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The Relations between Student Foreign Language Anxiety and Social Variables
87-100Views:270Due to the labour market expectations, universities are responsible for preparing their students for competitive employment in Hungary or abroad. However, language anxiety is an insurmountable problem for many people, making it difficult to learn foreign languages, even though a confident command of them is a key factor in any job interview and essential in the world of work. This complex is one of the main factors hindering language learning, affecting all people to either a greater or lesser extent. In 2023, the University of Debrecen's researchers studied the impact of language anxiety on foreign language learning, surveying approximately 400 students of the university's commerce, marketing, and business management courses. After having a questionnaire filled in, descriptive statistical and cross-tabulation analyses were conducted, and the focus was on analysing the impact of social variables on language anxiety. Our research shows that women are significantly more anxious than men. Students who work while studying and use their foreign language skills at work experience significantly more anxiety than students who do not use a foreign language. Parents' language skills significantly affect their children's language anxiety. The research topic is relevant, as it highlights the importance of teaching strategies to reduce language anxiety in university foreign language teaching. The present study facilitates the teaching of those students who would not be able to overcome the anxiety barrier.
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The Implementation of Music in Teaching Persian Heritage Speaking Students in International Schools: The Case of Persian Students in Dubai
Views:50It is widely acknowledged that music plays an important role in education as a powerful tool for identity formation. Within the educational sphere, there is limited empirical evidence to show how heritage language learners do engage with music as a resource for learning and to maintain linguistic knowledge. This research is a step towards achieving a deeper understanding of how Persian students residing in the United Arab Emirates connect with their mother tongue in the multicultural society of the country. The aim is to investigate whether integration of music into the Persian literature classroom of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme can enhance the students’ comprehension and cultural understanding among Persian students. Therefore, the study addresses three central questions: (1) Does using music in the classroom improve students’ understanding of classic Persian literature? (2) How does using music affect their motivation and emotional engagement if used in the classroom? (3) What impact does using music have on students staying connected to their heritage language and culture? This study was conducted in 2023 in the UAE and using a two-phase within-subject design. There were twelve IBDP students between 16 to 19 years old participating in the research answering questionnaires after reading ghazals by Rumi and again after listening to the musical adaptations of the same poems. A Google Form was used to analyse the data through descriptive statistics and thematic coding. Findings show that listening to music significantly improved understanding Persian poetry and detecting literary devices and comprehension was easier.
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Secondary School Biology Teachers’ Knowledge and Practices of Formative Assessment in Tanzania
10-19Views:331Using formative assessment (FA) practices in teaching and learning is essential to understanding students’ learning and making informed decisions about students’ academic performance. This study examined secondary school biology teachers’ knowledge and practices of FA in Tanzania. Using a mixed-methods research approach and convergent mixed-methods research design, the study employed simple random and purposive sampling techniques to select the study area and teachers, respectively. A questionnaire and observation checklist used to collect data from 55 teachers in secondary schools. The Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0 was used to compute descriptive statistics. Findings revealed that though teachers had theoretical knowledge of FA practices, they failed to implement them, particularly Socratic questioning, portfolios, and constructive feedback. This study concludes that teachers did not implement FA practices in the surveyed schools. Thus, there is a need of regular in-service training to develop teachers’ practical competences in FA practices to enhance classroom teaching and students’ learning in biology.