EFL Studies

Assessing the Effectiveness of Quizizz Mobile App in Improving Grammar Competence among EFL Students

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Nguyen Ngoc Vu1* , Kwok Thoai Nhi2 , Tran Ngoc Ha3 , Bui Duc Tien4
1,3Ho Chi Minh City University of Foreign Languages – Information Technology. *Corresponding author.
2Ton Duc Thang University.
4Ho Chi Minh City University of Education.

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 16, Issue 2, 2024. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n2.01g
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Abstract
With the increasing popularity of mobile technology, there is growing interest in exploring its potential for enhancing learning outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the impact of using Quizizz, a mobile application, on high school students’ grammar competence and their perceptions of the app for grammar learning. The study employed a mixed-methods approach with a quasi-experimental design, involving 92 11th-grade students at a high school in Vietnam. The experimental group received 17 weeks of grammar instruction using Quizizz, while the control group received traditional instruction. The results revealed that students in the experimental group significantly outperformed their peers in the control group, highlighting the positive impact of Quizizz on high school students’ grammar competence. Additionally, students’ perceptions of Quizizz for grammar practice were generally positive, as indicated by the questionnaire and interviews. The findings suggest that Quizizz can be an effective tool for enhancing grammar learning in high school students, and teachers should consider incorporating more mobile learning tasks into their instruction. Further research is needed to determine the generalizability of the results to a larger population of EFL learners.

Keywords: Mobile technology, Quizizz, Grammar competence, EFL learners.

Conflicts of Interest: The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
Ethical Consideration: Informed consent was obtained from all the participants of the study.
Funding: No funding was received for this research.
Article History: Received: 14 December 2023. Revised: 01 April 2024. Accepted: 02 February 2024. First published: 10 April 2024.
Copyright: © 2024 by the author/s.
License: License Aesthetix Media Services, India. Distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Published by: Aesthetix Media Services, India ?
Citation: Vu, N.N. & Nhi, K. T. & Ha, T. N. & Tien, B. D. (2024). Assessing the Effectiveness of Quizizz Mobile App in Improving Grammar Competence among EFL Students. Rupkatha Journal 16:2. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v16n2.01g

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A Reflective Practice of Intensive Teaching of EFL to Non-English Majors in a Hybrid Mode: Insights from an EFL Class from Eastern Siberia

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Sidorova L.V. 1 , Lukina N.A. 2    
1Department of Modern Languages in Sciences, M.K. Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University, Russian Federation.

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 15, Issue 4, 2023. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n4.05
[Article History: Received: 17 September 2023. Revised: 27 October 2023. Accepted: 28 October 2023. Published: 31 October 2023]
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Abstract

The article discusses the intensive English language training for non-English major students at the North-Eastern Federal University, Russia’s Far East region. This study checks out the efficacy of an intensive hybrid teaching model in undergraduate students. The intensive method of teaching is aimed at creating an activating environment for the concurrent development of English skills in non-English major students. The theory of the intensive methodology in the EFL field has been studied in Russian and international research. The intensive hybrid training model combining digital and face-to-face instruction is presented in this article. During the intensive training, 100 undergraduate non-English major students took part in experimental learning. Placement test for students was conducted at the start of the academic year and the final test upon completion of the academic year. The results of the test in the control and experimental groups are also presented. Moreover, the problems in using the intensive hybrid training model are identified.

Keywords: intensive training, communicative competence, interactivity, EFL, short-term learning, hybrid teaching model, English skills, digital learning

Sustainable Development Goals: Quality Education
Citation: Sidorova, L.V. & Lukina, N.A. (2023). A Reflective Practice of Intensive Teaching of EFL to Non-English Majors in a Hybrid Mode: Insights from an EFL Class from Eastern Siberia. Rupkatha Journal 15:4. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n4.05 

Types of Code-switching among Young Adults with Bilingualism

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Ruba S 1, Prabhu S 2, Kala Samayan 3
1,2,3 Department of Audiology & Speech Language Pathology, SRM Medical College Hospital & Research Centre, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai-603203, Tamil Nadu, India.
Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 15, Issue 3, 2023. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n3.08
[Article History: Received: 17 May 2023. Revised: 19 August 2023. Accepted: 19 August 2023. Published: 20 August 2023.]
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Abstract

