JET (Journal of English Teaching)

Pragmatic Discourse of Givenness and Adverbial Clauses: Applied Linguistics Research Articles and Thai Undergraduate Students’ Writing

Abhinan Wongkittiporn — 2024-10-26

This study examines the correlation between the theory of pragmatic discourse of givenness and CP adverbial clauses from the two datasets: Q1 SCOPUS applied linguistics research articles and Thai undergraduate students’ writing. The first set was 24 applied linguistics research articles from journals of English for Specific Purposes and English for Academic Purposes. There were 45 tokens of adverbial clauses. Another set of data collection was 35 participants, majoring in English, whose English proficiency was A2 or elementary based on their Oxford Placement Test. The second dataset contained 31 tokens of CP adverbial clauses in descriptive and narrative writing. Data was analyzed using Pearson Correlation in SPSS29. The first section showed there was a statistically significant relationship between the theory of pragmatic discourse of givenness and CP adverbial clauses in applied linguistics research articles where the p-value was reported at 0.011. The reasons why CP adverbial clauses are used are due to giving the arguments from previous studies. This implied that the SCOPUS writers knew well how to use CP adverbial clauses regarding form, functions and genre. In contrast, the results in the second dataset showed there was a statistically significant relationship between the CP adverbial clauses and non-givenness produced by Thai undergraduate students where the p-value was reported at 0.001. Accordingly, Thai private university students whose English proficiency was elementary used CP adverbial clauses arbitrarily; non-reasonable. This implies that they knew form, but they did not know what are the function CP adverbial clauses which were applied in different genres. It is expected that the results in this study will help Thai undergraduate students improve their usage of CP adverbial clauses accurately and appropriately.

Teaching English Writing for Primary Students: Constructivism Views

Berliana Dyah Ayu Aprilianti — 2024-10-26

As one of the productive skills, writing is highly required to be mastered by English as foreign language. Moreover, communication can be occurred not only in spoken form but also in written form. In creating good learning atmosphere for the students, teachers try to use the most appropriate approach to aim the learning goals, especially in mastering the writing skill. Constructivism approach is commonly used by teachers to enhance it. The implement of constructivism in teaching writing emphasize on students’ activity in building knowledge, interacting with others, constructing ideas, presenting critical thinking and collaboration. Those elements from constructivism are also integrated use teaching method that has been implemented by the teachers. However, teaching writing for primary students level is challenging in many context. Therefore, this article presents a closer look of the constructivism views for teaching primary students’ English writing. The implication from this article is hoped to be used as the supplementary information for primary teachers and other researchers on similar topic in teaching writing using constructivism approach.

Critical reflection on the academic writing standard of first-year English second-language students in a South African university

mzamani Maluleke — 2024-10-28

This paper provides a critical reflection on the academic writing ability of English second language students in a South African university. Acquiring proficiency in academic writing is one of the essential skills that students at the tertiary level are expected to master. One challenge that has emerged after the outbreak of Covid-19 is that universities in restructuring their curriculum have not given adequate time to interact with beginning students to provide writing instructions to help them meet the standard expected; this challenge motivated the study. A qualitative research, method was used and data was collected from a selection of first-year students, registered in the first semester, for English which is a compulsory Communication Skills course. Participants were given a narrative essay and all scripts were marked and rated by two experienced lecturers, using a rubric. The findings indicated that students encounter numerous challenges in writing a coherent academic essay, as they have low proficiency in English which is the medium of instruction.

The Use of Web-Based Vocabulary Games to Improve Junior High School Students’ Vocabulary Mastery in Reading

Ananda Sadyva Aulia Putri — 2024-10-28

Web-based game can be an alternative learning media for students to improve their vocabulary mastery in reading. Nevertheless, few studies look at how web-based games can be used as a teaching tool to help junior high school students improve their vocabulary, especially in context of reading. The main objective of this research is to know the differences between the improvement of vocabulary mastery of 7 grade students at a junior high school in Indonesia who use the web-based vocabulary game "WordWall" compared to those who do not. This research was carried out using a quasi-experimental design by using Pre-test and Post-test as the instruments. Furthermore, as research participants, there were two classes from one of the junior high schools in Surabaya: 7E which was the experimental group (N=31), and 7F students became the control group (N=31). The findings of this research showed that the significance value <0.05 was achieved (0.00), and it indicates that there is a significant difference in the results of learning vocabulary between the experimental group and the control group. It can be concluded that using web-basaed game has a significant impact on students’ improvement in vocabulary mastery in reading than those who do not.

