SACM - United States of America
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://drepo.sdl.edu.sa/handle/20.500.14154/9668
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Item Restricted VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES AMONG SAUDI EFL MILITARY CADETS: PATTERNS AND PREFERENCES(Saudi Digital Library, 2025-07-29) Aldosari, Fahad Ammar; Leiva, Carlos LopezThis study investigates the vocabulary learning strategies (VLSs) of 126 Saudi military EFL cadets, an underexplored group in second language acquisition research. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, a questionnaire identified the most and least used strategies, followed by interviews with 10 participants for deeper insights. Findings show cadets frequently use bilingual dictionaries, vocabulary lists, and group work, while cognitive strategies like written repetition and note-taking are underutilized. No significant differences in VLS use were found between Level 1 and Level 2 cadets, suggesting stable strategy preferences. Additionally, emerging strategies such as gamified learning and collaborative storytelling indicate a shift toward technology-assisted and social learning approaches. These results highlight the unique challenges of vocabulary acquisition in a regimented military setting and emphasize the need for interactive, context-specific instructional methods to improve vocabulary retention and language proficiency. The study’s findings provide valuable insights for curriculum designers and military language instructors, offering practical recommendations to enhance vocabulary teaching strategies in structured EFL environments.13 0Item Restricted The Role of L1 Dialect Phonotactics on the Production of L2 English Phonotactics by Saudi EFL Learners(University of Mississippi, 2024-05-01) Balbaid, Abdullah Ahmad; Schaefer, VinceThis study investigates the phonological challenges and adaptive strategies employed by 30 first-year university students majoring in English from three distinct Saudi Arabian dialect backgrounds—Najdi, Hijazi, and Hasawi—in perceiving and producing English onset biconsonant and triconsonant clusters. Exploring dialectal variations, the research aims to understand how these phonological characteristics influence the acquisition and intelligibility of English pronunciation among Saudi learners. Utilizing a combination of perception tasks through ABX discrimination tasks and production tasks inspired by the Labovian model, the study provides insights into the dialect-specific phonological challenges faced by the participants. Key findings reveal that Najdi speakers demonstrate higher proficiency in both perceiving and producing English consonant clusters, particularly biconsonant clusters, compared to their Hijazi and Hasawi counterparts. This proficiency underscores the significant role of L1 phonotactic knowledge in L2 phonological learning, highlighting the adaptability and cognitive flexibility of Najdi speakers in handling both familiar and unfamiliar phonological patterns. Furthermore, the study identifies distinct phonological repair strategies employed by speakers to address challenges unique to their dialects. While Najdi speakers commonly substitute /p/ with /b/, Hijazi speakers occasionally adapt by substituting /θ/ with /t/, reflecting the phonotactic constraints and opportunities within their dialect for phonological adaptation. The investigation into the impact of dialectal variations on L2 English pronunciation intelligibility indicates that Hijazi and Hasawi speakers' reliance on repair strategies and their challenges with clusters not present in their L1 dialect suggest a noticeable L1 influence, thereby affecting their pronunciation intelligibility. Contributing to a broader understanding of second language phonological acquisition, this study emphasizes the need for dialect-sensitive language instruction, advocating for pedagogical strategies that recognize the unique phonological landscapes of learners. This approach aims to enrich language teaching practices within linguistically diverse settings, fostering more effective and engaging language learning experiences across different educational levels.44 0Item Restricted INTEGRATING COMMUNICATIVE LISTENING AND SPEAKING PRACTICES IN SAUDI ENGLISH CLASSROOM(Gonzaga University, 2019-06-03) Rajeh, Hamzah; Jeannot, MaryThis workshop and action research project examines Saudi teachers’ performance in EFL classrooms and analyzes the challenges they face in integrating language skills in their classrooms. The study addresses some of the strategies teachers can employ to engage students in the teaching process by integrating the four main skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking), being a better lesson planner, and increasing student achievements.21 0Item Restricted EXPLORING THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE OF SAUDI WOMEN TEACHING AND LEARNING EFL: MOTHERING, HOPES, AND DESIRES(Saudi Digital Library, 2024-01) Alsulami, Rihab; Tinker, Gertrude SachsStudents’ voices are increasingly considered as an integral part of the decision-making process in the design, implementation, and evaluation of curriculum. This