The present study aimed to analyse and compare various forms of code-switching among adult male and female Tamil-English bilinguals. This research involved thirty bilingual (Tamil and English) adults between the ages of 18 and 25. Each participant was given an updated version of the cookie-theft picture and asked to describe it in Tamil. The various kinds of code-switching, such as tag switching, intra-sentential switching, and inter-sentential switching, were identified through the data analysis. Results indicated that language switching occurs more frequently between phrases and that female participants exhibit code-switching significantly higher than male participants, particularly in tag switching. The study findings can help linguists and speech-language pathologists understand the various types of code-switching employed by Tamil-English bilinguals. However, a larger population needs to be studied for further investigation.

Keywords: Code-switching, Bilingualism, Intra-sentential switching, Inter-sentential switching, Tag switching.
[Sustainable Development Goals: Quality Education]
Citation: S, Ruba, Prabhu S, Kala Samayan. 2023. Types of Code-switching among Young Adults with Bilingualism. Rupkatha Journal 15:3. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n3.08

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Effects of Dynamic Assessment of Grammatical Structures on Learners’ Speaking Accuracy: The Case of Hawassa University, Ethiopia

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Abayneh Feleke  Managdew 1  & Taye Regassa Seda 2
1,2Department of Foreign Languages and Literature, College of Humanities, Language Studies, Journalism and Communication, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia.

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 15, Issue 3, 2023. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n3.06
[Article History: Received: 30 January 2023. Revised: 18 August 2023. Accepted: 19 August 2023. Published: 20 August 2023.]
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Abstract

One of the central problems second language (L2) students face during speaking is the frequent use of ungrammatical structures. Scholars suggest Dynamic assessment (DA), which integrates language instruction and assessment in L2 classrooms, is very helpful in enhancing learners’ speaking accuracy. However, the DA as an L2 instruction/assessment approach and the Weighted Clause Ratio [WCR] as a method of analyzing speaking accuracy has never been addressed in Ethiopia before. Therefore, this research examined the extent of the effects of DA on English language structures during dialogues on learners’ speaking accuracy during monologues. To do so, an experimental study was conducted on 48 second-year English language students of Hawassa University, Ethiopia. The participants took static pretests prepared based on the IELTS Speaking Exam Syllabus. Subsequently, each student’s monologue was transcribed and the grammar accuracy was scored using a Weighted Clause Ratio (WCR). Then, the students (n=48) were assigned to the experimental and control groups based on systematic random sampling, and the equivalence of these two groups was checked.   Finally, the treatment group received DA of speaking skills, whereas the control group got a Non-dynamic assessment (NDA) of speaking skills for 12 weeks. The result showed that DA had a statistically significant effect on students’ oral accuracy. The finding implies that applying DA in ELT classrooms helps to sp facilitate learners’ L2 acquisition.

Keywords: dynamic assessment, non-dynamic assessment, grammatical structures, speaking accuracy, Weighted Clause Ratio (WCR), second language.
[Sustainable Development Goals: Quality Education]
Citation: Managdew, Abayneh Feleke & Taye Regassa Seda. 2023. Effects of Dynamic Assessment of Grammatical Structures on Learners’ Speaking Accuracy: The Case of Hawassa University, Ethiopia. Rupkatha Journal 15:3. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n3.06

Vietnamese Teachers’ Beliefs About Fostering Learner Autonomy in English Teaching and Learning

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Duyen. N. T. Ngo1, Vy. T. M. Luu2
1Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics and Finance, Vietnam. ORCID: 0000-0002-7314-1352. Email: duyennnt@uef.edu.vn
2Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics and Finance, Vietnam. ORCID: 0000-0003-0231-3863. Email: vyltm@uef.edu.vn

[Received 23 January 2023, modified 23 June 2023, accepted 15 July 2023, first published 29 July 2023]

