scholarly journals Professional Development for Language Learning Advisors

2017 ◽  
pp. 268-273
Author(s):  
Saki Inoue

Advising in language learning (ALL) is an effective way to support English language learners. More and more universities offer an advising service in Japan. In order to improve quality of an advising service, ongoing training of language learning advisors is necessary. In this paper, which is a summary of a study, a series of professional development programs for language learning advisors are introduced. Eight advisors participated in the research which involved completing reflection reports about the training and participating in semi-structured interviews. The implications of the research are discussed which are to develop a more effective professional development program for advisors.

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria R Coady ◽  
Mark Preston Lopez ◽  
Nidza Marichal ◽  
Deon Heffington

The number of English language learners (ELs) across the United States continues to grow, particularly in rural and new destination settings. However, educators remain un- and under-prepared for working with ELs nationally. This article provides findings from a study of one teacher leader professional development program in a rural school district that sought to prepare educators for ELs. We describe the professional development program and the rural context of the district. Findings from this study derive from an online survey of participants. Data reveal that rural educators seek to acquire skills and strategies that go beyond the classroom setting and that enable them to connect with EL families. They also believe that teacher leaders of ELs demonstrate compassion and build social-emotional support networks for themselves as professionals, as well as with EL families.


2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 436-450
Author(s):  
Antonia (Toni) Szymanski ◽  
Michelle Lynch

This article explores educator perceptions of gifted and talented (GT) English language learning (ELL) students. Nine educators from two schools within a school district with high population of ELL students were interviewed in this qualitative study. Discussion focused on understanding teachers’ ideas regarding ELL gifted students. Three main themes emerged from interviews: educator perceptions, identification, and professional development. Implications from the study include the need for specific professional development to restructure thinking regarding ELL students and to inform educators on the myriad of ways giftedness may manifest itself.


PARADIGM ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 11
Author(s):  
Justsinta Silvi Alivi ◽  
Wiwik Mardiana

<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>


Refuge ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-163
Author(s):  
Li-Shih Huang

This article reports on a study involving multiple sources of data that captured adult Syrian refugee learners’ unique language-learning needs by developing and implementing needs assessment surveys; conducting in-depth, semi-structured interviews with the learners and teachers; and analyzing the learners’ oral production. The insights gained from the analysis of direct data (the learners’ oral production) and indirect data (content analysis using NVivo 12 Plus of the learning needs reported by learners and teachers) are intended to inform the work of researchers conducting needs assessment as well as the practices that are applicable within and beyond the Canadian context of instructors and material developers working with English-language learners who are refugees.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Badia Muntazer Hakim

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.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 288-295
Author(s):  
Elnaz Zariholhosseini ◽  
Ehsan Namaziandost ◽  
Mehdi Nasri

Purpose of the study: This article report’s findings from a study on the differences and similarities between experienced and novice English language learners with regards to their personal use of VLS. Methodology: Closed questionnaire and semi-structure interviews were applied to collect the data. The questionnaire was distributed among 60 (30 experienced learners and 30 novice learners). In addition, 20 learners (10 experienced learners and 10 novice learners) were asked to answer the questions in the interview. Therefore, descriptive statistics, U Mann Whitney test, and independent-sample t-test were run to compare and analyzed the data. Main Findings: The finding showed that there were significant differences between experienced and novice learners’ thoughts towards vocabulary learning strategies and experienced learners used vocabulary learning strategies while learning new words in English language learning. Applications of this study: If the learners are taught how to use each strategy correctly, their understanding of the language can naturally be improved. Moreover, VLS is beneficial throughout the process of vocabulary learning which makes learners more independent and allows teachers to focus on other things as well. Novelty/Originality of this study: To the best of researchers’ knowledge, no study has been done on investigating Iranian experienced and novice English language learners` perceptions towards most useful vocabulary learning strategies (VLS).


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-115
Author(s):  
Suprihadi Suprihadi ◽  
Muh. Syafei

The dual-role of the students of English Education Department Teacher Training and Education Faculty Muria Kudus University as both English language learners and language users gets them to be autonomous, effective, efficient, and strategic readers. The objective of this research is to investigate the relationship between quality of the reading strategy and academic achievement of the students. The subjects of this research were 104 students of EED UMK comprising of all semesters taken randomly. The instrument used was closed-ended questionnaire. The result of this research reveals that there is no relationship between quality of the reading strategy and academic achievement, meaning that the quality of reading strategy does not influence the academic achievement of the students. Implikasions and recommendations for the institution and for further research were proposed.


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