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Industrial trainees learning experiences of English related tasks at the workplace Amreet Kaur Jageer Singh; Raja Nor Safinas Raja Harun
Studies in English Language and Education Vol 7, No 1 (2020)
Publisher : Universitas Syiah Kuala

This study aims to examine (a) the needs and usage of English language by Industrial Trainees at their workplace, (b) the challenges they faced, and (c) the relevance of Diploma in English courses in a public university in Malaysia to their language and communication needs at the workplace. The sample consists of 55 final year Diploma in English students who had just completed their three months of industrial training at various organisations. The data was collected by means of a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The findings of the study indicated that English was widely used in the organisations and all the four language skills were required in conducting various tasks at the workplace. However, most of the trainees experienced difficulty in making online ticketing and online hotel reservations, holding briefings, attending to clients’ concerns and complaints, negotiating with clients to make a deal, making oral presentations, contacting with other firms, preparing the filing system, preparing flyers/brochures/posters/advertisements and preparing accounts. It is thus suggested that the essential courses especially concerning public speaking and interpersonal communication skills to be taught before the students underwent their internship. The findings of the study have some pedagogical implications. Higher education institutions that offer similar courses can make use of these findings in revising the program in line with current demands of education and the workforce. Besides, the lecturers can also rethink the way how specific courses should be taught to meet the students’ needs and allow them to explore meaningful learning through experiential learning.

The pedagogical affordances of e-portfolio in learning how to teach: A systematic review Raja Nor Safinas Raja Harun; Mohd Hafiz Hanif; Goh Swee Choo
Studies in English Language and Education Vol 8, No 1 (2021)
Publisher : Universitas Syiah Kuala

The advances in technology have paved the way for student centred learning environment which allows for higher students’ engagement, active participation, deep meaningful learning, and critical thinking. One of the technology applications which have gained popularity at the beginning of the 1990s is the use of e-portfolio. Studies in many professional fields have shown exceptional findings on the adoption of e-portfolio. Nonetheless, the development of e-portfolio affordances over a period of time has yet to be explored to ascertain its usefulness particularly in the area of teacher education. This article presents the process of systematic literature on the e-portfolio pedagogical affordances in teacher education programs and issues to be addressed for successful implementation. Using the content analysis method, 28 articles which focused on e-portfolio, teacher education, English as a second language, scientific research, and secondary school were reviewed. The findings of the review have mainly shed positive lights on its use in documenting student teachers’ learning experiences particularly on assisting and assessing student teachers learning how to teach. This article implicates the relevance of having a holistic view and understanding of the e-portfolio pedagogical affordances and the need to recognize issues to be addressed prior to its implementation in a teacher education program. With this understanding, the university and teacher education institutions can have a well-defined policy on the adoption of e-portfolio into their teacher education programs.

The construction and reconstruction of ESL student teachers’ professional identity Raja Nor Safinas Raja Harun
Studies in English Language and Education Vol 6, No 1 (2019)
Publisher : Universitas Syiah Kuala

This study explores the construction and reconstruction of ESL student teachers’ professional identity at a teacher education university in Malaysia. A number of 23 student teachers were required to upload a journal entry in the e-portfolio to reflect upon themselves as prospective teachers when they were doing a pedagogical course in semester 5. Upon completing their teaching practice in semester 7 and while doing seminar reflective as a course in their final semester, the student teachers were asked to revisit their journal entry on their identity and to compare and contrast if their views have changed or remained the same after their teaching practice experiences. A content analysis was used to study the transformation of identity through journal entries. The study reveals that the student teachers were more realistic and practical as opposed to being idealistic in forming their professional identities after the teaching practice. There were many situational factors which have affected such changes. This study implicates the need for teacher education programs to provide platforms and learning to teach experience that would assist the student teachers formation of professional identity as prospective teachers.

The limitations of conducting collaborative argumentation when teaching argumentative essays in Malaysian secondary schools Aireen Aina Bahari; Haddi Junaidi Kussin; Raja Nor Safinas Raja Harun; Misrah Mohamed; Norfaizah Abdul Jobar
Studies in English Language and Education Vol 8, No 3 (2021)
Publisher : Universitas Syiah Kuala

The writing of argumentative essays promotes higher-order thinking skills amongst students regardless of their level of studying only when it involves collaborative argumentation. Hence, argumentation researchers recommend that teachers use group argumentation to teach argumentative essays since Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory believed that group argumentation improves students’ writing skills. The study’s objective is to explore the use of group argumentation during the teaching of argumentative essays in English as a Second Language (ESL) classrooms in Malaysia. Hence, the involvement of practitioners is significant so that the full extent of the problem is known rather than being interpreted solely by researchers. This qualitative study was conducted on nine ESL teachers through convenience sampling. Data was collected through online interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings demonstrated that ESL teachers did not practice group argumentation when teaching argumentative essays. They resorted to the whole-class discussion instead. Five factors contribute to the negligence of group argumentation in ESL classrooms, that is, time, pressure to deliver curriculum, students’ attitude, students’ speaking skills, and the use of the first language (L1). The findings indicated that it is necessary to promote the teaching of argumentative essay writing using group argumentation as one of the teaching approaches in secondary schools to ensure students reap the benefits of collaborative learning to improve their argumentation skills.