study sought to understand the experiences of college-level Saudi women learning English as a foreign language (EFL) in relation to learning, teaching, content, and materials to re-envision curriculum. Data were collected from five teachers and six students at a women’s-only college in Western Saudi Arabia. Data were collected through 21 individual interviews with students, two focus group discussions with teachers and students, and teachers’ written reflection. The study employs reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2022) to understand how Saudi women perceive their learning, how their perceptions may inform teachers’ understanding of curriculum giving way to theorize critical curriculum in Saudi Arabia. Key findings indicate that prevailing family ideologies often restricted women’s educational choices. This sense of constraint was exacerbated by the discrepancy between their prior EFL education and college expectations. When re-designing their learning experience, students emphasized the importance of creating engaged teaching and learning foregrounded in meaningfulness, vulnerability, and dialogue. Additionally, the study emphasizes the deep bond between students and their educators in women-only campuses. Students described their teachers as sister-mothers (Abla-mothering) who valued their holistic growth and fostered their love for learning. Further, while teachers acknowledged restrictions on their agency, they emphasized their proactive efforts in creating nurturing and responsive learning environments. The study offers recommendations for policy makers which includes engaging meaningfully with students’ voices by creating agentive roles as collaborators and pedagogical partners.29 0Item Restricted Saudi Perspective On Using Efl Resources To Improve Their English Pronunciation In Saudi Public Institutions(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-12-09) Alzahrani, Khadija; Coles, FeliceDue to the lack of a pronunciation curriculum and materials in Saudi universities, EFL students individually select use different resources to help with their English pronunciation difficulties. Therefore, this study aims to describe (a) Saudi students' perspectives and attitudes toward pronunciation resources that may help with their pronunciation (b) if they use them to help with their weaknesses, and (c) the teachers’ perspectives on their students' pronunciation difficulties, their knowledge of the resources the universities provide, and what they use to help the students' pronunciation learning and development. This study investigates what Saudi students think they need to learn pronunciation, what aspects they see as the most difficult to overcome, and what resources they lack to help with their pronunciation difficulties. The study elicits opinions on the students' pronunciation obstacles based on their perspectives and their teachers' perspectives and what resources the teachers use to assist their students’ learning. The study was conducted in two public Saudi institutions. The targeted participants are (1) Saudi college students studying English in their third and fourth years and (2) their English language teachers. The data was collected using two questionnaires, one for students and the other for their teachers. Students who participated in the questionnaire were interviewed to get more information once the data was gathered. After receiving the questionnaires and interview data recordings, the researcher transcribed the content of the interviews, noting recurring themes and patterns. The study's results indicated the presence of three primary themes derived from the gathered data: classroom interaction, technological engagement, and personal practice. These themes comprise a variety of resources, which include, but are not limited to, the course book, interactions with peers, the use of mobile applications and online software, as well as involvement in departmental workshops and speaking clubs. The lack of easily accessible resources for Saudi learners poses significant obstacles to developing effective pronunciation abilities. This challenge is notably attributed to the overarching academic priorities of the university, which tend to allocate relatively more emphasis towards other language skills, inadvertently limiting the attention and allocation of resources directed toward the enhancement of pronunciation proficiency.29 0Item Restricted Sociolinguistics of Saudi Vision 2030: Paradigm Shift Through English F English Faculty’s Perspectiv erspectives of T es of Translanguaging at a Saudi anslanguaging at a Saudi University.