The purpose of this mixed-method study was two-fold. The first purpose was to investigate the role of using culturally-based materials on contributing to the advancement of oral communication of five EFL Arab college students through a six-week program. The second purpose was to explore the college students' views and experiences of using…

The overwhelming power that English enjoys has become a threat to many indigenous languages that are losing the battle against English dominance and hegemony. One facet for this threat is the use of English as a medium of instruction (EMI). The EMI policy has been a naturalized and taken-for-granted practice without questioning or problematizing.…

This study aims at testing the generalisability of Marsh's Internal/External (I/E) frame of reference model as well as its Dimensional Comparison Theory (DCT) extension in a sample of United Arab Emirates (UAE) high school students. Relationship between self-concept and achievement in Arabic, English and mathematics were explored. A sample of 990…

This research study investigates the cognitive, psychological and personal factors affecting the accuracy and fluency of English language usage among Arab learners. Early research led by Chomsky (1965) and Krashen (1981) suggested that an individual's Language Acquisition Device once triggered at the appropriate time and supported with adequate…

This study examines the monolingual and the bilingual methods of teaching English to investigate which method is more effective and best achieves the learning outcomes of a language course. It also examines which method is preferred by the English language learners and gives better performance results. The study was conducted in RAK Medical and…

This article presents the findings of a qualitative study examining the tutorial experiences of English as an additional language (EAL) tutees and their peer writing tutors in a Middle-Eastern university where the language of instruction is English. Data from stimulated recall activities, written observations, and interviews were analyzed to…

Advanced computer technology has transformed the way instruction is designed and delivered at all education levels including college. However, today's younger "digital-native" generation may often take their computer skills for granted, which impacts their interaction patterns with university professors who often encourage electronic…

Benson's (2011a; 2011b) identification of out-of-class learning as constituted by contexts, resources, levels of formality and more and less intentional pedagogic outcomes was used as a framework to investigate a group of tertiary level female Emirati EFL students' autonomous out-of-class learning experiences. Data collected via a survey, learner…

This study investigated the various linguistic, psychological, and sociocultural variables that explain the sociolinguistic variation in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) among Arab siblings. The variables are not predetermined but extracted from the participants' contributions and data in a grounded theory research. The siblings participated in…

This article provides a qualitative inquiry into the influences of immediate family members (i.e. parents and siblings) on a group of Gulf Arab EFL students regarding their language learning experiences and strategy use in their Arab homelands. The participants came from financially comfortable families, with different levels of education. The…

The present study focuses on the link between psychological, sociobiographical and linguistic variables and Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety of 348 Arabic learners of English (250 females, 98 males). Data were collected using the Arabic Foreign Language Anxiety Questionnaire (AFLAQ; Al-Saraj, 2011, 2014) and an Arabic version of the…

The development of critical sensibilities in English Language Teaching (ELT) in recent years has seen challenges to assumptions and methodologies in the field, placing an explicit focus on the manifestation of structures and relations of power. The critical stance affords a growing acceptance of English Language Teaching as a complex situated…

Although quantitative studies of educational research usually suggest some links between conditions of learning and student learning outcome, behavior and performance, the idea of engaging students in discussions on teaching and learning has not had as much attention in the United Arab Emirates as in some other countries. This paper presents…

As the oil reserves in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are forecast to become depleted over the next 50 to 150 years, the emirate of Abu Dhabi has set a vision to develop a knowledge economy in order to develop alternative sources of revenue in areas such as tourism, alternative energy and innovative business enterprises. Reformation of its…

Globalization has affected many sectors of the society, including higher education. In the current global economy, higher education institutions face numerous challenges. Factors such as the increasing international competition, achieving higher ranking among global universities, and the pursuit of creating world-class institutions has had a…