The present paper aimed to explore the EFL instructors perceived effectiveness of current profess... more The present paper aimed to explore the EFL instructors perceived effectiveness of current professional development programs run at Taif University English Language Center (TUELC) in Saudi Arabia, and to provide suggestions to improve the current situation of these programs. To achieve these purposes, the researcher tried to answer three questions. The first question investigated instructors' perceptions of current professional development programs offered at the end of each semester, and the second and third questions examined the instructors' possible reasons for agreement and disagreement with the items proposed in the questionnaire distributed to them, and the instructors' suggestions to improve the current situation of professional development programs. A questionnaire of 4-Likert Scale and open-ended questions were used to gather data from seventy six teachers. The collected data were analyzed in the form of descriptive statistics, and content analysis was used for the open-ended questions. The results of the first question indicated that instructors in general have a negative attitude towards the current professional development programs run at the English Language Center. They only expressed their positive attitude towards the domains of professional knowledge and assessment strategies on the ground that they were given the opportunity to be interactive participants during discussing these two domains. Other possible reasons for agreement indicated that instructors shared knowledge and experience during the sessions of the program. However, their possible reasons for disagreement with the other domains showed that their actual needs were not considered when developing the program; they were mainly passive listeners, and the presenters were not professional enough to handle certain topics. Also, there was not enough focus on practice where learners could seek solutions to problems relevant to their classroom situations. They suggested that a needs assessment should be carried out and electronic professional development would be a good alternative to traditional meetings. Based on the results, the researcher drew certain conclusions and recommendations.
هدفت هذه الدراسة الى تقصي وجهات نظر معلمي اللغة الإنجليزية ومشرفيها في معايير التنمية المهنية الو... more هدفت هذه الدراسة الى تقصي وجهات نظر معلمي اللغة الإنجليزية ومشرفيها في معايير التنمية المهنية الوطنية لوزارة التربية والتعليم وقدرتها على تعزيز التنمية المهنية لمعلمي اللغة الإنجليزية الأردنيين. وارتبط السؤلان الأول والثاني بمدى موافقة المعلمين والمشرفيين على المعايير التي تسهم في تنمية المعلمين مهنيا من وجهة نظر المعلمين أنفسهم ومن وجهة نظر المشرفين التربويين وحاول السؤال الثالث تحديد فيما إذا كان هناك فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية عند مستوى الدلالة(α=0.05) بين استجابات المعلمين والمشرفين تعزى للمؤهل وسنوات الخبرة. وللإجابة عن هذه الأسئلة، طور الباحث استبانة مكونة من 54 فقرة بنيت على معايير التنمية المهنية الوطنية لوزارة التربية والتعليم وتم التحقق من صدق هذه الأداة وثباتها وبهدف تحليل نتائج السؤالين الأول والثاني، استخدمت النسب المئوية والتكرارات وتم استخدام أسلوب تحليل التباين الثنائي للإجابة عن السؤال الأول وتشير نتائج السؤالين الأول والثاني إلى أن المعايير السبعة جميعها تسهم في تنمية المعلمين مهنيا من وجهة نظرهم ومن وجهة نظر المشرفين التربويين واحتلت المعايير المتعلقة بالمعرفة بطرائق ...
The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors’ perceptions of Blackboard learning managem... more The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors’ perceptions of Blackboard learning management system (LMS) at Taif University in Saudi Arabia. To achieve this purposes, the researcher attempted to answer two questions. The first question investigates EFL instructors’ perceptions of Blackboard LMS. The second question aims to identify instructors’ suggestions to overcome difficulties encountered while using the system. A questionnaire of 4- Likert Scale was used to gather data from one hundred and two instructors to answer the first question, and content analysis was used to answer the second question. The collected data were analyzed in the form of descriptive statistics. The results, on one hand, revealed that 75% of the instructors have not used Blackboard technology before coming to university, which would affect their perceptions of the system. It was also evident that most of the instructors believe that the different features of Blackboard LMS are either poor or very po...
The research paper aims to investigate EFL mentees' perceptions of mentoring experience in on... more The research paper aims to investigate EFL mentees' perceptions of mentoring experience in one of the Higher Education institutes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Academic years 2019 and 2020. The mentoring experience includes four domains: the mentorship program, mentors' roles and responsibilities, benefits of mentoring, and barriers to mentoring. The researcher attempted to answer two questions. The first explores the mentees' perceptions of the mentoring experience, and the second question attempts to find out the mentees' suggestions to make the mentoring experience more effective. A questionnaire of 4- Likert scale was used to collect data from thirty-three newly recruited instructors to answer the first question. The mentees were also asked to add their suggestions for the betterment of mentoring experiences as an answer to the second question. Descriptive statistics in the form of means, standard deviation, and percentages were used to analyze the collec...