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 15, Issue 2, 2023. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n2.27
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Abstract
Driven by rapid technological developments together with social and economic changes, the demand for flexible education has grown in a way that the cultivation of learner autonomy (LA) has become a worldwide phenomenon, especially in language learning and teaching. In this sense, the study reported here makes further contributions to the understanding of teachers’ beliefs in fostering LA in English learning and teaching at the tertiary level in Vietnam. The study adopted a complete qualitative approach to exploring how 10 Vietnamese teachers perceive LA based on their previous teaching experiences. Data analysis from an in-depth interview reveals that participants gave multiple interpretations of LA and admitted that Vietnam’s deep-rooted traditional teaching culture causes the main constraints on developing autonomous learning. Besides, these teachers seem fully aware of the significance of LA but not the “how” in assisting learners with exercising LA both within and beyond educational settings. The findings also propose some pedagogic implications for teacher development as well as curriculum development in English learning and teaching at tertiary levels.

Keywords: teachers’ beliefs, learner autonomy, English language learning, Vietnamese context.
[Sustainable Development Goals: Quality Education]

Effectiveness of the Reading Strategies Used by Engineering Students at the Undergraduate Level

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K. R. Surendran1 & Janaki Bojiah2

1Assistant Professor, Velammal College of Engineering & Technology. Email: krsd@vcet.ac.in

2Professor, Department of English, Velammal College of Engineering & Technology. Email: bj@vcet.ac.in

[Received 15 January 2023, modified 30 June 2023, accepted 2 July 2023, first published 22 July 2023]

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 15, Issue 2, 2023. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n2.18
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Abstract

Communication skills consist of four primary skills namely listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. This study tries to investigate the effectiveness of the reading strategies used by undergraduate technical students with diverse backgrounds at the intermediate level of learning English. A total of 371 Tamil-speaking Indian students of second-year and third-year of an engineering institute in South India participated in this study. They were provided with a list of questions that were five-point Likert scale closed-ended. The survey was conducted in the presence of the researchers for effective collection of data. To measure the reliability of the data collected, the Cronbach alpha test was conducted and the coefficients were derived. IBM SPSS and the data analysis tools of MS Excel were used for data analysis. The items presented in the questionnaire were divided into three sub-scales and the effectiveness of the same was interpreted. The results showed that the global understanding strategy is predominantly used by the participants followed by problem-solving strategy and supporting strategy. This lays the scope for the enhancement of the items clubbed under the problem-solving strategy and supporting strategy. The study also suggests training the instructors and the students to evaluate the effectiveness of their strategies and compare them with their peers’ strategies for better investigation and learning experience.

Keywords: reading strategies, global understanding strategy, problem-solving strategy, supporting strategy.

The Influence of L1 in English Language Acquisition: A Case Study of ESL Learners at King Saud University

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Syed Sarwar Hussain
Associate Professor, Department of English Language and Translation, College of Languages and Translation, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia. Email: sayedshussain@yahoo.com

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 15, Issue 2, June 2023. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n2.05
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Abstract

This study aims to analyze the important role First Language (FL) plays in Target Language (TL) acquisition. Researchers have repeatedly pointed to the need for Target Language (TL) teachers to maximize the use of TL while minimizing the use of L1. Teachers alternate between L1 and TL. Common Language Errors occur in the L1 transition to TL. These include over-extension of analogy, transfer of structure, and interlingual errors. The depth of these errors depends on the level of similarity between one language to the other. Once teachers understand that although acquiring TL is important, the use of L1 cannot be eliminated in classrooms, rather, it facilitates learning. This study aimed at investigating the reasons for using L1 in foreign language teaching and learning, as well as the positive benefits of L1. For the analysis purpose, survey data were collected from 54 King Saud University students using an open-ended questionnaire. The findings revealed that the proficiency of both TL and L1 was good and from the Chi-square test and the vocabulary-based questions, the perceived proficiency showed an association with an understanding of cognates. Also, the result revealed that there was no association between opinion on L1-TL interference and sentence structure-based difficulties at a 5% level of significance.

Keywords: First Language, Target Language, Language Transition, Language Errors.

