EFL Studies - Page 4

Exploring the Effects of Blended Learning using WhatsApp on Language Learners’ Lexical Competence

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335 views

Divya Jyot Kaur1, Dr. Niraja Saraswat2 & Dr. Irum Alvi3

1Research Scholar, Department of Humanities & Social Sciences, Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur, Jaipur, 302017, Rajasthan, India. ORCID ID: 0000-0002-6358-9364. E-mail: divyajyotdjk@gmail.com

2Assistant Prof., Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur, Jaipur, 302017, Rajasthan, India. ORCID ID: 0000-0001-6998-6144. E-mail: niraja.hum@mnit.ac.in

3Assistant Prof., Department of Humanities, English and Applied Sciences (HEAS), Rajasthan Technical University, Kota, 324022, Rajasthan, India. ORCID ID: 0000-0001-9509-6225. E-mail: irumalvi@gmail.com

Volume 13, Number 4, 2021 I Full-Text PDF

DOI: 10.21659/rupkatha.v13n4.60 

Abstract

In the wake of COVID-19, online learning has achieved new dimensions and affected all fields of education. As such, one of the emerging fields of ELT is Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL). The proposed study adapts the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) to identify factors influencing students’ behavioral intention towards WhatsApp for enhancing lexical competence. Three constructs, namely, performance expectancy, social influence, & hedonic motivation, are adopted from the original model, and two new constructs: perceived relevance and collaborative learning are added. A questionnaire was administered to 203 undergraduate students from select Institutes in Rajasthan. Smart-PLS (ver. 3.2.9) and IBM SPSS (ver. 26) are used for data analysis. Empirical testing confirms the significant relationship of social influence (?=.274, p=.002), hedonic motivation (?=0.639, p=.000), and perceived relevance (?=0.138, p=.035) with the behavioral intention to use WhatsApp for enhancing lexical competence; and performance expectancy and collaborative learning are proved as insignificant predictors of behavioral intention. The findings should aid decision-makers in developing ELT practices and teachers in opting for innovative approaches for the benefit of language learners. The originality of the study stems from the inclusion of external factors in the UTAUT model. The ramifications for MALL theory and practice have been examined in light of these findings.

Keywords: WhatsApp, Lexical competence, UTAUT, MALL, ELT, COVID-19.

English Speaking Skill and Indian Undergraduate ESL Learners: Interleaving or Block Practice?

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394 views

Sujata Kakoti1, Sarat Kumar Doley2

1PhD Scholar, Dept of English, Tezpur University,sujata7980@gmail.com

2Asst. Prof, Dept of English, Tezpur University, dolesar@tezu.ernet.in

Volume 13, Number 4, 2021 I Full-Text PDF

DOI: 10.21659/rupkatha.v13n4.57   

Abstract

Recent studies showed that compared to practicing language skills in A stepwise manner over a period known as block practice, mixing the units of learning, and making them less predictable by presenting them randomly to the language learners, known as interleaving, may prove to be a more effective approach to language teaching (Finkbeiner&Nicol, 2003; Schneider et al., 1998, 2002; Miles, 2014; Nakata, 2015). This paper is an attempt at reporting the findings of a 24-day long experimental study on the pedagogical effect of the interleaving and block practice approach to language learning (speaking skill in the present context) on undergraduate English as a second (ESL) learner. The teaching experimentation was done online on 36 undergraduate learner participants at the School of Sciences in Tezpur University during the Autumn Semester, 2020-21. The interleaving group showed slightly better language pedagogical results in speaking skills in English than the block practice group. It is, however, stated that the difference in performance was not found to be statistically significant. The performance of the two groups across the four micro-skills of speaking in English identified as interaction, pronunciation, fluency & coherence, and vocabulary & grammar remained static within the duration of the experimentation. Additionally, the groups did not demonstrate any significant difference in their L2 attitude and motivation over time.

Keywords: Interleaving; Block Practice; ESL; Speaking Skill; Attitude; Motivation; Language Pedagogy.

