Journal of English and Education (JEE)

A panoramic view of a structured how to write for publication course: College students’ views and tips

2024-10-16T03:16:43+00:00

Despite the privileged status of writing in academia, satisfying outputs are still low, and thus lack of knowledge about the nature of academic writing and publishing is attempted to be compensated in how to write for publication courses. Responding to the existing calls to conduct writing-related studies going far beyond diagnosing well-established writing challenges, the current case study seeks to probe 8 MA candidates’ experiences, needs, wishes, and suggestions in a structured how-to-write for publication course through open-ended questionnaires and student diaries at the MA Applied Linguistics program of a large-size state university in Türkiye. The qualitative data of the current study were triangulated with an open-ended questionnaire in the form of participant self-reports and student diaries. The findings show that such writing interventions were valued for adding up to graduate candidates and socializing their writing. However, MA candidates needed to be supported with negotiated workshops as such extensions could help them apply writing theory and find the audience. The insights are provided, and the findings are discussed to suggest implications for both research and educational policy.

EFL students’ perceptions toward the use of electronic written feedback in academic writing classes

2024-10-19T12:56:42+00:00

Feedback is one of the essential things for students to help them improve and develop their writing skills. Nowadays, the kinds of feedback are varied; a form that has often been used since the pandemic is electronic written feedback. This study aims to find out the students' perceptions toward the use of electronic written feedback. This study was conducted in the English Language Education Program at a private university in Salatiga. This study included 34 students registered in an Academic Writing class during the even semester 2023. The data for this study were gathered from semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. Both thematic analysis and statistical analysis were used to analyze the data from the interview and questionnaires. The findings revealed that the students’ attitudes toward electronic feedback were positive. Moreover, this study found weaknesses and strengths in using written feedback electronically. Practical recommendations for maximizing the potential of the electronic written feedback and directions for future research are also presented in this paper.

Improving English as a foreign language learners’ vocabulary and reading comprehension through crossword-assisted teaching

2024-10-18T06:09:05+00:00

Numerous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of crossword-assisted teaching for English as a foreign language (EFL) instruction. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of this technique in the Chinese-speaking EFL environment. Two cohorts of junior college students participated in this study. Both groups completed a vocabulary and reading skill pretest, which revealed no significant differences between the groups. For convenience, a larger cohort of 34 students was designated as the experimental group, and a smaller cohort of 32 students was designated as the control group. During the study, crossword-solving tasks and quizzes were integrated into the instruction provided to the experimental group, whereas traditional lecture-based instruction was provided to the control group. After the study, both groups underwent the same posttest. The experimental group significantly outperformed the control group in both vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension. Additionally, the experimental group students’ responses to a learning attitudes questionnaire indicated their favorable perceptions of the use of crosswords in instruction. Therefore, this study verified the effectiveness of crossword puzzles in a non-Western linguistic learning environment, reinforcing the value of crosswords for EFL teaching.

Analyzing the development of university English students’ speaking fluency

2024-10-15T07:54:27+00:00

The development of speaking fluency is a critical aspect of English language learning, particularly for non-native speakers. This study investigates the progress of university English learners in improving their speaking fluency, focusing on two key measures: the length of silent pauses and the use of pause fillers. A quantitative approach was employed, utilizing a pre-experimental design with 61 second-year students from two private universities, one in Indonesia and one in Uzbekistan. These students were enrolled in a speaking course at their respective universities, and the study served as an evaluative measure for the course. Data were collected through speaking tasks administered at the beginning and end of the course, where students delivered five-minute monologues on topics related to professional communication, specifically the creation of a startup company. The findings revealed a significant reduction in silent pauses, indicating an improvement in fluency, while the use of pause fillers showed minimal change.

Teaching English grammar for ESP learners: An exploration of content based instruction

2024-10-15T04:30:43+00:00

This study examined two instructional methods of grammar teaching for polytechnic students: the traditional method of translation and memorization and Content-Based Instruction (CBI). By involving first-year students majoring in Cyber Security, this study measured the impact of each method using pre- and post-tests focusing on key grammar topics integrated into IT content. The results showed that students in the CBI class outperformed those in the conventional class, wherein 53.34% of the former group attained converted grades of A and B while only 26.67% achieved similar grades in the latter. The students’ feedback collected through questionnaires indicated that they preferred CBI because it was more relevant and applicable to reality, thus motivating them and making the grammar understandable in context. CBI was effective in ESP settings because it combined language skills with subject matter, but it necessitated instructors to handle both language teaching and content area. The current study highlighted that CBI could be a more meaningful grammar instruction for providing better learner outcomes in technical fields.