Identifying Spelling Learning Strategies Used By Saudi EFL Middle School Students
The purpose of the research is to identify the spelling strategies used by Saudi EFL students. The research sample comprised of 100 Middle school students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The research tool is consisted of a survey of a five-point scale. The survey has 6 different spelling learning strategies.
Your proposal MUST INCLUDE ALL of the following sections:
A. Title ?
B. Table of Contents
C. Abstract ?
D. Introduction ?
E. Literature review ?
F. Significance of Research ?
G. Research Question ?
H. Research Methodology
I. Ethical Consideration
J. Limitations of the study
K. Expected Results
L. References?
M. Appendix
*I have attached my professor’s example.
*Number of words should be between 1800 to 2000 (not including the cover page).
*Font for text all throughout the paper should be 12 Times New Roman. The entire paper should be double-spaced. This includes the title and the body of each paragraph.
*Paginate your proposal, give sections numbers, and remember to show the page number of each section in the table of contents.
*No in-text citation and references for Abstract, Significance of Research, Research Methodology, Ethical Consideration, Limitations of the study, and Expected Results.
*Only use in-text citation and references for Introduction section and Literature review section.
*Word counts for Significance of Research, Ethical Consideration, Limitations of the study, and Expected Results must be at least 150 words.
* Word counts for Research Methodology section must be at most 200 words.
*No subheading and heading for Research Methodology section. Write only one paragraph about the sample, setting, research design, and tool.
*Include the questions of survey in Appendix.
* Word counts for the questions of survey must be at most 100 words. Do not increase.
Graduation Project
Final Draft
The Impact of English Channels on Building English Pronunciation for Saudi High School Students
Student Name:
Academic Number:
Doctor Name:
Contents
1.0. Abstract 3
2.0. Introduction 4
3.0. Literature Review 4
4.0. Significance of Research 6
5.0. Research Questions? 7
6.0. Research Methodology 7
7.0. Ethical Consideration 8
8.0. Limitation of the Study 8
9.0. Expected Results 9
References 10
Appendix 12
1.0. Abstract
Currently, there has been an increased need for carrying out research on understanding the efforts put in place in the education system to solve the different issues affecting it. In this particular study, the researcher will be devoted to exploring the role of the English channels in the building of English pronunciation amongst the Saudi Arabia English as Foreign Language students (EFL) in their high school stage of learning. In light to this, a significant focus on this topic will act as guidance towards ensuring that the research analyses on the extent to which the English language has been used as the most preferred avenue of helping the students to improve their abilities to pronounce English words successfully. In order to achieve this, several research methods shall be exploited in this study to gather the particular required data and as such apply the most useful analytic tools and techniques for the purpose of examining the findings from the English channels followers. There are other avenues used by the students such as different reading strategies, which will be compared with the English channels.
2.0. Introduction
The most important aspect of learning and understanding English as a second language is directly dependent on the pronunciation skills and abilities (Wei-Hung, 2013). Additionally, the ability to speak in English is the most important aspect of the learning and the subsequent use of the language more efficiently in the student future. Al Ghafli (2011) explain that comparing the students who are differently involved in watching or listening to different channels and those who do not watch or listen to any channel, it is important to note that the former will in most cases reveal an increased capacity of understanding the English language pronunciation that the latter. Al Ghafli (2011) argue that this implies that the recommendations that will be given in this paper will be more efficient for the stakeholders and investors in education sector on the best approach to improving the English pronunciations through the application of the English channelsAccording to Al-Ahdal, Al-Hattami, Al-Awaid, and Al-Mashaqba (2015), this implies that any avenue that can provide an opportunity for the learning of pronunciation for the EFL Saudi Arabia high school students will be an excellent opportunity for the students. For instance, the existence of the English channels that acts as a logical choice for helping the students in learning the pronunciation of the English language. Owing to the importance of the English pronunciation to the subsequent learning and application of the English language in student studies, this paper will be focused on analysing the roles of the English channels for the same.
3.0. Literature Review
According to a study carried out by Macdonald (2010) the interaction, transaction and performances are the three broad types of speaking functions in the EFL classes in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, Al-Seghayer (2014) reveals that the functions have a strategic form and purpose and as such demands for the existence of different teaching approaches. Alammar (2012) explain that such approaches include the use of the English channels as avenues of gaining knowledge and experience of pronouncing the English words. The English language has been categorised as the dominant foreign language that is currently being taught in the schools, colleges and universities in Saudi Arabia and other Middle East Region countries.
