scholarly journals A Descriptive Study: Factors Affecting the Pronunciation of English Language (L2)

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Tania Ali Khan
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Classroom Environment ◽  
English Language ◽  
Secondary Source ◽  
Teaching Methodologies ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Language Classroom

Acquiring correct second language pronunciation is an indispensable part of the language learning process. It plays a substantial role in enhancing the communicative competence and performance of second language learners. The learning of pronunciation is a very sensitive and complicated aspect of the English language classroom. However, all English language learners are not equally good in learning pronunciation. The aim of this research is to explore the factors which affect the pronunciation of English language learners. Theories, empirical evidence, and personal observations are discussed in this study which classifies the factors affecting pronunciation into two types, that is, inner and outer factors. Inner factors include age, brain, aptitude, types of learners and goals. Outer factors include first language interference, motivation, types of teachers and teaching methodologies, classroom environment, and institutional variables. This research is significant because it highlights the importance of acquiring pronunciation of the second language. Moreover, it provides an insight to language teachers and learners which allows them to critically understand the factors which affect the pronunciation of English as a second language as well as to reflect on their own learning and teaching methodologies. This research is qualitative and descriptive in nature. To support the arguments presented in this research, the researcher sought help form primary source books, personal observations and empirical studies, as well as secondary source research articles, journals and reviews. In conclusion, this study also gives some suggestions to teach pronunciation in the English language classroom.

scholarly journals Motivational Factors that Influence English as a Foreign Language Learners at Quality Leadership University, Panama City, Panama

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 543
Author(s):  
Ricardo Roman Jr. ◽  
Aixa M. Nunez
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Instrumental Motivation ◽  
Learning English

Research in second language acquisition took off in the early 1970s. This study on integrative and instrumental motivation examined the correlation between the two forms in terms of second language acquisition, and the interest it has generated through continued research efforts in language learning. Research to date suggests a possible relationship between motivation and second language learning. The results obtained by this research were determined by two basic types of motivation which play a relevant role in second language acquisition, it also revealed which was the most prevalent motivational factor that influences students in learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) at Quality Leadership University, Panama. Our objective was to prove that instrumental motivation is more prevalent among students learning English as a Foreign Language in Panama. Although cultural awareness is very much present in the EFL classroom, it too plays a major role with English Language Learners (ELLs). This is a quantitative research study which includes a questionnaire classifying twenty motivational statements into two types of motivation, integrative and instrumental. The study revealed that instrumental motivation was more prevalent among English language learners at Quality Leadership University, Panama. Albiet learning about new cultures has been the driving force with which students approach language learning and students in Panama are not the exception. We can thus conclude that instrumental motivation has been acknowledged as the significant factor by students surveyed and the interest in specific language learning for career advancement, whereas integrative motivation is linked to more general second language acquisition for the benefit of cultural integration.

scholarly journals Motivation and Socio-Cultural Milieu of Second Language Learners: Considerations Involved in English Teaching

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 149
Author(s):  
Florentina Halimi ◽  
Cathy E. Daniel ◽  
Iqbal A. AlShammari
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
English Language ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
Future Research

This study investigates the social, psychological, and cultural dimensions of motivation involved in learning English as a second language in Kuwait. It focuses on students’ experience of motivation, emotions, and their cultural background in search of differences and similarities presented by gender, type of high school, and year in university. The effects of motivation and learning experiences are discussed through using the perpectives of Gardner’s socio-educational model, whereas the influence of learners’ cultural context in second language learning is discussed through using Hofstede’s cultural model. Data were gathered by surveying undergraduate students from a private university in Kuwait, which yielded 233 completed questionnaires. The study employed quantitative methods using SPSS application for descriptive data analysis, correlation analysis, t-tests, and ANOVA. The descriptive statistics were calculated based on the data submitted by the students’ responses. The results revealed significant levels of integrative and instrumental motivation, emphasized by female students, which could be attributed to Hofstede's cultural dimensions of certainty, femininity, and collectivist society. Significant levels were also reported for English classes and English use anxiety, which may be attributed to Hofstede’s power distance, which accounts for the high respect accorded to teachers and teaching. Collectively, the results gained from this study provide guidance to disentangle the multitude of factors that affect English language learners. The findings reported in this study may help instructors who need to understand how learners’ cultural values influence the nature of instruction and point toward future research in analyzing multiple factors that assist language learning.

