scholarly journals Saudi EFL Teachers’ Interpretation toward Creativity

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 162
Author(s):  
Norah Nasser Aldujayn ◽  
Alaa Mesfer Alsubhi
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
High Schools ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Educational System ◽  
Survey Instrument ◽  
Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia ◽  
Creative Methods ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Definition Of

Purpose, Methods, Results Creativity is an important skill that should be promoted throughout the educational system. However, teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) in high schools in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) generally do not appear to use creative approaches for reasons that are not well understood. Understanding EFL teachers’ attitudes about creativity would provide valuable insights into their practices in the classroom and facilitate the planning and evaluation efforts to promote creativity in classrooms. Using a validated survey instrument adapted from Al-Qahtani (2016), the researcher collected attitudes toward creativity among 85 female Saudi EFL teachers. The study found that the participating teachers had positive attitudes toward creativity. However, they lacked certainty about the definition of creativity and were not confident in their application of creative methods. The implications of these findings in light of the research are discussed in greater detail.

scholarly journals Pedagogic Effectiveness of Digital Storytelling in Improving Speaking Skills of Saudi EFL learners

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hayam Mohamed Salama Eissa
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia ◽  
English As Foreign Language ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Speaking Skill ◽  
Conventional Methods

The purpose of this study is to find why adult learners are unable to speak English as Foreign language (EFL) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Moreover, it tests the pedagogy of adopting the strategy of Digital Story Telling (DST) in teaching English as a foreign language. The study is applied on Northern Boarder University as a case study. The first question raised in this study is whether the conventional methods of teaching are the reason behind their failure of speaking the English language and whether the modification in the pedagogy of teaching affects the learners' speaking skill. To this end, data are collected through a questionnaire. Furthermore, a model of a teaching program, based on using DST strategy, is improved and tested with a group of learners at the chosen university in Saudi Arabia. The findings reveal that the learners at the selected university find difficulty in speaking English, and that applying DST as a pedagogy help the students to develop their overall speaking skill. These findings assist EFL teachers in Saudi Arabia in creating a conducive atmosphere in and out their classes, which will motivate the learners a lot to speak English fluently. The conclusion of the research recommends that EFL teachers should modify their conventional methods of teaching English as a foreign language; they may apply the strategy of using DST on their students to test the competence of the hypothesis.

scholarly journals Assessing the Level of Awareness of COVID-19 and Prevalence of General Anxiety Disorder among the Hail Community, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (13) ◽  
pp. 7035
Author(s):  
Bandar Alsaif ◽  
Najm Eldinn Elsser Elhassan ◽  
Ramaiah Itumalla ◽  
Kamal Elbassir Ali ◽  
Mohamed Ali Alzain
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Positive Attitude ◽  
Major Public Health Problem ◽  
Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia ◽  
General Anxiety Disorder ◽  
General Anxiety ◽  
Attitudes And Practices ◽  
Awareness Campaigns ◽  
Positive Attitudes

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a major public health problem around the world. Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess the awareness and prevalence of General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) with regard to COVID-19 among the Hail community, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in order to help health authorities to effectively control the pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was completed by 412 participants living in Hail, Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire assessed demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes, and practices for the prevention of COVID-19, as well as psychological feelings in terms of GAD as an impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: The study found that most of the respondents demonstrated good knowledge, attitudes, and practice for COVID-19 prevention. The elderly and employed demonstrated significant positive attitudes and practices (p < 0.05). Participants with a positive attitude were almost two and a half times (OR = 2.4; 95% CI: 1.54–3.99) more likely to have good practices. Additionally, the rural respondents were less likely (OR = 0.45; 95% CI: 0.21–0.96) to have a positive attitude. Married participants were more than one and a half (OR = 1.60; 95% CI: 1.04–2.44) times more likely to have a positive attitude. The prevalence of GAD was 21.8% and was significantly increased among participants with inadequate knowledge (OR = 2.01; 95% CI: 1.25–3.22), females (OR = 1.92; 95% CI: 1.19–3.09), individuals with chronic diseases (OR = 1.71; 95% CI: 1.02–2.86), and non-Saudi participants (OR = 2.44; 95% CI: 1.02–5.85). Conclusions: Ensuring a sufficient combination of relatively good levels of knowledge, positive attitudes, and desired practices serves as a good approach to preventing the spread of COVID-19. However, the increased prevalence of GAD requires the attention of policymakers. Therefore, a great emphasis should be placed on health awareness campaigns, with a focus on misconceptions and the provision of counseling.