A research study carried out by Alammar (2012) and Al-Hajailan and Hare (2010) indicates that in the last decades, Saudi Arabia has been known to have unprecedented social, economic and political developments. It is worth noting that it is the expectation of every student who goes through the system of Saudi Arabia learning to be part of the development. In light to this, Alrumaih and McGrath (2014) explain that to meet the developmental needs, the Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia come up with a new strategy of introducing the English language as a foreign language back in 1925. More precisely, in Saudi Arabia, the learning of English language as a foreign language has a sound and perceptible existence in the formulated education system in Saudi Arabia. This has been attributed by the assertions from analysis of Al-Qahtani (2010) that the English language is actively used as a mean of communication, diplomatic exchanges, bilateral trade and the tourism sectors. Most recently, the education department in Saudi Arabia has made English to be the medium of offering directions in the schools and universities in the country.In order to understand the role played by the English channels in the process of building English pronunciation by the EFL, Al-Hajailan and Hare (2010) study indicated that majority of the students used in the sample study must have a positive attitude towards the use of listening aids in learning pronunciations. Additionally, a separate study carried out by Guduru (2014) indicated that the frequent application of the different listening aids is vital to the improvement of the student’s standard pronunciation of the EFL high school students. In this case, according to Al-Seghayer (2014), due to the difficulties that are evident in the English constant-clusters, the students are liable to listen to the cassettes frequently with an aim of distinguishing the existing nature of the English consonant clusters (Al-Qahtani, 2010). The study by Sharma (2015) contends that students should be motivated and encouraged to participate actively in watching some English channels and their programs on TV, radios, and other visual media. The channels in most cases may provide an avenue of live exposure to the English pronunciation learners, which are a positive step towards fully understanding the English concept in their studies (Al-Seghayer, 2015). In the past, according to Alrumaih and McGrath (2014), there existed different research literature that has been conducted effectively on the roles of the English channels to the improvement of EFL among the Saudi Arabia high school students. However, Mathew and Alidmat (2013) contends that there still exist gaps that need to be explored in this particular research on how the English channels can effectively be used for improving the pronunciation abilities of students of different demographics and orientations. 4.0. Significance of Research
As explained earlier, the Saudi Arabian government have tremendously invested numerous financial and human resources that are channelled towards improving the country free high school education. As such, one of the major important subjects of study is the EFL, which is offered to the students to be in line with the changing world dynamics in different sectors. However, it is necessary for the various stakeholders and policymakers in the country to come up with more plausible strategies and information that can facilitate an improved English language teaching conditions in the country. In light to this, this study will be focused on coming up with more reliable approaches to the delivery of the EFL to the high school students in the country and more specifically Riyadh city. These initiatives will be necessary to the improvement of the teaching of English language as a foreign language. In addition, through this study, it will be possible for the stakeholders to identify the best English Channel that they can recommend for the students in Saudi Arabia and other parts of the world. .
5.0. Research Questions?
As explained in the previous sections, this study shall focus on the use of English channels on Building English Pronunciation for Saudi High School Students. In this regard, the research questions that will be adequately answered at the end of this study shall include the following:1. In the Saudi Arabian high school institutions, would the use of English channels help in teaching pronunciation to the Saudi EFL students?
2. What are the different issues that the Saudi Arabia learners have in pronunciation?
3. Which are the best English channels that can be recommended for use by the Saudi Arabia students and their educators?
6.0. Research Methodology
For the purpose of presenting the readers of this research with extensive information and answers to the above research questions, the researcher shall adopt the use of a questionnaire as a research instrument. The questionnaire will use a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering information and scientific analysis of the data from the 50-targeted respondents. The 50-targeted respondents shall be composed of EFL high school students in Riyadh city in Saudi Arabia. The selection method of the students shall be through random selection in the high schools of the city and students of both genders. In addition, for the purpose of determining the effectiveness of the use of English channels for the improvement of the pronunciation of English language among the high school students, the participants shall be tested. This shall be carried out by asking them to access the English channels and thus determine the changes in pronunciation.
7.0. Ethical Consideration
This research paper will be based on the use of questionnaires and as such the ethical consideration shall be based on the good research practice in general. For instance, how clearly are the questions phrased, will the questionnaire be clearly understandable to all the student participants? Are they confusing or ambiguous? In this regard, a concise address of these issues will ensure that the response rates will be increased and the data quality improved. In addition, the ethical standards will ensure that the participants are not made to feel stupid or irrelevant in this research. On the other hand, the privacy of the participant’s information shall be maintained. The collected information will only be used for research work only and as such will not be divulged to anybody else without the consent of the participant. A consent form will hence be signed between the participant and the research to feel obliged to the confidentiality of the data collected.