scholarly journals Developing Second Language Writing Through Scaffolding In The ZPD: A Magazine Project For An Authentic Audience

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
John W. Schwieter
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Second Language Writing ◽  
Writing Development ◽  
Proximal Development ◽  
Language Writing

In the present study, Vygotsky’s (1978, 1986) sociocultural framework of the zone of proximal development (ZPD) and scaffolding writing (Bodrova & Leong, 1995, 1996; Ross, 1976) are used as the theoretical basis to study the development of second language writing. A course project is presented in which advanced English language learners of Spanish acted as authors and editors to create their own professional magazines for an authentic audience. In the project, each student authored four essays which went through four peer- and instructor-edited stages of scaffolding writing techniques. After each stage, ratings were given by the editors who also facilitated feedback debriefing sessions (Lidz, 1991). Statistical analyses revealed significant improvement within the four essays demonstrating writing development of subsequent revisions of a single essay. There was also significant improvement between the four essays revealing a linear, continuous writing development. In all, these results support a notion that scaffolding writing techniques and feedback debriefing sessions within the ZPD effectively develops writing skills in second language learning when contextualized through a writing workshop involving the creation of a professional magazine designed for an authentic audience.

scholarly journals EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING MOTIVATION AND PROFICIENCY

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-31
Author(s):  
Karen Dunn ◽  
Janina Iwaniec
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Latent Variable ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
L2 Motivational Self System ◽  
Language Learning Motivation ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract A foundation of second language motivational theory has been that motivation contributes to explaining variance in language learning proficiency; however, empirical findings have been mixed. This article presents an innovative approach to exploring L2 proficiency and motivations of teenage English language learners in Madrid, Spain (N = 1773). Participants completed a multiskill English language test, plus an eight-scale questionnaire operationalizing constructs from Dörnyei’s L2 Motivational Self System (Dörnyei, 2005). Data were analysed using Latent Variable Mixture Modeling, a person-centered profiling approach. Results indicated five distinct classes of students, characterized by differing motivation-proficiency profiles. The importance of this study is that the analysis does not assume a homogenous relationship between motivational traits and proficiency levels across the learner sample; whilst there is undoubtedly a connection between the two areas, it is not a straightforward correlation, explaining to some extent discrepancies in previous findings and laying groundwork for further, more nuanced, investigation.

scholarly journals TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMAL L2 LEARNING EXPERIENCE: A TRANSDISCIPLINARY FRAMEWORK

PARADIGM ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 11
Author(s):  
Justsinta Silvi Alivi ◽  
Wiwik Mardiana
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Digital Era ◽  
Learning English

<p align="justify">Technology in informal language learning is inevitably in this digital era since it offers opportunities and brings positive impacts on English language learners. Some related studies are concerned with a particular approach. Therefore, this study looks at a broader lens to investigate individuals' differences in developing a second language, and to what extent technology contributes to their second language acquisition by employing the transdisciplinary framework of Douglas Fir Group (2016). This case study involved two participants, and the data was collected through semi-structured interviews. The findings indicate that individual differences in learning English are influenced by social interaction (micro), environment (meso), and belief (macro). Technology is utilized not only as a medium of learning English but also as an identity construction. How ideology and technology are interrelated is further discussed.</p>

Opportunities for Engaging Young English Language Learners Through Technology Use

2018 ◽  
pp. 158-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joy Egbert ◽  
Reima Abobaker
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Classrooms ◽  
Second Language Acquisition Theory

There are still many aspects of language learning that are not well explained, but second language acquisition theories provide evidence for under what conditions language is learned. Key among these conditions is the opportunities that students have for input, output, social interaction, and feedback. Teachers have control over the types of opportunities that language learners have in their classrooms, and it is important that these opportunities are engaging so that learners take advantage of them and therefore learn. Technology, used to support engaging language tasks, can help this to happen. This chapter addresses the links between second language acquisition theory and engaging opportunities for young learners in language classrooms, and it explores uses of technology that can support both.

