scholarly journals Chants, raps and songs: how they enhance language memorisation

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 21-30
Author(s):  
Paula Mira Fernandes ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Research Study ◽  
Body Language ◽  
Ear Training ◽  
Memory Ability ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Foreign Language Classroom ◽  
Learning Journal

This action research study aims to show how chants, raps and songs can enhance language memorisation in an English as a Foreign Language classroom and what contributes to it. During my second practicum period I collected data through questionnaires, worksheets, observation grids, a learning journal and students’ interviews. These tools helped me understand what is behind chants, raps and songs when teaching a foreign language. I learned that my students loved rhythm, rhymes, repetition, gestures, imitation, body language, intonation and that all of these combined were a booster to language memorisation. There was language appropriation and children were able to recall chants, raps and songs taught in the class through repetition, gestures and rhythm. These contributed to “maximise language pronunciation, intonation, ear training…” (Brewster, Ellis & Gerard, 2002, p.164). They have beats that contribute to language learning through the repetition of chunks, enhancing memory ability.

scholarly journals The Correlation among EFL Learners’ Test Anxiety, Foreign Language Anxiety and Language Achievement

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dilek Cakici
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Test Anxiety ◽  
Language Anxiety ◽  
Foreign Language Anxiety ◽  
Language Achievement ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Foreign Language Classroom ◽  
Text Anxiety ◽  
One Year

<p class="Default">The main aim of this study was to investigate the correlation among test anxiety (TA), foreign language anxiety (FLA) and language achievement of university preparatory students learning English as a foreign language. The sample of the research consisted of 301 (211 females, 90 males) attending a one-year EFL preparatory school at Ondokuz Mayıs University, School of Foreign Languages. The TAI (Test Anxiety Inventory) developed by Spielberger (1980), FLCAS (Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale) developed by Horwitz (1986) and the students’ language achievement scores were used to collect data. In addition, this study aimed to determine the effect of gender on both TA and FLA. The findings of the study revealed that there was no relation between students’ TA and their language achievement. It was also found a significant positive correlation between students’ TA and FLA. Besides, the result demonstrated that there was a significant reverse correlation between students’ FLA and their language achievement. Following t-test results, it was found out that females exhibited higher mean scores than males in both TAI and FLCAS. Finally, certain suggestions were set for EFL teachers to reduce text anxiety and language learning anxiety in foreign language classroom settings.</p>

scholarly journals FOREIGN LANGUAGE ANXIETY IN STUDENT LEARNING

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (102) ◽  
pp. 18-23
Author(s):  
Asta Lileikienė ◽  
Lina Danilevičienė
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Anxiety ◽  
Foreign Language Anxiety ◽  
Low Achievement ◽  
Language Class ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Foreign Language Classroom ◽  
The University ◽  
Research Analysis

Background. Anxiety includes uncomfortable feelings when learning or using the new language. It continues to exist in the university foreign language classroom as well. A number of foreign language students report feeling anxious about language learning. Research aim was to investigate the foreign language anxiety (in our case, English as a foreign language, EFL) in the classroom context at tertiary level in relation to its effect on foreign language acquisition as well as to design recommendations of how to reduce or exclude foreign language anxiety from the university foreign language classroom. Methods. The Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale developed by E. K. Horwitz, M. B. Horwitz, and Cope (1986) was used. The questionnaire consisted of 5 statements about the respondents’ general background and 33 statements which were evaluated on the Likert scale from 1 to 5 by the research participants. The research sample involved 200 first and second year students of Lithuanian Sports University . Results. The research analysis revealed that the respondents generally felt anxious speaking in the language class, making mistakes and being corrected by the teacher, worrying about the consequences of failing foreign language class and speaking with native speakers. The correlation between the students’ level of knowledge and their feeling of anxiety was established: students of lower level (A2 and B1) tended to feel higher levels of anxiety. Moreover, female participants of this study exhibited higher levels of foreign language anxiety. Conclusions. Foreign language anxiety proved to be a powerful predictor for demotivation in foreign language learning and impeded the acquisition of foreign languages. The research analysis revealed that the majority of younger respondents demonstrated a higher degree of anxiety. The more mature the students were, the more confident they felt in EFL classes. It was found that female students felt higher level of anxiety in learning English as a foreign language than male students. They were more inclined to hesitate and felt anxious in the language classroom, while male undergraduates were more confident and had a greater ability to cope with the feelings of anxiety and nervousness. Students with higher knowledge of English language (level B2) showed lower levels of anxiety and felt more confident in language class. A large number of failures was observed at the pre-intermediate and lower intermediate (A2/B1) levels. Therefore, the learners with high anxiety often got low achievement and low achievement made them more anxious about learning.

