The trend of acquiring English as a Foreign Language (EFL) through Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) has encouraged different educational institutions to develop strategic plans and directions for its onsite implementation and evaluation in order to promote the quality of instruction, enhance student achievement, and better inform and promote society. This paper focuses on the challenge of creating a CALL training program for English faculty members at a major university in Saudi Arabia. The goal of the program was to introduce CALL to English teachers and evaluate its effectiveness on their attitudes towards the integration of technology in their classes. A group of English teachers (n = 30) who were involved in teaching advanced level classes participated in a multiple-phase training program for seven weeks. The analysis of the data from a survey and a semi-structured interview revealed that the participating teachers developed positive beliefs towards the use of CALL in their classes. Although a majority of teachers believed that the skilled use and integration of CALL could lead to more effective language teaching, they reported that lack of appropriate technical, financial, and training supports could be the factors that inhibit the effective implementation of CALL in EFL classes. In the end, several implications of the findings for English language institutes, program administrators, and English teachers at Saudi universities were discussed.

Sources : ARAB WORLD ENGLISH JOURNAL ISO Source Abbrev : Arab World Engl. J.

Year : 2015

Volume : 6

Issue : 1

Pages : 100-112

DOI : 10.1016/j.icheatmasstransfer.2011.12.002 Cited reference count : 29

Languge : English

Document Type : Article

Reprint Address : Hakim, BM (reprint author), King Abdulaziz Univ, English Language Inst, Womens Main Campus, Jeddah 21413, Saudi Arabia.

Publisher : ARAB WORLD ENGLISH JOURNAL Web of Science Categories : Language & Linguistics

Research Areas : Linguistics

Faculty Name : Inistitute of English Language

DSR No. : 6834

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2. Peer observation of Teaching and Professional Development:

Teachers' Perspectives at the English Language Institute, King Abdulaziz University

Shousha, AI (Shousha, Amal Ibrahim)

Abstract

Peer Observation of Teaching (POT) is one means to help teachers develop professionally. It shows any institute's sincere efforts to help its teachers for the sake of improving the quality of learning and teaching. It also helps to spread a spirit of collegiality in the workplace by sharing best teaching practices among colleagues. This paper reports on participants' reflections and viewpoints regarding a piloting Peer Observation Program (POTP) implemented in the English Language Institute (ELI) main campus at King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in the academic year (2013-2014). It also investigates whether taking part in POT helped teachers to develop professionally and to what extent. This paper utilizes data from an evaluation questionnaire completed by 13 teachers (observers and observees).

Based on data analysis, this paper identifies: 1) the benefit of peer observation to achieve professional development by building self-confidence, self-reflection, sharing ideas and learning new teaching techniques, 2) teachers' needs for administrative remuneration and training on peer observation skills especially feedback techniques, and 3) the hurdles that might inhibit teachers from participating in POT, which included time constraints, busy workloads and paper work.

Year : 2015

Volume : 6

Issue : 2

Pages : 131-143

Reprint Address : Shousha, AI (reprint author), King Abdulaziz Univ, English Language Inst, Jeddah 21413, Saudi Arabia.

Faculty Name : Inistitute of English Language Department Name: : No Department

DSR No. : 6055

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5

3. Saudi EFL Students' Knowledge in Pragmatics - Making Requests

Al-Otaibi, SM (Al-Otaibi, Sara M.)

Abstract

This paper investigates the pragmatic awareness of final-year Saudi students majoring in English;

specifically, their interlanguage pragmatics knowledge when making requests. Accordingly, it addresses the following questions: a) how much knowledge do Saudi EFL students have about making appropriate requests? b) To what extent their knowledge differs from that of native English speakers? In this study, data were collected by means of a questionnaire. The findings revealed that both non-native speakers and native speakers showed similar performance in terms of the level of request directness. However, non-native speakers showed limited awareness in employing appropriate direct strategies and syntactic and lexical modifiers compared to native speakers. Finally, this paper highlights the need for further studies to address L2 pragmatics development.