Article History: Submitted 10 Dec 2022, modified 15 May 2023, accepted 30 May 2023, first
published 06 June 2023
The Influence of L1 in English Language Acquisition: A Case Study of ESL Learners at King Saud University

Let the child take the lead: Intervention for enriching parent-child interactions during shared book reading

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Divya Shantha Kumari Adinarayanan1, Shanthi Nambi2, Raman Krishnan3 and Rajagopalan Vijayaraghavan4

1Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Saveetha Medical College and Hospital, Chennai. Email: shanthakumaridivya@gmail.com

2 Department of Psychiatry, Saveetha Medical College and Hospital, Chennai. Email: shanthi.nambi@gmail.com

3Department of Psychiatry, Saveetha Medical College and Hospital, Chennai. Email: dr_ramkrish@yahoo.com

4Department of Research and Development, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Science. Email: jai_vijay@hotmail.com

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 15, Issue 1, April-May, 2023. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n1.11
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Abstract

Shared book reading (SBR) emphasizes dialogue interaction between parents and children during book sharing, as engaging children in conversations during SBR can facilitate language skill development. This time-series study investigated the effect of SBR intervention on the interactional behaviors of parents and children (N = 210 dyads) and children’s expressive language skill development. The parents in the experimental group received a five-week SBR online training. Parents in both the treatment and control groups audio-recorded reading storybooks with their children at baseline (pre-test), post-intervention (post-test 1), and follow-up stages (post-test 2). Response length, number of conversation turns, and children’s expressive language ability were measured. Subsequently, the performance of the experimental and control groups was compared. The findings showed that parents in the experimental group were more responsive, offering significantly longer responses and more conversational turns than the control group. Additionally, children in the experimental group exhibited significantly greater expressive language skills. These findings suggest that the intervention can enhance parents’ ability to facilitate conversations during SBR and improve children’s expressive language skills.

Keywords: Parent-child interaction, shared book reading, linguistic input, language environment, language development, intervention 

Strategies and Reasons When Addressing Grammatical Problems in Thesis Writing

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Wisma Yunita1, Syahrial2, Ira Maisarah3

1English Education Postgraduate Program, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Bengkulu – Indonesia. ORCID: 0000-0002-6039-0448. Email: wismayunita@unib.ac.id

2English Education Postgraduate Program, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Bengkulu – Indonesia. ORCID: 0000-0003-1803-0091. Email: eric.syahrial@gmail.com

3English Education Postgraduate Program, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Bengkulu – Indonesia. ORCID: 0000-0002-9302-8090. Email: iramaisarah@unib.ac.id

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 15, Issue 1, April-May, 2023. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n1.10
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Abstract

English grammar plays an important role in writing, including master’s theses. To write an acceptable thesis, students often use strategies to address grammatical errors. They also have reasons for their strategy preferences. In this mixed-methods study, we explored strategies graduate students use to address grammatical errors when writing theses and their reasons for using them. To investigate this, we engaged graduate English language learners (N = 68) at an Indonesian university. The findings showed that the most frequently used strategy was checking online sources (M = 3.99), while the least used strategy was paying someone to edit (M =  1.21).

Keywords: strategy, grammatical problem, thesis writing

The Effectiveness of and Students’ Perceptions of Peer Feedback: A Vietnam Action Research Project

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369 views

Phan Thi Ngoc Le

VNU University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam. ORCID: 0000-0002-2337-9135. Email: lehang6778@gmail.com

Rupkatha Journal, Vol. 15, Issue 1, April-May, 2023. https://doi.org/10.21659/rupkatha.v15n1.09
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Abstract                                                                                                   
The utilization of peer feedback is an established and growing global trend. However, it has been less employed and explored in the Vietnamese context. Therefore, this action research study explored the effectiveness of peer feedback on students’ writing and perceptions of the advantages and disadvantages of this approach. In the first phase, a pre-test and post-test design was employed to explore how student performance changed after receiving peer feedback. After that, questionnaires and interviews were conducted to explore this phenomenon further. The results showed that the experimental group outperformed the control group, and students had positive perceptions toward peer feedback concerning learning strategies, attitudes, motivation, and self-esteem. Reported disadvantages included students’ lack of writing and assessment knowledge. The results can potentially inform scholars and teachers interested in implementing peer feedback in the Vietnamese context.

Keywords: Peer feedback, writing skill, action research, Vietnamese students

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