INVESTIGATING KURDISH LEARNERS’ SILENCE IN EFL CLASSROOMS AT UNIVERSITY LEVEL
Keywords:
Silence, Kurdish Learners, speaking foreign language anxiety, communication obstacles
Abstract
Numerous educators have encountered silence in their language classrooms. Considerable research has examined the causes of silence and its prevalence in the area of foreign language teaching. However, no study has been conducted on the factors behind the silence of Kurdish Learners of English as a foreign language. This study investigates the phenomenon of students keeping silent during EFL classes. The data for this study were obtained through the use of a closed-ended questionnaire with a total of 60 (30 males and 30 females) English major college students at the English Language Department/College of Languages/University of Duhok. According to the findings, there are a number of factors that contribute to students remaining silent., namely linguistic and psychological, performance and classroom-based reasons. The findings also show a considerable difference between male and female students in terms of the reasons that make them silent inside EFL classrooms
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
References
Al-Halawachy, H. F. (2014). “EFL Learner’s Silence at University Level: Where to?” Journal of Education and Practice. Vol.5, No.12, 90-97.
Al-Jarjary, M.H.A. (2020). “Investigating the Reasons behind EFL University Student’s Silence in Translation Classes: A Field Study”. ADAB AL-RAFIDAYN, Supplement VOL. (86) October.
Altunash, E. (2014). Silence in the EFL Classroom. International Conference on Education and Social Sciences Proceedings.
Bonvillain, N. (1993). Language, Culture and Communication. Englewood: Prentice Hall Inc.
Briggs, S. R. (1988). “Shyness: Introversion or Neuroticism?” Journal of Research in Personality 22 (3): 290–307. https://doi.org/10.1016/0092-6566(88)90031-1.
Choi, J. Y. (2015). “Reasons for Silence: A Case Study of Two Korean Students at a U.S. Graduate School”. TESOL Journal, 6, 579-596.
Coplan, R. J., Hughes, K., Bosacki, S., and Rose-Krasnor, L. (2011). “Is Silence Golden? Elementary School Teachers’ Strategies and Beliefs regarding Hypothetical Shy/Quiet and Exuberant/ Talkative Children.” Journal of Educational Psychology 103 (4):939–51. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0024551.
Delima, E. M. (2012). “A reticent student in the classroom: A consequence of the art of questioning”. Asian EFL Journal, (60), 51-69.
Giles, H., Coupland, N. and Wienmann, J.M. (1992). “Talk is cheap’ but ‘My word is my bond’: Beliefs about talk”. In K. Bolton and H. Kwok (eds) Sociolinguistics Today: Eastern and Western Perspectives (pp. 218243). London: Routledge.
Hanh, N. T. (2020) “Silence is Gold?: A Study on Students’ Silence in EFL Classrooms”. International Journal of Higher Education Vol. 9, No. 4.
Harumi, S. (2011). “Classroom silence: Voices from Japanese EFL learners”. ELT Journal, 65(3), 260-269. doi:10.1093/elt/ccq04.
Harumi, S. ( 2002). “The Use of Silence by Japanese EFL learners”, PAC3 at JALT 2001, International Conference Center, Kitakyushu Japan, Ed. Malcolm Swanson and David McMurray. Tokyo: The Japan Association for Language Teaching.
Jackson, J. (2002). “Reticence in second language case discussions: Anxiety and aspirations”. System, 30, 65–84. doi:10.1016/S0346- 251X(01)00051-3
Jaworski, A. (1997). Silence-Interdisciplinary Perspectives. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, Inc.
Jaworski, A. and Sachdev, I. ( 1998). “Beliefs about Silence in the Classroom”. Language and Education, vol. 12, pp. 273-292.
Jordan, R.R. (2009). English for Academic Purposes: A Guide and Resource Book for Teachers, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Juniati, S. R., Jabu, B., and Salija, K. (2018). “Students ’ silence in the EFL speaking classroom”. The 65th TEFLIN International Conference, July, 90–94
Koizumi,R. (2005). Relationships between Productive Vocabulary Knowledge and Speaking Performance of Japanese Learners of English at the Novice Level, Ph.D. Diss. University of Tsukuba.
