Indonesian EFL students’ views on their explicit and implicit language aptitude profiles, TOEFL scores and language proficiency.

This study is designed to find out students’ views on their explicit and implicit language aptitude profiles, TOEFL scores and language proficiency. Based on purposive sampling scheme, the data were collected from sixty-five students in the end of their eighth semester at the English department in faculty of teacher training in UIN Raden Fatah Palembang. The students were asked to respond to the five points Likert scale questionnaire which consists of four parts: Part A elicits the participants’ demographic information, Part B on language experience, Part C on language aptitude, and Part D especially on TOEFL and language proficiency.  The findings revealed that language learning success is attributed to a number of individual factors. The individual factors related to foreign language learning can be divided into affective factors (e.g., motivation, attitude, and personality) and cognitive factors (e.g., intelligence, aptitude). The cognitive factors interact with affective factors for learning a particular language which may explain why a person is better able to learn a language over another language. Thus, a full model of language learning that considers the impact of language aptitude on learning should also investigate the combined mediating role of individual differences such as motivation, anxiety, and learner’s beliefs

Correlation between EFL Students’ Language Aptitude and their English Proficiency

This study is designed to investigate the correlation between EFL students’ language aptitude and their English proficiency. The data were collected from sixty-five students in the end of their eighth semester at the English department in faculty of teacher training in UIN Raden Fatah Palembang.The students took a foreign language aptitude test(both explicit and implicit LLAMA tests) and an English proficiency test (TOEFL). The collected data was analyzed using Pearson-Product Moment correlation test. It reveals that Pearson correlation between LLAMA explicit scores and TOEFL scores is significant at 0.676, P < 0.01 (2-tailed), so the correlation between LLAMA explicit scores and TOEFL scores is considered moderate. In addition, the correlation between LLAMA implicit scores and TOEFL scores is significant at 0.422, P < 0.01 (2-tailed), therefore, the correlation between LLAMA implicit scores and TOEFL scores is considered low.

Impact of Distance Learning through Zoom Application and WhatsApp Group on Students’ Attitude and English Aptitude: A Case Study on Students of ICT due Covid-19 Outbreak

This study was a case study of qualitative research design to know the impact of distance learning through zoom application and WhatsApp group on students’ attitude and English aptitude: A Case Study on Students of ICT due Covid-19 Outbreak. The result of the study showed that most of the students’ attitude or response to the online learning using zoom application are less interesting, interactive, effective, efficient and energetic. It was also found that many troubles with their signal, and they often got limited internet package. Zoom meeting needed much internet package to connect between lecturer and learners in one meeting. In this case, the trouble networks and limited internet also often gave impact on students’ learning process, style, and strategy to enhance their English aptitude; listening and speaking competency. Meanwhile, the lecturer took the usage of WhatsApp group by sending voice notes and materials about reading and writing. No troubled networks to download and upload the reading and writing tasks during distance teaching and learning class. It needed a little internet to get the online materials. Based on the situation, almost all participants felt interesting to join reading and writing online class. Aside from that, they could enhance their own English aptitude; reading and writing proficiency. To against the highly infectious covid-19 pandemic, the distance learning has created their physic and mental health from fear, anxiety, panic, and the outbreaks of influenza. Learning from home is one of the solution to reduce the physical contact to large number of people. Distance learning has been referred to save educational young generation from the pandemic of covid-19 outbreak.&nbsp

Cataract surgery at Aravind Eye Hospitals: 1988–2008

In the 1980s, cataract was the major cause of blindness in India and was responsible for 80% of all blindness. This prompted the Indian government to launch a national cataract control programme, which succeeded in lowering the prevalence of blindness from 1.49% to 1.1%. In addition, by 2000, this programme had reduced the proportion of people blind due to cataract from 80% to 62%.Aravind Eye Hospitals contributed to a third of all cataract operations in the state of Tamil Nadu during the last two decades and played a major part in lowering the rate of blindness in that state. By 2000, the prevalence level of blindness was just 0.78%, compared to the national level of 1.11%

A Preliminary Study on the Barriers in Listening Section of English Proficiency Test: Students’ Perspectives

