Previous researches on supporting EFL (English as a Foreign Language) reading
showed that Kit Bui... more Previous researches on supporting EFL (English as a Foreign Language) reading showed that Kit Build concept mapping (KB-mapping) method has better efficiency than Scratch Build concept mapping (SB-mapping) method in recalling the comprehended information two weeks later. In this research, we set out to investigate the following research question “Why KB-mapping method has better efficiency than SB-mapping method in recalling the comprehended information two weeks later?”. One of the common comprehension styles in the EFL reading comprehension tasks is the sentence-by-sentence, where learners understand the text by closely following each sentence in the text. Learners will be able to sentence-by-sentence answer the Comprehension Test (CT) just after the reading, but many investigations indicated that, this understanding could not be kept for a longer time as is the case in the Delayed CT (DCT). We have a hypothesis that “KB-mapping method promotes a learner to read not sentence-by-sentence, although SB-mapping method does not promote same as KB-mapping method”. In order to proof this hypothesis, we conducted an experiment to compare the learner’s comprehension with KB-mapping and SB-mapping methods. During this experiment, we have monitored the performance of learners in terms of the size and the progress of building learner’s map. In doing so, we added new functions to our system to record the building process of every learner. The outcome of the experiment confirms our previous results regarding the efficiency of KB-mapping. Moreover, the analysis of the progress of map building gives a proof that KB-mapping method helps the learners to avoid the sentence-by-sentence comprehension style. But the SB-mapping method could not help the learners to escape from this style of comprehension. Based on these results, we will design adaptive support for reading comprehension in our future work.
This paper reports on an exploratory study that explores the instructional patterns within Englis... more This paper reports on an exploratory study that explores the instructional patterns within English as a Foreign Language (EFL) secondary school classrooms in Syria. Recently, the Syrian Ministry of Education (MoE) has introduced a new national curriculum which recommends a shift in EFL teachers’ instructional practices. Despite this costly innovation, there has been no attempt to check whether it was working. Adopting a socio-cultural perspective on learning, the study looks at teacher-student interaction and the discourse taking place during teacher-fronted whole class talk. To help in the identification of teachers’ training needs, teacher beliefs and classroom practices are investigated using a mixed-methods approach comprising classroom observations and interviews. Detailed discourse analysis revealed a traditional teacher-controlled mode of teaching focusing on mechanical practices rather than meaningful interactions. Students were afforded few opportunities to participate meaningfully in classroom interactions, as teachers controlled the topics of academic learning. The study highlights the need to invest in teachers’ professional development, particularly during the critical phase of curriculum innovation, to promote interactive and dialogic teaching in the Syrian educational system.
This book looks at the quality of teaching, learning and communication inside EFL classrooms. It ... more This book looks at the quality of teaching, learning and communication inside EFL classrooms. It is suitable for general readers and for those with expertise in language education. The book sheds light on the educational teaching in Syria. It also addresses the issues of curriculum adoption, implementation and institutionalization. The book concludes with recommendations for effective classroom interaction in EFL contexts and beyond.
Previous researches on supporting EFL (English as a Foreign Language) reading
showed that Kit Bui... more Previous researches on supporting EFL (English as a Foreign Language) reading showed that Kit Build concept mapping (KB-mapping) method has better efficiency than Scratch Build concept mapping (SB-mapping) method in recalling the comprehended information two weeks later. In this research, we set out to investigate the following research question “Why KB-mapping method has better efficiency than SB-mapping method in recalling the comprehended information two weeks later?”. One of the common comprehension styles in the EFL reading comprehension tasks is the sentence-by-sentence, where learners understand the text by closely following each sentence in the text. Learners will be able to sentence-by-sentence answer the Comprehension Test (CT) just after the reading, but many investigations indicated that, this understanding could not be kept for a longer time as is the case in the Delayed CT (DCT). We have a hypothesis that “KB-mapping method promotes a learner to read not sentence-by-sentence, although SB-mapping method does not promote same as KB-mapping method”. In order to proof this hypothesis, we conducted an experiment to compare the learner’s comprehension with KB-mapping and SB-mapping methods. During this experiment, we have monitored the performance of learners in terms of the size and the progress of building learner’s map. In doing so, we added new functions to our system to record the building process of every learner. The outcome of the experiment confirms our previous results regarding the efficiency of KB-mapping. Moreover, the analysis of the progress of map building gives a proof that KB-mapping method helps the learners to avoid the sentence-by-sentence comprehension style. But the SB-mapping method could not help the learners to escape from this style of comprehension. Based on these results, we will design adaptive support for reading comprehension in our future work.
