TESOL Today

Teachers’ Preferences in Utilising Professional Learning Community Tools for English Language Teaching Collaboration

Yusnita Md Yunus — 2024-12-30

This study investigates the preferences, challenges, and recommendations for improving the implementation of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) among English language teachers in Malaysia. Through qualitative email interviews with 30 teachers, this study robustly examines the utilisation of various collaborative tools within the Ministry of Education's KIT PLC in educational settings, enabling a comprehensive exploration of diverse teaching experiences and preferences. The findings suggest that 'Teacher Sharing Sessions', 'Peer Coaching', and 'Learning Walks' are the most favored tools for promoting collaboration among teachers. The study identifies significant challenges to effective PLC implementation, including time constraints, technology-related resource limitations, and resistance to new teaching methods. Recommendations for overcoming these challenges include integrating PLC activities into official schedules, enhancing resource allocation, and fostering a culture of collaboration and communication among educators. This research contributes to the field by outlining actionable strategies for enhancing the effectiveness of PLCs, aiming to improve teacher professional development and, ultimately, student learning outcomes. This study not only underscores the importance of collaborative professional environments in education but also provides a foundation for further research into optimising PLC frameworks to meet the evolving needs of teachers and students.

Nurturing Learning and Engagement Through Student Perceptions of Project-Based Learning

Atta Abdalwahid Ahmed — 2024-12-30

Project-Based Learning (PBL) refers to an instructional approach where students engage in exploring and solving real-world, complex problems over an extended period. The present study aims to explore the impacts of project-based learning in nurturing student learning and engagement in Kurdish EFL high school context. The design of the study followed a descriptive approach using quantitative methods. The population of the study comprised 364 high school learners from grades 10, 11, and 12 in one of the public schools in Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan region of Iraq. The data was analyzed through the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS). The independent sample t-test was employed to investigate the differences between male and female participants. Furthermore, ANOVA one-way was utilized to assess the variations among academic levels. The findings suggested that gender does not have a direct impact on experiences and attitudes of the learners towards PBL. Conversely, there is a significant difference between male and female in students’ perceptions in perceived benefits of PBL. Regarding the academic levels, there is a significant difference between grade 10 and 11 and grade 12 in both categories. These outcomes offer insights to teachers and educators to implement project-based learning in educational practices in various teaching environments.

Academic Writing Difficulties Among EFL Kurdish Undergraduates: A Qualitative Inquiry

Gyaband Shera Sabir — 2024-12-30

Mastering writing in a foreign language remains one of the most formidable challenges for language learners. This study mainly seeks to elucidate the difficulties Kurdish English-majoring undergraduates encounter in academic writing. Although academic writing is a pivotal skill demonstrating students' ability to communicate ideas effectively and engage in critical thinking, EFL students often encounter significant difficulties in this domain. Utilizing thematic analysis, this investigation employed a qualitative method and used one-on-one interviews with 10 university instructors. The findings revealed that students' challenges predominantly stem from linguistic, cultural, and psychological factors. Further, the difficulties were caused by the impact of educational background and psychological and motivational barriers, in response, instructors have proposed solutions including targeted instruction and practice, expanding vocabulary stock and the necessity for Feedback. This article discusses the implications of these findings for teaching and learning academic writing in the EFL Kurdish context and provides seminal recommendations for future research.

Embedding L2 Proficiency Pedagogy into ESOL Teacher Education

Brian Hibbs — 2024-12-30

This article considers an exploratory study designed to understand the relevancy of a course unit on L2 proficiency to pre-service ESOL teachers’ understanding of the nature of the concept of proficiency and their awareness of strategies for developing multilingual learners’ proficiency in English in their own instructional contexts. The article begins with an exploration of the concept of proficiency and its relevancy for ESOL teacher education and summarizes previous studies concerning the development of L2 proficiency in English among language learners and language educators. The article then describes the logistics of the course unit on L2 proficiency and the data collection and analysis procedures for the study. Finally, the article reviews preliminary findings emerging from the study and proposes avenues for further research along with recommendations for ESOL teacher educators.

EFL Academic Writing Challenges among First Year Students: Evidence from North and East Syria

Abdulattif Yusuf Aljoza — 2024-12-30

The focus of this study was to explore English writing challenges faced by Alsharq University undergraduates in North and East Syria. A qualitative study was conducted for data collection using semi-structured individual interviews with 5 undergraduates. Conducting thematic analysis, the present study found that students need help in academic writing due to limited vocabulary, frequent grammatical errors, and sentence structure issues. They needed help with organizing ideas and adhering to academic writing conventions. The study's findings also revealed that different solutions were proposed, including enriching vocabulary through extensive practice, revising drafts to identify and correct errors, seeking peer support, and incorporating instructor feedback. These strategies were identified as key methods for improving the student's writing skills. The findings of this study contribute to a deeper understanding of the specific barriers English language learners face in English writing. Limitations and future research suggestions are discussed in the article.