International Journal of Education and Practice, 2020
This paper investigated the instructors' perceptions of supervisors' classroom observation practi... more This paper investigated the instructors' perceptions of supervisors' classroom observation practices at Taif University English Language Center (TUELC) in the second semester of the 2018-2019 academic year. The researcher attempted to answer two questions. The first investigated the instructors' perceptions of supervisors' classroom observation practices. The second question investigated the instructors' suggestions for better practices by supervisors. A 4-Likert scale questionnaire was used to gather data from fifty nine instructors to answer the first question, and content analysis was used to answer the second question. The collected data were analyzed in the form of descriptive statistics, using means, standard deviation, frequencies, and percentages. The results showed that the instructors were generally satisfied with the supervisors' classroom observation practices. However, some had certain concerns regarding some observation practices to be considered for further action of improvement. In addition, the instructors had several suggestions for better practices implemented by supervisors. The most important of these was the suggestion to conduct peer observation. Based on the results, the researcher drew several conclusions and recommendations. Contribution/Originality: This study contributes to the existing literature by adopting the collaborative approach of supervision following the proposed observation guidelines. Adopting this approach can contribute to changing the negative perceptions instructors have regarding classroom observation in terms of the evaluative nature of the current authoritative practices implemented by supervisors.
As the training of language learners was a main concern of EFL teachers, this study aimed to asse... more As the training of language learners was a main concern of EFL teachers, this study aimed to assess the effectiveness of metacognitive reading strategies instruction (MRSI) on Taif University EFL students who achieved low results in reading. The final sample of this study was (21) female university students. The sample was divided into two groups; the experimental group, which consisted of (10) girls, and the control group, which consisted of (11) girls. By using the quasi experimental-research methodology, three research objectives were addressed in this study: (a) to examine whether there were significant differences between the experimental group and the control group on the employment of metacognitive reading strategies and reading comprehension post-tests): (b) to explore whether there were significant differences between the mean scores of pre-and post-tests on the English Language reading test: (c) to find out whether there were any significant differences between the mean scores of the post-test and the follow up of the use of metacognitive reading strategies and the English Language reading comprehension test given to the experimental group. Data from pre-and post-test measurements were used to investigate the impact the intervention had on EFL low achievers in reading. Statistical analyses of the data showed that there were statistically significant differences between the experimental group and the control group on the post-test reading comprehension test as well as the reading strategies questionnaire. These showed a significant improvement in the reading skill in the experimental group. They also revealed that there were statistically significant differences between the pre-test and post-test results for the experimental group on the reading comprehension test and the reading strategies. This showed that the experimental group improved in reading skills after the students participated in the program, as seen on the post-test. In the light of these results, the study provided a number of procedural recommendations that may contribute to raising the importance of metacognitive reading strategies training for the students with low achievement in reading.
ABSTRACT: The present study aimed to investigate the teaching-learning challenges students face i... more ABSTRACT: The present study aimed to investigate the teaching-learning challenges students face in the Preparatory Year Program (PYP) at Taif University from instructors' and students' perspectives. The first two questions were concerned with the instructors’ and students’ extent of agreement on the challenges students face while learning English in the preparatory year at Taif University from students’ and instructors’ points of view. The third question tried to answer whether there were any statistically significant differences at ( a = 0.05) between instructors’ and students’ responses due to the five domains of teaching-learning challenges. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data related to the first two questions, and Independent t-test was used to answer the third question. The findings of the first question showed that the fifth and the first domains include most of the teaching-learning challenges facing Taif University students in the Preparatory Year P...
The present paper aims to examine the instructors' perceptions of learner-centered instruction an... more The present paper aims to examine the instructors' perceptions of learner-centered instruction and possible barriers to implementing this instructional method in teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) at the university level in the Saudi Arabian context. To do this, four questions were posed. The first question investigates instructors' perceptions of learner-centered instruction, and the second question examines the barriers that would face EFL instructors while implementing learner-centered instruction when teaching preparatory year students. The third and fourth questions are an attempt to investigate if there are any significant differences in instructors' perceptions at (=0.05) due to instructors' qualifications and years of experience. The researchers developed a 4-likert scale questionnaire of two main parts: personal and professional-perceptions and barriers. The qualitative part includes an open-ended question for instructors to elaborate on possible barriers that would hinder implementing learner-centered instruction. The results of the first question indicated that instructors have a positive attitude toward learner-centered instruction. They believe that it is an effective way to enhance students' learning. The second question reveals that instructors agree with all the barriers that hinder the implementation of this instructional method except one item related to their attitudes which have been demonstrated as positive in their responses to the first question. The third and fourth questions revealed no significant differences in instructors' perceptions due to qualifications and years of experience which could be due to the institutional and educational context that haven't supported instructors' qualifications and years of experience.
