Lecturers’ Challenges and Strategies in Teaching Maritime English Online to Students with Low English Proficiency

This study aimed to investigate the problems faced by ESP lecturers when teaching low English proficiency students during online Maritime English lessons and their strategies in dealing with the problems. A questionnaire with six open-ended questions was distributed to 9 Maritime English lecturers from 6 different Maritime Polytechnics in Indonesia. A follow-up interview was conducted with four lecturers to obtain more detailed information regarding their online teaching practices, especially the difficulties and the strategies to mitigate them. The findings of this study revealed 3 (three) main problems faced by the lecturers. Firstly, students were reluctant to interact and participate in class activities. Secondly, students showed low motivation and interest in learning English. Thirdly, the lecturers needed extra time to explain the teaching materials. To overcome the problems, the lecturers used various texts, pictures, videos, or online platforms to expose students to maritime vocabulary. They also grouped the lower proficiency students with the higher proficiency students in a collaborative activity, designed class activities based on students’ learning styles, and employed various scaffolding techniques. Keywords: English for Specific Purposes (ESP) teaching, low English proficiency, Maritime English, online learning

Assessing in-class participation for EFL: Considerations of effectiveness and fairness for different learning styles

This study investigates the effectiveness and fairness of teacher-led assessment of students' in class participation and its effect on language test scores, taking into account the diversity of second language learners' learning styles. The level of participation was measured across ten criteria over a one-semester period in four classes of beginner and intermediate level adult Korean students of English as a foreign language (EFL). The classes were divided into two test groups who had their level of participation assessed as part of their overall grade (n=76) and two control groups whose participation was measured covertly according to the same criteria (n=65), alongside a pre- and post-course general English proficiency test (the Oxford Quick Placement Test), and a questionnaire designed to ascertain a learner’s general learning style orientation. The results suggest a broad range of learning styles may be found even in mono-cultural language learning groups, dispelling the stereotype of the 'quiet', 'rote-learning' Asian student. There were only minor differences between test and control groups in terms of proficiency test scores and participation levels, suggesting that including participation as a measure of course achievement has little impact on performance. Learners with individualistic learning styles generally achieved lower proficiency test and participation scores than those with styles suited to in-class interaction. However, we also report partial evidence of improved proficiency test scores for learners with group-oriented learning styles at the expense of learners with individualistic learning styles in the test group (and vice-versa in the control group), an effect of pedagogy known as the 'meshing hypothesis' - a hypothesis that has often been criticised in the learning styles literature. The results suggest that including in-class participation as part of a measure of achievement for EFL courses may be both ineffective and unfair for those with certain learning styles, and greater care must be afforded to promote inclusivity of assessment practices given the diversity of learning styles that might be present within a given cohort.published_or_final_versio

Expectations eclipsed in foreign language education: learners and educators on an ongoing journey / edited by Hülya Görür-Atabaş, Sharon Turner.

Between June 2-4, 2011 Sabancı University School of Languages welcomed colleagues from 21 different countries to a collaborative exploration of the challenging and inspiring journey of learners and educators in the field of language education.\ud \ud The conference provided an opportunity for all stakeholders to share their views on language education. Colleagues met with world-renowned experts and authors in the fields of education and psychology, faculty and administrators from various universities and institutions, teachers from secondary educational backgrounds and higher education, as well as learners whose voices are often not directly shared but usually reported.\ud \ud The conference name, Eclipsing Expectations, was inspired by two natural phenomena, a solar eclipse directly before the conference, and a lunar eclipse, immediately after. Learners and educators were hereby invited to join a journey to observe, learn and exchange ideas in orde

Proficiency and collaborative learning

This study reports on the effect of different levels of proficiency on the students\u27 achievements in collaborative learning instruction among 30 Persian-speaking EFL college students. Having been divided into dyads with different levels of proficiency, these subjects participated in nine sessions of collaborative instruction based on the form focused collaborative text-editing task. The results of this study are obtained through the analyses of the proficiency gains in formal aspects of language in text-editing pre and post-tests and text-reconstruction post-test. The study highlights the significant effect of this type of instruction on more proficient students. Reasons provided in this study are the language analytic ability of the students, learning styles and strategies, and motivation. The findings of this study are helpful to teachers of the classes with heterogeneous language proficiency. <br /

Student Response Toward Humor Based Instructional Media (Descriptive Study on Students of Grade II SMAN 1 Bontonompo)

nnovation on supporting the success of learning process is needed to be developed. One of innovation in the classroom is involving instructional media innovation. Humor-based instructional media is one of media that can make the learning process more fun. This study aims to determine student’s response toward humor-based instructional media in the learning process. This research is descriptive study with the entire population of students on grade XII SMAN 1 Bontonompo in school year 2016-2017, while the research sample was grade XII IPA 1 and XII IPA 6 with totally 52 students. The result of this study showed 100% (52 student) feel interested by the use of humor-based instructional media with the level of interst is in strong catagory (74.63%). This research outcome is indicating that humor-based instructional media can support in increasing of student’s interst in learning process

