8,586 research outputs found
Creating digital stories to develop EFL learners' skills
Just as the technological world has evolved rapidly in recent decades, the educational paradigm has similarly undergone important changes that have led to the promotion of creative thinking skills and abilities. These are of particular importance in the learning of English as a Foreign Language (EFL). This is based on the idea that the learning of a foreign language is strongly determined by the thinking process involved. Most children are digital natives and education ought to be adapted to this condition. This Final Degree Project will firstly reflect on the relationship between knowledge and its processes as applied to Second Language Learning in the primary school classroom. Secondly, a practical application based on this foundation will be considered, taking into account a technological approach that adapts to the new currents and methodologies of learning, typical of the current educational paradigm by creating new, engaging and motivating communication contexts through digital storytelling
#InstagramELE: Learning Spanish Through a Social Network
Social networking (SN) tools have the potential to contribute to language learning because they promote linguistic interactions in person-to-person communication, increasing the opportunities to process input in the L2, engaging learners in negotiation of meaning and requiring learners to produce L2 output, as proposed in the interactionist theory by Long (1985, 1996). These virtual personal connections with other learners and language experts around the world could provide a rich environment for sociocultural language exchanges (following the principles of the sociocultural approach proposed by Lantolf, 2002, based on the work of Vygotsky, 1978) that may increase motivation for learning, develop L2 sociopragmatic competence and learners’ online identities through expression, interaction and community building, as researchers have found (see Lomicka & Lord, 2010, for a summary of SN research). In addition, social networking is also believed to promote autonomous learning because the learners take responsibility of their own learning process in socially interactive environments by exploring the L2 through communication, collaboration and experimentation (Blake, 2013). Due to the popularity of social networking sites such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, language teachers have explored different ways to integrate them into the language education curriculum. This presentation will describe the #InstagramELE global learning community of Spanish learners and teachers. Instagram involves sharing photos and images that lend themselves to the development of descriptive language. The use of visual elements often leads nicely into cultural issues and development of cultural awareness and competence. We will describe an instructional task, the #instragramELE challenge, that could be a vehicle for the acquisition of new vocabulary, cultural topics, and the development of reading and writing expression. This challenge has already accumulated more than 30000 tagged photos, from all over the world. We will also discuss its benefits and challenges as an autonomous learning tool and some ideas for classroom implementation and teacher training
Promoting 21st-Century Learning: Online Collaboration through Design Thinking Framework for Today\u27s ESL Students
Learners of the 21st-century engage and learn differently than ever before. Policymakers and teachers are now challenged to makeshift into the 21st-century education model and adapt their approaches to better prepare the students for the future work world. 21st-century ESL classrooms should reflect this learning model through a more engaging, collaborative, and student-centered approach. Collaboration and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills are vital in 21st-century learning. Research shows that ESL learners can benefit from collaborative activities and the use of technology improves students\u27 language reception and production. However, due to the lack of understanding of the paradigm shift in education, lack of teacher support, and time restrictions it is challenging for teachers to adapt their teaching approach to this new model. As a result, students are not engaged in their classrooms or well prepared for their future studies.
Due to the novel coronavirus, most classrooms have shifted to online teaching. Teachers need support in how to adapt their teaching into an online platform. Through online collaboration tools, ESL teachers can promote student engagement, 21st-century skills, and second language learning. The website in this project is created to support the knowledge and understanding of the ESL teachers who want to integrate a 21st-century approach to their current teaching practices. The website will be useful for ESL teachers to find resources on online collaboration and adapt their online teaching and/or improve their current one. A 21st-century framework; Design Thinking is also introduced with tools to help ESL teachers when promoting a meaningful collaborative learning model
Escape rooms in the EFL classroom: An action research study
This thesis investigates the implementation of gamified tasks through an educational escape room on student engagement in a 6th grade EFL Norwegian class, containing 27 students. Action research was utilized as the research method in this study, with focus on whether a gamified lesson could be implemented in an average classroom. It was also selected due to the researcher’s aspiration of reviewing and bettering their own teaching practice. Lastly, it was selected in order to conduct the study in a natural environment, with students familiar to the researcher.