This paper reports on an exploratory study that explores the instructional patterns within Englis... more This paper reports on an exploratory study that explores the instructional patterns within English as a Foreign Language (EFL) secondary school classrooms in Syria. Recently, the Syrian Ministry of Education (MoE) has introduced a new national curriculum which recommends a shift in EFL teachers’ instructional practices. Despite this costly innovation, there has been no attempt to check whether it was working. Adopting a socio-cultural perspective on learning, the study looks at teacher-student interaction and the discourse taking place during teacher-fronted whole class talk. To help in the identification of teachers’ training needs, teacher beliefs and classroom practices are investigated using a mixed-methods approach comprising classroom observations and interviews. Detailed discourse analysis revealed a traditional teacher-controlled mode of teaching focusing on mechanical practices rather than meaningful interactions. Students were afforded few opportunities to participate meaningfully in classroom interactions, as teachers controlled the topics of academic learning. The study highlights the need to invest in teachers’ professional development, particularly during the critical phase of curriculum innovation, to promote interactive and dialogic teaching in the Syrian educational system.
This book looks at the quality of teaching, learning and communication inside EFL classrooms. It ... more This book looks at the quality of teaching, learning and communication inside EFL classrooms. It is suitable for general readers and for those with expertise in language education. The book sheds light on the educational teaching in Syria. It also addresses the issues of curriculum adoption, implementation and institutionalization. The book concludes with recommendations for effective classroom interaction in EFL contexts and beyond.
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showed that Kit Build concept mapping (KB-mapping) method has better efficiency than
Scratch Build concept mapping (SB-mapping) method in recalling the comprehended
information two weeks later. In this research, we set out to investigate the following
research question “Why KB-mapping method has better efficiency than SB-mapping
method in recalling the comprehended information two weeks later?”. One of the common
comprehension styles in the EFL reading comprehension tasks is the sentence-by-sentence,
where learners understand the text by closely following each sentence in the text. Learners
will be able to sentence-by-sentence answer the Comprehension Test (CT) just after the
reading, but many investigations indicated that, this understanding could not be kept for a
longer time as is the case in the Delayed CT (DCT). We have a hypothesis that
“KB-mapping method promotes a learner to read not sentence-by-sentence, although
SB-mapping method does not promote same as KB-mapping method”. In order to proof this
hypothesis, we conducted an experiment to compare the learner’s comprehension with
KB-mapping and SB-mapping methods. During this experiment, we have monitored the
performance of learners in terms of the size and the progress of building learner’s map. In
doing so, we added new functions to our system to record the building process of every
learner. The outcome of the experiment confirms our previous results regarding the
efficiency of KB-mapping. Moreover, the analysis of the progress of map building gives a
proof that KB-mapping method helps the learners to avoid the sentence-by-sentence
comprehension style. But the SB-mapping method could not help the learners to escape
from this style of comprehension. Based on these results, we will design adaptive support
for reading comprehension in our future work.
showed that Kit Build concept mapping (KB-mapping) method has better efficiency than
Scratch Build concept mapping (SB-mapping) method in recalling the comprehended
information two weeks later. In this research, we set out to investigate the following
research question “Why KB-mapping method has better efficiency than SB-mapping
method in recalling the comprehended information two weeks later?”. One of the common
comprehension styles in the EFL reading comprehension tasks is the sentence-by-sentence,
where learners understand the text by closely following each sentence in the text. Learners
will be able to sentence-by-sentence answer the Comprehension Test (CT) just after the
reading, but many investigations indicated that, this understanding could not be kept for a
longer time as is the case in the Delayed CT (DCT). We have a hypothesis that
“KB-mapping method promotes a learner to read not sentence-by-sentence, although
SB-mapping method does not promote same as KB-mapping method”. In order to proof this
hypothesis, we conducted an experiment to compare the learner’s comprehension with
KB-mapping and SB-mapping methods. During this experiment, we have monitored the
performance of learners in terms of the size and the progress of building learner’s map. In
doing so, we added new functions to our system to record the building process of every
learner. The outcome of the experiment confirms our previous results regarding the
efficiency of KB-mapping. Moreover, the analysis of the progress of map building gives a
proof that KB-mapping method helps the learners to avoid the sentence-by-sentence
comprehension style. But the SB-mapping method could not help the learners to escape
from this style of comprehension. Based on these results, we will design adaptive support
for reading comprehension in our future work.