Engaged Reading: Moving from Theory to Implication for L2 Learners

There have been a good number of research studies on ‘engaged reading’ in general but not much literature is known about the ‘engaged reading’ that makes connections between theory and practice with special reference to ESL/EFL teachers. Hence, this paper aims to examine the efficacy of engaged reading and shows how it can be facilitated through mass awareness among the ESL or EFL teachers. Teachers’ adequate knowledge and perception about engaged reading can only ensure the implementation of it as a means of learning by owning the language thus creating a real attachment to it. This article uses a qualitative research method that exclusively uses the relevant secondary references/works available on the topic. The literature revealed that attitudes and strategy instruction of teachers in the classroom play a significant role in terms of increasing the learners’ motivation for reading with interest and their reading engagement for better academic achievement. The paper finally demonstrates how teachers with the best of their potential and concentration can immensely contribute to the growth of a reader to be an engaged reader

Using Mobile-Based Formative Assessment in ESL/EFL Speaking

With the widespread application of smartphones in and outside the classroom, mobile-based teaching and learning is drawing much attention and hence being extensively practised nowadays across the globe. Recently, using smartphones for assessment purposes has been a new phenomenon and the researchers are still examining what processes the use of mobile-based assessment tools may include and what outcomes and challenges they can cause to teachers and students in terms of learning/teaching performance, motivation and attitudes. There have been a good number of research studies on the use of Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) or Mobile Learning (ML) in EFL or ESL classroom but not much literature is known about the mobile-based language assessment, especially mobile-based formative assessment (MBFA). Hence, this study attempts to shed light on MBFA and review the recent literature available on it and its effective utilization in developing ESL/EFL speaking skill. This paper uses a qualitative research method that exclusively uses the relevant secondary references/works available on the topic. The literature revealed that MBFA practices in ESL/EFL speaking classes are effective to a certain extent and some tools and procedures seem to be more effective than others depending on the design principles and strategies used by teachers or app developers

The Utility Extent of Linguistics to Language Teaching: An Experimental Evaluation

To approach the very questions how and how far linguistics helps language teaching, we have to examine, analyze and evaluate them critically from various view-points. During the Second World War, the importance of linguistics in language teaching was noticed forthwith for the first time. Linguistics and language teaching have the same subject matter to deal with. Though linguistics is the scientific study of language, it has some specific role to play in the process of language teaching from the earlier to the modern times. Stephen Pit Corder (1975:143) says, “… the relevance of theoretical linguistics to language teaching is indirect and it is not the task of a theoretical linguist to say what relevance it may have. This is the field of applied linguistics.” According to the American linguist Noam Chomsky and some others, applied linguistics has a direct relationship with language teaching which is a pragmatic process and cannot take place in a total isolation. It takes help from various related sources and fields such as general, educational and social psychology; sociology, social anthropology and so on. Here, linguistics provides a language teacher with effective tools. However, as Dwight Bollinger says (1975a:22), “Language teaching is not linguistics, any more than medicine is chemistry….” So, the aim of this paper is to show the role of linguistics in teaching both foreign languages and any first languages or mother tongues

Reading Allen Ginsberg’s September on Jessore Road: An Attempt to Ruminate over the Horrific Reminiscences of the Liberation War of Bangladesh

Allen Ginsberg’s ‘September on Jessore Road’ captures the blood-stained history of the creation of Bangladesh through highlighting the unflinching struggle of the Bangladeshi people and their appalling plight that they went through during the country’s war of independence in 1971. This poem mainly reports on Ginsberg’s visit to the refugee camps located in the bordering areas of Jessore of Bangladesh and Kolkata of India in mid-September, 1971. Those camps sheltered millions of Bengalis who fled their homes fearing persecution and violence inflicted by the Pakistani occupation forces during the liberation war of Bangladesh. Ginsberg’s first-hand experience of encountering the refugees in those camps is reproduced in this poem where the poet very meticulously pens the untold sufferings that every individual experienced during that war time. The poem also criticizes the US government and all its state apparatus for not supporting the freedom loving Bengalis in that war. His original intent of composing this poem was to express solidarity with the Bengalis’ resolute craving for freedom on the one hand and to create awareness among the masses and form public opinion against Pakistani atrocities on the Bengali people on the other. This paper thus attempts to depict how Ginsberg puts all these aspects into words with a view to reminding us of the gory history behind the establishment of the modern state of Bangladesh

An Analysis of Errors Committed by Saudi Non-English Major Students in the English Paragraph Writing: A Study of Comparisons

The present study investigates the writing errors of ninety Saudi non-English major undergraduate students of different proficiency levels from three faculties, who studied English as a foundation course at the English Language Center in the College of Languages &Translation at King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia in the academic year 2016-17. The findings reveal that the common errors the Saudi EFL students make in writing English paragraphs fall under four categories namely grammar, lexis, semantics and mechanics. Then it compares the categories, types and frequency of errors committed by these three groups of students. Among these categories, grammar has been observed as the most error-prone area where students commit errors the most. The study also posits that among the three groups, the students of the College of Medicine make the minimum errors in all the types and the highest number of errors is committed by the students of Engineering College. The College of Computer Science is in the second position in making errors. The frequency of error types is also found different among these three groups

