Using Simulation in Developing the Learning of English as a Foreign Language (original) (raw)
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USING SIMULATIONS IN COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING
Throughout the years, preparing the individuals for a demanding life and providing the society with socially and intellectually mature citizens have been one of the most important missions of schooling. Assuming this noble mission, educators have sought ways to fulfill the individual's need of being proficient enough to cope with the challenges of the world. In order to achieve this end, through the behaviorist reign, the learner has been regarded as a passive member of the classroom which is shaped by the holy dominance of the omnipotent instructor. But things have turned to a new dimension – the teacher is no longer " the sage on the stage " but the silent overseer in the back. Modern methodology fosters a shift from teacher-centered to student-centered and even student-generated approaches, leaving enough space for maneuver to the individual learner and laying emphasis on the power of self-instruction and responsibility for learning. The greatest emphasis of the instructional act should be placed on the students' exploration of their own attitudes and values. The practical part of this article will explore in detail the theoretical and the empirical dimensions of one of the most important basic active learning activities – simulations.
Developing English Speaking Skills Through Simulation-based Instruction
Teaching English with Technology, 2019
Foreign language teachers and researchers face a major challenge enabling students' learning. Not only must they provide training in the target language, but they must also find ways to optimise class time and enhance students' communication skills in the target language. How does technology intersect with English teaching in ways that benefit learning? A possible approach would align with integrating web-based strategies and optimising class time through new methodologies, techniques and resources. In this study, a group of university engineering students were taught with simulations to aid their learning of English as a foreign language. These engineering students were taught English through both class-based and a large-scale real-time web-based simulation. We present the results of quantitative analysis of students' oral production. The goal was to show whether simulation-based instruction contributes to significant progress in oral language production in English. The results indicate that students progressed significantly in four language-related areas: vocabulary, pronunciation, variety of expression and grammar.
Simulations in language teaching
System, 1984
The use of simulation for FLL has grown steadily in the last few years, particularly with the advent of 'communicative methodology'. However, many communicative activities used in FLL and dubbed with the label 'simulation' or 'role-play' bear no more than a passing resemblance to 'proper' (non-FLL-designed) simulations. Jones' book is therefore welcome on at least four accounts. It is the first one that addresses (at any length) the use of simulation in FLL; it deals with 'proper' simulation; it is written for first-time usersfor teachers starting to use the technique; and it is well organized on a chapter-to-chapter basis. The chapters are: 1. Why use simulations ?, 2. Choosing simulations for the language classroom, 3. Preparing for the simulation, 4. The simulation in action, 5. The follow-up, 6. Will the simulation work ?, 7. Assessing the result, 8. Simulations in teacher training. A ready-to-use simulation is included in Appendix A, and a summary of the book's main points is given in Appendix B. Rather than describe each chapter, I shall simply pick out some of the weak points in the book, in no particular order.
The Effect of Using Simulation Strategy in Developing English as a Foreign Language Speaking Skill
Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 2022
Speaking skill acquisition is a necessity for communication. However, speaking English as a foreign language is not as easy as speaking English as a first language since practice opportunities are limited. This study tried to find out a technique of reinforcement that can help students; who study English as a foreign language; develop their speaking skills. This study investigated the effect of using simulation strategy in developing EFL speaking skills, with the assistance of using a telegram channel "Oxford Bookworms Collection" for PDF books with an audio version, to stimulate pronunciation, intonation and enrich vocabulary. The researchers used a quantitative approach with an experimental design to conduct this study by involving 50 students divided into two groups. 25 students as a control group and 25 students as an experimental group; both groups were from level 3 who were learning Listening and Speaking-3 course, major English, at College of Science and Arts (Muhay...
SIMULATION AS A KEY TO SUCCESSFUL ENGLISH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION IN AN EFL ARABIC-SPEAKING ENVIRONMENT
International Journal of Multidisciplinary Thought, 2018
Learning English in an 'English as a Foreign Language' (EFL) environment can be challenging given the lack of authentic communicative situations in such an environment. This paper reports on an innovative simulation methodology as a strategy to counteract this inherent obstacle for second language learners of English in an Arabic-speaking context and draws on research that has been conducted on aspects of the course over its 10-year lifespan. Conventionally, simulation is used as an activity or a teaching strategy for part of a course. However, this paper reports on a syllabus for a remedial course that is entirely based on simulation for the course content and as the course methodology. The paper first provides a theoretical grounding for the use of simulation methodology in a remedial language classroom at the tertiary level and then describes the context and specifics about the implementation of the simulation methodology. The paper concludes with a description of obstacles encountered over the 10 years the course has been in existence and how they were dealt with, as well as recommendations for successful implementation of such an innovative methodology for a remedial English language course in an EFL environment.
