{"title":"Integrating an Intelligent Language Tutoring System in Teaching English Grammar","authors":"M. Dahbi","doi":"10.24093/awej/vol14no4.11","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol14no4.11","url":null,"abstract":"This paper describes a research project using an intelligent language tutoring system model in teaching grammar in English. The study aims to investigate the perceptions of a group of students regarding the effectiveness of this system and its service quality. This investigation is significant since it gives further insights into how Intelligent Language Tutoring Systems can help students learn grammar in a personalized manner based on their levels. Research has revealed that classroom teaching may fall short in providing customized instruction and feedback. Therefore, intelligent language tutoring systems can support adaptivity to individual learner needs. In order to assess the effectiveness of this system, the participants answered a survey questionnaire at the end of this study. The research project involves a class of adult mixed-ability students in a continuing education program at the National School of Applied Sciences in Fes, Morocco. The results demonstrate that these students have a positive attitude toward the merits of such technological tools. These advantages are mainly related to enhancing learner achievement and motivation. Based on these findings, some implications for both teaching and learning grammar can be drawn.","PeriodicalId":45153,"journal":{"name":"Arab World English Journal","volume":"12 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138970546","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"An Investigation of Thai University EFL Students’ Ability to Notice English Idiomatic Expressions","authors":"Dentisak Dokchandra, Sichabhat Boonnoon","doi":"10.24093/awej/vol14no4.16","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol14no4.16","url":null,"abstract":"The main aims of this research were to investigate Thai EFL students’ level of ability to notice English idiomatic expressions and variations in their ability to notice the idioms in terms of idiom types, academic disciplines, and perceptions towards their idiom noticing ability. The participants were 162 English as a foreign language students (99 females, 63 males) selected through a purposive sampling method from a university in Northeastern Thailand. The data was collected through an Idiom Noticing and Identifying Test. The results revealed that the students had a low level of ability to notice English idiomatic expressions. The type of idioms the students had reported as the most noticed were transparent idioms, and the opaque idioms as the least noticed. The students were not different in their ability to notice idiomatic expressions regarding their academic disciplines, and they were not sure about the idiomaticity of the idioms they claimed to have noticed.","PeriodicalId":45153,"journal":{"name":"Arab World English Journal","volume":"314 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138996562","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effectiveness of Blended Learning Programs/Models in English Instruction in Saudi Universities: A Systematic Review of Literature","authors":"Yasir R. Alenazi","doi":"10.24093/awej/vol14no4.10","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol14no4.10","url":null,"abstract":"This systematic review of literature examines the effectiveness of blended learning programs in the instruction of the English language in Saudi universities. The aim of this review is to critically analyse current studies on the efficacy of BL programs in teaching English language courses in Saudi universities. The review draws attention to impact of blended learning models on English education in Saudi universities and offers insight on how to enhance the use of these models in English language instruction at the tertiary level. Seven research databases were searched, generating 132 studies. Studies published before 2010, not written in English, non-peer reviewed, non-journal, not evidence-based, without abstracts, non-BL focused, and not focused on English learning or university education were excluded, leaving 56 full articles which were then coded based on the data type they presented. The coding model employed was inductively formulated based on a preliminary review of the articles selected together with the most frequent groupings and hence no specific theoretical model guided the process. For each respective coding group, the number of articles that showed BL models were more effective in teaching English courses in Saudi universities was added to the number of articles that showed the approach led to better English language outcomes. The total number of the articles whose findings did not precisely indicate the effectiveness of BL was also obtained. Results show a significant proportion of the studies suggested BL programs positively affected English language learning in Saudi universities. This is evidenced by significant improvements in language skills and the general course learning outcomes.","PeriodicalId":45153,"journal":{"name":"Arab World English Journal","volume":"91 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138997907","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Use of Mobile Apps for Enhanced Vocabulary Acquisition: A Comparative Study among Saudi EFL Students","authors":"Yaseen Azi","doi":"10.24093/awej/vol14no4.6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol14no4.6","url":null,"abstract":"The paper presents a methodological approach and a summary of the major findings of the study. The main aim of the research was to investigate the effects of using mobile apps on vocabulary learning outcomes and motivation among Saudi EFL learners. The study adopts a survey method, combining quantitative data from a questionnaire. The survey was done among intermediate and elementary students including the type of sampling. The significance of the study lies in the fact that appropriate vocabulary acquisition is essential for good communication, but acquiring new words and using them can be dull. The research aimed to explore innovative ways of learning vocabulary in a foreign language by using mobile technology and learners’ perceptions and attitudes towards such apps that provide fun-filled learning. The main question addressed by the research was whether using mobile apps for vocabulary learning would lead to better outcomes than other methods. The context of the study was Saudi Arabia, where English is taught as a foreign language. The research tools used were mobile apps for vocabulary learning, which were compared with other methods. The results showed that the groups that used mobile apps for vocabulary learning significantly outperformed the other groups on vocabulary tests, indicating that mobile apps can be an effective tool for enhancing vocabulary acquisition among Saudi EFL learners.","PeriodicalId":45153,"journal":{"name":"Arab World English Journal","volume":"7 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138970718","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nur Khadirah Ab. Rahman, Melor Md Yunus, Nurfaradilla Mohamad Nasri, Emily Abd Rahman
