Presenting research gap(s) in a research article (RA), particularly in the abstract and introduction, should be considered by authors, since it functions to show the novelty of the research. As there have been limited studies on the possible variations in authors' research gap strategies and the problems in identifying research gaps, this mixed-method study aimed to fill the gaps. Using genre analysis, this study compared the use of research gap strategies in English Language Teaching (ELT) RA abstracts and introductions by three groups of authors, namely, Indonesian doctoral students, Indonesian academics, and international authors. The results of the quantitative analysis in this study indicated that the three groups share similarities and differences in using the types of research gap strategy in their ELT RA abstracts and introductions. Then, the qualitative analysis using semi-structured interviews with ten doctoral students revealed some problems encountered by them in identifying research gaps during research activities. Finally, this study demonstrates the extent to which our findings have theoretical and practical implications concerning the use of strategies in presenting research gaps in RAs.
This paper reports on a study looking at the reading and writing proficiency and vocabulary knowledge of Indonesian EFL teachers, the relationship between proficiency and years of service, and the teachers’ own perceptions of their proficiency in English. Three proficiency tests (Vocabulary Levels Test/VLT, Reading and Writing Tests), questionnaire, and interview were used to collect data. The results point to mixed levels of English language proficiency, negative correlations between years of service and vocabulary, reading and writing test results, and that teachers themselves had difficulties in judging their own English language proficiency. Factors that inhibit the capacity of teachers to focus on their English proficiency are presented. Limitations of the study as well as implications for EFL teachers’ professional development (PD) and future research are also discussed.
Background. Self-regulated learning strategies play an essential role in the success of students’ learning of writing. The use of these strategies might be influenced by the student’s individual differences. Purpose. This study was conducted to describe EFL university students’ preferences for self-regulated writing strategies. It also examined the different use of self-regulated writing strategies by considering gender, interest in English writing, and writing achievement. Further, it measured the predictive effects of self-regulated writing strategies on the students’ writing achievement. Methods. This research applied a quantitative approach and involved 58 English students. The students were required to respond to a self-report survey using the Self-Regulated Learning Strategy Questionnaire. The students’ writing achievement was measured based on their scores in writing an argumentative essay. The data were then analyzed using descriptive statistics, an independent sample t-test, One Way Anova, and multiple regression. Results. The results uncovered that the overall use of self-regulated writing strategies was at a high level with the social environment strategy dimension on the top rank and motive on the bottom. Further analysis showed that there is no significant difference in the use of self-regulated writing strategies based on gender, interest in English writing, and writing achievement. Meanwhile, multiple regression analysis indicated the predictive effect of self-regulated writing strategies on writing achievement. To this end, teachers need to encourage students to use self-regulated writing strategies more optimally to enhance their writing quality. Conclusion. EFL students have invested high awareness of using self-regulated writing strategies. Along with this high awareness, students’ individual differences such as gender, interest in English writing, and proficiency level might not strongly influence the use of SRW strategies. Though not strong, the use of self-regulated writing strategies contributes to the students’ writing quality improvement.
EFL teachers’ reasons for selecting instructional materials during the COVID-19 pandemicThe COVID-19 pandemic has changed how teachers teach and students learn in the classroom. One of the challenges in the online teaching is that teachers are required to prepare the instructional materials for their students. This study aims at investigating the EFL teachers’ reasons for choosing the instructional materials in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. By employing a set of questionnaires, this study collected the data from 219 English teachers from various levels of education online via the google form link. The data collection was done for one month starting from 5 May to 5 June 2020. The data were analyzed through a content analysis by identifying, grouping, and categorizing similar and different responses. The results of analysis showed that the EFL teachers have five categories of reasons in selecting the instructional materials in the time of pandemic: the instructional materials should be easy, relevant, simple, attractive, and absent from crime, pornography, and viruses. These results suggest that the EFL teachers make use of these reasons in selecting and developing the instructional materials for their students during and after the pandemic. For future textbook developers, these considerations can be used a reference to develop textbooks which accommodate students’ voices and teachers’ voices during the online teaching and learning activities.Keywords: EFL, teachers, reasons, instructional materials, COVID-19Alasan-alasan guru bahasa Inggris sebagai bahasa asing dalam memilih materi pembelajaran selama pandemi COVID-19Pandemi COVID-19 telah banyak mengubah bagaimana guru mengajar dan siswa belajar di dalam kelas. Salah satu tantangan dalam pembelajaran daring adalah guru harus menyiapkan materi pembelajaran untuk siswa. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menginvestigasi alasan-alasan guru bahasa Inggris dalam memilih materi pembelajaran selama masa pandemi COVID-19. Dengan memanfaatkan angket sebagai instrumen penelitian, data dikumpulkan dari 219 guru bahasa Inggris yang berasal dari berbagai tingkat satuan pendidikan. Angket didistribusikan kepada para guru secara daring mulai tanggal 5 Mei sampai 4 Juni 2020. Konten respon guru bahasa Inggris kemudian dianalisis dengan mengidentifikasi, mengelompokkan, dan mengkategorikan jawaban-jawaban yang sama dan berbeda. Hasil analisis menujukkan bahwa guru bahasa Inggris memiliki lima alasan dalam memilih materi pembelajaran selama pandemi COVID-19: materi pembelajaran harus mudah, relevan, sederhana, menarik, dan aman dari unsur kriminal, pornografi, dan virus. Berdasarkan hasil ini, guru bahasa Inggris disarankan menggunakan lima alasan ini dalam pemilihan dan pengembangan materi pembelajaran selama dan setelah pandemi COVID-19. Selain itu, pengembang buku ajar juga disarankan menggunakan hasil ini sebagai referensi dalam mengembangkan buku ajar yang mengakomodasi perspektif para guru dan siswa.Kata kunci: bahasa Inggris, guru, alasan, materi pembelajaran, COVID-19
This study aims to explore how, in relation to Indonesia’s Gerakan Literasi Sekolah (GLS – School Literacy Initiative), Indonesian English teachers of secondary schools conceptualize L2 literacy in terms of linguistic and other sign systems, cognitive, sociocultural, and developmental dimensions, a model of literacy beliefs profile by Kucer (2014). The data were collected through a survey questionnaire adapted from Kucer’s model, comprising 37 closed-ended items on conceptual understandings of foreign language literacy, presented in values of 1 to 5 Likert-scale indicating statements from strongly disagree (SD), disagree (D), neutral (N), agree (A), to strongly agree (SA). After being moderated for validity and clarity, the questionnaire was distributed to various groups and forums of English teachers through Google-form. With this convenience sampling procedure, 157 English teachers, mostly from East Java Province, Indonesia, responded to our questionnaire. The results of descriptive analyses in the forms of mean percentages portray how English teachers in our study successfully frame L2 language literacy as reflected in Kucer’s dimensions, which potentially equip them with knowledge about taking part in the success of GLS implementation. They seem to understand that the core of literacy lies in the cognitive dimension, suggesting the use of literacy to express meanings, and that the expressions of meaning require linguistic literacy dimension as the vehicle. These cognitive and linguistic literacy dimensions are affected by the sociocultural literacy dimension, and the employment of the three dimensions tends to continually exist as we are experiencing new and novel events from day to day. Future research might focus on exploring how these understandings about literacy are finally realized in the classroom.
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