Papers by Mansoor S. Almalki
Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, Mar 31, 2019
This study analyses EFL teachers' perceptions regarding factors that impact the low or high attai... more This study analyses EFL teachers' perceptions regarding factors that impact the low or high attainment of students' Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs). Using a detailed questionnaire to collect the related data from 138 teachers, who teach Regular English for Academic Purposes (REAP) and Intensive English for Academic Purposes (IEAP), the research paper asks teachers to provide their viewpoint on various factors such as teaching material in the form of books, supplementary material such as the online resources, students' interest, teachers' training on targeting their teaching to achieve the related CLOs, textbook exercises and time constraints to measure their impact on the actual attainment of the CLOs. The study is important as the respondents of the questionnaire are teachers who teach either REAP that expands over a period of four continuous semesters (two years) or IEAP that covers the same course in two semesters (one year). The study has been carried out in a way that the REAP and IEAP respondents of the questionnaire have been placed in two separate groups, adding another dimension for prospective researchers to the research in terms of evaluating how the time factor influences, either negatively or positively, the attainment of the students' CLOs.
Saudi journal of language studies, Jul 12, 2022
Purpose-Meeting the 21st century skills is critically significant to ensure success in today's wo... more Purpose-Meeting the 21st century skills is critically significant to ensure success in today's world, collegiate context and neoteric careers. This qualitative study turns attention to teachers' mindsets, dispositions and perceptions concerning 21st century life competencies required to meet the current, emerging and future needs of learners. Design/methodology/approach-One-to-one structured interviews were conducted with English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers (N 5 8), where open-ended questions were asked in order to determine the participants' perception of, support to, and integration of the life competencies into an EFL classroom setting. In addition, teachers' performance and implementation of life competencies (males and females) was observed in the classroom over a long time. Findings-The results showed that teachers' practices contradict their conceptions of the life competencies. Critical thinking was seen as a priority from teachers' perspectives. Teachers perceived learning to learn and critical thinking as the most important competencies for students to learn. Findings of the study indicated that teachers hold positive attitudes toward integrating life competencies into EFL context; however, they lack a clear vision about how to incorporate them. Research limitations/implications-This study recommends equipping teachers with professional training and customized orientations offering new insights into how life-competency-oriented instruction might be designed. Originality/value-Career readiness should be a prominent aim of education where students are equipped with life skills or competencies. EFL practitioners need to understand, support and implement life-competency-instruction.
Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, Aug 2, 2022
This study aims to investigate students’ perspectives towards flipped classrooms (FCs) while dete... more This study aims to investigate students’ perspectives towards flipped classrooms (FCs) while determining their preferences and suggestions for better FC practices. All participants were required to watch videos before the lectures and to practice the content within the class. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used, and data were gathered through a survey and semi-structured interviews. The participants were in their first and second years. The results illustrated that both genders indicated positive perceptions towards FCs, with females reacting more positively than males. The FC model was preferred over the traditional classroom due to its enhancement of engagement and motivation, with males showing high satisfaction with technology out-of-class, indicating that it reinforced self-learning performance. Most male participants reported that they preferred instructor explanations over videos. Both genders recommended having different materials alongside video lectures that were short and supplemented with pictures to increase engagement. Considering the findings, practical implications were recommended.
World Journal of English Language, Feb 14, 2023
Successfully taking a multiple-choice test requires understanding the testing situation and knowi... more Successfully taking a multiple-choice test requires understanding the testing situation and knowing how to take the test efficiently. This study analyses the relationship between multiple-choice test-taking strategies (MCTTSs), test anxiety and the English language achievement of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students. A mixed-methods approachquantitative and qualitativeis used by collecting data using a questionnaire and interviews, to increase the research validity. The MCTTS questionnaire of Nguyen (2003), and the test anxiety scale of Aydin et al. (2006) and Burgucu et al. (2011), were used. A total of 727 male and female students from different academic levels and tertiary colleges at an English language centre were chosen as samples. The results broadly show a positive correlation between MCTTSs and English language achievement and a negative relationship between MCTTSs and test anxiety. However, the results revealed significantly higher English language achievement by the female students than the male students. However, there was no difference in the MCTTSs and the degree of test anxiety according to gender. The results suggest raising teachers" and students" awareness of the importance of using test-taking strategies. Furthermore, the results can help English language instructors to explain test scores from a different viewpoint, to provide a reliable assessment of language students" true competence and to reduce the likelihood of measurement errors.