EFL Student’s Perception of Teachers’ Hybrid Teaching Style: A Case Study

This study aims to determine student perceptions of lecturers' teaching styles regarding hybrid learning. Because students' perceptions of how to teach lecturers towards hybrid learning currently are, of course, many differences that object over there are known to students, With this research, learn how to teach lecturers using contemporary media that oppose over there current exist right in addition to promising to do in addition to also in various ways. Sources of data from students' perceptions of hybrid teaching style; the writer collected data by interview; the writer interviewed 10 students of Universitas PGRIi Adi Buana Surabaya; however, only 5 students could participate in the interview. Data collection uses documentation techniques by making conversation transcripts. In addition, data were analyzed using reduction analysis in addition to interpretation. The results of this object over here study state that objects over there in the teaching style of lecturers in hybrid learning, it currently exists tremendously important to use media technology well, in addition to teachers now are also good at using media so that object over there students better understand the teacher's teaching style, in addition to teachers must also monitor students properly during hybrid learning.&nbsp

Differentiated Instruction: Challenges and Opportunities in EFL Classroom

The issue of Differentiated Instruction (DI) has recently attracted the attention of scholars and practitioners because of its immense significance and many opportunities to enhance student learning. In this regard, the current study aims to contribute a small summary of DI in the context of EFL to provide context and illustrate the need to implement DI in the classroom to ensure that students learn languages successfully. Since differentiated instruction puts students at the center of teaching and learning, encourages equality and academic achievement, and acknowledges student diversity, it encourages teachers to be aware of individual needs, interests, skills, English proficiency levels, and students’ preferred learning strategies. Although some challenges may occur such as time-consuming and pressure on teachers in implementing DI, this approach has advantages that can affect students' learning processes, future learning attitudes, and future success. So, the learning process provides many opportunities when the teacher is committed to differentiated instruction

Using Digital Differentiation to Improve EFL Achievement and Selfregulation of Tertiary Learners: The Turkish Context

Purpose: The current study examines the impact of Differentiated Instruction (DI) on students’ EFL speaking proficiency and Self- Regulated Learning (SRL) during online learning at a Turkish higher education institution’s English preparatory program. Design/methodology/approach: Carried out as a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach, this quasi-experimental study first collected quantitative data from two intact classrooms, experimental group (n = 16), control group (n = 15), through a speaking proficiency test and the Turkish translation of a Likert-type Online Self-Regulation Questionnaire (OSRLQ) as pre-/post-test; and qualitative data through a semistructured focus group interview with six students. The qualitative data were coded and interpreted through content analysis. Findings: Based on Tomlinson’s (2001) DI framework, the intervention plan of this study involved differentiating the process, product and learning environment of the online learners based on their readiness levels and interests. The results revealed that the DI-group improved its speaking significantly higher than the non-DI group whereas the overall SRL of the both groups did not differ meaningfully. The DI-group improved its help-seeking strategy use significantly. The analysis of qualitative data indicated that the students held positive views of online practices used for DI purposes such as formative assessment, differentiated speaking tasks while questioning group work arrangements. The participants also stated that they improved their use of target setting, help seeking and self-assessment. Originality/value: This study contributes to the literature in providing insight into the effects of differentiation practices during online learning and suggests implications for designing innovative differentiated EFL learning experiences during remote learning

Lecturers’ Challenges and Strategies in Teaching Maritime English Online to Students with Low English Proficiency

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the problems faced by ESP lecturers when teaching low English proficiency students during online Maritime English lessons and their strategies in dealing with the problems. A questionnaire with 6 open-ended questions was distributed to 9 Maritime English lecturers from 6 different MaritimePolytechnics in Indonesia. A follow-up interview was conducted with 4 lecturers to obtain more detailed information regarding their online teaching practices, especially the difficulties and the strategies to mitigate them. The findings of this study revealed three main problems faced by the lecturers. Firstly, students were reluctant to interact and participate in class activities. Secondly, students showed low motivation and interest in learning English. Thirdly, the lecturers needed extra time to explain the teaching materials. To overcome the problems, the lecturers used various texts, pictures, videos, or online platforms to expose students to maritime vocabulary. They also grouped the lower proficiency students with the higher proficiency students in a collaborative activity, designed class activities based on students’ learning styles, and employed various scaffolding techniques