scholarly journals Interaction patterns and support for learning in the primary foreign language classroom

2021 ◽  
pp. 65-82
Author(s):  
Carolyn Elizabeth Leslie
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Task Repetition ◽  
Interaction Patterns ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Foreign Language Classroom ◽  
Collaborative Interaction ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Oral Interaction ◽  
Cognitive Perspectives

In this study, both sociocultural and cognitive perspectives are used to investigate how learners in the primary foreign language classroom support each other’s learning during peer oral interaction, and how this is influenced by different interaction patterns. Learners were recorded taking part in 3 spot-the-difference tasks in a year 4 primary class, and Storch’s model of interaction patterns (2002) was used as a framework to classify learner interaction. Transcripts were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively, and show how learners used a variety of strategies to support their partner’s output. It also shows how the majority of learners worked collaboratively, how collaboration increased with task repetition, and how pairs who engaged in collaborative interaction provided most support for their peer.  However, other dyads showed less mutuality and engaged little with each other’s contributions, with quantitative analysis showing these learners provided each other with the least support for language learning, as they were unlikely to ask their peer for help, one of the most common strategies used by other dyads.

scholarly journals Investigating the Perceptions of L2 Learners on Language Learning Anxiety: A Study of Undergraduate Students at Public Sector University, Sindh Pakistan

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 94
Author(s):  
Amina Bibi Bhatti ◽  
Habibullah Pathan ◽  
Syed Waqar Ali Shah ◽  
Aisha Faryal ◽  
Aisha Bhatti
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Communication Apprehension ◽  
Subjective Feeling ◽  
Affective Factors ◽  
Learning Anxiety ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Foreign Language Classroom ◽  
Language Learning Anxiety

English has got the position of authorized language in Pakistan, widely used in various domains. In academic studies it is mandatory to teach English up to higher education. Mansoor (2004) estimates that newly graduate have studied English for at least 9 years recently. English is used as means for instruction in professional education like medicine, engineering and law.One of the most common issues in learning a foreign language is anxiety. Among the three affective factors (attitudes, motivation, anxiety), language anxiety is the most common issue. It is also one of the factors which influence language learning (Henter, 2013). Anxiety is defined as “the subjective feeling of tension, apprehension, nervousness, and worry associated with an arousal of the autonomic nervous system” (cited by Spielberger.1983). Horwitz (1986) revealed that in academic as well as social context anxiety in a foreign language is related to performance and suggested three kinds of anxiety. (1) Communication apprehension (2) Fear of negative evaluation (3) Test anxiety. This study aims to know the perceptions of English Language Learners on Language learning Anxiety in EFL classroom. The purpose of this study is to find or reveal the type of anxiety that learners feel in English as a foreign language classroom at University level.The participants in this research are from one engineering university (MUET Jamshoro) of the Sindh and the size of the sample is also little (n=140). For a clear view of this area further large scale studies in different contexts of the country are needed for having a good platform for foreign language learning.The present study used quantitative method for data collection to get unbiased results. Participants of the study are first year students of different engineering fields of Mehran University who learn English as a foreign language. The Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) given by (Horwitz, 1986) has been adapted and applied for data collection. The questionnaire was bifurcated into two parts, the initial part of questionnaire was for demographic information and the second part was for knowing the perceptions of students on anxiety. The data results were evaluated after doing different tests in SPSS software. The findings of the study reveal the learners feel anxiety during EFL classrooms and communication apprehension anxiety experienced by students is at a higher level from the learner’s perspective.This will be beneficial for learners, educators and helpful to policy makers of the education system to make good and valid policies that will improve the learning of foreign language in a better way and suitable environment. It will be a significant contribution in the research domain.

scholarly journals USING GROUP-BASED METHODS IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSROOM WITH STUDENTS OF HIGHER EDUCATION ESTABLISHMENTS

2021 ◽  
pp. 216-220
Author(s):  
T. SOKURENKO ◽  
O. KONONENKO ◽  
A. KRYSHTAL
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Small Group ◽  
Small Groups ◽  
Group Work ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Small Group Work ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Foreign Language Classroom

The article deals with the problem of using group-based foreign language learning in higher education establishments. The emphasis is on the advantages of small-group work in the foreign language classroom. The general models of using small groups are described in the article.

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