{"title":"Elevating Employability: Analysing English Curriculum for Military Aviation Officers","authors":"Nur Khadirah Ab. Rahman, Melor Md Yunus, Nurfaradilla Mohamad Nasri, Emily Abd Rahman","doi":"10.24093/awej/vol14no4.5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol14no4.5","url":null,"abstract":"Adequate English communication is vital for professional success, particularly in the aviation industry. As universities strive to enhance graduate employability, it is imperative to equip future employees with the necessary linguistic abilities to navigate the challenges and achieve organizational objectives within the workforce. One critical avenue for achieving this objective is the meticulous design of English language syllabi. The primary aim of this research, conducted in Malaysia, is to investigate feedback from aviation military officers former students of a defence university, regarding the existing English language curriculum and to identify their specific requirements for these courses. The study addresses two key questions: 1) Feedback on the existing English courses for military aviation officers, and 2) The English language requirements of military aviation officers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight military aviation officers nationwide using a qualitative research method. These interviews were conducted online due to pandemic-related restrictions, with each participant interviewed individually. The study’s main findings emphasize the significant role of English language proficiency in the aviation profession. Participants highlighted the critical need for improved curriculum designs, focusing on accent and jargon mastery. These insights underscore the urgency of refining the current English language courses to better address the specific language requirements of military aviation officers, thereby promoting their sustainable employment. In conclusion, this research provides valuable recommendations for curriculum enhancement and analyses future research in English language instruction. Emphasizing the critical role of English language skills in the aviation industry contributes to creating more effective and tailored English classrooms in the aviation sector and beyond. This study ultimately advances the broader goal of enhancing graduate employability in aviation.","PeriodicalId":45153,"journal":{"name":"Arab World English Journal","volume":"217 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138997041","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Investigating Chinese Tertiary EFL Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices in the Application of Learning Management Systems Using Q Methodology","authors":"Yanjing Qi, Rohani Binti Othman","doi":"10.24093/awej/vol14no4.7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol14no4.7","url":null,"abstract":"The purpose of this study is to explore Chinese tertiary EFL teachers’ beliefs and practices as well as the relationships between them in the application of Learning Management Systems (LMS in short). By reviewing relevant literature, previous studies either carried out research on teachers’ beliefs and practices in the training of basic English learning skills or compared them between novice and experienced teachers. This study fills the gap of research on teachers’ beliefs and practices from the perspective of technology integration, specifically LMS application. By using the Q methodology, 38 EFL teachers teaching the same EFL course to undergraduate students at F University in mainland China were selected as research participants. After collecting research data through open-ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, four different types of teachers’ LMS beliefs and three different levels of teachers’ LMS practices were identified by employing Q Methodology software-PQMethod and a web application Ken-Q analysis. Through comparing each participant’s corresponding beliefs and practices, both consistent and inconsistent relationships are found. The research findings not only prove the definite connection between teachers’ LMS beliefs and practices but also reveal the discrepancies between what teachers believe and do while using LMS. In general, The research can not only offer a new methodological solution for further research on cognitive factors like teachers’ beliefs but also provide pedagogical implications to EFL teachers to promote their career development.","PeriodicalId":45153,"journal":{"name":"Arab World English Journal","volume":"70 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138997531","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nurul Iman Ahmad Bukhar, Lilliati Ismail, Noor Lide Abu Kassim, Abu Bakar Razali, Nooreen Noordin, Muhamad Firdaus Mohd Noh
{"title":"Topic Familiarity Effects on Performance in Speaking Assessment Tasks","authors":"Nurul Iman Ahmad Bukhar, Lilliati Ismail, Noor Lide Abu Kassim, Abu Bakar Razali, Nooreen Noordin, Muhamad Firdaus Mohd Noh","doi":"10.24093/awej/vol14no4.13","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol14no4.13","url":null,"abstract":"Speaking assessment is believed to be difficult in its expansion and execution. Thus, it is a challenge for teachers in preparing students for speaking tests. This study’s purpose was to identify whether topic familiarity affects speaking performance among students who were preparing to sit for the high-stakes Malaysian University English Test speaking test. The study aimed to investigate the validity and reliability of the speaking assessment measures and, subsequently, to examine the speaking tests’ item difficulty measures differences according to topic familiarity level. Data were collected from 40 non-native speakers of English among Malaysian Form Six pre-university students who were preparing for their MUET test. The researcher conducted two practice speaking tests, which used retired papers of the MUET CEFR-aligned speaking tests, to the 40 participants who were grouped into 10 speaking test groups. The practice speaking tests were video and audio-recorded. Topic familiarity was measured using self-report questionnaires. In the second phase, each of the seven appointed raters scored all 40 students’ responses in two speaking tests consisting