Translanguaging as an Instructional Strategy in Adult ESL Classroom

The use of the first language (L1) in adult second (L2/SL) or foreign language (FL) classrooms has always been a bone of contention over the past few decades. Many are in favor of L1 use terming it as constructive and facilitating for language learning while some disapprove that practice and identify it as a hindrance to the teaching and learning of a language. Of late, the concept of translanguaging has added a new dimension to this long-standing debate of using L1 in teaching/learning L2 since it basically insists on viewing languages as a single unitary system as opposed to the traditional linguistic perception of L1 versus L2. However, there have only been a very few studies on translanguaging with particular emphasis and attention given to ESL/EFL adults at the college/university level. This research study thus attempts to shed light on the theoretical underpinnings of this L1-L2 dichotomy and discuss how translanguaging differs from the customary notion of using L1 in the adult L2 classroom. This study uses a qualitative research method that exclusively uses the relevant secondary references/works available on the topic. The results demonstrated that both translanguaging and the notion of L1use in the L2 classroom are pedagogically similar as both allow the use of L1 in L2 classrooms at varying degrees though theoretically, they are different

Association of human milk oligosaccharides and nutritional status of young infants among Bangladeshi mother–infant dyads

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) support the development of a healthy gut microbiome and the growth of infants. We aimed to determine the association of different HMOs with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) among Bangladeshi young infants. This study was nested within a single-blind, randomized, pilot clinical trial (NCT0366657). A total of 45 breastmilk samples from mothers of < 6 months old infants who had SAM (n = 26) or were non-malnourished (n = 19) and were analyzed for constituent HMOs. Of the infants with SAM, 14 (53.85%) had secretor mothers, and 11 (57.89%) of the non-malnourished infants had secretor mothers. A one-unit increase in the relative abundance of sialylated HMOs was associated with higher odds of SAM in age and sex adjusted model (aOR = 2.00, 90% CI 1.30, 3.06), in age, sex, and secretor status adjusted model (aOR = 1.96, 90% CI 1.29, 2.98), and also in age and sex adjusted model among non-secretor mothers (aOR = 2.86, 90% CI 1.07, 7.62). In adjusted models, there was no evidence of a statistically significant association between SAM and fucosylated or undecorated HMOs. Our study demonstrates that a higher relative abundance of sialylated HMOs in mothers’ breastmilk may have a negative impact on young infants’ nutritional status.publishedVersionPeer reviewe

Association of human milk oligosaccharides and nutritional status of young infants among Bangladeshi mother-infant dyads.

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) support the development of a healthy gut microbiome and the growth of infants. We aimed to determine the association of different HMOs with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) among Bangladeshi young infants. This study was nested within a single-blind, randomized, pilot clinical trial (NCT0366657). A total of 45 breastmilk samples from mothers of &lt; 6&nbsp;months old infants who had SAM (n = 26) or were non-malnourished (n = 19) and were analyzed for constituent HMOs. Of the infants with SAM, 14 (53.85%) had secretor mothers, and 11 (57.89%) of the non-malnourished infants had secretor mothers. A one-unit increase in the relative abundance of sialylated HMOs was associated with higher odds of SAM in age and sex adjusted model (aOR = 2.00, 90% CI 1.30, 3.06), in age, sex, and secretor status adjusted model (aOR = 1.96, 90% CI 1.29, 2.98), and also in age and sex adjusted model among non-secretor mothers (aOR = 2.86, 90% CI 1.07, 7.62). In adjusted models, there was no evidence of a statistically significant association between SAM and fucosylated or undecorated HMOs. Our study demonstrates that a higher relative abundance of sialylated HMOs in mothers' breastmilk may have a negative impact on young infants' nutritional status

Investigation of the pharmacological properties of lepidagathis hyalina nees through experimental approaches

Lepidagathis hyalina Nees is used locally in Ayurvedic medicine to treat coughs and cardiovascular diseases. This study explored its pharmacological potential through in vivo and in vitro approaches for the metabolites extracted (methanolic) from the stems of L. hyalina. A qualitative phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of numerous secondary metabolites. The methanol extract of L. hyalina stems (MELHS) showed a strong antioxidative activity in the 1,1-diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and reducing power assays, and in the quantitative (phenolic and flavonoid) assay. Clot lysis and brine shrimp lethality bioassays were applied to investigate the thrombolytic and cytotoxic activities, respectively. MELHS exhibited an expressive percentage of clot lysis (33.98%) with a moderately toxic (115.11 µg/mL) effect. The in vivo anxiolytic activity was studied by an elevated plus maze test, whereas the antidepressant activity was examined by a tail suspension test and forced swimming test. During the anxiolytic evaluation, MELHS exhibited a significant dosedependent reduction of anxiety, in which the 400 mg/kg dose of the extract showed 78.77 ± 4.42% time spent in the open arm in the elevated plus maze test. In addition, MELHS demonstrated dosedependent and significant activities in the tail suspension test and forced swimming test, whereas the 400 mg/kg dose of the extract showed 87.67 ± 6.40% and 83.33 ± 6.39% inhibition of immobile time, respectively. Therefore, the current study suggests that L. hyalina could be a potential source of anti-oxidative, cytotoxic, thrombolytic, anxiolytic, and antidepressant agents. Further study is needed to determine the mechanism behind the bioactivities