Sudanese EFL University Instructors’ Perspectives about using Task-Based Language Teaching in Enhancing EFL Learners’ Communicative Competence: A Case Study of University of West Kordufan (Published)
The aim of this study is to investigate Sudanese EFL university instructors’ perspectives about using task-based language teaching in enhancing EFL learners’ communicative competence in the Faculty of Education, at West Kordufan University in Elnnihud City in Sudan during the second semester of the academic year 2020-2021. Fifteen EFL university instructors are randomly selected as a sample of this study. To collect data, the study depends on a structured interview. The results of the study reveal that majority of the interviewed instructors believe that task-based language teaching enhances Sudanese EFL university learners’ communicative competence to large extent because it enables students to work with their peers in pairs or groups and this enables them to feel more comfortable in using language more naturally than with their teachers. However, the participants do believe that they have experienced some difficulties in using task-based language teaching approach for example slow and low-proficient students do not get more opportunities to enhance better communicative competence because group working, discussions and presentations are dominated and overshadowed by proficient students. In addition to that, some students lack the sufficient lexical competence and the topical knowledge in English. The participants think that these difficulties have impact on the developing and enhancing of communicative competence of Sudanese EFL university learners to large extent. Finally, the study recommends that the learning tasks should address students’ language needs and interests and the students should be grouped according to their levels of proficiency besides that teachers must simplify the language required to undertake the task and make it easier for the students.
Keywords: Communicative Competence, EFL Instructors, Perspectives, Task-Based Language Teaching, sudanese
A Practical Approach to Implementing an Extensive Reading Program (Published)
Extensive Reading (ER) plays an important role not only in developing general reading skills and improving reading comprehension, but also in raising learning motivation levels. Although part of all English proficiency tests, reading remains challenging for many Taiwanese students because they lack sound reading habits and have little recourse to practical reading programs that support ER. For this reason, the Extensive Reading Program includes two component projects to use at the university level: “The Unified Reader” and “Reading Passport.” The purpose of this study is to illustrate how to use this plan and how to compare teacher and student perspectives by taking classic reading activities as a practical approach to support teaching reading. The participants for this research were first- and second-year students in two- and four-year programs, either in English or non-English disciplines. A survey was conducted of the perspectives of teachers and students and data was gathered from more than 1000 respondents. To measure internal consistency, the study used SPSS statistical software. Moreover, various attitudes toward the Classic Reading Program among teachers and students were found. Results show that most participants were classic readers, and most teachers and first-year students prefer to include the reading passport as part of their regular reading classes. While non-English major seniors often lack confidence in extensive reading because of limited fluency and busy schedules, different ways to overcome these problems have been suggested. However, we recommend mixing reading activities with regular curricula, which bolsters confidence since many students feel they are learning something practical. By such means students cultivate sound reading habits and a lifelong love of reading.
Keywords: Classic Reading Program, Extensive Reading, Perspectives, Reading Passport