Developing Speaking Materials Based on the Common European Framework of Reference (Cefr) for Increasing the Students\u27 Speaking Skill

This study was aimed to describe the steps of developing speaking materials based on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for increasing the students\u27 speaking skill of the A2 students of IDeA Indonesia, Metro, Lampung. This research included in research and development (R&D). The mixed-method was used in this research. The combinations of qualitative and quantitative techniques were used for analysing the data. The qualitative data were collected by conducting interviews, field notes, the teacher\u27s feedback, observations and experts\u27 comments. Interviews were conducted for gaining the students\u27 needs analysis and evaluation of the materials. The quantitative data were collected by conducting questionnaires for needs analysis, trying out the materials and evaluating the materials. The data were analysed by using descriptive analysis with percentage. Based on the needs analysis, it was found out that the students need specific materials for speaking. In designing syllabus, the old syllabus must be improved and added with some practical speaking materials. There were eleven units in the handout. Each unit consisted of speaking materials, writing activities, spoken activities, notes and let\u27s make summary. The students said that the developed materials was challenging and interesting. Two experts said that the materials were very good. The results of the materials implementation showed the improvements of the speaking score. The improvement of students\u27 speaking score after implementing the handout was 38 scores for 15 students and the average of the score improvement was 2.53. The highest improvement score was 2 or 33.33%. This improvement indicated that the product or the designed materials for A2 students based on CEFR was effective to improve the students\u27 speaking skill. &nbsp

Estimating intra-rater reliability on an oral english proficiency test from a Bilingual Education Program

Este estudio tiene como objetivo presentar los resultados de una investigación la cual pretendía estimar el nivel de confiabilidad intra-evaluador en un examen de suficiencia oral en inglés, y determinar los diferentes factores internos y externos que afectan la consistencia del evaluador. Los participantes involucrados en el desarrollo de este estudio fueron dos profesores encargados de evaluar la sección de habla de un examen de suficiencia administrado en la Licenciatura en Bilingüismo con énfasis en inglés. Se calculó un coeficiente de correlación con el fin de establecer la consistencia de los evaluadores mientras que un protocolo verbal retrospectivo fue llevado a cabo para recopilar información acerca de los factores que influyen en la confiabilidad del evaluador. Los resultados sugieren que hay un alto nivel de confiabilidad intra-evaluador en el examen de suficiencia en cuanto el coeficiente de correlación arrojó valores superiores a .80. No obstante, aspectos relacionados con la falta de adhesión a los criterios de la rúbrica, la relación evaluador-estudiante, las condiciones físicas, y la presión y responsabilidad del evaluador para dar una nota precisa fueron identificados como factores que afectan la consistencia del evaluador. Finalmente, se proporcionaron algunas implicaciones procedentes de esta investigación

The Teaching of English Vocabulary through the Multisensory Approach to Older Adults in a Private Nursing Home in Pereira, Colombia

El siguiente documento es un proyecto de investigación cualitativo cuyo objetivo es integrar la teoría andragógica y el enfoque multisensorial para facilitar el aprendizaje de vocabulario en inglés a adultos mayores. Adicionalmente, este estudio es una iniciativa para incluir a los adultos mayores en un proceso de educación bilingüe ya que esta población casi no ha sido tomada en cuenta para la realización de proyectos bilingües. Por esta razón, este proyecto propone nuevas oportunidades para futuras investigaciones El presente estudio fue implementado en el hogar del anciano Casa Santa María en Pereira, Colombia. Este proyecto fue llevado a cabo en 10 clases en las cuales las participantes aprendieron 47 palabras relacionadas con su contexto inmediato. Las participantes del proyecto fueron cuatro mujeres, quienes tenían más de 60 años de edad. Las cuatro fueron consideradas como un proceso de muestreo típico intencional para recopilar los datos, los cuales fueron interpretados por los investigadores. Además, durante la implementación del estudio, tres métodos de recolección de datos fueron empleados: observaciones, diarios de campo, y entrevistas. Los datos recogidos fueron analizados aplicando la teoría fundada, y después de este análisis los datos sugirieron que a) las estrategias de aprendizaje autodirigido pueden facilitar el éxito del aprendizaje de vocabulario y b) los sentidos de los adultos mayores tienen diferentes usos dependiendo de la etapa de la clase. Para concluir, el enfoque multisensorial es efectivo para enseñar vocabulario en inglés a adultos mayores junto con los principios andragógicos