The study aimed to explore whether the design of glossary and grammar exercises can affect student motivation and whether implementing these exercises in a meaningful context can aid the learners in acquiring vocabulary. The study found that gamification can enhance student engagement and motivation in language learning when tasks have been carefully designed to learners’ abilities. The study highlights the importance of effective student collaboration, task design and storytelling when creating engaging lessons that align with learning objectives.
This thesis aimed to contribute to the knowledge of implementing educational escape rooms, gamification and action research in a practical setting. Additionally, it intended to gain a perspective regarding actively utilizing student feedback in lesson design
FACEBOOK AS A PROMOTIONAL TOOL FOR LEARNER AUTONOMY: THAI PRE-SERVICE EFL TEACHERS’ VOICES
Facebook has not only opened up new opportunities for social networking, but has also been recognized as an educational tool for language learning beyond the classroom. However, little is known as to what extent Facebook can promote learner autonomy among English as a foreign language (EFL) pre-service teachers (PSTs). This study explores the voices of EFL PSTs with regard to their use of Facebook as a tool for promoting their autonomy in learning English, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing upon Betts and Kercher’s (1996) Autonomous Learner Model (ALM), this study gained deeper insights into the EFL PSTs’ attitudes, perceptions, and ideas concerning the opportunities and challenges Facebook offers them. This qualitative study was based on a purposive sampling of twenty EFL PSTs from a university in northern Thailand. The findings reveal that Thai EFL PSTs experienced all five dimensions of ALM, namely, orientation, individual development, enrichment, seminars, and in-depth study. They also viewed learning English on Facebook positively during the lockdowns since they simultaneously acquired English and enjoyed edutainment resources despite some limitations concerning this platform. Pedagogical implications of this study suggest that Facebook is a suitable platform for ELT professional development and life-long learning, particularly amid the global disruption caused by COVID-19
RESILIENCE IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING: A STUDY ON PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ LANGUAGE LEARNING EXPERIENCES
Investigating pre-service teachers’ language learning experiences is essential as they have an impact on their learning during their departmental studies and their future teaching practices. Given the fact that there is a growing call for the development of resilience in teacher education programs, this qualitative study aims at exploring what resources pre-service English language teachers have relied on to overcome challenges and obstacles to learning English as a foreign language. To achieve this aim, data were obtained from 23 pre-service teachers enrolled in English Language Teaching program at a university in Istanbul, Turkey in the form of a reflective writing activity. To triangulate data, a focus group interview was carried out with five of the participating pre-service teachers. Data were analyzed using the thematic analysis approach (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Findings revealed that pre-service teachers dealt with a variety of obstacles in their English language learning histories such as ineffective methodologies used by teachers, anxiety caused by examinations, obstacles in language skills especially speaking, and language barriers while staying in English-speaking countries. The pre-service teachers mentioned that they demonstrated agency in the process of overcoming these obstacles and their resilience included both personal protective factors and social/environmental protective factors.Keywords: resilience, positive psychology, teacher education, foreign language learnin
ESP For Ecotourism: Discourse Skills,Technology,And Collaboration For Job Contexts
This capstone’s primary aim was to design a companion instructional guide for teachers of English for Specific Purposes for ecotourism professionals in Mexico. It identified gaps left by traditional EFL courses that tend to lack strong connections between language instruction and real-world job requirements for English usage. It looked at curricular reform efforts in other world regions with the intention to innovate ESP instruction in Mexico. Findings include recommendations for student-centered curricula that incorporate multimodal learning activities and authentic contexts for tourism jobs. Multiliteracies pedagogy drove the creation of the instructional guide’s components, which provide support in conducting small-group projects to develop interactive discourse, online research, and digital design skills within communities of practice. The guide includes resources, materials, and instructions to conduct needs analysis, foster mutual support, build collaboration among stakeholders, facilitate situated practice with applied technology, and increase knowledge for cross-cultural communication
- …