8.0. Limitation of the Study
The number of targeted participants will be only 50 and from only one city and as such the research findings were highly generalized. In addition, the participants will be not equally selected in equal numbers from the different high schools targeted, and this may have attributed to the lack of enough consideration of other factors that could also be having an influence on the English translation abilities. Such factors include the regional differences and the different high school policies which could be limiting or promoting the students ability to pronounce English words. In addition, the researcher will limit their focus to the students, and they ignore the views of their facilitators who could also have had a good insight on the importance of English channels for improving the pronunciation. Also, questionnaires cannot be in a position of measuring the actual use of the English channels, but is expected to measure the particular importance that the students perceive the importance of English channels for building English skills.
9.0. Expected Results
It is anticipated that the outcome of this specific research will be able to show that the EFL high school student’s ability to pronounce the English channels influences English words. Additionally, it will be revealed that despite their choice of English channels, all will have positive impacts on their abilities to pronounce the English words accurately. It is also expected that the capacity of the students to Building English Pronunciation skills with the help of the English channels will be high level since the channels have a direct influence on the students’ abilities. Regarding the correlation between the performances of the students who have the abilities to pronounce the English words well, it is worth noting that their abilities will be higher than those with no access to the English channels.
References
Al Ghafli, M (2011). The Effect of Mediated Glosses on Vocabulary Retention and Reading Comprehension with English Language Learners in Saudi Arabia, Doctoral dissertation, University of Kansas.
Al-Ahdal, A., Al-Hattami, A., Al-Awaid, S, & Al-Mashaqba, N. (2015). Pronunciation for the Arab Learners of EFL: Planning for Better Outcomes. English Language Teaching, 8(10), 100.
Al-Hajailan, T., & Hare, R. (2010). Evaluation of English as a Foreign Language Textbook for Third Grade Secondary Boys’ Schools in Saudi Arabia, 216.
Al-Qahtani, S. (2010). Arabization in Written Discourse in Saudi Arabia, 247 p.
Al-Seghayer, K. (2015). Salient key features of actual English instructional practices in Saudi Arabia. English Language Teaching, 8(6), 89.
Al-Seghayer, K. S. (2014). The actuality, inefficiency, and needs of EFL teacher-preparation programs in Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature, 3(1), 143-151.
Alammar, F. (2012). Sustainable Mass Transit System Development in the Third World Countries’ Urban Areas; Challenges, Hazards, and Consequences of Deferment: The Case of Riyadh City, Capital of Saudi Arabia, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses.
Alrumaih, A., & McGrath, Diane. (2014). Multimedia Instructional Applications for Pronunciation Instruction in English as a Foreign Language Setting in Saudi Arabia: A Study of Attitudes, Beliefs, and Pedagogies, 271 p.
Guduru, R. (2014). An overview of Saudi FFL learners’ self-assessment of vocabulary learning strategies. Language In India, 14(5), 242.
Macdonald, M. (2010). Ancient Arabia and the written word. Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies, 40, 5-27.
Mathew, N. G., & Alidmat, A. O. H. (2013). A study on the usefulness of audio-visual aids in EFL classroom: Implications for effective instruction. International Journal of Higher Education, 2(2), p86.
Sharma, V. K. (2015). How do Productive Skills of Saudi Students Affect EFL Learning and Teaching. Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences (AJHSS), 3(2).
Wei-Hung, H. (2013). Develop and Evaluate the Effects of Multimodal Presentation System on Elementary ESL Students. TOJET : The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 12(4), N/a.
Appendix
Questionnaire
Tick (v) if depending on how you feel about each of the statements
6 – STRONGLY AGREE
5 – AGREE
4 – PARTLY AGREE
3 – SLIGHTLY DISAGREE
2 – DISAGREE
1 – STRONGLY DISAGREE
STATEMENTS 1 2 3 4 5 6
STD D SLD PA A STA
I always have a special attention to visual aids and other supporting sources.
I can always be able to understand all the English words pronunciations.
I always try to get adopted to different environments for adopting the best pronunciations.
I use English channels as a way of helping me to understand the different pronunciations.
I always want to know the exact meaning of a word before understanding the pronunciation.
I have special techniques to keep my concentration focused to the English channels.
While using an English channel, I ensure that the focus is on gaining positively in my English studies.
When I feel I cannot understand a word pronunciation, I feel bad of myself.
I always have a purpose for understanding English words pronunciation.
I always test the effective