(UNM, 2023-08-01) Masrahi, Naif Ali Y; Trentman, EmmaMany educational systems around the world insist on applying an English Only Policy (EOP) when teaching the English language at universities without addressing their contextual needs. In Saudi Arabia, this problem leads to reduced satisfaction among faculty regarding students’ English level (Alharbi & Alqefari, 2022; Alkhairy, 2013; Alqahtani, 2020; Alsaawi, 2019; Alshammari, 2022; Altale & Alta’ani, 2019; Alzahrani, 2019; Elyas & Picard, 2010). However, the new educational transformation promised by Saudi Vision 2030 (2016) supports the Arabic language as a mother tongue for Saudis, English as an important language, and the teaching of critical thinking to respond to current global economic challenges. This creates a space for adopting translanguaging practices in English language classrooms by helping learners access their linguistic repertoire to understand, think, communicate, and learn the language (García, 2009). Recent studies at Saudi universities on faculty perspectives on translanguaging are limited in terms of context, participants, and vii methodology (Alahdal, 2020a; Alharbi & Alqefari, 2022; Alqahtani, 2022; Altale & Alqahtani, 2020; Alzahrani, 2019). Therefore, this qualitative case research examined the perspectives of six Saudi and international faculty members regarding translanguaging at a Saudi university. It answered the question: What are the perspectives of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) faculty at a Saudi university toward translanguaging, and why? Following the theoretical framework of sociocultural and translanguaging theories (Vygotsky, 1978; García & Li Wei, 2014), the study utilized interviews, focus group discussions, and field notes to collect the data. The thematic analysis (Stake, 1995) showed a positive position among faculty members regarding translanguaging. They called on decision-makers to empower them to participate in making pedagogic decisions according to students’ needs. Importantly, translanguaging could support the educational transformation of Saudi Vision 2030 through its pedagogic practices and its ability to support learners’ critical thinking. Moreover, faculty reported low awareness of translanguaging, which would require increasing their awareness of its systematic adoption. The study concludes with implications and suggestions for further research and teaching policy modifications to include translanguaging when teaching English in the classroom.39 0Item Restricted Pragmatic Elements In EFL Learners’ Request E-mails To Teachers: A Study Of Learners’ Communicative Success(2023-05-13) Kuriri, Hamzah Ahmad A; Trentman, EmmaLanguage is a tool for communication. People use it when they converse with each other. One way to comprehend what is being said is based on understating the intended meanings of the conversation, or what is called the underlined meanings (pragmatics). Pragmatic studies how different meanings are conveyed, depending on the utterances provided. A case study to investigate the phenomenon of pragmatics is selected as the methodology to specifically examine English as a foreign language (EFL) instructors’ perceptions of EFL students’ e-mails sent to their instructors. Qualitative methods are used to examine data for a period of almost three months (October, November, and December of 2022). Academic Saudi EFL staff at Jazan University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are selected as participants in this single case study. Interviews, observations while the participants are interviewed, and review contexts (i.e., formality, directness, and politeness of EFL students’ e-mails) are used to collect data during that period. Suggestions for instructions, limitations, and future research are presented.37 0Item Restricted Understanding Reflective Practice among Postsecondary EFL Instructors through the Sociocultural Lens of Cultural-Historical Activity Theory(2023-03-15) Alzahrani, Mohammed; Dabbah, AlmaReflective practice is extensively discussed in the field of teacher education, and it is rapidly increasing in the field of teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL). However, reflective practice is still underrepresented in the literature of English as a foreign language (EFL) instruction. The purpose of this study is to understand ways, affordances, and constraints of reflective practice among postsecondary EFL instructors in the preparatory-year program (PYP) at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) was adopted as a theoretical framework that undergirds a qualitative case study design and thematic analysis. Data was purposefully collected from five experienced postsecondary EFL instructors through a series of semistructured interviews, classroom observations, and document reviews. It was found that instructors engage in diverse ways of reflective practice inside the classroom using intuitive, dialogic and translingual actions. However, they engage in limited ways outside the classroom using online surveys and formal professional meetings. Instructors’ long teaching experience, sociocultural awareness, and reconceptualization were major affordances for instructors to engage in reflective practice. Course reports and technical PD were major constraints that limit instructors’ engagement in reflective practice. CHAT was an effective framework to analyze reflective practice in the bound system of the PYP. This study contributes to add knowledge about reflective practice in the literature of TESOL and applied linguistics and fills a methodological gap using CHAT as a framework. The findings of this study provide practical and research implications for postsecondary EFL education in Saudi Arabia and TESOL programs in general.50 0