An investigation into English as a Second Language (ESL) learner participation in language learning opportunities : a social view (original) (raw)
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(Hamouda, 2012) Made an investigation about, causes of Saudi students' reluctance to participate in the English classroom. At the beginning of this article, in the abstract, he talks about the causes he found through a survey he applied to know which these were. The abstract literally say: " EFL learners' reluctance to speak English in the classroom is a problem commonly found in a foreign language context. This study attempts to investigate the causes of the nonparticipation of students in EFL classrooms in a key university in Qassim, Saudi Arabia. One hundred, fifty-nine first-year non-English majors answered a 66-item questionnaire on reticence. The research findings indicate that a considerable number of students were reluctant to respond to the teacher and remained silent in oral English language classrooms due to many causes such as low English proficiency, fear of speaking in front of others, negative evaluation, shyness, lack of confidence and preparation, and fear of making mistakes. The study also indicated some strategies used by students to participate in the class such as rehearsing what they say and preparing the ideas and questions. Based on the findings, pedagogical implications are discussed with the aim of enhancing the teaching and learning of spoken English in foreign-language contexts. " And the key words were: reluctance, participation, anxiety. Is not a secret that participation is one of the most important parts of the learning process, even more, in an EFL classroom or a second language classroom. The author of this article cited others authors who say, " When students produce the language that they are studying, they are testing out the hypotheses which they have formed about the language. When they respond to the teacher's or other students' questions, raise queries, and give comments, they are actively involved in the negotiation of comprehensible input and the formulation of comprehensible output, which are essential to language acquisition. Students, who are actively involved, reported higher satisfaction and higher persistence rates (Tsui 1996: 146). The importance of learner participation is also stressed by Jackson (2002) who contends that participation provides the setting in which students can construct and shape identities as members of the classroom. Moreover, research has shown that participation in classroom activities is important in order for effective learning to take place (Tsui, 1996).
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This qualitative case study aimed to explore the experiences and perceptions of Saudi adult learners of English as a second language (ESL) about what motivates them to learn English at a language school in the United Kingdom (UK). Motivation is widely considered to be an influential factor in second language acquisition (SLA), and it still draws increasing attention from theorists and practitioners. Despite significant contributions from psychological, sociopsychological and recent trends of process-oriented research there is still a marked lack of knowledge about the complexity of the context of learning and its impact on motivating students to learn English. Building on a tripartite theoretical lens grounded in Gardner's (1981) socio-educational model, Nortons' (2001) concept of investment and social interdependence theory, this research study aimed to bridge this gap and contribute more broadly to deepening our understanding about the socially constructed nature of motivation to learn a second language (L2). The findings revealed four interrelated factors that shape learners' motivation to learn English in an L2 context. These are the second language learner, the school community, the social milieu, and other macro-context factors. Implications for language learners and language schools in the UK and elsewhere and future motivation research were explored.
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