Inclusive learning strategies to enhance reading skill among the students with reading disability: An Occupation and Participation Approach to Reading Intervention (OPARI) in the rural Indian classroom

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375 views

D. Annuncy Vinoliya1 & Dr. R. Joseph Ponniah2

1Research Scholar, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, Orchid Id: 0000-0003-0845-9687. Email Id: annuncydavid.nitt@gmail.com,

2Professor, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli. Orchid Id: 0000-0002-0618-6788. Email Id: Joseph@nitt.edu

Volume 13, Number 4, 2021 I Full-Text PDF

DOI: 10.21659/rupkatha.v13n4.56  

Abstract

Reading is a challenging task for reading disability for which they need comprehensive strategies like sensory and neurocognitive requirements. With this notion, the article aims to find, the appropriate pedagogies and clinical practices used for intervening the reading disability in Indian public schools. To examine, qualitative interviews were conducted with ten high school teachers and four special education teachers, who work in Government schools in India especially in the state of Tamil Nadu. The interview focused the opinions of the teachers on reading disability, facilities and pedagogies provided to the reading disability and from the interview, the study has derived the results in three main themes as, teachers’ views on reading disabilities, inadequate teaching strategies for reading disabilities, special education to the reading disabilities. In the discussion section, the article attempts to resolve the issues raised in the interview by introducing an exclusive approach to intervene reading disability. The article incorporates the principles of the Occupational Participation and Adaptation to Reading Intervention approach (OPARI) to intervene the reading disability and attempts to find a solution to the issues. In addition, the article attempts to justify the neuroscience behind the OPARI by highlighting the dopamine activation in the brain while adapting to reading. In the conclusion section, the article emphasizes therapeutic associative teaching and the need to implement OPARI in Indian classrooms.

Keywords: Reading disability, OPARI, Rural Indian classroom

Learning Styles of Saudi ESP Students

320 views

Saleem Mohd Nasim1 & Syeda Mujeeba2

1, 2 English Language Unit, Preparatory Year Deanship (PYD), Prince Sattam bin Abdul Aziz University, Saudi Arabia,

1Email: s.nasim@psau.edu.sa, educationalresearch80@gmail.com, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5110-1547

2Email: m.syeda@psau.edu.sa, syedaroma2002@gmail.com

Volume 13, Number 4, 2021 I Full-Text PDF

DOI: 10.21659/rupkatha.v13n4.55 

Abstract

Explorations in learning styles have proved the significance of the ways students approach, assimilate, and process information. Students’ perceptions and their organization influence the quality of language learning and guide them towards autonomy, too. This study attempts to identify the preferred perceptual learning styles of 86 Saudi English for Specific Purposes (ESP) female students in the Preparatory Year Deanship, Prince Sattam bin Abdul Aziz University, Saudi Arabia. To accomplish this aim, a Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire (PLSPQ) developed by Joy Reid (1987) was used. The results showed that the participants’ major learning styles were Kinesthetic, Group, Auditory, Visual, and Tactile, whereas their minor style was Individual. The analysis of the data also revealed that the most preferred learning style was the Kinesthetic learning style (18.64%, M=4.42), and the least preferred one was the Individual learning style (14.30%, M=3.39). The second to fifth place belonged to Group (17.19%, M=4.07), Auditory (16.81%, M=3.98), Visual (16.55%, M=3.92) and Tactile (16.52%, M=3.91) learning styles. The findings have implications for teachers, syllabus designers, and researchers to take into consideration students’ preferred learning styles for language learning while teaching, changes in the learning environment, and material adaptation.

 Keywords: learning styles, individual differences, Saudi ESP students, PLSPQ, PYP

A Study on Gender Differences in Workplace Communication across Organizations

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598 views

Dr. Kabita Kumari Dash1, Dr. Susanta Kumar Dash2 and Dr. Swayamprabha Satpathy3

1Assistant Professor, Srusti Academy of Management, Bhubaneswar. Corresponding author. Email: vahi.Kabita@gmail.com

2Professor, Odisha University of Agriculture & Technology, Bhubaneswar

3 Associate Professor, Shiksha “O” Anusandhan University, Bhubaneswar. Email: swayamsatpathy@soa.ac.in

 Volume 13, Number 3, 2021 I Full Text PDF

DOI: 10.21659/rupkatha.v13n3.15

PlumX Metrics

ABSTRACT

Communication is an important aspect of human existence. It has a huge impact on the functioning of any organization. Organizations progress if there is close and greater coordination among both genders. The present study was conducted at Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha. Socio-academic data on 120 employees of three different types of organizations, viz. Government, NGO and Corporate, taken at random were included in the present study. This is an empirical study on gender differences and their effect on workplace communication in various organizations. The objectives of this study are to find out the gender differences in communication in different workplaces and analyze the effects of socio-academic factors like age, qualification and experience on gender-related communication. The study findings depict qualification and gender was found to be dependent across the organizations with ?2 estimate of 8.542. More employees were found to be engaged under moderate qualifications from both genders. The age and experience of employees were revealed to be independent of the gender of employees in the present study. The distribution of males recorded significant dependency of age and organization with ?2 value of 20.081 revealing a higher frequency of higher age group employees in government and non-government institutions in comparison to corporate. Both the new entrants and highly experienced females had lower communication abilities than their male counterparts. However, in the middle part of employment, the females showed an edge over males with regard to this variable. Females in the age group of 31 to 40 years recorded significantly better organizational communication than their male counterparts.