The paper aimed to investigate the teaching competencies implemented by instructors to enhance EF... more The paper aimed to investigate the teaching competencies implemented by instructors to enhance EFL students at Taif University in Saudi Arabia. The first two questions discussed the degree of implementing the teaching competencies, which either enhance or hinder learning. The third and fourth questions were an attempt to examine if there were any significant differences at (=0.05) due to instructors' qualifications and years of experience. The researcher developed an observation checklist to investigate the degree of implementing the competencies. There were four domains: preparation, instruction, assessment, and educational climate. The findings of the first two questions showed that preparation and educational climate include the competencies where the instructors displayed satisfactory performance. However, instruction and assessment include the competencies which were rarely or not demonstrated. The results of the third question showed that there were significant differences. However, there were no significant differences due to years of experience. The findings of the first two questions could be due whether or not instructors have undergone professional development to equip them with the competencies required to enhance students' learning. The results of the third question could be due to the fact that instructors having a diploma after the bachelor degree helped them make difference. The result of the fourth question could be due to the educational context that didn't support instructors' years of experience.
The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors’ performance at university level according ... more The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors’ performance at university level according to prescriptive and collaborative approaches in supervision. In order to achieve this target, the researcher addressed three questions. The first investigates instructors’ level of performance. The second and third questions aimed to identify instructors' points of strength and action points. In this regard, the researcher developed an observation checklist (Appendix A) for supervisors to use when observing teachers'. He also developed observation guidelines for supervisors to make sure they are following the collaborative approach of supervision (Appendix B). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including means, standard deviation and percentages to answer the first question. To answer the second and third questions, the researcher used content analysis to synthesize the supervisors' feedback given to instructors regarding their points of strengths and action...
The present paper aims to investigate the English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ multiple ... more The present paper aims to investigate the English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ multiple intelligences (MIs) in the preparatory year at Taif University in Saudi Arabia, and to provide suggestions for EFL instructors to integrate MIs in their lesson plans for instructional use in the classroom. To achieve these purposes, the researcher attempted to answer three questions. The first question investigated the different types of MSs that EFL learners possess. The second question examined whether there were any statistically significant differences (a= 0.05) in EFL learners’ MIs due to stream (Humanities, Sciences and Health). The third question was an attempt to synthesize literature in order to suggest ways for instructors to integrate MIs in the EFL classroom. A questionnaire of 4- Likert Scale was used to gather data from four hundred and eighty two students to answer the first two questions. And content analysis was used to answer the third question. The collected data were ...
The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors’ perceptions of Cambridge English Unl... more The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors’ perceptions of Cambridge English Unlimited (CEU) textbooks taught at Taif University English Language Center (TUELC) in the Academic year 2017-2018. To achieve this purpose, the researcher attempted to answer three questions. The first investigates instructors’ perceptions of the textbooks. The second question aims to find out the features that add to the strengths of the textbooks. The third question is an attempt to reveal the shortcomings of the textbooks from the instructors' perspectives and their suggestions to overcome these drawbacks. A questionnaire of 4- Likert scale was used to gather data from ninety two instructors to answer the first two questions, and content analysis was used to answer the third question. The collected data were analyzed in the form of descriptive statistics, using means, standard deviation and percentages. The results showed that instructors have a very positive attitud...
The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors’ performance at university level according ... more The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors’ performance at university level according to prescriptive and collaborative approaches in supervision. In order to achieve this target, the researcher addressed three questions. The first investigates instructors’ level of performance. The second and third questions aimed to identify instructors' points of strength and action points. In this regard, the researcher developed an observation checklist (Appendix A) for supervisors to use when observing teachers'. He also developed observation guidelines for supervisors to make sure they are following the collaborative approach of supervision (Appendix B). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including means, standard deviation and percentages to answer the first question. To answer the second and third questions, the researcher used content analysis to synthesize the supervisors' feedback given to instructors regarding their points of strengths and action...
The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors’ performance at university level according ... more The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors’ performance at university level according to prescriptive and collaborative approaches in supervision. In order to achieve this target, the researcher addressed three questions. The first investigates instructors’ level of performance. The second and third questions aimed to identify instructors' points of strength and action points. In this regard, the researcher developed an observation checklist (Appendix A) for supervisors to use when observing teachers'. He also developed observation guidelines for supervisors to make sure they are following the collaborative approach of supervision (Appendix B). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including means, standard deviation and percentages to answer the first question. To answer the second and third questions, the researcher used content analysis to synthesize the supervisors' feedback given to instructors regarding their points of strengths and action...
The research paper aims to investigate EFL mentees' perceptions of mentoring experience in one of... more The research paper aims to investigate EFL mentees' perceptions of mentoring experience in one of the Higher Education institutes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Academic years 2019 and 2020. The mentoring experience includes four domains: the mentorship program, mentors' roles and responsibilities, benefits of mentoring, and barriers to mentoring. The researcher attempted to answer two questions. The first explores the mentees' perceptions of the mentoring experience, and the second question attempts to find out the mentees' suggestions to make the mentoring experience more effective. A questionnaire of 4-Likert scale was used to collect data from thirty-three newly recruited instructors to answer the first question. The mentees were also asked to add their suggestions for the betterment of mentoring experiences as an answer to the second question. Descriptive statistics in the form of means, standard deviation, and percentages were used to analyze the collected data. The findings revealed that the mentees were satisfied with the mentoring experience. They have a positive attitude towards the mentorship program and the mentor's roles and responsibilities. However, a few mentees have certain concerns regarding some factors related to their mentoring experience. These were highlighted and discussed under each domain. In addition, the mentees had a number of suggestions that would contribute to having a more effective mentoring experience. Based on the findings, the researcher presented a number of conclusions and recommendations.