The pedagogical affordances of e-portfolio in learning how to teach: A systematic review Raja Nor Safinas Raja Harun; Mohd Hafiz Hanif; Goh Swee Choo
Studies in English Language and Education Vol 8, No 1 (2021)
Publisher : Universitas Syiah Kuala

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.24815/siele.v8i1.17876

The advances in technology have paved the way for student centred learning environment which allows for higher students’ engagement, active participation, deep meaningful learning, and critical thinking. One of the technology applications which have gained popularity at the beginning of the 1990s is the use of e-portfolio. Studies in many professional fields have shown exceptional findings on the adoption of e-portfolio. Nonetheless, the development of e-portfolio affordances over a period of time has yet to be explored to ascertain its usefulness particularly in the area of teacher education. This article presents the process of systematic literature on the e-portfolio pedagogical affordances in teacher education programs and issues to be addressed for successful implementation. Using the content analysis method, 28 articles which focused on e-portfolio, teacher education, English as a second language, scientific research, and secondary school were reviewed. The findings of the review have mainly shed positive lights on its use in documenting student teachers’ learning experiences particularly on assisting and assessing student teachers learning how to teach. This article implicates the relevance of having a holistic view and understanding of the e-portfolio pedagogical affordances and the need to recognize issues to be addressed prior to its implementation in a teacher education program. With this understanding, the university and teacher education institutions can have a well-defined policy on the adoption of e-portfolio into their teacher education programs.

The construction and reconstruction of ESL student teachers’ professional identity Raja Nor Safinas Raja Harun
Studies in English Language and Education Vol 6, No 1 (2019)
Publisher : Universitas Syiah Kuala

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.24815/siele.v6i1.13073

This study explores the construction and reconstruction of ESL student teachers’ professional identity at a teacher education university in Malaysia. A number of 23 student teachers were required to upload a journal entry in the e-portfolio to reflect upon themselves as prospective teachers when they were doing a pedagogical course in semester 5. Upon completing their teaching practice in semester 7 and while doing seminar reflective as a course in their final semester, the student teachers were asked to revisit their journal entry on their identity and to compare and contrast if their views have changed or remained the same after their teaching practice experiences. A content analysis was used to study the transformation of identity through journal entries. The study reveals that the student teachers were more realistic and practical as opposed to being idealistic in forming their professional identities after the teaching practice. There were many situational factors which have affected such changes. This study implicates the need for teacher education programs to provide platforms and learning to teach experience that would assist the student teachers formation of professional identity as prospective teachers.

The limitations of conducting collaborative argumentation when teaching argumentative essays in Malaysian secondary schools Aireen Aina Bahari; Haddi Junaidi Kussin; Raja Nor Safinas Raja Harun; Misrah Mohamed; Norfaizah Abdul Jobar
Studies in English Language and Education Vol 8, No 3 (2021)
Publisher : Universitas Syiah Kuala

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.24815/siele.v8i3.19287

The writing of argumentative essays promotes higher-order thinking skills amongst students regardless of their level of studying only when it involves collaborative argumentation. Hence, argumentation researchers recommend that teachers use group argumentation to teach argumentative essays since Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory believed that group argumentation improves students’ writing skills. The study’s objective is to explore the use of group argumentation during the teaching of argumentative essays in English as a Second Language (ESL) classrooms in Malaysia. Hence, the involvement of practitioners is significant so that the full extent of the problem is known rather than being interpreted solely by researchers. This qualitative study was conducted on nine ESL teachers through convenience sampling. Data was collected through online interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings demonstrated that ESL teachers did not practice group argumentation when teaching argumentative essays. They resorted to the whole-class discussion instead. Five factors contribute to the negligence of group argumentation in ESL classrooms, that is, time, pressure to deliver curriculum, students’ attitude, students’ speaking skills, and the use of the first language (L1). The findings indicated that it is necessary to promote the teaching of argumentative essay writing using group argumentation as one of the teaching approaches in secondary schools to ensure students reap the benefits of collaborative learning to improve their argumentation skills.

Industrial trainees learning experiences of English related tasks at the workplace Amreet Kaur Jageer Singh; Raja Nor Safinas Raja Harun
Studies in English Language and Education Vol 7, No 1 (2020)
Publisher : Universitas Syiah Kuala

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.24815/siele.v7i1.16064

This study aims to examine (a) the needs and usage of English language by Industrial Trainees at their workplace, (b) the challenges they faced, and (c) the relevance of Diploma in English courses in a public university in Malaysia to their language and communication needs at the workplace. The sample consists of 55 final year Diploma in English students who had just completed their three months of industrial training at various organisations. The data was collected by means of a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The findings of the study indicated that English was widely used in the organisations and all the four language skills were required in conducting various tasks at the workplace. However, most of the trainees experienced difficulty in making online ticketing and online hotel reservations, holding briefings, attending to clients’ concerns and complaints, negotiating with clients to make a deal, making oral presentations, contacting with other firms, preparing the filing system, preparing flyers/brochures/posters/advertisements and preparing accounts. It is thus suggested that the essential courses especially concerning public speaking and interpersonal communication skills to be taught before the students underwent their internship. The findings of the study have some pedagogical implications. Higher education institutions that offer similar courses can make use of these findings in revising the program in line with current demands of education and the workforce. Besides, the lecturers can also rethink the way how specific courses should be taught to meet the students’ needs and allow them to explore meaningful learning through experiential learning.

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