn outside the classroom as well as increase their learner autonomy. However, to integrate video materials into classroom activities, English teachers were required to have sufficient abilities to choose the appropriate videos for their learners. As a result, the study proposed several practical implications for educators who would like to use video materials in their classrooms.
 
Improving Junior High School Students' Speaking Skills through Role-Play and Peer Feedback
Get PDFThrough role-play and peer feedback, this research aims to improve students' English-speaking skills in Grade VIII of junior high school in Wangon, Central Java. It used Classroom Action Research (CAR) based on Kemmis and Mc Taggart's design to solve the students' problems with English Speaking. The researcher did two cycles: planning, acting, observing, and reflecting. Qualitative and quantitative data were gathered from interview and observation results and speaking scores. The finding of this study indicated that the implementation of the role-play and peer feedback technique was successful since the success criteria were achieved. The first criterion was that 50% of students could pass the target score ≥ 70 based on the KKM. The finding showed that 48.15% of students had already achieved the target score. Besides, the second criterion was the students who become more actively involved in the teaching-learning process. The result of observation and interview showed that by using role play and peer feedback techniques, students were actively involved in the classroom activity. Based on the previous finding, the writer suggests that the English teacher could implement Role play and peer feedback techniques in teaching speaking to improve students' English-speaking skills