Liu, J. and Mou, X. ( 2008). “An Ethnographic Study on Silence in the Chinese EFL Class of English Linguistic Postgraduates”, ICS Journal, vol. 1, n. pp.
King, J. (2013a). Silence in the second language classroom. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
King, J. (2013b). “Silence in the second language classrooms of Japanese universities”. Applied Linguistics, 34(3), 325–343.
King, J. Yashima, T. , Humphries, S., Aubrey, S. and Ikeda, M. (2020). “Silence and Anxiety in the English-Medium Classroom of Japanese Universities: A Longitudinal Intervention Study”.
Nakane, I. (2002). “Silence in the multicultural classroom: perceptions and performance in Australian university classrooms”. Inter-Cultural Studies, (2-1), 17-28.
Nakane, I. (2007). “Silence in Intercultural Communication: Perceptions and Performance”. Vol. 166. Amsterdam: John Benjamin.
Ollin, R. (2008). “Silent pedagogy and rethinking classroom practice: structuring teaching through silence rather than talk”. Cambridge Journal of Education, vol.38, pp. 265-280.
Reda, M. M. (2009). Between Speaking and Silence: A Study of Quiet Students. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
Richmond, V. P., Wrench, J.S. and McCroskey, J C. (2013). Communication Apprehension, Avoidance, and Effectiveness. 6th ed. Boston, MA: Pearson.
Saville‐Troike, M. (1988), ‘Private speech: Evidence for language learning strategies during the ‘silent’ period’, Journal of Child Language, 15, (3), 567‐90.
Townsend, J. S. (1998). “Silent Voices: What Happens to Quiet Students during Classroom Discussions?” English Journal 87 (2):72–80.
Tsui, A. (1996). Reticence and anxiety in second language learning. In K. M. Bailey & D. Nunan (eds.). Voices from the Language Classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Tok, H. (2009). “EFL Learners’ Communication Obstacles”. Electronic Journal of Social Sciences, vol. 8, pp. 84-100.
Walliman, N. (2011). Research methods: The basics. New York, NY: Routledge.
Wilson, D. (2005). Strategic silence in Nigerian politics. In D Wilson New perspective in Applied Communication. Ibadan: Stirling-Horden Publishers (Nig) Ltd.
Zembylas, M. and Vrasidas, C. (2007). “Listening for Silence in Text-Based, Online Encounters”. Distance Education, vol. 28, pp. 5-24
Al-Jarjary, M.H.A. (2020). “Investigating the Reasons behind EFL University Student’s Silence in Translation Classes: A Field Study”. ADAB AL-RAFIDAYN, Supplement VOL. (86) October.
Altunash, E. (2014). Silence in the EFL Classroom. International Conference on Education and Social Sciences Proceedings.
Bonvillain, N. (1993). Language, Culture and Communication. Englewood: Prentice Hall Inc.
Briggs, S. R. (1988). “Shyness: Introversion or Neuroticism?” Journal of Research in Personality 22 (3): 290–307. https://doi.org/10.1016/0092-6566(88)90031-1.
Choi, J. Y. (2015). “Reasons for Silence: A Case Study of Two Korean Students at a U.S. Graduate School”. TESOL Journal, 6, 579-596.
Coplan, R. J., Hughes, K., Bosacki, S., and Rose-Krasnor, L. (2011). “Is Silence Golden? Elementary School Teachers’ Strategies and Beliefs regarding Hypothetical Shy/Quiet and Exuberant/ Talkative Children.” Journal of Educational Psychology 103 (4):939–51. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0024551.
Delima, E. M. (2012). “A reticent student in the classroom: A consequence of the art of questioning”. Asian EFL Journal, (60), 51-69.
Giles, H., Coupland, N. and Wienmann, J.M. (1992). “Talk is cheap’ but ‘My word is my bond’: Beliefs about talk”. In K. Bolton and H. Kwok (eds) Sociolinguistics Today: Eastern and Western Perspectives (pp. 218243). London: Routledge.
Hanh, N. T. (2020) “Silence is Gold?: A Study on Students’ Silence in EFL Classrooms”. International Journal of Higher Education Vol. 9, No. 4.
Harumi, S. (2011). “Classroom silence: Voices from Japanese EFL learners”. ELT Journal, 65(3), 260-269. doi:10.1093/elt/ccq04.