International Journal of English Language Education, Mar 21, 2019
This exploratory study uses the theoretical underpinnings of Learning-Oriented Assessment (LOA) t... more This exploratory study uses the theoretical underpinnings of Learning-Oriented Assessment (LOA) to investigate Saudi EFL learners' perceptions as well as their progress in the comparative analysis of an LOA group of students and a traditional control class at Taif University English Language Centre (TUELC). The study uses both quantitative and qualitative techniques to assess how learners in the LOA group improve their English speaking proficiency during the course. The data shows that LOA proved to be a successful resource in the whole process. Answering three research questions, the study concludes that LOA may prove to be a daunting task for teachers due to their excessive monitoring responsibilities, yet it plays a vital role in improving the learners' critical thinking, their abilities for self and peer assessment and improving their overall English language skills.
International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature, Oct 10, 2017
This paper tries to investigate the trends about the use of metaphors in the Saudi EFL classrooms... more This paper tries to investigate the trends about the use of metaphors in the Saudi EFL classrooms. The proper implementation of metaphors (i.e. instruction, acquisition, and socialization metaphors) by teachers can be a reason for boosting source in the interactional and instructional patterns of the Saudi EFL classrooms, and the significance of these metaphors at aforementioned settings was investigated in the present study. Focusing upon the perceptive design of the study, a survey was conducted to know the significance of the three metaphors in the interactional settings of the Saudi EFL classrooms. This study targeted Saudi EFL teachers' attitudes towards the three delimited metaphors. The respondents consisted of 200 Saudi EFL teachers drawn from the English Language Centers of the Saudi Universities. A 22-item Likert-scale questionnaire was designed to know the opinions of Saudi EFL teachers about the dynamic use of metaphors in the context of the Saudi EFL classroom. The findings of the study reflected that the Saudi EFL teachers represented by the cohort of this study presented a mixed attitudes towards the utilization of the three delimited metaphors. The findings show that a limited exposure of instructional metaphor may be one of the reasons of the poor performance of the Saudi EFL teachers. A limited exposure of acquisition metaphor may also be damaging the dynamics of teacher student interactional and instructional patterns inside the Saudi EFL classrooms. The findings further show that the teachers' imbalanced use of class time and hardly any reliance on the coordinated interaction might be due to the limited exposure to the latest techniques embedded in the socialization metaphor. Although policy makers do not acknowledge the fundamental role of metaphors into classroom pedagogies, the participant-teachers recommended professional use of all the metaphors to achieve prerequisite dynamics of the EFL classrooms by fully acknowledging the applicability, appropriateness, and practicality of all the variables of acquisition metaphor.
English Language Teaching, Apr 26, 2017
Method-based pedagogies are commonly applied in teaching English as a foreign language all over t... more Method-based pedagogies are commonly applied in teaching English as a foreign language all over the world. However, in the last quarter of the 20 th century, the concept of such pedagogies based on the application of a single best method in EFL started to be viewed with concerns by some scholars. In response to the growing concern against the concept of a method, some scholars started to offer alternatives to a method in different forms. Kumaravadivelu is one of the scholars who offers his post-method macro-strategic framework as an alternative to method-based pedagogies. This small-scale study explores English language practitioners' experience and their views about applying method-based and post-method pedagogies. Semi-structured pre-and post-interviews were conducted from eight participants. The pre-interviews investigated the teacher-participants' views about the method-based pedagogies in practice and the post-interviews aimed at knowing the prospects and concerns in the application of post-method pedagogies in their context. Although participants were skeptical of the concept of methods, they considered them useful in making contribution towards learning and teaching English. They found post-method pedagogies as more preferable option to method-based pedagogies in ELT on the ground; the post-method pedagogies, according to them, give broad directions while specific methods make teachers to work within narrow guidelines. However, they showed certain concerns in the application of such pedagogies in their context.