Advanced EFL learners' beliefs about language learning and teaching: a comparison between grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary

This paper reports on the results of a study exploring learners’ beliefs on the learning and teaching of English grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary at tertiary level. While the importance of learners’ beliefs on the acquisition process is generally recognized, few studies have focussed on and compared learners’ views on different components of the language system. A questionnaire containing semantic scale and Likert scale items probing learners’ views on grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary was designed and completed by 117 native speakers of Dutch in Flanders, who were studying English at university. The analysis of the responses revealed that (i) vocabulary was considered to be different from grammar and pronunciation, both in the extent to which an incorrect use could lead to communication breakdown and with respect to the learners’ language learning strategies, (ii) learners believed in the feasibility of achieving a native-like proficiency in all three components, and (iii) in-class grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary exercises were considered to be useful, even at tertiary level. The results are discussed in light of pedagogical approaches to language teaching

EVALUATING ORAL PROFICIENCY SKILL THROUGH ANALYTICS AND HOLISTIC WAYS OF SCORING

Purpose: Evaluating speaking skill is an exceedingly difficult and intricate subject. Two methods of testing oral proficiency are usually used: holistic and analytic scoring. To this end, this study aimed to compare analytic and holistic techniques for scoring in evaluating oral proficiency skills. Methodology: The participants of this study were 70 second-grade university EFL students who were studying English Language Teaching at a university in Iran. The participants in this research were both male (n=40) and female (n=30) with the age range from24 to 25. Main Findings: The results showed a statistically considerable diversity between analytic and holistic methods of evaluation considering that the p-value was estimated at 0.002 (P < 0.05). Applications: The findings confirmed that employing these two scoring techniques in the procedure of evaluation may be considered proper as they seem to complement each other, one augments the other and lead to more inclusive evaluation. Novelty/Originality: This study is new since it is the first time in an Iranian university context; oral proficiency skill was evaluated through holistic and analytic scoring

Trialing project-based learning in a new EAP ESP course: A collaborative reflective practice of three college English teachers

Currently in many Chinese universities, the traditional College English course is facing the risk of being ‘marginalized’, replaced or even removed, and many hours previously allocated to the course are now being taken by EAP or ESP. At X University in northern China, a curriculum reform as such is taking place, as a result of which a new course has been created called ‘xue ke’ English. Despite the fact that ‘xue ke’ means subject literally, the course designer has made it clear that subject content is not the target, nor is the course the same as EAP or ESP. This curriculum initiative, while possibly having been justified with a rationale of some kind (e.g. to meet with changing social and/or academic needs of students and/or institutions), this is posing a great challenge for, as well as considerable pressure on, a number of College English teachers who have taught this single course for almost their entire teaching career. In such a context, three teachers formed a peer support group in Semester One this year, to work collaboratively co-tackling the challenge, and they chose Project-Based Learning (PBL) for the new course. This presentation will report on the implementation of this project, including the overall designing, operational procedure, and the teachers’ reflections. Based on discussion, pre-agreement was reached on the purpose and manner of collaboration as offering peer support for more effective teaching and learning and fulfilling and pleasant professional development. A WeChat group was set up as the chief platform for messaging, idea-sharing, and resource-exchanging. Physical meetings were supplementary, with sound agenda but flexible time, and venues. Mosoteach cloud class (lan mo yun ban ke) was established as a tool for virtual learning, employed both in and after class. Discussions were held at the beginning of the semester which determined only brief outlines for PBL implementation and allowed space for everyone to autonomously explore in their own way. Constant further discussions followed, which generated a great deal of opportunities for peer learning and lesson plan modifications. A reflective journal, in a greater or lesser detailed manner, was also kept by each teacher to record the journey of the collaboration. At the end of the semester, it was commonly recognized that, although challenges existed, the collaboration was overall a success and they were all willing to continue with it and endeavor to refine it to be a more professional and productive approach

