Journal of English Language Teaching and Linguistics
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The Utility Extent of Linguistics to Language Teaching: An Experimental Evaluation
Get PDFTo approach the very questions how and how far linguistics helps language teaching, we have to examine, analyze and evaluate them critically from various view-points. During the Second World War, the importance of linguistics in language teaching was noticed forthwith for the first time. Linguistics and language teaching have the same subject matter to deal with. Though linguistics is the scientific study of language, it has some specific role to play in the process of language teaching from the earlier to the modern times. Stephen Pit Corder (1975:143) says, “… the relevance of theoretical linguistics to language teaching is indirect and it is not the task of a theoretical linguist to say what relevance it may have. This is the field of applied linguistics.” According to the American linguist Noam Chomsky and some others, applied linguistics has a direct relationship with language teaching which is a pragmatic process and cannot take place in a total isolation. It takes help from various related sources and fields such as general, educational and social psychology; sociology, social anthropology and so on. Here, linguistics provides a language teacher with effective tools. However, as Dwight Bollinger says (1975a:22), “Language teaching is not linguistics, any more than medicine is chemistry….” So, the aim of this paper is to show the role of linguistics in teaching both foreign languages and any first languages or mother tongues
Context in English Language Teaching Program: Differentiating between Iranian Public Schools and Private Institutes
Get PDFFor some years, there was a debate about the effectiveness of public and private sectors in language learning field, not only in Iran but also in USA and Europe. Actually, a context in which language learners are provided with friendly communicative environment is a great help to learn how to use the language communicatively in authentic situations. Therefore, a context in which the efficient factors are employed more appropriately enables EFL learners to emphasize the communicative use of language in everyday, real world situations. In Iran, the students can learn English in two contexts including a) public schools that are funded and supported by the government b) private institutes. In public education, the students start learning English from the first year of Junior Secondary Program for six years. But after graduating from high school, hardly some of them are able to communicate fluently (Safari & Rashidi, 2015). Thus, this study investigated the comparability of the effectiveness of two education systems applied in two contexts on oral communication skills. Direct observations, interviews, and FCE speaking test taken by 154 students of two contexts revealed that the language learners of private institutes outperformed on oral skills. Furthermore, the results of independent t-test indicated that 8 internal and external moderator-factors assessed by a questionnaire might affect speaking performance of language learners in two contexts. The findings were also supported by the interview-based data
Female Power in Education: Is it a Reversal of Gender Gap?
Get PDFEducation today is increasingly being feminized with girls accounting for the large majority of the student population at all levels. This feminization is happening not only in terms of number of girls but also in terms of performance. The present paper reports on a comparative study that looked into the differences between girls’ achievements and boys’ achievements in high education. More specifically, the paper explores gender differences in written linguistic proficiency by analyzing a sample of high school students’ pieces of writing in English. The research sample consisted of 130 high school students in the city of El Jadida, 59 males and 71 females. Using Hunt’s T-units as a method of language measurement, the paper outlines gender differences in the sample in terms of accuracy, fluency and complexity. Results showed that girls significantly outperformed boys in different aspects of writing, thereby suggesting a reversal of gender inequality. However, care must be taken so that these differences which favor girls are not misinterpreted in such a way as to reproduce traditional gender inequalities in educational institutions (for instance, some people are advancing the idea that boys are differently, not deficiently, literate). In light of the results, the paper ends with recommendations for justice to be done to female students as well as for the adoption of best classroom management practices that maximise all students’ achievements
Investigating the Role of English Language as International Medium for Learning Medical Sciences
Get PDFThis paper aims to answer “To what extent English Language as International Medium can help for Learning Medical Sciences?" The researcher has adopted the quantitative method as well as the questionnaire as a tool for collecting data relevant to the study to bring to the light the importance of English Language as International Medium for Learning Medical Sciences. The sample of this study comprises (60) students. The marks obtained from the questionnaire were compared. From one hand, the results have revealed that the students encountered difficulties in understanding the Medical Sciences. The result has shown that the questionnaire significance indicates that there is highly difference among students. Therefore, this indicates that English Language as International Medium can play a great role for Learning Medical Sciences
A Profile of the Grammatical Variation in British and American English
Get PDFThis research paper attempts to focus on the main and major differences and idiosyncrasies of grammar and grammar related issues in British and American English. These differences have a great influence on learning and using the English language. In fact, British and American English are one language having two (slightly) different grammars. Although there is a popular notion about American English to be more simplified and flexible, we have to keep it in mind about the subtleties, complexities and identifications too. American English is now different from its British mother and we could say it is more than another dialect due to its importance as well as control over the world affairs at present. The fall of the then USSR, the US popular media, open market, globalization, the internet etc have made American English more powerful than ever before. But still today, the number of British English users is more than that of American English. Sometimes, it is noticed by and large that the misuse and the misconception in handling these two major varieties of English pose various problems. So, the main concern of this current paper is to remove the possible mistakes and confusions about the two different but related varieties of English, specially in most of the areas of grammar, syntax and the like