© 2014 Dr. Mansoor S. AlmalkiThe teaching of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) has changed and ... more © 2014 Dr. Mansoor S. AlmalkiThe teaching of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) has changed and is continuing to change. The most significant change involves the use technology. In the face of these changes blended assessment practices are underdeveloped and confronted with problems. Blended learning (the principled integration of technology in face-to-face educational contexts) is becoming more popular in EFL tertiary programs. Despite its increasing popularity, however, little research has investigated language assessment in blended environments. Thus, to enhance the effectiveness of learning programs worldwide, researchers have started to consider best practice for blended designs for assessment, and this has led to the popularisation of the terms blended learning and blended assessment. The context of this thesis is Formative Blended Assessment (FBA) within the EFL context at tertiary level in Saudi Arabia, focusing on the initiation phase of innovation. Specifically, this exploratory qualitative study investigated Saudi language program staff and students regarding preferences and understandings, challenges, considerations and standards regarding FBA design, and approaches and practices used in blended assessment design. The primary aim of the study was to develop a principled preliminary framework for the FBA design. The study took place in three phases at a major Saudi University. I adopted a Participatory Design (PD) qualitative approach. Data was obtained from 3 course coordinators, 7 instructors, and 3 students through semi-structured interviews and participatory design sessions. In the first phase, the participants shared their conceptualizations of formative blended assessment. During the second phase, participants worked together to design ideal assessments. The third phase focused on evaluations and analysis of the final FBA prototypes that the participants had developed. Analysis of the data, partially informed by innovation theory, shows that FBA designs need to be purposeful, multimodal, appropriate, and integrated; further, they need to be used within a supportive environment, and be constructed in ways that preserve academic integrity. The findings also agreed with the increasingly popular view among experts that, in regard to computer-assisted language learning and assessment, there needs to be a balance with face-to-face activities in physical spaces initiating or implementing innovations with new technologies. These findings have become the basis of a preliminary framework for FBA design and are divided into the three stages of planning, conducting and reporting. Contributions to the study include an expansion of both classroom-based assessment and blended learning frameworks, as well as an application of innovation theory in the context of tertiary EFL programs in Saudi Arabia. This study is significant in that ongoing revision of educational policies and practices is always crucial, and ensuring the use of efficient and productive assessment designs is a necessary element of being accountable to students. This study has advanced knowledge and skills concerning blended assessment design through various theoretical, practical and methodological contributions
IGI Global eBooks, 2020
This chapter sets out a conceptual framework for the design and use of 'blended assessments' that... more This chapter sets out a conceptual framework for the design and use of 'blended assessments' that seek to create formative activities that can be characterized by shifting modalities of presentation, variations in time and action, and moves from individual to group work. The study's framing is built upon longitudinal participatory action research based on the research questions. In addition to auto-ethnographic observations, 13 Saudi participants-three course coordinators, seven instructors, and three students-were asked to participate in focus groups and individual interviews. Using qualitative data analysis software, three core characteristics of formative blended assessment were identified: (1) multi-modal activities, flexibility, and peer encouragement, for example, were seen to be an 'advantage'; (2) alignment of pedagogies and assessment tasks were perceived in a 'compatibility' theme; and (3) the possibility of dishonest behaviors and administrative challenges were classed under 'complexity'.