scholarly journals English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Teacher's Perceptions and Use of Mobile Devices and Applications

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 190-202
Author(s):  
Elias Bensalem
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Mobile Devices ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
Tertiary Level ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Personal Learning ◽  
Efl Teachers

This paper reports on a study of how a group of tertiary level EFL teachers perceived and used mobile devices in their teaching and personal learning. One hundred and fifty teachers (66 female, 84 male) from public universities in Saudi Arabia completed an online questionnaire. Results showed that the majority of participants used mobile devices and applications in their teaching and learning. Survey data showed that the vast majority of teachers had positively perceived and frequently used mobile technologies in their teaching and personal learning. In addition, there was a correlation between teachers’ use of mobile technologies in their teaching and their use in learning. There was also a correlation between how teachers perceived the value of mobile technologies in learning, and how they use them in their teaching.

scholarly journals Project Work in Moroccan EFL Classroom: between the Official Guidelines’ Recommendation and the Challenges of Implementation

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 462-475
Author(s):  
Tariq BOUQETYB
Keyword(s):  
High Schools ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Project Work ◽  
Ministry Of Education ◽  
Common Component ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Teaching Situation ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Teachers Attitudes ◽  
Collection Methods

Project work is used in several educational settings, including foreign and second language teaching contexts. In the Moroccan English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom, the Moroccan Ministry of Education recommended implementing project work, and it is a common component of the Moroccan textbooks of English. Yet, there is a scarcity of studies conducted on the use of project work in Moroccan EFL classrooms. The main aim of the study is to investigate students’ and teachers’ attitudes towards project work. The study addresses the question about students’ and teachers’ attitudes towards project work and the factors behind those attitudes. It was conducted with sixty students and eight teachers belonging to two different high schools (Moulay Rachid and Abbas Sebti high schools) in Tangier. To collect data, the researcher made use of two data collection methods, namely the questionnaire and the interview. The results of the study showed that both students and teachers had positive attitudes towards project work. The results also revealed that not all teachers follow the steps of using project work. Based on the results, it was clear that the lack of technology is one of the most severe challenges that hamper the use of project work. The findings of this study could form the basis for further research and contribute to improving the learning and teaching situation in Moroccan high schools.

scholarly journals Translation and EFL in Oman

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
Musallam Al-Ma’ani ◽  
Al Ghalia Al-Kindi
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Educational System ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Foreign Languages ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Efl Teaching ◽  
History Of ◽  
Arabic And English

The history of the didactics of translation indicates that it has been effectively used in the teaching of foreign languages. In the case of English as a Foreign Language (EFL), translation can have a sufficiently facilitating role in its teaching and learning. Particularly for the teaching of EFL in Oman, where English is taught at all stages of the educational system, translation from and into Arabic and English may improve the mastery of English. But there is disagreement among EFL teachers on the use of translation in their classes. This paper explores the views of EFL teachers in Oman with regard to the feasibility and usefulness of translation in EFL teaching. Findings suggest that EFL teachers in Oman are almost split on this vital issue.

scholarly journals YouTube as a Learning Tool to Improve Students’ Speaking Skills as Perceived by EFL Teachers in Secondary School

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 13
Author(s):  
Thamer Binmahboob
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
English Language ◽  
School Students ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Secondary Stage ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Language Instructors ◽  
Analytical Approaches ◽  
Speaking Skills

YouTube has been shown to be a rich source for teaching speaking in EFL contexts. However, the use of YouTube is developing speaking skills is still understudied in the Saudi EFL context. The full use and awardees of YouTube resources are not well articulated by many EFL teachers in Saudi Arabia. This study attempted to examine the perceptions of English instructors of using YouTube to improve the speaking skills of the students in the secondary stage in Saudi Arabia. The English instructors’ attitudes towards YouTube and the best ways to use YouTube in the class were examined. The descriptive and analytical approaches have been applied in order to design the research. For data collection, a questionnaire has been designed to addresses the research topic. It was distributed on a sample of English language instructors (30 EFL instructors) in the secondary stage in Riyadh city in Saudi Arabia. The findings of the study showed that English language instructors see that YouTube is a highly beneficial instructional tool in improving the speaking skills of the secondary school students. It was found that the instructors have positive attitudes towards YouTube. They expressed that YouTube lessens the students’ anxiety and allow the students to learn faster, retain attention for a long time and motivates the students to learn the language. On the other hand, the findings showed that YouTube can be used in different ways in the class such as asking the students to comment on a particular video or to give some details, discuss, pose questions and give answers. YouTube gives a real chance for the students to interact in the class and to speak freely and get improved in pronunciation. The study recommended using YouTube as an integral instructive tool in English language classes.

