The social distancing policy by nearly 200 countries and territories (Le et al., 2020) due to the quick widespread of the COVID-19 Pandemic triggered the online learning mode via various platforms, including Zoom, MS Teams, Google Meets or Hangouts. This change left many teachers and stakeholders concerns about creating and maintaining a virtual but dynamic and engaging EFL learning environment. Since the size of vocabulary and reading comprehension play an important role in acquiring other skills in English learning (Amirzai, 2021; Hartshorn et al., 2017), this study aimed to investigate the impacts of EFL students’ engagement when studying reading online through Zoom on the performance of vocabulary and reading comprehension. Forty-four intermediate-level students at a public university in Vietnam were placed into a control group and an experimental group based on the results of a pre-test. While students in the control group followed the traditional format with the teacher-centred mode, those in the experimental group experienced the student-centred mode with frequent use of breakout rooms for pair work, group work and screen sharing for giving answers, elaborating on explanations and hosting vocabulary activities. After ten weeks, all the participants were required to take the post-test and particularly those in the experimental group were asked to complete a questionnaire on their attitudes towards this new learning style. Descriptive statistics of the post-test scores indicated that the experimental students outperformed the control students in vocabulary and reading comprehension. Findings from the questionnaire revealed overall satisfaction towards this learning style, and more interestingly, there appeared a correlation between students’ attitudes and the post-test scores.
The role of vocabulary has been proven to be crucial in learning both receptive and productive skills. However, in terms of listening skills, students may face enormous challenges in comprehending the content of a listening passage and, therefore, fail to take notes. This study aimed to investigate the impact of using Quizlet more creatively in the vocabulary section of online academic listening classes. Participants were 62 intermediate-level students from two online academic listening classes, divided into a control and an experimental group. While students in the control group did the tasks in their books or handouts from the teacher, those in the experimental group used Quizlet for eight weeks. A mixed method with t-tests and questionnaires was applied in this research. Results from t-tests revealed that students in the experimental group had better performance in remembering the definition of vocabulary they had learned and using correct vocabulary to fill in the blanks in sentences. Findings in questionnaires supported the improvement in the post-test that the students in the experimental group showed a high level of concentration, engagement, and excitement in class. The study's outcome sheds light on further research on using Quizlet in EFL classrooms.
Writing is considered one of the most challenging skills for second and/ or foreign-language learners, particularly in the online environment. Numerous researchers worldwide have explored how to stimulate students' schemata and develop their writing skills. This study critically investigates the contribution of implementing online tools, such as Padlet and Jamboard, during the pre-writing stage to enhance students' writing abilities and their reactions to this application. A seven-week experimental research design was conducted with two online writing classes using the Zoom platform. The participants were 62 pre-intermediate students in the Intensive English program. T-tests were used to analyse the data, and a survey was administered to students in the experimental group at the end of week 7 to gather their perceptions. The findings revealed that integrating Padlet and Jamboard positively impacted the organisation and content of students' written texts. The survey results showed that most students were satisfied with the effectiveness of the lessons and their level of engagement in class. This study highlights the potential of technology integration in teaching writing, especially during the pre-writing stage, and suggests further research in this area.
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