International Journal of Education and Practice, 2020
Article History Keywords Instructors' perceptions Classroom observation Supervisors' practices Co... more Article History Keywords Instructors' perceptions Classroom observation Supervisors' practices Collaborative approach Performance Professional development. This paper investigated the instructors' perceptions of supervisors' classroom observation practices at Taif University English Language Center (TUELC) in the second semester of the 2018-2019 academic year. The researcher attempted to answer two questions. The first investigated the instructors' perceptions of supervisors' classroom observation practices. The second question investigated the instructors' suggestions for better practices by supervisors. A 4-Likert scale questionnaire was used to gather data from fifty nine instructors to answer the first question, and content analysis was used to answer the second question. The collected data were analyzed in the form of descriptive statistics, using means, standard deviation, frequencies, and percentages. The results showed that the instructors were generally satisfied with the supervisors' classroom observation practices. However, some had certain concerns regarding some observation practices to be considered for further action of improvement. In addition, the instructors had several suggestions for better practices implemented by supervisors. The most important of these was the suggestion to conduct peer observation. Based on the results, the researcher drew several conclusions and recommendations. Contribution/Originality: This study contributes to the existing literature by adopting the collaborative approach of supervision following the proposed observation guidelines. Adopting this approach can contribute to changing the negative perceptions instructors have regarding classroom observation in terms of the evaluative nature of the current authoritative practices implemented by supervisors.
The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors' performance at university level according ... more The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors' performance at university level according to prescriptive and collaborative approaches in supervision. In order to achieve this target, the researcher addressed three questions. The first investigates instructors' level of performance. The second and third questions aimed to identify instructors' points of strength and action points. In this regard, the researcher developed an observation checklist (Appendix A) for supervisors to use when observing teachers'. He also developed observation guidelines for supervisors to make sure they are following the collaborative approach of supervision (Appendix B). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including means, standard deviation and percentages to answer the first question. To answer the second and third questions, the researcher used content analysis to synthesize the supervisors' feedback given to instructors regarding their points of strengths and action points. The results showed that the instructors' performance was either satisfactory or outstanding based on the supervisors' observation, which could be due to the professional development program conducted to develop their teaching competencies. In addition, the instructors showed themselves competent in other areas related to motivating students and providing them with constructive feedback. However, some instructors still need to develop their competencies in areas such as classroom management and teacher talk time. These have been summarized according to their frequency of occurrence in tables 2 and 3. Based on the results, the researcher drew a number of conclusions and recommendations.
The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors' perceptions of Blackboard learning managem... more The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors' perceptions of Blackboard learning management system (LMS) at Taif University in Saudi Arabia. To achieve this purposes, the researcher attempted to answer two questions. The first question investigates EFL instructors' perceptions of Blackboard LMS. The second question aims to identify instructors' suggestions to overcome difficulties encountered while using the system. A questionnaire of 4-Likert Scale was used to gather data from one hundred and two instructors to answer the first question, and content analysis was used to answer the second question. The collected data were analyzed in the form of descriptive statistics. The results, on one hand, revealed that 75% of the instructors have not used Blackboard technology before coming to university, which would affect their perceptions of the system. It was also evident that most of the instructors believe that the different features of Blackboard LMS are either poor or very poor. In addition, the instructors, in most of their responses to the functionalities of using the Blackboard LMS, rarely or never used the system. On the other hand, the results revealed that the instructors have a positive attitude towards the system in terms of its impact on learning, which can be the starting point to help them be familiarized more with the system's features and functionalities through professional development. Based on the results, the researcher presented a number of conclusions and recommendations.
The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors" perceptions of Cambridge English Unlimited... more The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors" perceptions of Cambridge English Unlimited (CEU) textbooks taught at Taif University English Language Center (TUELC) in the Academic year 2017-2018. To achieve this purpose, the researcher attempted to answer three questions. The first investigates instructors" perceptions of the textbooks. The second question aims to find out the features that add to the strengths of the textbooks. The third question is an attempt to reveal the shortcomings of the textbooks from the instructors' perspectives and their suggestions to overcome these drawbacks. A questionnaire of 4-Likert scale was used to gather data from ninety two instructors to answer the first two questions, and content analysis was used to answer the third question. The collected data were analyzed in the form of descriptive statistics, using means, standard deviation and percentages. The results showed that instructors have a very positive attitude towards the textbooks in terms of the criteria and features investigated in the first two sections of the study tool. These answer the first two questions. However, they had certain concerns and suggestions in aspects other than those included in the study tool. These have been summarized according to their frequency of occurrence in the instructors' responses. Based on the results, the researcher drew a number of conclusions and recommendations.