A. GANESAN, 2013
This paper chiefly focusses on the inadequacy of the traditional syllabus in infusing the language skills. The research paper is also an attempt to give an alternative Simulation Based Syllabus which is likely to fulfil the goals of the teaching/learning process. The prescribed syllabus in colleges invariably is provided with five short stories, five poems (anthology of prose, poetry and fiction) and five prose essays. However, these do not help adequately in the acquisition of English language and the requisite grammatical competencies. Therefore, the researcher decided to introduce a few activities to cater to the needs of the first generation rural learners. The introduction of simulations in classrooms presents a threat-free ambience which brings fairly good results in the acquisition of the Second Language and helps overcome the learners’ inhibitions. This paper primarily concentrates on the effectiveness of using simulations in the ESL context and to prove that this innovative technique fetches prolific results.
This paper describes the design and implementation of the Company Simulation, offered as an experiential, communicative, student-centered and task-based project in the English language course for students of business informatics and e-business at the Belgrade Business School. In Languages for Specific Purposes, simulations are seen as a viable action-based solution to the challenging requirements of new globalized contexts of learning and working. The integrated acquisition of linguistic and subject matter competences and skills via purposeful and meaningful interactions in activities designed to replicate real-world professional tasks has shown to raise students' interest, engagement and investment in their work.
Teaching Speaking Using Simulation to the Eight Grade Students of Junior High School
JELLT (Journal of English Language and Language Teaching), 2018
Simulation means simulate a real life activity.The objectives of this research are to describe a) how the implementation of simulation in teaching speaking skill and b) the strengths and weaknesses towards the implementation of simulation technique in teaching speaking to the eighth grade students of SMPN 1 TlogomulyoTemanggung. This study was action research where the main data were in the form of descriptive qualitative by conducting classroom observation and interview. The results of the research showed that the implementation of simulation in the teaching and learning process of speaking was improving the students' motivation. They were more enthusiastic in learning speaking and the students were interested in speaking activities. Besides, the researcher found some strengths and weaknesses in implementation simulation technique. The strengths were the students motivated and have effective aspects in social interaction. Meanwhile, the weaknesses of the simulation were the activities artificial and difficult to monitor.
Exploring how the use of a simulation technique can affect EFL students’ willingness to communicate
Istanbul University - DergiPark, 2021
This study is intended to explore an applicable and effective model of simulated situation for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners and also investigate the effects of the simulated environment on Willingness to Communicate (WTC) of the learners. To carry out this study, 300 elementary level EFL learners were chosen. A Key English Test (KET) was administered to ensure homogeneity on the learners. They were divided into two groups of experimental and control. A WTC questionnaire developed by Macintyre, Baker, Clement, and Conrod (2001) was used, after validation through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Modeling, as an instrument to obtain primary data. The results of Mann-Whitney U test revealed that simulated environment had positive effects on the participants' WTC. The findings of this study suggest that understanding how a simulated environment affects EFL learners' success in speaking proficiency can help institutes to provide such environments for EFL learners and instructors. This method can be presented at different levels of English proficiency. The focus of this study was mainly on speaking skill; therefore, similar studies can be conducted regarding other language skills, e.g., writing, listening and reading.
Simulation in second language acquisition: Part 3
Simulation & Gaming, 2007
In this third part of the Symposium on Simulation and Gaming in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) contexts, I have included articles describing the development and incorporation of games for SLA instruction as well as the incorporation of simulations into composition curricula in the United States and in Brazil. Jonnie Hill has been adapting game show formats for English classes for more than a decade. She recently spent more than 3 years in the People's Republic of China, facilitating the use of games with her English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students. In her article she describes how she adapted four different quiz show formats from American TV and how her EFL students in China reacted to these games that she introduced into her speaking/listening classes. Curt Reese and Terri Wells describe a game that they created to teach their English as a Second Language (ESL) students conversation skills: THE CONVERSATION GAME. I first learned about this game at a session that Curt Reese presented at the annual TESOL Convention in Tampa, Florida, in 2006. Armed with a stack of yellow, green, and blue cards that said "I couldn't agree with you more," "In my opinion," and "I hate to disagree, but don't you think…", I participated in a conversation game with others who attended this session. It was fun trying to use all of my cards, and I quickly understood how this game could actually help a reticent student to learn to participate more fully in conversations that were taking place in his or her L2. This issue introduces another game, one that the authors created to help international students negotiate the American university system. The game promotes the acquisition of cross-cultural competence by means of game cards known as culture assimilators. Rebecca Damron and I describe the process of creating these game cards for THE UNIVERSITY GAME. We describe the basic structure of a culture assimilator (including the development of critical incidents, potential responses that explain the misunderstanding outlined in the critical incidents, and evaluations of these responses with explanations and culturally appropriate interpretations). In our description of the creation of authentic culture assimilators, we include examples of initial prompts describing the intercultural misunderstandings and the process of