Showing papers by "Tariq Elyas published in 2019"

TESOL at the Crossroads: Representation of Source Cultures in TESOL Textbooks.

Abstract: This article reports on a mixed-method research into the representation of source culture in an English language textbook series used at a major university in the Arabian Gulf. The current study ut...

Native english speakers versus non-native english speakers: the impact of language teachers on efl learner's english proficiency

Abstract: In the field of TESOL, the perception that Native English Speaking Teachers (NESTs) are better than Non-Native English Speaking Teachers (NNESTs) has influenced language schools, recruitment policies and institutional leadership practices. The tendency to recruit more NESTs and achieve improved learning outcomes can be seen in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and English as a Second Language (ESL) contexts. This paper aims to investigate whether NESTs or NNESTs have any impact on the EFL learners� language proficiency in Saudi EFL context. This quantitative study adopts pretest-posttest experimental and ex post facto designs to determine students� achievement in two language skills, namely speaking and listening. The two groups of participants are EFL students in a foundation year program at a Saudi Arabian University. One group was taught by a NEST and the other by a NNEST. The quantitative data were analyzed by using SPSS. The findings indicated that teachers� nativeness and backgrounds have no significant effects on the Saudi EFL learners� speaking and listening skills. Here, Saudi EFL learners can equally perform in classes taught by NESTs or NNESTs. In the light of the findings, the study suggests that recruitment policy should not be influenced by the employers� belief that NESTs possess better teaching skills than NNESTs.��

Computer-Mediated Communication Perspective on Theories of Mating Relationships: A Literature Review

Abstract: This study provides a review of the theories relevant to the understanding of online dating. Dating as a concept and as an activity has a specific history and takes a specific form. It traditionally occurred in the offline world although there were mediated aspects to it with daters advertising themselves in newspapers and magazines and on other available platforms. There are theories that try to explain the dating process and how relationships form between humans. There are associated theories of impression formation which are not exclusive to the dating context but are nonetheless relevant to it. There is then the migration of these various theories from the offline into the online world. This paper reviews all this theoretical evidence through focusing on two key elements. The first is the efficacy with which offline theories can explain behavior in the online world and the importance of new developments in the explanation of interpersonal relationships and communications in the online world. The second is the cultural specificity of specific theories and any research that has been produced to test them.

Students' Views on the Use of Critical Thinking-Based Pedagogical Approach for Vocabulary Instruction.

Abstract: This research aimed to explore students’ views towards the use of a critical thinking pedagogical model for vocabulary instruction. From this end, a questionnaire was utilized to collect both quantitative and qualitative data to investigate the students’ opinions about such an educational experience. Data analysis revealed that the meaningful and purposeful critical thinking vocabulary tasks triggered learners’ motivation while engaging their higher cognitive abilities in solving the tasks and enabling them to reflect on their topics based on their personal and life experiences. This challenging process led learners to have more opportunities for practicing ‘elaborative rehearsal’, and as a result, to process the targeted vocabulary deeper. This created a stronger association with the taught vocabulary, which ultimately enabled them to be encoded in the learners’ long-term memory. Based on these findings, the authors recommend that teachers, teacher educators, and curriculum designers should draw upon the findings of these studies and consider the advisability of embedding critical thinking-based teaching methods across all strata of the EFL teaching system: policy documents, curricula, teacher training courses and the language classrooms.

The impact of critical thinking on learners efl vocabulary retention: the arab context

Abstract: This experimental study aimed to investigate the impact of a critical thinking based pedagogical approach on learners� retention ability of EFL vocabulary.� There were two groups in the study: an experimental and a control group. The experimental group received vocabulary instruction with a critical thinking-based approach whereas the control group was taught in the conventional methods of vocabulary teaching. The treatment consisted of seven lessons delivered over 12 weeks. At the end of the treatment, the immediate posttest was administered and two weeks after the immediate posttest, the delayed posttest was administered. The resulting data were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistical analysis using SPSS software. The results showed that the experimental group outperformed the control group. Based on these results, the researchers concluded that the adopted critical thinking-oriented language instruction to EFL vocabulary has a positive effect on vocabulary retention, with implications for policy-makers, teacher trainers and teachers.

The Role of the iPad as Instructional Tool in Optimizing Young Learners' Achievement in EFL Classes in the Saudi Context

Abstract: The iPad tablets have been introduced into various educational sectors to facilitate learning and engage students in the classroom. However, little is known about the empirical evidence with regard to iPad usage in enhancing language achievement. This study set out to examine the effects of integrating iPad tablets as an instructional tool into the second language (L2) curricula to enhance young learner’s academic achievement in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom. It further endeavored to uncover the limitations that affect the utilization of the iPad in the classroom. To this end, forty Arabic first language (L1) young EFL learners enrolled in a middle school, were assigned as either an experimental group where they were exposed to study via iPad or a control group where they were taught in a traditional printed text across five weeks period. Language achievements were assessed through reading and vocabulary tests which were administered before the intervention and immediately after the intervention. To gauge the students’ engagements during the intended task, their behaviors were assessed in both scenarios. Findings from quantitative and qualitative data revealed that the students who were exposed to iPad were found much engaged and significantly outscored their counterparts in language achievements in the post-tests. Furthermore, technical problems were found to be predominant impediments to the integration of the iPad usage followed by unfamiliarity with the application, and student distraction. These findings provide EFL teachers and policy makers with insight on how to better integrate the iPad into the EFL environment. Further pedagogical recommendations and research directions are also highlighted at the end of the article.

Comparing Different Pedagogical Techniques to Teach Spelling at a Saudi High School: A Case Study

Abstract: This study investigates whether teaching spelling to high school students using different techniques, i.e. copy, cover, compare and flip folder, would improve students’ spelling. Additionally, it explores students’ opinions and perceptions towards these techniques. The research conducted in Granada high school in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Thirty-six male students participated in this study whose levels according to the course book were assumed to be B1 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). In this study, a mixed research method was used where data was analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The first group was taught using copy cover and compare method (CCC), which emphasizes repeated practice when errors occur in students spelling, whereas the second group was trained using the flip folder technique which is a combination of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic techniques that were believed to enhance memorization. A post-test was utilized immediately after the intervention and the results showed that the CCC group outperformed the Flip Folder group.

The Role of the iPad as Instructional Tool in Optimizing Young Learners' Achievement in EFL Classes in the Saudi Context

Abstract: The iPad tablets have been introduced into various educational sectors to facilitate learning and engage students in the classroom. However, little is known about the empirical evidence with regard to iPad usage in enhancing language achievement. This study set out to examine the effects of integrating iPad tablets as an instructional tool into the second language (L2) curricula to enhance young learner’s academic achievement in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom. It further endeavored to uncover the limitations that affect the utilization of the iPad in the classroom. To this end, forty Arabic first language (L1) young EFL learners enrolled in a middle school, were assigned as either an experimental group where they were exposed to study via iPad or a control group where they were taught in a traditional printed text across five weeks period. Language achievements were assessed through reading and vocabulary tests which were administered before the intervention and immediately after the intervention. To gauge the students’ engagements during the intended task, their behaviors were assessed in both scenarios. Findings from quantitative and qualitative data revealed that the students who were exposed to iPad were found much engaged and significantly outscored their counterparts in language achievements in the post-tests. Furthermore, technical problems were found to be predominant impediments to the integration of the iPad usage followed by unfamiliarity with the application, and student distraction. These findings provide EFL teachers and policy makers with insight on how to better integrate the iPad into the EFL environment. Further pedagogical recommendations and research directions are also highlighted at the end of the article.