The present paper aimed to explore the EFL instructors perceived effectiveness of current profess... more The present paper aimed to explore the EFL instructors perceived effectiveness of current professional development programs run at Taif University English Language Center (TUELC) in Saudi Arabia, and to provide suggestions to improve the current situation of these programs. To achieve these purposes, the researcher tried to answer three questions. The first question investigated instructors' perceptions of current professional development programs offered at the end of each semester, and the second and third questions examined the instructors' possible reasons for agreement and disagreement with the items proposed in the questionnaire distributed to them, and the instructors' suggestions to improve the current situation of professional development programs. A questionnaire of 4-Likert Scale and open-ended questions were used to gather data from seventy six teachers. The collected data were analyzed in the form of descriptive statistics, and content analysis was used for the open-ended questions. The results of the first question indicated that instructors in general have a negative attitude towards the current professional development programs run at the English Language Center. They only expressed their positive attitude towards the domains of professional knowledge and assessment strategies on the ground that they were given the opportunity to be interactive participants during discussing these two domains. Other possible reasons for agreement indicated that instructors shared knowledge and experience during the sessions of the program. However, their possible reasons for disagreement with the other domains showed that their actual needs were not considered when developing the program; they were mainly passive listeners, and the presenters were not professional enough to handle certain topics. Also, there was not enough focus on practice where learners could seek solutions to problems relevant to their classroom situations. They suggested that a needs assessment should be carried out and electronic professional development would be a good alternative to traditional meetings. Based on the results, the researcher drew certain conclusions and recommendations.
هدفت هذه الدراسة الى تقصي وجهات نظر معلمي اللغة الإنجليزية ومشرفيها في معايير التنمية المهنية الو... more هدفت هذه الدراسة الى تقصي وجهات نظر معلمي اللغة الإنجليزية ومشرفيها في معايير التنمية المهنية الوطنية لوزارة التربية والتعليم وقدرتها على تعزيز التنمية المهنية لمعلمي اللغة الإنجليزية الأردنيين. وارتبط السؤلان الأول والثاني بمدى موافقة المعلمين والمشرفيين على المعايير التي تسهم في تنمية المعلمين مهنيا من وجهة نظر المعلمين أنفسهم ومن وجهة نظر المشرفين التربويين وحاول السؤال الثالث تحديد فيما إذا كان هناك فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية عند مستوى الدلالة(α=0.05) بين استجابات المعلمين والمشرفين تعزى للمؤهل وسنوات الخبرة. وللإجابة عن هذه الأسئلة، طور الباحث استبانة مكونة من 54 فقرة بنيت على معايير التنمية المهنية الوطنية لوزارة التربية والتعليم وتم التحقق من صدق هذه الأداة وثباتها وبهدف تحليل نتائج السؤالين الأول والثاني، استخدمت النسب المئوية والتكرارات وتم استخدام أسلوب تحليل التباين الثنائي للإجابة عن السؤال الأول وتشير نتائج السؤالين الأول والثاني إلى أن المعايير السبعة جميعها تسهم في تنمية المعلمين مهنيا من وجهة نظرهم ومن وجهة نظر المشرفين التربويين واحتلت المعايير المتعلقة بالمعرفة بطرائق ...
The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors’ perceptions of Blackboard learning managem... more The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors’ perceptions of Blackboard learning management system (LMS) at Taif University in Saudi Arabia. To achieve this purposes, the researcher attempted to answer two questions. The first question investigates EFL instructors’ perceptions of Blackboard LMS. The second question aims to identify instructors’ suggestions to overcome difficulties encountered while using the system. A questionnaire of 4- Likert Scale was used to gather data from one hundred and two instructors to answer the first question, and content analysis was used to answer the second question. The collected data were analyzed in the form of descriptive statistics. The results, on one hand, revealed that 75% of the instructors have not used Blackboard technology before coming to university, which would affect their perceptions of the system. It was also evident that most of the instructors believe that the different features of Blackboard LMS are either poor or very po...
The research paper aims to investigate EFL mentees' perceptions of mentoring experience in on... more The research paper aims to investigate EFL mentees' perceptions of mentoring experience in one of the Higher Education institutes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Academic years 2019 and 2020. The mentoring experience includes four domains: the mentorship program, mentors' roles and responsibilities, benefits of mentoring, and barriers to mentoring. The researcher attempted to answer two questions. The first explores the mentees' perceptions of the mentoring experience, and the second question attempts to find out the mentees' suggestions to make the mentoring experience more effective. A questionnaire of 4- Likert scale was used to collect data from thirty-three newly recruited instructors to answer the first question. The mentees were also asked to add their suggestions for the betterment of mentoring experiences as an answer to the second question. Descriptive statistics in the form of means, standard deviation, and percentages were used to analyze the collec...
