Dissertations for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

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Browsing Dissertations for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) by Subject "adolescent learners'"

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    A Blended Language Learning Model: Adolescent Learners' Attitudes towards it and its Effectiveness in the Teaching and Learning of L2 Writing
    (The British University in Dubai (BUiD), 2014-04) Elorbany, Mazin Ibrahim
    A blended learning approach is a new concept in the field of modern education which combines face-to-face and online instruction, and is considered an essential aspect of education advancement in the current century (Thorne, 2003). This dissertation uses a mixed method research design so as to collect qualitative and quantitative data required in investigating three main areas related to English language teaching (ELT) and to adolescent learners (12-16 years) who learn English as a foreign language (EFL). First, it provides a description for a blended language learning model that combines face-to-face and online modes of instruction. Second, the study investigates students’ attitudes towards implementing blended language learning approach. Third, it assesses the effectiveness of this approach on improving students’ second language (L2) writing levels. In general, research on ‘blended learning’ that studied the difference between traditional and blended learning in foreign language does not indicate significant differences in learning output although showed positive students’ attitude toward s this type of instruction. Nonetheless, the studies conducted on ‘blended learning’ did not include adequate description of interaction and activities in this learning environment as they did not have sufficient description of its features like teaching and learning materials, teaching methods, types of interaction, and roles of participants. Moreover, some of these studies did not base their work on the literature that focuses on students and teachers’ attitudes. Overall, the study provides a description of a blended learning model following the guidelines suggested by Neumeier (2005). Moreover, the findings of the study show that the adolescent students (14-16 years) had positive attitudes towards using blended language learning approach. It was also found that class learned by a blended learning approach had a significant improvement in students’ writing scores comparing with the one that learned by traditional learning.