DEVELOPING SPEAKING MATERIALS BASED ON THE COMMON EUROPEAN FRAMEWORK OF REFERENCE (CEFR) FOR INCREASING THE STUDENTS’ SPEAKING SKILL

This study was aimed to describe the steps of developing speaking materials based on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for increasing the students’ speaking skill of the A2 students of IDeA Indonesia, Metro, Lampung. This research included in research and development (R&D). The mixed-method was used in this research. The combinations of qualitative and quantitative techniques were used for analysing the data. The qualitative data were collected by conducting interviews, field notes, the teacher’s feedback, observations and experts’ comments. Interviews were conducted for gaining the students’ needs analysis and evaluation of the materials. The quantitative data were collected by conducting questionnaires for needs analysis, trying out the materials and evaluating the materials. The data were analysed by using descriptive analysis with percentage. Based on the needs analysis, it was found out that the students need specific materials for speaking. In designing syllabus, the old syllabus must be improved and added with some practical speaking materials. There were eleven units in the handout. Each unit consisted of speaking materials, writing activities, spoken activities, notes and let’s make summary. The students said that the developed materials was challenging and interesting. Two experts said that the materials were very good. The results of the materials implementation showed the improvements of the speaking score. The improvement of students’ speaking score after implementing the handout was 38 scores for 15 students and the average of the score improvement was 2.53. The highest improvement score was 2 or 33.33%. This improvement indicated that the product or the designed materials for A2 students based on CEFR was effective to improve the students’ speaking skill. &nbsp

Investigating the influence of video-dubbing tasks on EFL learning

This study investigates the effects of completing video-dubbing tasks on English speaking proficiency, English public speaking anxiety (EPSA), and group cohesion (GC). Two classes of EFL college students were assigned to either the dubbing group or the comparison group. Both groups began by responding to the EPSA scale, the GC scale, and a standardized English speaking test. Next, the dubbing group completed two video-dubbing tasks, for each of which they worked in groups to select a video clip, remove the original soundtrack, rehearse the monologues and dialogues, create a new soundtrack, combine the video clip with the new soundtrack, submit the dubbed video clip, and perform the live dubbing in class. In contrast, during the weeks when the dubbing group performed live dubbing, the comparison group watched and discussed movies in English. Finally, both groups took the post-test comprising the two scales and a second set of the standardized English speaking test. The synthesis of quantitative and qualitative findings revealed that, firstly, video-dubbing tasks constituted an entertaining task that could enhance English speaking proficiency. Second, completing video-dubbing tasks reduced foreign language anxiety but not English public speaking anxiety. Third, group cohesion increased substantially as a result of accomplishing video- dubbing tasks

Synthetic voices in the foreign language context

This study evaluated the voice of a modern English text-to-speech (TTS) system in an English as a foreign language (EFL) context in terms of its speech quality, ability to be understood by L2 users, and potential for focus on specific language forms. Twenty-nine Brazilian EFL learners listened to stories and sentences, produced by a TTS voice and a human voice, and rated them on a 6-point Likert scale according to holistic criteria for evaluating pronunciation: Comprehensibility, naturalness, and accuracy. In addition, they were asked to answer a set of comprehension questions (to assess understanding), to complete a dictation/transcription task to measure intelligibility, and to identify whether the target past -ed form was present or not in decontextualized sentences. Results indicate that the performance of both the TTS and human voices were perceived similarly in terms of comprehensibility, while ratings for naturalness were unfavorable for the synthesized voice. For text comprehension, dictation, and aural identification tasks, participants performed relatively similarly in response to both voices. These findings suggest that TTS systems have the potential to be used as pedagogical tools for L2 learning, particularly in EFL settings, where natural occurrence of the target language is limited or non-existent