International Journal of Education and Practice, 2020
This paper investigated the instructors' perceptions of supervisors' classroom observation practi... more This paper investigated the instructors' perceptions of supervisors' classroom observation practices at Taif University English Language Center (TUELC) in the second semester of the 2018-2019 academic year. The researcher attempted to answer two questions. The first investigated the instructors' perceptions of supervisors' classroom observation practices. The second question investigated the instructors' suggestions for better practices by supervisors. A 4-Likert scale questionnaire was used to gather data from fifty nine instructors to answer the first question, and content analysis was used to answer the second question. The collected data were analyzed in the form of descriptive statistics, using means, standard deviation, frequencies, and percentages. The results showed that the instructors were generally satisfied with the supervisors' classroom observation practices. However, some had certain concerns regarding some observation practices to be considered for further action of improvement. In addition, the instructors had several suggestions for better practices implemented by supervisors. The most important of these was the suggestion to conduct peer observation. Based on the results, the researcher drew several conclusions and recommendations. Contribution/Originality: This study contributes to the existing literature by adopting the collaborative approach of supervision following the proposed observation guidelines. Adopting this approach can contribute to changing the negative perceptions instructors have regarding classroom observation in terms of the evaluative nature of the current authoritative practices implemented by supervisors.
As the training of language learners was a main concern of EFL teachers, this study aimed to asse... more As the training of language learners was a main concern of EFL teachers, this study aimed to assess the effectiveness of metacognitive reading strategies instruction (MRSI) on Taif University EFL students who achieved low results in reading. The final sample of this study was (21) female university students. The sample was divided into two groups; the experimental group, which consisted of (10) girls, and the control group, which consisted of (11) girls. By using the quasi experimental-research methodology, three research objectives were addressed in this study: (a) to examine whether there were significant differences between the experimental group and the control group on the employment of metacognitive reading strategies and reading comprehension post-tests): (b) to explore whether there were significant differences between the mean scores of pre-and post-tests on the English Language reading test: (c) to find out whether there were any significant differences between the mean scores of the post-test and the follow up of the use of metacognitive reading strategies and the English Language reading comprehension test given to the experimental group. Data from pre-and post-test measurements were used to investigate the impact the intervention had on EFL low achievers in reading. Statistical analyses of the data showed that there were statistically significant differences between the experimental group and the control group on the post-test reading comprehension test as well as the reading strategies questionnaire. These showed a significant improvement in the reading skill in the experimental group. They also revealed that there were statistically significant differences between the pre-test and post-test results for the experimental group on the reading comprehension test and the reading strategies. This showed that the experimental group improved in reading skills after the students participated in the program, as seen on the post-test. In the light of these results, the study provided a number of procedural recommendations that may contribute to raising the importance of metacognitive reading strategies training for the students with low achievement in reading.
ABSTRACT: The present study aimed to investigate the teaching-learning challenges students face i... more ABSTRACT: The present study aimed to investigate the teaching-learning challenges students face in the Preparatory Year Program (PYP) at Taif University from instructors' and students' perspectives. The first two questions were concerned with the instructors’ and students’ extent of agreement on the challenges students face while learning English in the preparatory year at Taif University from students’ and instructors’ points of view. The third question tried to answer whether there were any statistically significant differences at ( a = 0.05) between instructors’ and students’ responses due to the five domains of teaching-learning challenges. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data related to the first two questions, and Independent t-test was used to answer the third question. The findings of the first question showed that the fifth and the first domains include most of the teaching-learning challenges facing Taif University students in the Preparatory Year P...
The present paper aims to examine the instructors' perceptions of learner-centered instruction an... more The present paper aims to examine the instructors' perceptions of learner-centered instruction and possible barriers to implementing this instructional method in teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) at the university level in the Saudi Arabian context. To do this, four questions were posed. The first question investigates instructors' perceptions of learner-centered instruction, and the second question examines the barriers that would face EFL instructors while implementing learner-centered instruction when teaching preparatory year students. The third and fourth questions are an attempt to investigate if there are any significant differences in instructors' perceptions at (=0.05) due to instructors' qualifications and years of experience. The researchers developed a 4-likert scale questionnaire of two main parts: personal and professional-perceptions and barriers. The qualitative part includes an open-ended question for instructors to elaborate on possible barriers that would hinder implementing learner-centered instruction. The results of the first question indicated that instructors have a positive attitude toward learner-centered instruction. They believe that it is an effective way to enhance students' learning. The second question reveals that instructors agree with all the barriers that hinder the implementation of this instructional method except one item related to their attitudes which have been demonstrated as positive in their responses to the first question. The third and fourth questions revealed no significant differences in instructors' perceptions due to qualifications and years of experience which could be due to the institutional and educational context that haven't supported instructors' qualifications and years of experience.