of two speaking tasks assessed across four criteria: task fulfillment, language, communicative ability, and group discussion. Many-facet Rasch measurement results revealed significant differences translating to significant influence of topic familiarity on speaking performance. The present study’s results not only confirmed the significance of topic familiarity in the preparation for speaking assessments, but also highlighted the need for formal teaching on potential topic themes that are commonly encountered in such assessments, particularly those that are at the post-secondary level. These findings imply importance in designing speaking tests taking into account test-taker topic familiarity.","PeriodicalId":45153,"journal":{"name":"Arab World English Journal","volume":"13 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138998063","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Potential Benefits of Enhancing Motivation on English Language Learners’ Performance","authors":"Maram Sulaiman Faye Asiri","doi":"10.24093/awej/vol14no4.20","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol14no4.20","url":null,"abstract":"This research aims to gain a better understanding of the critical role that teachers play in explaining why pupils are motivated to learn. This can help students explore information and new concepts in settings in which they feel competent and motivated. The term motivation according to Gardner and Lambert (1972) indicates motivation as a “desire to achieve a goal, effort expended, and attitudes to learning a language”. Therefore, their motivation has a direct influence on the effort they put in and on their academic outcome. Understanding what motivates students well could encourage teachers to decide the best methods to educate their students and how to put those methods into practice. This study provides insight into how English teachers who have been teaching for several years see the impact of motivation on language learning and what they think they can do as language teachers to motivate their students. The main aims and focus of this study were to find out what motivates EFL students and factors that affect their motivation.","PeriodicalId":45153,"journal":{"name":"Arab World English Journal","volume":"25 45","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139000716","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Challenges and Strategies in Workplace English Communication: Undergraduate Accountant Internship","authors":"Faridah Musa, Zarina Othman, Melur Md Yunus, Taufik Rashid","doi":"10.24093/awej/vol14no4.17","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol14no4.17","url":null,"abstract":"Competency in occupational English is crucial among university graduates in Malaysia. Nevertheless, there have been constant concerns regarding the graduates’ need for English communication skills. In order to overcome the challenges and become competent, they need to employ strategies that would assist them to remain relevant and sustainable during their internship. This paper presents the challenges and strategies in workplace English Communication among undergraduate accountant internships. Attempts undertaken by the accounting interns in overcoming the challenges in English language communication during their six-month internship experiences at respective companies in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, are also discussed. The study employed a qualitative research method using face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with five (5) interns from the Faculty of Economics and Management of a public university in Malaysia. Interviews with two managers and a supervisor who were the persons in charge of the interns were also carried out. The interview data was transcribed verbatim and analysed using Braun and Clarke’s six-step thematic analysis. The interns’ data was triangulated with the supervisor and managers’ views and later validated by three independent coders using Cohen’s Kappa Reliability Test. The strategies employed by the accounting interns in overcoming the English language communication challenges included speaking English with non-Malay colleagues, seeking help from the supervisor, consulting colleagues or seniors’ expertise, and reading work-related documents. The implications of the findings focus on university administrators to strengthen the teaching and learning of the English language and help undergraduates improve their communication skills in English are also discussed in this paper.","PeriodicalId":45153,"journal":{"name":"Arab World English Journal","volume":"60 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138999775","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Oman Royal Speeches Corpus: Compilation and Analysis","authors":"Aladdin Al Zahran, R. Jamoussi","doi":"10.24093/awej/vol14no4.9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol14no4.9","url":null,"abstract":"For many years, researchers have directed their attention primarily toward developing written corpora, with the consequence that spoken corpora have consistently remained rare compared to written ones. The laborious transcription and annotation tasks make creating and maintaining spoken corpora a challenging endeavor. This project aims to build a transcribed corpus of Oman Royal Speeches and make it available online through a custom-made concordance tool. The study also aims to test the corpus for fundamental corpus-based lexical, stylistic, and discourse-analytical implementations. Compiling the Oman Royal Speeches Corpus is meant to fill a gap by contributing to the development of Arabic spoken language corpora and make available a research tool that can facilitate corpus-based research, uses, and applications in various areas of investigation. The corpus-building process underwent a five-stage process, including data capture, data processing, concordance tool development, testing and evaluation, and online deployment. With 98,511 tokens, the resultant corpus represents a searchable archive of Royal Speeches with a built-in online concordance tool that allows multiple search types and Keyword-in-Context query result display. The corpus has been tested for various corpus-analytic uses and has been found to provide significant findings in these areas. Thus, it has the potential to function as a reliable and authentic record and source of information for researchers and specialists in various fields, as well as a research tool allowing for various applications and analyses in language-related topics.","PeriodicalId":45153,"journal":{"name":"Arab World English Journal","volume":"87 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138996195","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}