The Impact of a Global Englishes Course on Teachers’ Attitudes Towards Teaching English as a Global Language (Published)
In this study I aimed to investigate the impact of a Global Englishes for Language Teaching course on teachers’ attitudes towards teaching English as a global language. I employed an intervention research design to make a comparison between a control group and an intervention group. Forty-four Saudi preservice and inservice teachers participated in the study. The findings of the pre-questionnaire for both groups showed positive attitudes towards global perspectives on English language teaching and a slight attachment to traditional perspectives on English language teaching. The statistically significant difference between the pre-questionnaire and post-questionnaire of the intervention group showed the Global Englishes course could raise the intervention group’s appreciation of global perspectives on English language teaching and encourage a willingness to detach from traditional perspectives on English language teaching.
Keywords: English language teaching, Global Englishes, Teacher Education, attitude
Relationship between Learning Environment and Students’ Variables in English Language (Published)
This study investigated the relationship between learning environment and SS2 students’ variables in English language in Ebonyi State. Specifically, the study investigated the issues of school learning environment as it relates to SS 2 students’ achievement in English language and attitude towards the subject. The study utilized the correlation research design. Through the purposive random sampling technique a sample size of 540 English language students were used for the study. Three instruments were used to elicit information from the respondents; English achievement Test and a structured questionnaire. The instruments were face validated by experts and yielded the following reliability co-efficient of 0.76 using Cronbach Alpha for school learning environment; the English Achievement Test yielded a reliability co-efficient of 0.78 using Pearson Product Moment Correlation while the instrument on attitude yielded 0.63 using Cronbach Alpha. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions while regression was used to test the hypotheses. Findings of the study showed that there is a significant relationship between the school learning environment and students’ achievement in English language. The study also found a significant relationship between the learning environment and students’ attitude towards English language. Based on these findings, one of the recommendations was that Government and stakeholder in the education industry should improve the school-learning environment by rebuilding, repainting and renovating all the dilapidated school buildings to make them more attractive and conducive for learning so that students’ achievement in English language will improve. Social infrastructures necessary for effective teaching and learning of the English language should also be provided.
Keywords: Achievement, Learning Environment, attitude
Finding the Nexus between Students’ Profiles and Attitude towards ESP: The Case of Vietnamese Medical Students Purposes (Published)
The aim of this research is to determine the relationship between students’ profile and their attitude in learning English as a foreign language. The respondents were 82 second year undergraduate students studying medicine at Thaibinh University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Vietnam. The research instrument is a Likert questionnaire including two parts: Bio Data and Attitude towards ESP. The study was basically a quantitative research utilizing the descriptive-correlational method and SPSS software to describe and investigate the relationship between students’ select profile variables and their attitude towards English for Specific Purposes (ESP). The findings from this study illustrated that there is a significant relationship between Thaibinh medical students’ attitude towards ESP and their mothers’ education, number of years of studying English, grades in EGP (English for General Purposes) and ESP and native language. Findings also revealed that the profile variables not related to the students’ attitude towards ESP are fathers’ educational attainment and sex.
Keywords: ESP, Medical Student, Relationship, attitude, profile
An Evaluation of EFL Students’ Attitudes toward English Language Learning In Terms of Several Variables (Published)
The present study sheds light on the attitudes of Al-Balqa Applied University students towards learning English as a foreign language. The study also investigated the effect of the learners’ gender and field of study on the attitudes they hold. The random sample of 176 students consisted of 68 (38.6%) males and 108 (61.4%) females. 67 (38.1%) of the respondents were majoring in the scientific faculties, and 109 (61.9%) were enrolled in the different faculties of humanities. The descriptive and inferential statistics revealed that the sample students held positive attitudes towards learning English. Gender was found to be an effective variable since females proved to be more positive in their attitudes. No differences were assigned to the students’ academic field of study.
Keywords: English, Field of study, Foreign Language, Gender, attitude
ARAB STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION IN LEARNING ENGLISH: A STUDY OF PYP STUDENTS (Published)
Motivation is the driving force that puts a person in action to achieve his/her goal. Motivation determines the direction of the action. The present study attempts to interpret what important factors affect the motivation of Saudi students in English. The study also looks at the relationship between English language learning motivation of Saudi students and their achievement in English. The data were collected from preparatory year programme, Najran university students. The quantitative approach has been used for data. The major finding of the study is that students don’t want to be looked down upon as ignorant. It has been found that students prefer to learn English due to its international hype and they want to look like English people because they are very impressed by the western culture. The findings also reveal that there is a positive correlation between Saudi students’ motivation and their achievement in English. The study shows interesting effects of motivational factors in learning English.
Keywords: Arab Students, Motivation, Preparatory Year, SLA, attitude