Despite a rise of blended learning approaches in foreign language education programs, little rese... more Despite a rise of blended learning approaches in foreign language education programs, little research has examined how such integration of technologies in the classroom affects assessment designs. Any 'electric dreams' that technologies will improve learning remains unproven without clear assessment designs. In this paper, we undertake a qualitative study of formative blended assessments within an English language program at a major Saudi university. Data was gathered through observations, semi-structured interviews and Participatory Design (PD) sessions. Thematic analysis of the data resulted in four emergent themes: definitions, approaches, alignment and requirements. After setting out and discussing the four themes, we conclude our paper with suggestions for further research.
English Language Teaching, May 25, 2017
There is a close connection between reading and writing. Several studies suggest integrating read... more There is a close connection between reading and writing. Several studies suggest integrating reading in the instruction of teaching writing skills to English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learner. This study seeks to determine the extent Saudi EFL teachers support, apply and understand the theory of integration between reading and writing. To achieve the research objectives, the researcher compiled two lesson plans; one based on the integration theory and the other, based on a traditional model to see which lesson plan teacher-participants chose to teach writing. The data was then collected through questionnaire containing both closed and open-ended questions to determine the implications of the results in relation to the objectives of the research. The major findings of this research project were that, for the ten EFL teachers surveyed, most of the teachers indicated that they usually taught writing as a separate skill apart from reading, and the written responses from the open-ended questions that was analyzed indicated that the teachers taught writing in the traditional way. The results from the ten participants' responses also suggested that almost none of the participants were familiar with the concept of integrating reading and writing for the purposes of teaching writing. However, most of the respondents did comment that they agree with the idea of integrating reading in the instruction of teaching the writing skills and given a choice of a lesson plan, most of the teachers choose the integrated lesson plan.
World Journal of English Language
Over the past decade, learning-oriented assessment (LOA) has gained increasing attention as an em... more Over the past decade, learning-oriented assessment (LOA) has gained increasing attention as an emerging approach to classroom-based assessment. LOA prioritises learning and focuses on engaging learners actively in assessment and feedback activities. To enhance the learning environment in higher education, it is crucial for teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) to be aware of and implement innovative assessment methods that support student learning, such as LOA. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate the knowledge, use, and challenges of LOA in tertiary contexts. A total of (93) male and female EFL teachers teaching in tertiary education participated in the study. An adaptation of The Teachers' Learning-Oriented Assessment Questionnaire survey (Alsowat, 2022) and items from semi-structured interviews (Fazel & Ali, 2022) were used to collect the data for this study. The findings of this study show that EFL teachers had good knowledge of LOA concepts b...
World Journal of English Language
Successfully taking a multiple-choice test requires understanding the testing situation and knowi... more Successfully taking a multiple-choice test requires understanding the testing situation and knowing how to take the test efficiently. This study analyses the relationship between multiple-choice test-taking strategies (MCTTSs), test anxiety and the English language achievement of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students. A mixed-methods approach – quantitative and qualitative – is used by collecting data using a questionnaire and interviews, to increase the research validity. The MCTTS questionnaire of Nguyen (2003), and the test anxiety scale of Aydin et al. (2006) and Burgucu et al. (2011), were used. A total of 727 male and female students from different academic levels and tertiary colleges at an English language centre were chosen as samples. The results broadly show a positive correlation between MCTTSs and English language achievement and a negative relationship between MCTTSs and test anxiety. However, the results revealed significantly higher English language achievemen...