Analyzing Students' Learning Styles in Listening Comprehension

Putri Nur Wandah — 2024-10-28

This study investigates the impact of diverse learning styles on listening comprehension abilities among English education students in a university in Bandung, Indonesia. Utilizing a descriptive qualitative research design, the research involved 10 participants who underwent learning style tests, with in-depth interviews conducted on three selected participants. The findings revealed a spectrum of learning styles. Interviews provided valuable insights into the strategies employed by each learning style, such as visual learners favoring videos and seeking additional explanations online. Auditory learners preferred expert explanations and quiet study environments, while kinesthetic learners utilized movement during group discussions. Classroom observations demonstrated the effectiveness of tailored strategies, incorporating visual aids, auditory elements, and hands-on activities to create an inclusive learning space. The result underscored the significance of multimodal approaches for maximizing student engagement and comprehension. It is recommended for educators to recognize diverse learning styles, employ flexible instructional methods, and foster inclusive learning environments. Hence, the research reinforces the notion that educators should recognize the presence of various learning styles, actively adopt adaptable teaching approaches, and foster inclusive learning environments, thus optimizing student involvement and understanding.

Investigating the Relationship between the Use of Reading Assistant Software and Reading Comprehension Skills: A Case among Thai EFL University Students

Nakhon Kitjaroonchai — 2024-10-28

This study examined the relationships between reading assistant (RA) software usage, reading comprehension ability, and post-TOEIC reading scores among Thai EFL university students. Seventy-six students from a private international university in central Thailand participated. Data were collected from students’ pre- and post-TOEIC reading scores and their RA software usage over twelve weeks. Pearson’s r was used to analyze the connections between various variables: weekly duration spent on RA software, count of chosen reading passages, reading level identified by the RA software, fluency and accuracy levels per minute, percentage-based reading comprehension score, and pre- and post-TOEIC reading scores. The findings revealed some correlations among variables such as time invested in RA software, reading level, fluency and accuracy rates per minute, and reading comprehension scores. However, there was no significant correlation between the frequency of RA software use and students’ post-TOEIC reading scores. This suggests that using RA software may not directly impact learners’ reading comprehension skills. The study implies that while certain language learning tools may be beneficial, they might not substantially enhance language proficiency as measured by standardized tests like the TOEIC reading comprehension skills. Some implications for improving EFL students' reading comprehension skills through RA software are briefly discussed.

Bridging Language Learning and Cognitive Growth: The Power of Situated Learning and Task-Based Language Teaching in Modern Education

Cheng Yao — 2024-10-26

The study explores the effects of a hybrid instructional approach combining Situated Learning (SL) and Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) on the executive functions and cognitive abilities of fourth-grade students learning English as a second language (ESL). Method: An experimental design was employed, with students divided into control and experimental groups. The experimental group participated in four weeks of SL and TBLT, while the control group received traditional instruction. Pre-test and post-test measures were taken using the Executive Function Assessment Scale (EFPS) and the Cognitive Abilities Scale (CAS). Results: Although the executive function (M=158.16, t=-14.224, p<0.05) and cognitive ability (M=133.28, t=-11.835, p<0.05) of the students in the control group were improved, the improvement was small. However, the executive function (M=161.88, t=-18.047, p<0.05) and cognitive ability (M=137.04, t=-19.591, p<0.05) of the students in the experimental group were significantly improved. Conclusions: The combination of SL and TBLT significantly enhances both executive functions and cognitive abilities in primary students, indicating the effectiveness of this instructional approach in promoting cognitive development through real-world, task-based activities.