Year : 2015

Volume : 6

Issue : 2

Pages : 302-315

Reprint Address : Al-Otaibi, SM (reprint author), King Abdulaziz Univ, English Language Inst, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

DSR No. : 6056

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6

4. Saudi Students' Perception of Peers' Authority

Saba, MS (Saba, Maggie Sami)

Abstract

This paper explores the obstacles that students from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia face when learning English in a writing course that demands critical thinking. Based on a study that took place over five months at the Virginia Tech Language and Culture Institute in spring 2012, it examines how gender differences shape Saudi students` perception of their peers` authority, and how, in turn, those perceptions affect their development as writers and critical thinkers when learning in an intensive writing course at the high intermediate level. The researcher documented data through three sources: classroom observation, interviews with ESL students and teachers, and student writing samples. The findings examine in particular the data on two students, one female and one male, to provide detailed examples of the nature and impact of gendered responses to peer authority. This study found that the Saudi female students more readily accepted their peers as authorities than the male students did. While, for cultural reasons, working in groups of mixed-sex was more problematic for female students than for male students, the female students were able to progress and assert their voices as writers. On the other hand, the male students, while starting with a stronger voice when orally participating in class, were less able to demonstrate their critical thinking in writing.

Year : 2015

Volume : 6

Issue : 2

Pages : 66-79

Reprint Address : Saba, MS (reprint author), King Abdulaziz Univ, English Language Inst, Jeddah 21413, Saudi Arabia.

DSR No. : 6054

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1. A Critical Review of the CELTA Syllabus within the Context of Saudi Arabia

Sulaimani, A (Sulaimani, Amjjad); Elyas, T (Elyas, Tariq)

Abstract

The focus of this paper is on the cultural aspects of the internationally, well-recognised and accepted international teacher training course known as Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA), or rather, the lack of it. In what follows, we will first discuss the various aspects related to the importance of culture and its inclusion in the field of English Language Teaching (ELT). Next, we will discuss the main highlights of the CELTA course and its main components and present a practical suggestion for implementing a short 'culture' component that can be easily integrated into the course where it will increase cultural awareness amongst new teachers embarking on a career abroad in a foreign country and hopefully achieve pedagogical competence when working abroad.

Sources : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS ISO Source Abbrev : Int. J. Engl. Linguist.

Year : 2015

Volume : 5

Issue : 2

Pages : 100-105

Reprint Address : Sulaimani, A (reprint author), King Abdulaziz Univ, English Language Inst, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia.

Publisher : CANADIAN CENTER SCIENCE & EDUCATION Web of Science Categories : Linguistics

Faculty Name : Inistitute of English Language Department Name: : Inistitute of English Language

DSR No. : 6552

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Contents

1

2 Contents

1. Implementing A Computer Assisted Language Learning Training Program for English Teachers ... 3

Hakim, BM (Hakim, Badia Muntazar)

2. Peer observation of Teaching and Professional Development: Teachers'

Perspectives at the English Language Institute, King Abdulaziz University ... 4 Shousha, AI (Shousha, Amal Ibrahim)

3. Saudi EFL Students' Knowledge in Pragmatics - Making Requests ... 5 Al-Otaibi, SM (Al-Otaibi, Sara M.)

4. Saudi Students' Perception of Peers' Authority... 6 Saba, MS (Saba, Maggie Sami)

1. A Critical Review of the CELTA Syllabus within the Context of Saudi Arabia ... 8

Sulaimani, A (Sulaimani, Amjjad); Elyas, T (Elyas, Tariq)

3

1. Implementing A Computer Assisted Language Learning Training Program for English Teachers

Hakim, BM (Hakim, Badia Muntazar)

4

2. Peer observation of Teaching and Professional Development:

Teachers' Perspectives at the English Language Institute, King Abdulaziz University

Shousha, AI (Shousha, Amal Ibrahim)

5

3. Saudi EFL Students' Knowledge in Pragmatics - Making Requests

Al-Otaibi, SM (Al-Otaibi, Sara M.)

6

4. Saudi Students' Perception of Peers' Authority

Saba, MS (Saba, Maggie Sami)

7

8

1. A Critical Review of the CELTA Syllabus within the Context of Saudi Arabia

Sulaimani, A (Sulaimani, Amjjad); Elyas, T (Elyas, Tariq)

9