International Journal on Studies in English Language and Literature, 2019
What are EFL teachers' perceptions regarding CS? What are the functions used by Saudi EFL teach... more What are EFL teachers' perceptions regarding CS? What are the functions used by Saudi EFL teachers regarding code switching? 1.2. Objectives of the Study The study aims to achieve the following objectives: To explore EFL teachers perceptions towards the use of CS in the EFL classroom To identify the functions of code switching among Saudi teachers
International Journal of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education, 2019
Be it for accreditation processes or solely educational purposes, several reforms have, so far, t... more Be it for accreditation processes or solely educational purposes, several reforms have, so far, taken place as a result of the continuous uplift endeavors in the educational administration over the past several years (Satish & Gaitonde, 2019; Hermanani, 2017; Brookhart, 2015). These developments range from the introduction of globalizations models to transformative models, community and school based models, decentralized models, centralized models and neo-colonial models (Okiror, Hayward & Winterbottom, 2017; Cummings & Williams, 2005). One of the offshoots of these administrative reforms was the emergence of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) that based its mission on the lines of ensuring accountability and quality in higher education (Spady, 1994; Ungar, 1996). Following the considerable impact of OBE on higher educational administration worldwide, the usage of terms in assessment such as learning outcomes multiplied a great deal while referring to variables like learner's competencies, performance and results (Spady, 2003). 2. BACKGROUND TO OUTCOME-BASED EDUCATION To start with, OBE is the complete package of not only teaching but also curriculum design and assessment procedures that culminates into developing the learner's actual abilities in the form of the learning outcomes. Such is the all-inclusive nature of this whole process that it tries to encompass the learner's cultural, economic and social setting by inculcating the related issues in the individual learning outcomes. Spady (1994) categorizes OBE into three major types: If the established curriculum is used to measure the learner's learning outcomes, it comes under the domain of Traditional OBE. If higher-order competencies such as teamwork, communication skills, problem solving, and critical thinking are used to measure the learner's learning outcomes, it is called the Transitional OBE.
Journal of Xi’an Shiyou University, Natural Science Edition, 2022
The relationship between emotion and language may have an impact on reading comprehension of fore... more The relationship between emotion and language may have an impact on reading comprehension of foreign language learners. Emotion-laden texts can affect L2 reading comprehension. This research tests the hypothesis that L2 reading comprehension are influenced by the emotive language that learners are exposed to. One hundred thirty-seven Saudi female L2 learners of English are presented with emotive texts. In Study 1, they are asked to read positive emotive-laden and neutral texts and in Study 2, negative emotive-laden and neutral texts. It is hypothesized that participants’ L2 reading comprehension are influenced by learners’ perception of positive and negative emotive-laden texts. The results show that both positive emotive-laden text and negative emotive-laden text influenced participants’ L2 comprehension. However, the positive emotive-laden text had a higher reading comprehension score than the negative and the positive emotive-laden text had a high size effect. In addition, statistically significant positive correlation was found between reading comprehension and self-reported reading proficiency. However, the correlation coefficient for positive emotive-laden text was higher than the negative text. There were group differences between positive emotive-laden text and negative emotive-laden text in perceived feelings after reading in favor of positive emotive-laden text. This paper contributes to the debate between the role of emotions in reading comprehension of Arabic speakers and learners of English as a foreign language. We consider the impact of emotive language for language learning.
Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal
This study aims to investigate students’ perspectives towards flipped classrooms (FCs) while dete... more This study aims to investigate students’ perspectives towards flipped classrooms (FCs) while determining their preferences and suggestions for better FC practices. All participants were required to watch videos before the lectures and to practice the content within the class. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used, and data were gathered through a survey and semi-structured interviews. The participants were in their first and second years. The results illustrated that both genders indicated positive perceptions towards FCs, with females reacting more positively than males. The FC model was preferred over the traditional classroom due to its enhancement of engagement and motivation, with males showing high satisfaction with technology out-of-class, indicating that it reinforced self-learning performance. Most male participants reported that they preferred instructor explanations over videos. Both genders recommended having different materials alongside video lectures tha...
