The Role of Art-Integrated Input: Implementing Arts to Maximise English Proficiency among Saudi English-Major Undergraduates

Abstract

Factors that affect foreign/second language (L2) acquisition include internal factors related to the learners such as motivation and personality-related style preferences as well as external factors related to the learning process such as the amount and quality of input and more interestingly how the latter factors can enhance the former. This paper examines the role of input quality (instructional) during the course of L2 development by integrating arts to facilitate L2 development and boost the learners' motivation by engaging them with masterpieces from classical art as a stimulus. A total number of 30 Arabic learners of English as a foreign language took part in this quasi-experimental study. The experimental group (n = 20) was enrolled in a teaching setting rich with input full of triggers by integrating arts including dramatization and art expedition (e.g. painting, photographing, and sculpting), whereas, the control group (n = 10) was enrolled in a traditional teaching setting. Three instruments were final examinations administered at the end of each semester. Independent-samples t-test was run to identify whether any significant difference existed in L2 proficiency of the control and experimental groups. The findings suggest that L2 learners who were exposed to the instructional settings highly enriched with robust and art-integrated input significantly performed better in L2 proficiency. This suggests that art-integrated input significantly enhanced proficiency of Saudi EFL learners.

Effect of Cooperative Learning in Promoting Reading and Writing Skills in Second Year Sudanese Efl Students at University of Khartoum

“…They fail to incorporate different teaching strategies to develop social and linguistic skills in adult learners given under their charge. According to Javid, Farooq, and Gulzar (2012), some teachers either do not know or they do not bother to use different and innovative instructional techniques. Abdel Rauf (2010), Rashed Alghamdi1 & Robyn Gillies: 2013) argues that Grammar Translation Method (GTM) dominates the Arab world and there is a need to investigate new approaches like CL in teaching English to adult learners.…”