The paper aimed to investigate the teaching competencies implemented by instructors to enhance EF... more The paper aimed to investigate the teaching competencies implemented by instructors to enhance EFL students at Taif University in Saudi Arabia. The first two questions discussed the degree of implementing the teaching competencies, which either enhance or hinder learning. The third and fourth questions were an attempt to examine if there were any significant differences at (=0.05) due to instructors' qualifications and years of experience. The researcher developed an observation checklist to investigate the degree of implementing the competencies. There were four domains: preparation, instruction, assessment, and educational climate. The findings of the first two questions showed that preparation and educational climate include the competencies where the instructors displayed satisfactory performance. However, instruction and assessment include the competencies which were rarely or not demonstrated. The results of the third question showed that there were significant differences. However, there were no significant differences due to years of experience. The findings of the first two questions could be due whether or not instructors have undergone professional development to equip them with the competencies required to enhance students' learning. The results of the third question could be due to the fact that instructors having a diploma after the bachelor degree helped them make difference. The result of the fourth question could be due to the educational context that didn't support instructors' years of experience.
The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors’ performance at university level according ... more The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors’ performance at university level according to prescriptive and collaborative approaches in supervision. In order to achieve this target, the researcher addressed three questions. The first investigates instructors’ level of performance. The second and third questions aimed to identify instructors' points of strength and action points. In this regard, the researcher developed an observation checklist (Appendix A) for supervisors to use when observing teachers'. He also developed observation guidelines for supervisors to make sure they are following the collaborative approach of supervision (Appendix B). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including means, standard deviation and percentages to answer the first question. To answer the second and third questions, the researcher used content analysis to synthesize the supervisors' feedback given to instructors regarding their points of strengths and action...
The present paper aims to investigate the English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ multiple ... more The present paper aims to investigate the English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ multiple intelligences (MIs) in the preparatory year at Taif University in Saudi Arabia, and to provide suggestions for EFL instructors to integrate MIs in their lesson plans for instructional use in the classroom. To achieve these purposes, the researcher attempted to answer three questions. The first question investigated the different types of MSs that EFL learners possess. The second question examined whether there were any statistically significant differences (a= 0.05) in EFL learners’ MIs due to stream (Humanities, Sciences and Health). The third question was an attempt to synthesize literature in order to suggest ways for instructors to integrate MIs in the EFL classroom. A questionnaire of 4- Likert Scale was used to gather data from four hundred and eighty two students to answer the first two questions. And content analysis was used to answer the third question. The collected data were ...
The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors’ perceptions of Cambridge English Unl... more The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors’ perceptions of Cambridge English Unlimited (CEU) textbooks taught at Taif University English Language Center (TUELC) in the Academic year 2017-2018. To achieve this purpose, the researcher attempted to answer three questions. The first investigates instructors’ perceptions of the textbooks. The second question aims to find out the features that add to the strengths of the textbooks. The third question is an attempt to reveal the shortcomings of the textbooks from the instructors' perspectives and their suggestions to overcome these drawbacks. A questionnaire of 4- Likert scale was used to gather data from ninety two instructors to answer the first two questions, and content analysis was used to answer the third question. The collected data were analyzed in the form of descriptive statistics, using means, standard deviation and percentages. The results showed that instructors have a very positive attitud...
The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors’ performance at university level according ... more The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors’ performance at university level according to prescriptive and collaborative approaches in supervision. In order to achieve this target, the researcher addressed three questions. The first investigates instructors’ level of performance. The second and third questions aimed to identify instructors' points of strength and action points. In this regard, the researcher developed an observation checklist (Appendix A) for supervisors to use when observing teachers'. He also developed observation guidelines for supervisors to make sure they are following the collaborative approach of supervision (Appendix B). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including means, standard deviation and percentages to answer the first question. To answer the second and third questions, the researcher used content analysis to synthesize the supervisors' feedback given to instructors regarding their points of strengths and action...
The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors’ performance at university level according ... more The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors’ performance at university level according to prescriptive and collaborative approaches in supervision. In order to achieve this target, the researcher addressed three questions. The first investigates instructors’ level of performance. The second and third questions aimed to identify instructors' points of strength and action points. In this regard, the researcher developed an observation checklist (Appendix A) for supervisors to use when observing teachers'. He also developed observation guidelines for supervisors to make sure they are following the collaborative approach of supervision (Appendix B). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including means, standard deviation and percentages to answer the first question. To answer the second and third questions, the researcher used content analysis to synthesize the supervisors' feedback given to instructors regarding their points of strengths and action...
The research paper aims to investigate EFL mentees' perceptions of mentoring experience in one of... more The research paper aims to investigate EFL mentees' perceptions of mentoring experience in one of the Higher Education institutes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Academic years 2019 and 2020. The mentoring experience includes four domains: the mentorship program, mentors' roles and responsibilities, benefits of mentoring, and barriers to mentoring. The researcher attempted to answer two questions. The first explores the mentees' perceptions of the mentoring experience, and the second question attempts to find out the mentees' suggestions to make the mentoring experience more effective. A questionnaire of 4-Likert scale was used to collect data from thirty-three newly recruited instructors to answer the first question. The mentees were also asked to add their suggestions for the betterment of mentoring experiences as an answer to the second question. Descriptive statistics in the form of means, standard deviation, and percentages were used to analyze the collected data. The findings revealed that the mentees were satisfied with the mentoring experience. They have a positive attitude towards the mentorship program and the mentor's roles and responsibilities. However, a few mentees have certain concerns regarding some factors related to their mentoring experience. These were highlighted and discussed under each domain. In addition, the mentees had a number of suggestions that would contribute to having a more effective mentoring experience. Based on the findings, the researcher presented a number of conclusions and recommendations.