Negative Evidence in Language Classroom Activities

2003 ◽  
Vol 141-142 ◽  
pp. 301-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa Pica ◽  
Gay N. Washburn
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Negative Evidence ◽  
Academic English ◽  
Classroom Activities ◽  
Sentence Construction ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Subject Matter Content

This study sought to identify and describe how negative evidence was made available and accessible in responses to learners during two classroom activities: a teacher-led discussion, which emphasized communication of subject matter content, and a teacher-led sentence construction exercise, which focused on application of grammatical rules. Data came from adult, pre-academic English language learners during six discussions of American film and literature, and six sets of sentence construction exercises. Findings revealed little availability of negative evidence in the discussions, as students' fluent, multi-error contributions drew responses that were primarily back-channels and continuation moves. Greater availability and accessibility of negative evidence were found in the sentence construction exercises, as students were given feedback following their completion of individual sentences. Results from the study suggested several pedagogical implications and applications.

Deployment of the formulaic utterance “how about∼” in task-based second language classroom discussions

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 425-446
Author(s):  
David Aline ◽  
Yuri Hosoda
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Interaction Analysis ◽  
Classroom Interaction ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Japanese Learners Of English ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Alternative Procedures ◽  
Japanese Learners

Abstract Formulaic speech has long been of interest in studies of second language learning and pragmatic use as production and comprehension of formulaic utterances requires less processing and production effort and, therefore, allows for greater fluency. This study scrutinizes the sequential positions and actions of one formulaic utterance “how about∼” from the participants’ perspective. This conversation analytic study offers a fine-grained microanalysis of student interaction during classroom peer discussion activities. The data consist of over 54 h of video-recorded classroom interaction. Analysis revealed several positions and actions of “how about∼” as it occurs during peer discussions by Japanese learners of English. Emerging from analysis was a focus on how learners deploy this formulaic utterance to achieve various actions within sequences of interaction. Analysis revealed that participants used “how about∼” for (a) explicitly selecting next speaker, (b) shifting topics, (c) proposing a solution, and (d) suggesting alternative procedures. Although the formula was deployed to perform these four different actions, consistent throughout all instances was the disclosure of learner orientation to the progressivity of the task interaction. The findings show how language learners deploy this formulaic utterance in discussion tasks designed for language learning and highlights the pragmatic functions of this phrase.

scholarly journals A Study of Language Anxiety among English Language Learners in Saudi Arabia

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Badia Muntazer Hakim
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Language Anxiety ◽  
Self Awareness

Classroom anxiety is a recurrent phenomenon for language learners. There are various factors that cause language anxiety, the most common of which include learners’ excessive self-consciousness and self-awareness concerning their oral reproduction and performance and their peculiar, and quite often misplaced and mistaken, views and beliefs regarding different approaches. Other potential reasons for this problem could include the fear, and the consequent deterrence occasioned thereof, of encountering difficulties in language learning, specifically learners’ individual problems regarding the culture of the target language and the varying social statuses of speakers. The most important fear is, perhaps, the deterrent fear of causing damage to one’s self-identity. Therefore, while needing to paying special attention to language learners’ anxiety reactions, language teachers have a crucial role in helping their students achieve the expected performance goals in the target language. Another factor that could potentially lead to language anxiety is simply the poor command of the target language. This problem could be attributed to linguistic barriers and obstacles language learners encounter in learning and using the target language. In the current study, using a qualitative, semi-structured interview and the focus-group discussion technique, the researcher aims to investigate the factors that contribute to language anxiety among Arab language learners. It focuses on learners both within the classroom setting and without, i.e. in the social context, and recommends a number of approaches to manage and overcome this problem.

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