&nbsp; Abstract This study intends to find out the problems or barriers faced by Indonesian students in studying for an English proficiency test (EPT), especially in Listening section. EPT becomes a standard English test and a compulsory test for students since it is used as one of the requirements for their graduation at the degree level, and also for a job application. Those requirements increase the demand of the test. However, the fact shows that the test takers of the EPT took the test for times since they cannot pass the targetted score. This fact led this study to investigate further about the barriers they face in EPT. The study also describes kinds of English Proficiency Test and the kind used in University of Muhammadiyah Gresik. The design of the study is descriptive qualitative with 40 students as the subject. The data will be collected from questionnaire and follow-up interview to answer the question and reveal the barriers they face during the test. &nbsp; &nbsp

Enhancing pre-service ESL teachers’ computer competency in an online learning environment: a web portfolio approach to learning and assessment in Malaysia

Studies have shown positive outcomes and benefits of using Web portfolios to document teacher learning and professional development. In particular, Web portfolios have potential for displaying evidence of a teacher’s competency in using multimedia and a range of online tools. The purpose of this study was to explore the use of Web portfolios as a learning and assessment tool by pre-service English as a second language (ESL) teachers in a computer-assisted language learning (CALL) course offered at a Malaysian university. Web portfolios were introduced as part of the CALL course for two main purposes: firstly, as a learning tool to enhance future ESL teachers’ competency in integrating computer applications; and secondly, as an assessment tool to evaluate future ESL teachers’ competency in integrating computer applications to achieve the objectives of the CALL course. Participants in the study were 128 pre-service ESL teachers who were recruited based on their enrolment in the CALL course. The course lecturer also participated in the study in collaboration with the researcher with a view to integrating Web portfolios into the CALL course. The pre-service ESL teachers’ learning experiences in the 14-week CALL course were studied through mixed method sequential explanatory design that employed quantitative and qualitative measures. Data was obtained from questionnaires (a prequestionnaire and a post-questionnaire), interviews and an analysis of Web portfolios. This study found that Web portfolios have a positive impact on the participants’ self-perceived computer competency. There were also promising outcomes in the use of Web portfolios as a learning and assessment tool for future CALL practitioners. Although there were challenging issues confronting the development of Web portfolios in this study such as time investment, unfamiliarity with the portfolio concept, inadequate computer skills and lack of practice, these challenges can be overcome through proper introduction and increased Web portfolio practices particularly when Web portfolios have become more established within the context of the study

Listening Barriers in English Proficiency Test in English Education Department of Universitas Muhammadiyah Gresik

English Proficiency Test (EPT) has been utilized widely to measure the skills of English learners. On the other hand, each test has its challenges and uniqueness. This current research aims to investigate the specific problem encountered by English language learners during English Proficiency Test (EPT) in Universitas Muhammadiyah Gresik. The problem is specific to listening where a lot of learners frequently have difficulties. Participants of this study are 30 Learners from the English education department of Universitas Muhammadiyah Gresik from the 3rd to the 5th semester. The result reveals that among the common challenges in listening skills in EPT, the most frustrating barrier is the occurrence of unfamiliar words, including jargon and idioms. There are 60% who agree that it is the most challenging part, while only 3.3% do not. It may happen as Idioms will be extremely hard for several students since idioms are similar to describe a genuine position regardless theportray of other situations with different meanings. The following research is encouraged to investigate other aspects of English skills in the EPT and more participants to discover the appropriate method to tackle the barriers

Multivalency in lectins-a crystallographic,modelling and light-scattering study involving peanut lectin and a bivalent ligand

Multivalency is believed to be important in the activity of lectins, although definitive structural studies on it have been few and far between. We have now studied the complexation of tetravalent peanut lectin with a synthetic compound containing two terminal lactose moieties, using a combination of crystallography, dynamic light scattering and modelling. Light scattering indicates the formation of an apparent dimeric species and also larger aggregates of the tetrameric lectin in the presence of the bivalent ligand. Crystals of presumably crosslinked lectin molecules could be obtained. They diffract poorly, but X-ray data from them are good enough to define the positions of the lectin molecules. Extensive modelling on possible crosslinking modes of protein molecules by the ligand indicated that systematic crosslinking could lead to crystalline arrays. The studies also provided a rationale for crosslinking in the observed crystal structure. The results obtained provide further insights into the general problem of multivalency in lectins. They indicate that crosslinking involving multivalent lectins and multivalent carbohydrates could lead to an ensemble of a finite number of distinct periodic arrays rather than a unique array