International Journal of Education and Practice, 2020
Article History Keywords Instructors' perceptions Classroom observation Supervisors' practices Co... more Article History Keywords Instructors' perceptions Classroom observation Supervisors' practices Collaborative approach Performance Professional development. This paper investigated the instructors' perceptions of supervisors' classroom observation practices at Taif University English Language Center (TUELC) in the second semester of the 2018-2019 academic year. The researcher attempted to answer two questions. The first investigated the instructors' perceptions of supervisors' classroom observation practices. The second question investigated the instructors' suggestions for better practices by supervisors. A 4-Likert scale questionnaire was used to gather data from fifty nine instructors to answer the first question, and content analysis was used to answer the second question. The collected data were analyzed in the form of descriptive statistics, using means, standard deviation, frequencies, and percentages. The results showed that the instructors were generally satisfied with the supervisors' classroom observation practices. However, some had certain concerns regarding some observation practices to be considered for further action of improvement. In addition, the instructors had several suggestions for better practices implemented by supervisors. The most important of these was the suggestion to conduct peer observation. Based on the results, the researcher drew several conclusions and recommendations. Contribution/Originality: This study contributes to the existing literature by adopting the collaborative approach of supervision following the proposed observation guidelines. Adopting this approach can contribute to changing the negative perceptions instructors have regarding classroom observation in terms of the evaluative nature of the current authoritative practices implemented by supervisors.
The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors' performance at university level according ... more The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors' performance at university level according to prescriptive and collaborative approaches in supervision. In order to achieve this target, the researcher addressed three questions. The first investigates instructors' level of performance. The second and third questions aimed to identify instructors' points of strength and action points. In this regard, the researcher developed an observation checklist (Appendix A) for supervisors to use when observing teachers'. He also developed observation guidelines for supervisors to make sure they are following the collaborative approach of supervision (Appendix B). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including means, standard deviation and percentages to answer the first question. To answer the second and third questions, the researcher used content analysis to synthesize the supervisors' feedback given to instructors regarding their points of strengths and action points. The results showed that the instructors' performance was either satisfactory or outstanding based on the supervisors' observation, which could be due to the professional development program conducted to develop their teaching competencies. In addition, the instructors showed themselves competent in other areas related to motivating students and providing them with constructive feedback. However, some instructors still need to develop their competencies in areas such as classroom management and teacher talk time. These have been summarized according to their frequency of occurrence in tables 2 and 3. Based on the results, the researcher drew a number of conclusions and recommendations.
The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors' perceptions of Blackboard learning managem... more The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors' perceptions of Blackboard learning management system (LMS) at Taif University in Saudi Arabia. To achieve this purposes, the researcher attempted to answer two questions. The first question investigates EFL instructors' perceptions of Blackboard LMS. The second question aims to identify instructors' suggestions to overcome difficulties encountered while using the system. A questionnaire of 4-Likert Scale was used to gather data from one hundred and two instructors to answer the first question, and content analysis was used to answer the second question. The collected data were analyzed in the form of descriptive statistics. The results, on one hand, revealed that 75% of the instructors have not used Blackboard technology before coming to university, which would affect their perceptions of the system. It was also evident that most of the instructors believe that the different features of Blackboard LMS are either poor or very poor. In addition, the instructors, in most of their responses to the functionalities of using the Blackboard LMS, rarely or never used the system. On the other hand, the results revealed that the instructors have a positive attitude towards the system in terms of its impact on learning, which can be the starting point to help them be familiarized more with the system's features and functionalities through professional development. Based on the results, the researcher presented a number of conclusions and recommendations.
The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors" perceptions of Cambridge English Unlimited... more The present paper aims to investigate EFL instructors" perceptions of Cambridge English Unlimited (CEU) textbooks taught at Taif University English Language Center (TUELC) in the Academic year 2017-2018. To achieve this purpose, the researcher attempted to answer three questions. The first investigates instructors" perceptions of the textbooks. The second question aims to find out the features that add to the strengths of the textbooks. The third question is an attempt to reveal the shortcomings of the textbooks from the instructors' perspectives and their suggestions to overcome these drawbacks. A questionnaire of 4-Likert scale was used to gather data from ninety two instructors to answer the first two questions, and content analysis was used to answer the third question. The collected data were analyzed in the form of descriptive statistics, using means, standard deviation and percentages. The results showed that instructors have a very positive attitude towards the textbooks in terms of the criteria and features investigated in the first two sections of the study tool. These answer the first two questions. However, they had certain concerns and suggestions in aspects other than those included in the study tool. These have been summarized according to their frequency of occurrence in the instructors' responses. Based on the results, the researcher drew a number of conclusions and recommendations.
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