Second Language Learning and the Clash of Civilizations

This researchinvestigates the relationship amongsecond language learning, identity, culture, and motivation in Saudi Arabia (SA). SA’s education system concentrates on teaching, while identity and social aspects have only been given little attention. The researcher seeks to redress this balance by exploring the impact of pupils’ negative views toward the linguistic communities and of themselves as Muslim pupils. It aims to investigate how negative views toward the English language speaking communities could affect or demotivate Arab Muslim female learners to learn the language. The researcher supports the arguments using a qualitative approach and data drawn from pupils’ focus group interviews and one-to-one teachers’ interviews. The current study involves 132 second-year pupils from a secondary public school in Taif city, in SA and three Saudi English language teachers.The findings indicate the impact of various social factors relevant to the Saudi identity and culture on pupils’ English as a second language (ESL) learning in the Saudi context. Participants’ beliefs and practices of ESL appear to be influenced by certain negative views towardthe English- speaking communities.Finally, the study recommends extending the setting of the sample for future study to include more than one city in order to compare cultural and social attributes that impact ESL, ascultures and identities vary from one area to another in SA

Are Saudi Girls Motivated to Learn English?

This paper is based on data drawn from Ph.D. research investigating the relationship between language and motivation. It specifically describes the motivating and demotivating factors that influence young female language learners in the Saudi context. This study aims to investigate what factors could motivate female learners of ESL classrooms. Further, the author utilizes sociocultural theory to explore what factors could affect participants’ motivation as female Muslim Arabs. She also supportsher arguments using data drawn from classroom observations, pupil focus group interviews and one-to-one teacher interviews. The current study involves 132 second-year pupils from a secondary public school in Taif city and three Saudi English language teachers.The findings indicate the impact of various social factors relevant to the Saudi identity, culture and everyday life on girls’ ESL learning in the Saudi context. Participants’ beliefs and practices of ESL appear to be influenced by certain imaginative views towards their local identities and cultures, their possible selves in the future, and the linguistic communities. In addition, findings regarding autonomy indicate that identity and culture attributes affects teachers’ and learners’ roles in the classroom and their motivation both inside andoutside the classroom. Finally, the study recommends extending the setting of the sample for future study to include more than one city in order to compare cultural and social attributes that impact ESL, ascultures and identities vary from one area to another in Saudi Arabia

Are Saudi Girls Motivated to Learn English?

This paper is based on data drawn from Ph.D. research investigating the relationship between language and motivation. It specifically describes the motivating and demotivating factors that influence young female language learners in the Saudi context. This study aims to investigate what factors could motivate female learners of ESL classrooms. Further, the author utilizes sociocultural theory to explore what factors could affect participants’ motivation as female Muslim Arabs. She also supportsher arguments using data drawn from classroom observations, pupil focus group interviews and one-to-one teacher interviews. The current study involves 132 second-year pupils from a secondary public school in Taif city and three Saudi English language teachers.The findings indicate the impact of various social factors relevant to the Saudi identity, culture and everyday life on girls’ ESL learning in the Saudi context. Participants’ beliefs and practices of ESL appear to be influenced by certain imaginative views towards their local identities and cultures, their possible selves in the future, and the linguistic communities. In addition, findings regarding autonomy indicate that identity and culture attributes affects teachers’ and learners’ roles in the classroom and their motivation both inside andoutside the classroom. Finally, the study recommends extending the setting of the sample for future study to include more than one city in order to compare cultural and social attributes that impact ESL, ascultures and identities vary from one area to another in Saudi Arabia

sj-doc-1-whe-10.1177_17455057231220188 – Supplemental material for Adverse pregnancy, fetal and neonatal outcomes in women with sickle cell disease in a Middle Eastern country

Supplemental material, sj-doc-1-whe-10.1177_17455057231220188 for Adverse pregnancy, fetal and neonatal outcomes in women with sickle cell disease in a Middle Eastern country by Salwa Saif Said AL Harthi, Judie Arulappan, Basma Al Yazeedi and Asma Hassan Salmeen Al Zaabi in Women’s Health</p