scholarly journals An Insight into Female EFL Learners’ Difficulties and Needs in Writing: The Case of Secondary High Schools in Saudi Arabia

2021 ◽  
pp. 343-359
Author(s):  
Fatima Yousef Alzahrani ◽  
Eatedal Mohammed Alghamdi ◽  
Maysa Mohammad Sadiq Qutob
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
High Schools ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Efl Writing ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
12Th Grade ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Insight Into

Curriculum development has been carried out to improve English as a Foreign Language (EFL) courses in Saudi public schools; however, EFL learners still have difficulties in writing. This study examines the difficulties that Saudi female EFL learners face in writing in secondary high schools. The study also aims to identify 12th grade female EFL learners’ needs in improving their writing skills. The research findings might help curriculum designers and EFL teachers to make improvements to a curriculum that meet EFL learners’ needs. The participants were 216 female EFL learners studying in public schools in Jeddah. A questionnaire including closed items on a Likert scale and one open-ended question were used to collect data, which were then analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. The results illustrate that female EFL learners’ main difficulties in EFL writing are mechanics, use of proper vocabulary, and organization of texts. Additionally, female learners expressed their needs and suggestions for improving their writing skills which are related to the specific difficulties they face. Accordingly, the researchers suggest establishing a well-designed writing program which provides learners with sufficient training in writing skills by increasing the number of hours given to writing.

scholarly journals An Insight into Female EFL Learners’ Difficulties and Needs in Writing: The Case of Secondary High Schools in Saudi Arabia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatima Yousef Alzahrani ◽  
Eatedal Mohammed Alghamdi ◽  
Maysa Mohammad Sadiq Qutob
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
High Schools ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Efl Writing ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
12Th Grade ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Insight Into

Curriculum development has been carried out to improve English as a Foreign Language (EFL) courses in Saudi public schools; however, EFL learners still have difficulties in writing. This study examines the difficulties that Saudi female EFL learners face in writing in secondary high schools. The study also aims to identify 12th grade female EFL learners’ needs in improving their writing skills. The research findings might help curriculum designers and EFL teachers to make improvements to a curriculum that meet EFL learners’ needs. The participants were 216 female EFL learners studying in public schools in Jeddah. A questionnaire including closed items on a Likert scale and one open-ended question were used to collect data, which were then analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. The results illustrate that female EFL learners’ main difficulties in EFL writing are mechanics, use of proper vocabulary, and organization of texts. Additionally, female learners expressed their needs and suggestions for improving their writing skills which are related to the specific difficulties they face. Accordingly, the researchers suggest establishing a well-designed writing program which provides learners with sufficient training in writing skills by increasing the number of hours given to writing.

scholarly journals Plurilingualism and monolingualism in foreign language classrooms: The perspective of EFL teachers in Saudi Arabia

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-29
Author(s):  
Ali Alsaawi
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Gulf Region ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Efl Teachers

Abstract The idea of teaching a target language via a monolingual medium of instruction in the classroom has long predominated in the pedagogical context. In Saudi Arabia, excluding the students’ mother tongue (Arabic) in the foreign language classroom has been seen as a tool that accelerates the acquisition of the target language (English). This is widely viewed as the most practical and effective method of language learning, especially in the Gulf region, where English is a foreign language employed in the fields of economics and business. The recent academic argument that exploiting the students’ linguistic repertoire, including the mother tongue, in the target language classroom boosts and fosters the students’ learning cycle is still encountering huge resistance, especially among second/foreign language teachers. To explore this dispute from the perspective of English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers in intermediate and secondary schools, a case study was conducted with 34 teachers in the Qassim region, Saudi Arabia, through questionnaires and a focus group interview. The study found that most teachers believe that the policy of using the target language (English) only is the most effective method of language learning. They employed the students’ mother tongue (Arabic) on an ad hoc basis to ensure complete comprehension, organize classroom tasks or convey personal remarks. In addition, the study revealed that teachers’ understanding of plurilingualism was unclear and limited to the verbal use of two languages, and that EFL teachers need more clarification on its application in the classroom.

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