Investigating EFL Learners’ Readiness of Using Smartphone and Problems for Learning Oral English Communication Skills at Tertiary Level in an EFL Context

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3991/ijim.v14i14.14759

Keywords:

Oral English Communication Skills, Learners’ problems, Learners’ readiness, Features of Smartphones, English as a foreign language

Abstract


Although extensive research has been carried out to investigate EFL learners’ readiness of using smartphone and problems in EFL contexts, there remains a scarcity of evidence on EFL learners’ readiness of using smartphone and problems for learning oral English communication skills at tertiary level in EFL context, especially in Bangladesh. The present study was conducted to explore Bangladeshi tertiary level learners’ readiness of using smartphone and problems for learning oral English communication skills. This study employed a mixed-method design, using a survey questionnaire and semi-structured interview as data collection instruments. The participants of this study were sixty-one learners (35 females and 26 males) who were studying at the department of English of a university. The findings from the questionnaire illustrated that EFL learners’ level of readiness of using a smartphone was high and the frequent problems they faced were authentic materials, audio-video aids, oral practice environment, large size class and existing teaching method. Similarly, the findings of semi-structured interview emerged three themes regarding EFL learners’ readiness were availability, usability and positivity for the use of smartphone and four themes regarding EFL learners’ problems, such as psychological, linguistic, teachers’ efficacy and use of mother tongue and for learning oral English communication skills.

Author Biographies

Prodhan Mahbub Ibna Seraj, TESL, School of Education, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

Prodhan Mahbub Ibna Seraj is a PhD candidate in Teaching English as Second Language (TESL) at the Faculty of Education, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). He has been working as an Assistant Professor at the department of English, Sylhet International University, Bangladesh. He is particularly interested in how technology could help English Language Teaching (ELT) that contributes to the education policy of Bangladesh. He has completed his B.A (Hons.) and Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics & English Language Teaching from Dhaka University.

Hadina Habil, Language Academy, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor

Dr. Hadina Habil is an Associate Professor at Language Academy, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). She leads research studies related to English for specific purposes, language communication, business communication, discourse analysis, TESL and workplace communication. She received her M. Sc in TESP (Teaching English for Specific Purposes) from Aston University, UK and Doctor of Philosophy in English Language at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). She is currently attached at the Office of Corporate Affairs UTM, managing Media and corporate communication.

Md. Kamrul Hasan, English Language Institute, United International University

Currently, Dr Md Kamrul Hasan is working as an associate professor in English and also as a coordinator of English Language Institute at United International University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. He has published eighteen research articles in international peer-reviewed journals (one under Scopus and Web of Science indexed journal), and his expertise covers Vocabulary, ELT, Sociolinguistics, and SLA. He received his doctoral degree from Universiti Uttara Malaysia, Malaysia. 

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Published

2020-08-28

How to Cite

Ibna Seraj, P. M., Habil, H., & Hasan, M. K. (2020). Investigating EFL Learners’ Readiness of Using Smartphone and Problems for Learning Oral English Communication Skills at Tertiary Level in an EFL Context. International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies (iJIM), 14(14), pp. 148–163. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijim.v14i14.14759

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Papers