Keywords: Gender difference, Workplace, Communication, Organization, Socio-academic data

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Conversations through Web 2.0 tools: Nurturing 21st century Values in the ESL Classroom

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245 views

Kshema Jose

Department for Training and Development, School of English Language Education, The English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, India. ORCID: 0000-0003-3204-7404. Email: kshema@efluniversity.ac.in

 Volume 13, Number 2, 2021 I Full-Text PDF

DOI: 10.21659/rupkatha.v13n2.35

PlumX Metrics

 Abstract

21st century skills framework proposed by the World Economic Forum (2015) suggests that the development of foundational literacies, competencies and character qualities in students can help them function as responsible and productive global citizens. However, most educational systems focus only on developing foundational literacies like reading and writing, numeracy, scientific literacy, etc. This paper describes an exploratory research conducted to investigate how the 21st century ESL teacher can nurture the development of competencies and character qualities through language development tasks delivered using digital tools. The paper is based on the premise that since character qualities are both social and individualistic in nature, they are ideally delivered through collaborative events and acquired best through self-reflection. Reporting from an ESL teacher’s perspective, the paper elucidates how participating in the communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity activities mediated through web 2.0 tools can facilitate the acquisition of character qualities like curiosity, persistence, adaptability, social and cultural awareness, etc.  It was found that certain features of web 2.0 tools like participatory environments, asynchronicity and ease of use for creating content offered students multiple opportunities for meaningful, sustained and reflective conversations. Using observational data, the researcher identifies the acquisition of character qualities and the development of competencies in students through these conversations.

Keywords: Adult learning, Value Education, Collaborative learning, 21st century character qualities, ESL classrooms 

 

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English Language Teaching: Exploring Enhanced Employability through Soft Skills

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263 views

Kabita Kumari Dash1, SwayamPrabha Satpathy2, Susanta Kumar Dash3

1Srusti Academy of Management

2Associate Professor, SOA University. Email: dr.swayam.prava@gmail.com

3OUAT

 Volume 12, Number 6, 2020 I Full Text PDF

DOI: 10.21659/rupkatha.v12n6.27

Abstract

250 under graduates and management students of SOA University of 1st year, taken at random, were selected  as subjects in this case study. 3 groups comprising of 30 students in each at random were given training on soft skill viz. grammar, vocabulary and speaking ability with 1 credit hour as extra class on Saturday during course curriculum Rest 160 students in same batch were taken as control. After one year of the of the final examination, means with incubation period of one year after the training period, it was found that 22(73.33%),18(60.0%),and 28(93.33%) students belonging to Grammar, Vocabulary and Speaking ability group, respectively  got a placement in the campus selection. The overall placement in the batch of students under trial was estimated as 105(42.0%) and the students without soft skill training was as low as 37(23.13%), recorded in control group.

Key words: Communication, Employability, Language, Placement, Soft skill, Training

Using Parallel Texts to Teach Literary Appreciation and Academic Writing Skills of M.A. Students

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191 views

Anand Mahanand

EFL University, Hyderabad, India, anand@efluniversity.ac.in, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6069-097X

 Volume 12, Number 6, 2020 I Full Text PDF

DOI: 10.21659/rupkatha.v12n6.10

 

Abstract

In this paper I would like to report a study I have undertaken to understand whether   using parallel texts would be  helpful in developing  literary appreciation  and writing skills  of M.A students. I  would like to  report how I got the idea  to use the parallel texts, the way I collected materials and taught them for literary appreciation and    writing skills following a bilingual approach. I would also like to share the outcome of my study.  A group of ten students participated in the study.   The students not only developed in writing skills and literary appreciation but   the use of a bilingual approach gave them a sense of pride and confidence that they could use the resources  available in their first language  in the class and  for academic set up at the university level. They were able to write  good academic essays with appropriate format and structure. It also  prompted them to  explore more  on the resources they  have in  their first languages. The paper suggests that such a bilingual approach helps  students from  rural areas and non-English medium background and who initially experience  handicap in their class to cope with their studies.

Keywords: parallel texts, bilingual approach, literary appreciation, academic writing skills, M.A. Students

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