No abstract

A growing mass of research has reported that each human being is different like a signature and particular characteristics based on their specific personalities have a strong effect on their language learning possibilities. Research posits that identification of EFL learners’ beliefs about language learning positively affects language learning process as it helps the teachers to address to their students’ learning effectively and also bears positive overbearing in case they bear some less positive beliefs. The study in hand is an attempt to investigate the beliefs of Saudi undergraduates along gender lines by using Horwitz’s (1987) BALLI. The comparative analyses generated by Independent-sample T-test reveal that male participants have assigned comparatively higher values to the majority of the questionnaire items as compared to their female counterparts. The participants of this survey have exhibited the greatest gender-based differences in their beliefs about “motivation and expectations”. Beliefs about “learning and communication strategies” and “the nature of language learning” have shown medium gender-based differences whereas male and female participants have seen eye to eye to each other in their perceived beliefs related to “foreign language aptitude” and difficulty of language learning. The findings of this empirical study have several pedagogical implications to revisit and modify teaching/learning practices of English language in Saudi Arabia in particular and Arab world in general. The findings will help English language teachers teaching in the KSA to understand the gender-based dimensionality of the language learning beliefs which will help them align their teaching methods to their learners’ beliefs; thus, maximizing the possibilities of much sought after goal of effective and efficient ELT in the KSA.

It is argued that positive yet realistic beliefs are source of success as language learners whereas negative or unrealistic beliefs can be an impediment to successful language learning. This empirical survey identifies Saudi English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ beliefs through Beliefs About Language Learning Inventory (BALLI) developed by Horwitz’s (1987). The Arabic version of the questionnaire has been administered and 118 Saudi EFL learners from a Saudi university returned the questionnaire. The research questions set for this survey include what beliefs Saudi EFL learners have towards the difficulty of foreign language learning, foreign language aptitude, the nature of language learning, learning and communication strategies and motivation and expectations for English language learning. The results reveal that the participants bear high English language learning aptitude and believe that it is easier to learn it in childhood. No strong relationship in learning subjects like science and math and English language was reported. The participants also believe that for quick and successful language learning, it is imperative to practice the target language extensively. A positive trend is that Saudi EFL learners have been extremely positive and encouraging towards their chances of achieving communicative competence and do not have any unnecessary inhibition in speaking English.

This cross-sectional survey aims at investigating Saudi English-major university undergraduates about their self-perceived listening comprehension strategies they employ to comprehend listening texts. To generate data for this empirical study, a 5-point strongly agree to strongly disagree Likert-scale questionnaire has been adapted and standardized steps were followed to ensure the reliability and validity of the instrument. Arabic version of the questionnaire was administered to randomly selected male and female Saudi Englishmajor university undergraduates studying at foreign languages department during their regular teaching session to generate data. Descriptive analyses were run to calculate percentages, means and standard deviation. The results inform that the participants of this study prefer to use cognitive strategies the most followed by metacognitive strategies. Socio-affective strategies were reported to be used the least by this group. This trend offers valuable insights into the fact that Saudi English as a foreign language (EFL) learners resort to bottom-up strategies more frequently as compared to the top-down ones. It is recommended that Saudi EFL learners should be made aware of the significance of these strategies to enhance their listening comprehension. English language teachers should provide their students with appropriate skills of how to listen, retrospect on listening process and concentrate on practicing metacognitive and socio-affective strategies during their listening tasks. It is also recommended that teachers should provide their students with this confidence and courage to talk about their listening problems as well as the strategies they have used to tackle those problems.

It is argued that positive yet realistic beliefs are source of success as language learners whereas negative or unrealistic beliefs can be an impediment to successful language learning. This empirical survey identifies Saudi English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' beliefs through Beliefs About Language Learning Inventory (BALLI) developed by Horwitz's (1987). The Arabic version of the questionnaire has been administered and 118 Saudi EFL learners from a Saudi university returned the questionnaire. The research questions set for this survey include what beliefs Saudi EFL learners have towards the difficulty of foreign language learning, foreign language aptitude, the nature of language learning, learning and communication strategies and motivation and expectations for English language learning. The results reveal that the participants bear high English language learning aptitude and believe that it is easier to learn it in childhood. No strong relationship in learning subjects like science and math and English language was reported. The participants also believe that for quick and successful language learning, it is imperative to practice the target language extensively. A positive trend is that Saudi EFL learners have been extremely positive and encouraging towards their chances of achieving communicative competence and do not have any unnecessary inhibition in speaking English.