Harumi, S. ( 2002). “The Use of Silence by Japanese EFL learners”, PAC3 at JALT 2001, International Conference Center, Kitakyushu Japan, Ed. Malcolm Swanson and David McMurray. Tokyo: The Japan Association for Language Teaching.
Jackson, J. (2002). “Reticence in second language case discussions: Anxiety and aspirations”. System, 30, 65–84. doi:10.1016/S0346- 251X(01)00051-3
Jaworski, A. (1997). Silence-Interdisciplinary Perspectives. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, Inc.
Jaworski, A. and Sachdev, I. ( 1998). “Beliefs about Silence in the Classroom”. Language and Education, vol. 12, pp. 273-292.
Jordan, R.R. (2009). English for Academic Purposes: A Guide and Resource Book for Teachers, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Juniati, S. R., Jabu, B., and Salija, K. (2018). “Students ’ silence in the EFL speaking classroom”. The 65th TEFLIN International Conference, July, 90–94
Koizumi,R. (2005). Relationships between Productive Vocabulary Knowledge and Speaking Performance of Japanese Learners of English at the Novice Level, Ph.D. Diss. University of Tsukuba.
Liu, J. and Mou, X. ( 2008). “An Ethnographic Study on Silence in the Chinese EFL Class of English Linguistic Postgraduates”, ICS Journal, vol. 1, n. pp.
King, J. (2013a). Silence in the second language classroom. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
King, J. (2013b). “Silence in the second language classrooms of Japanese universities”. Applied Linguistics, 34(3), 325–343.
King, J. Yashima, T. , Humphries, S., Aubrey, S. and Ikeda, M. (2020). “Silence and Anxiety in the English-Medium Classroom of Japanese Universities: A Longitudinal Intervention Study”.
Nakane, I. (2002). “Silence in the multicultural classroom: perceptions and performance in Australian university classrooms”. Inter-Cultural Studies, (2-1), 17-28.
Nakane, I. (2007). “Silence in Intercultural Communication: Perceptions and Performance”. Vol. 166. Amsterdam: John Benjamin.
Ollin, R. (2008). “Silent pedagogy and rethinking classroom practice: structuring teaching through silence rather than talk”. Cambridge Journal of Education, vol.38, pp. 265-280.
Reda, M. M. (2009). Between Speaking and Silence: A Study of Quiet Students. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
Richmond, V. P., Wrench, J.S. and McCroskey, J C. (2013). Communication Apprehension, Avoidance, and Effectiveness. 6th ed. Boston, MA: Pearson.
Saville‐Troike, M. (1988), ‘Private speech: Evidence for language learning strategies during the ‘silent’ period’, Journal of Child Language, 15, (3), 567‐90.
Townsend, J. S. (1998). “Silent Voices: What Happens to Quiet Students during Classroom Discussions?” English Journal 87 (2):72–80.
Tsui, A. (1996). Reticence and anxiety in second language learning. In K. M. Bailey & D. Nunan (eds.). Voices from the Language Classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Tok, H. (2009). “EFL Learners’ Communication Obstacles”. Electronic Journal of Social Sciences, vol. 8, pp. 84-100.
Walliman, N. (2011). Research methods: The basics. New York, NY: Routledge.
Wilson, D. (2005). Strategic silence in Nigerian politics. In D Wilson New perspective in Applied Communication. Ibadan: Stirling-Horden Publishers (Nig) Ltd.
Zembylas, M. and Vrasidas, C. (2007). “Listening for Silence in Text-Based, Online Encounters”. Distance Education, vol. 28, pp. 5-24
Published
2023-06-25
How to Cite
ABDULTHAMAN , N. S., & ALAZZAWI, M. B. (2023). INVESTIGATING KURDISH LEARNERS’ SILENCE IN EFL CLASSROOMS AT UNIVERSITY LEVEL. Journal of Duhok University, 26(1), 665-676. https://doi.org/10.26682/hjuod.2023.26.1.41
Section
Humanities and Social Sciences
It is the policy of the Journal of Duhok University to own the copyright of the technical contributions. It publishes and facilitates the appropriate re-utilize of the published materials by others. Photocopying is permitted with credit and referring to the source for individuals use.
Copyright © 2017. All Rights Reserved.
