#96, Article: Teaching the tale: language and memory
ELTWeekly Newsletter Vol. 3 Issue#96 | August 29, 2011 | ISSN 0975-3036 "A feature that is common both to language teaching and to traditional folk and fairy tales is the…
#96, Research Article: ‘An Action Research on Increasing the Students’ Confidence in Speaking: An Iranian Experience’ by Vahid Rahmani Doqaruni
ELTWeekly Newsletter Vol. 3 Issue#96 | August 29, 2011 | ISSN 0975-3036
Vahid Rahmani Doqaruni holds an M.A. in TEFL from Mazandaran University, Iran. He has been teaching English in private language institutes and Entrepreneurship Center of Mazandaran University in Iran during the last 5 years. His major research interests are: Action research and discourse analysis.
This article reports on an action research on increasing the Iranian EFL students’ confidence in speaking. Although speaking skills are an important part of the curriculum in language teaching and the ability to speak in a foreign language is at the very heart of what it means to be able to use a foreign language, some of the students keep silent all the time in class. 12 female university students from different fields of study participated in this study. The method used in this study was based on a student-centered approach that incorporated more participation and challenged traditional teacher-student relations. As a result, the students’ confidence increased because of incorporating additional speaking activities into the classroom.
1. Introduction
Speaking skills are an important part of the curriculum in language teaching and the ability to speak in a foreign language is at the very heart of what it means to be able to use a foreign language. Our personality, our self-image, our knowledge of the world and our ability to reason and express our thoughts are all reflected in our spoken performance in a foreign language. Being able to speak to friends, colleagues, visitors and even strangers, in their language or in a language which both speakers can understand, is surely the goal of very many learners (Luoma, 2004). So we have to devote a high proportion of class time to developing oral productive skills. There are several purposes in oral practice: (more…)
#96, Article: ‘Creative Methods In Teaching English Vocabulary To The ESL Learners’ by Shiny Kochappilly
ELTWeekly Newsletter Vol. 3 Issue#96 | August 29, 2011 | ISSN 0975-3036
Shiny Kochappilly works with the JMJ College for Women, Tenali.
A crucial component of learning a second language is the acquisition of vocabulary. Hence, vocabulary should be placed in the centre of language teaching as it plays an important role in creating understanding of language through what a student hears, sees and reads in the classroom. This article describes various methods which include brainstorming, visual aid, dramatization, and drawing pictures etc. can be incorporated in the teaching of vocabulary in a language classroom. These methods are rather limited, yet this provides some insight for teachers to realize the benefits of using creative activities to teach vocabulary in ESL classroom.
Introduction
In India, certainly, English is used much more for higher order communication than for day-to-day social interaction. However, students entering college are expected to possess enough word knowledge and proficiency in English to cope with the demands arising from having to handle it as a medium of higher learning. Sometimes, the learner needs to go to another state or to other parts of the country for educational or occupational purposes. A student is usually required to take an examination on competitive basis, for entry into a specialist field of study or a job or face an interview. In such cases, the learner has to master English words to communicate and meet the demands of the present day society. For these reasons, it becomes necessary for the language teachers, to teach the core aspects of basic vocabulary such as meaning, spelling and pronunciation which lead to proficiency in English language. Allen (1999) claimed that “experienced teachers of English as a Second Language know very well how important vocabulary is. They know their students must learn thousands of words that speakers and writers of English use.” (more…)