Saudi Journal of Language Studies
PurposeMeeting the 21st century skills is critically significant to ensure success in today's... more PurposeMeeting the 21st century skills is critically significant to ensure success in today's world, collegiate context and neoteric careers. This qualitative study turns attention to teachers' mindsets, dispositions and perceptions concerning 21st century life competencies required to meet the current, emerging and future needs of learners.Design/methodology/approachOne-to-one structured interviews were conducted with English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers (N = 8), where open-ended questions were asked in order to determine the participants' perception of, support to, and integration of the life competencies into an EFL classroom setting. In addition, teachers' performance and implementation of life competencies (males and females) was observed in the classroom over a long time.FindingsThe results showed that teachers' practices contradict their conceptions of the life competencies. Critical thinking was seen as a priority from teachers' perspectives. ...
English Language Teaching, 2022
Communicative language teaching (CLT) has become the favourite teaching approach of many English ... more Communicative language teaching (CLT) has become the favourite teaching approach of many English teachers because of its focus on communication (Kumaravadivelu, 2006). A number of researchers have investigated EFL teachers' perceptions and implementation of CLT in Saudi tertiary level education. Some researchers reported on how CELTA training affects EFL teachers' perceptions and implementation of CLT. However, there is a gap in the literature with regard to the lived experiences of how non-native English speaker teachers (NNESTs) who do or do not have a CELTA qualification understand and apply CLT in Saudi tertiary level EFL education. Therefore, this mixed-methods ethnographic research focuses on filling this gap. Data were collected through three research tools, namely a survey, vignettes and classroom observations. All the participants were teaching EFL at the Saudi tertiary level. Twenty-six CELTA holders and forty-four non-CELTA holders participated in the survey about...
© 2014 Dr. Mansoor S. AlmalkiThe teaching of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) has changed and ... more © 2014 Dr. Mansoor S. AlmalkiThe teaching of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) has changed and is continuing to change. The most significant change involves the use technology. In the face of these changes blended assessment practices are underdeveloped and confronted with problems. Blended learning (the principled integration of technology in face-to-face educational contexts) is becoming more popular in EFL tertiary programs. Despite its increasing popularity, however, little research has investigated language assessment in blended environments. Thus, to enhance the effectiveness of learning programs worldwide, researchers have started to consider best practice for blended designs for assessment, and this has led to the popularisation of the terms blended learning and blended assessment. The context of this thesis is Formative Blended Assessment (FBA) within the EFL context at tertiary level in Saudi Arabia, focusing on the initiation phase of innovation. Specifically, this exploratory qualitative study investigated Saudi language program staff and students regarding preferences and understandings, challenges, considerations and standards regarding FBA design, and approaches and practices used in blended assessment design. The primary aim of the study was to develop a principled preliminary framework for the FBA design. The study took place in three phases at a major Saudi University. I adopted a Participatory Design (PD) qualitative approach. Data was obtained from 3 course coordinators, 7 instructors, and 3 students through semi-structured interviews and participatory design sessions. In the first phase, the participants shared their conceptualizations of formative blended assessment. During the second phase, participants worked together to design ideal assessments. The third phase focused on evaluations and analysis of the final FBA prototypes that the participants had developed. Analysis of the data, partially informed by innovation theory, shows that FBA designs need to be purposeful, multimodal, appropriate, and integrated; further, they need to be used within a supportive environment, and be constructed in ways that preserve academic integrity. The findings also agreed with the increasingly popular view among experts that, in regard to computer-assisted language learning and assessment, there needs to be a balance with face-to-face activities in physical spaces initiating or implementing innovations with new technologies. These findings have become the basis of a preliminary framework for FBA design and are divided into the three stages of planning, conducting and reporting. Contributions to the study include an expansion of both classroom-based assessment and blended learning frameworks, as well as an application of innovation theory in the context of tertiary EFL programs in Saudi Arabia. This study is significant in that ongoing revision of educational policies and practices is always crucial, and ensuring the use of efficient and productive assessment designs is a necessary element of being accountable to students. This study has advanced knowledge and skills concerning blended assessment design through various theoretical, practical and methodological contributions
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Papers by Mansoor S. Almalki