The Effectiveness of Teaching Vocabulary by Using Cartoon Film toward Vocabulary Mastery of EFL Students
Get PDFThis article investigates the suitable media to develop students’ vocabulary in elementary level is audio visual media especially cartoon film media, the problems of the study are: (1) How is the students’ score before using cartoon film media? (2) How is the students’ score after using cartoon film media? (3) How is the effectiveness of using cartoon film media on the students’ vocabulary mastery? This research conducts experimental design; the research design used by the researcher is pre-experimental design in the form of one–group pre–test and post– test. The instruments were used are pre–test, treatment, and the post–test. The analysis technique of data analysis used t–test statistical analysis. The use of cartoon film media will be significant if t count > t table. Data analysis shows that t count > t table (5,20 > 1,71), so H0 is rejected or Ha is accepted. Based on the research finding, the researchers conclude that (1) the students’ mastery on vocabulary before taught by using cartoon film media can be seen from the result of pre – test, there are 15 students get excellent result, there are 2 students get good result , there are 4 students get enough result , there are 3 students get less result and 1 student get low result . It means that there are 32% students who get low score. (2) The students’ mastery on vocabulary after taught by using cartoon film media can be seen from the result of post – test, there are 19 students get excellent result , there are 5 students get good result and there is 1 student get enough result . (3) The significant different, between students’ mastery on vocabulary before and after taught by using cartoon film media can be seen from the result of pre – test, it showed that 15 students who get score 80 – 100 where as the result of post – test showed that 19 students who get score 80 – 100. It means that the result of this research showed that t count > t table (5,20 > 1,71). It indicates that cartoon film is suitable to teach vocabulary. So from the result the researchers suggest to the English teacher that cartoon film is effective to teach vocabulary for young learner
Expanding Teacher Comfort Zones: Developing Professionalism
Get PDFThe age we live in is characterized by a constant flow of information and an ever changing set of skills. Such change produces new challenges for teachers and places new obligations on them. Research also shows that teaching quality is paramount for student success. Teachers are thus required to update their knowledge and refine their teaching skills. The present paper argues for the relevance of Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development (ZPD) to teacher education. More specifically, it makes the point that teachers in the new millennium are called upon more than ever before to extend their ZPDs in order to help their students learn effectively in an age pregnant with new challenges. Starting with a brief overview of the concept of ZPD, the paper moves to argue for its application to teacher education. It also unveils the different stages of developing the ZPTD (zone of proximal teacher development), and the characteristics of proximal teacher development that are bound to impact positively on student learning. It ends with practical suggestions that can improve the ZPTD, like participating in conferences, joining teacher associations, and being involved in action research
Using Local Drama in Writing and Speaking: EFL Learners’ Creative Expression
Get PDFCreating encouragement among students to speak up and to write is not easy. It is seen on their responses of joining speaking and writing class; most students suppose that speaking and writing English are difficult especially to utter and organize their ideas freely. Problems of speaking include inhibition, nothing to say, low participation, mother-tongue use; writing problems include they lack ideas, organizing of ideas, rhetoric or pattern of thought, cohesion and coherence. However to cope with these problems, this study offers the variation performance in delivering ideas or activities through writing a script and conducting a drama. The steps of learning writing are (1) Creative Expression (responding to the ideas that learners produce; (2) Composing Process: planning-writing-reviewing framework using dramatic structure: orientation, complication, sequence of events, resolution and coda; (3) Genre and context of writing (Building Knowledge of Field (BKoF), Modeling of Text (MoT), Joint Construction of Text (JCoT), and Independent Construction of Text (ICoT and Local Drama as their creative expression: Learners use pattern they have developed to write a script). In speaking, before conducting the performance the students are divided into some groups to create the learning community, the steps are: create script based on themes, next consult the script (discuss their creative expreesion), observe the characters play, their characterization, mime, and other aspects, practice the script, and finally perform drama outdoor. As the result they become more self-confidence to utter ideas, expressive including writing a script, drama is considered as an appealing learning strategy which promotes not only goal-oriented learning but also emotional intelligence skills.Key words: teaching, writing and speaking, dram
The Relationship between Second Language Acquisition Process and English Language Teaching in Indonesia
Get PDFEnglish as a global language is learned worldwide and a plethora of methods and approaches have been developed and practiced in English classrooms by dedicated teachers and students. Understanding the underlying theories of second and foreign language acquisition and learning will help both teachers and students in learning and teaching a target language. There has not been many research conducted in the area, especially within Indonesian context. This research therefore attempts to fill in gaps in a way that it provides sufficient discussion of the theories and practice in English Language Teaching (ELT) in Indonesia in its conjunction with the second and foreign language acquisition theories. Twenty eight students specializing in teacher training participated in the research and two distinguished data collection methods were utilized; survey and interview. The results show that the students are not consistent with their opinions concerning the theories of second or foreign language acquisition and learning in relation to the mastery of English as a foreign language in Indonesia. Keywords: language learning, language acquisition, EL
