ABSTRACT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROCESSES OF WORD-FORMATION IN THE ACQUISITION OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE: A CASE STUDY OF YEMENI TERTIARY STUDENTS OF ENGLISH Despite their importance to the foreign learners, processes of word-formation are often neglected in TEFL classrooms and teaching materials. This is a result of negligence of vocabulary as a teaching item in the curriculum and priority given to the rules of sentence construction or language form and structure. Linguistic theories, in general, have not focused on the aspect of the processes of wordformation and their importance in acquiring EFL. Moreover, very little research has been done on the pedagogic state of the processes of word-formation. However, a large number of scholars have realized the importance of the processes of word-formation in the acquisition of EFL. Educationists, in general, have come to the conclusion that vocabulary is very important in effective social interaction, communication and various subjects in education. Teaching of vocabulary is very important as mastery and command of vocabulary is essential and needed for communication and learning FL. Vocabulary learning begins from the very first day of one's learning and continues throughout one's life career. We do vocabulary learning whenever we come into contact with a new language and try to use it. We are considered good users of language when we are capable of using words effectively and productively. Rich vocabulary helps in conveying the message powerfully. This shows the importance of vocabulary in learning/teaching EFL. Hence, no one can deny that the processes of word-formation are very important in learning/teaching EFL. They are significant in acquiring EFL. Wordformation is of interest to linguists because of the light it throws on the other aspects of language. The study of word-formation is expanding and a lot of research and publications are being available. The processes of word-formation by means of which one's vocabulary can be expanded are numerous. The most important among them are: affixes (prefixes and suffixes), compounds, blends, reduplications, conversions, clippings, acronyms and back-formation. VII
The present study focuses on the area of Affixes (prefixes and suffixes) and their importance in acquiring EFL in teaching/learning EFL. The study focuses on the teaching/learning of vocabulary. It intends to investigate the problems, difficulties, needs and interests of the tertiary level students of English, especially the students of the First and Second Year of Bachelor level, Department of English, College of Education Zingibar, University of Aden, Yemen. This topic is chosen by the Researcher because of the following reasons: - The processes of word-formation and affixes are neglected in the syllabus in TEFL classrooms and teaching materials in Aden University, as a result of negligence of vocabulary, as a teaching item in the curriculum, despite their importance in the acquisition of EFL in teaching/learning EFL. - At the same time there are very few competent and proficient teachers and researchers of this discipline who may guide the students in effective teaching/learning of this aspect. - Furthermore, the teacher is the center of the process, whereas the learners' participation is rare and passive. - The time allocated for studying and practising affixes in the classroom for the learners is not sufficient to make them study and practise affixes effectively and productively. - The prescribed textbooks and curricular text materials are either unavailable or in dearth and not of a recent origin. - Moreover, the syllabus is designed by the teachers only. The present study aims to achieve the following objectives: - To reinforce the acquisition of the affixes to help students in learning English better. - To encourage students of English to use productive affixes that have been introduced to them. - To make students familiar with the affixes involved in building and forming words and to train them to practise to recognize and produce the affixes easily. - To help expanding and improving the students' vocabulary by introducing and describing to them the affixes involved in word-building and wordforming with their meanings. VIII
- To enable students to get mastery and command on vocabulary by using words effectively and productively for social interaction and communication and the academic subjects and requirements and be competent and proficient in language. At the same time, it has the following hypotheses: - The present syllabus, teaching methods and teaching materials in use at the English Department, College of Education Zingibar, Aden University, do not match and meet the needs and interests of the learners of the Department in the area of affixes. There is a gap between them. - The time allocated for studying and practising affixes in the classroom for the learners is not sufficient to make them study and practice affixes effectively and productively. - In Yemen, students start to learn English at the age of thirteen, starting from Class Seven. They learn it as a single subject, so their competence and proficiency in English at the tertiary level of bachelor degree is less than required. It is assumed that this study will help to develop knowledge and background of the learners in the area of affixes. - Students do not participate in choosing the course, the materials and the syllabus designing according to their needs and interests. - There is gap between the previous teaching methods of affixes and the recent technology and techniques of the modern teaching of affixes according to the needs and interests of the learners. It is assumed that this study will help to fill in the gap. The study comprises six chapters as follows: CHAPTER ONE: It is introductory, providing the status of English and English language teaching in Yemen and the profile of the Yemeni tertiary students of English. It sheds light on the rationale and significance of the present study, the limitations of the research and the area of the work. It states the objectives, goals and the hypotheses of the research as well. In addition, it includes a statement of the research problem and the place where this study has been conducted which is the Department of English, College of Education Zingibar, University of Aden, IX
Yemen. The chapter also describes the purpose, the value and organization of the work. CHAPTER TWO: It is a general survey of frame work and reviews the available relevant studies and literature. It states the approaches for teaching vocabulary and processes of word-formation and affixes and their status as teaching items in TEFL and teaching materials in the classroom in the curriculum. It deals with the classroom techniques and methods for teaching affixes. It also states the importance of affixes in acquiring EFL in teaching/learning English in the classroom. It gives the goals, strategies and activities of teaching affixes. Referring to Sinclair et al (1991) in the introduction, it provides the importance of vocabulary and affixes in learning English as follows: Once you have built up a basic vocabulary of English, you can begin to say what you want to. As you add more and more words to your vocabulary, you are able to express a greater range of ideas or talk about a wider range of topics, and one of the ways of increasing your vocabulary is by describing the patterns involved in building words, i.e. prefixes and suffixes. CHAPTER THREE: It is devoted to spelling out the details of the research methodology of the study. It discusses elaborately the scheme of the fieldwork and the steps and phases the researcher has performed in his empirical study in collecting the data. This chapter gives an account of the rationale and procedure of the instruments employed in gathering the data, which are students questionnaire, teachers questionnaire, classroom observation forms and pre-test and post-test, in addition to the samples of the instruments and the place of the fieldwork. The research methodology of the study is based on two main experiments. The first one is conducted in the data description of the students questionnaire, teachers questionnaire and classroom observation forms. The second experiment is concerned with the teaching period of the model course for the experimental group and the results of the pre-test and post-test of the experimental group and the control group. The first step of the first experiment was to design and construct two questionnaires and an observation form. Out of the two questionnaires one was for the students and one for the teachers. Each questionnaire consisted of four X
sections of the same type and number of questions. The second step was adjusting the validity and reliability of questionnaires by a panel of ELT expert doctors and professors in India and Yemen. The next step was to administer the students' questionnaire on twenty students of English of the First and Second Year of the Bachelor Level as a sample to check if there are any difficulties or incomprehensible ideas or questions and to put a cross mark in these situations of difficulties. Then it was administered on one hundred students of the First and Second Year of the Bachelor Level of the Department of English, College of Education Zingibar, University of Aden. At the same time, the teachers' questionnaire was distributed among twenty teachers of the same Department. At the end of the administration process, the two answered questionnaire forms were collected to be analyzed and discussed. The questionnaires were used by the researcher to investigate the students' problems, difficulties, needs and interests in the area of affixes. The same steps of the questionnaire forms were followed with the classroom observation forms for the validity and reliability. The forms consisted of thirty five items. The Researcher observed lectures of eight English classes of the First and Second Year as a sample. At first the Researcher observed four lectures of the First and Second Year, i.e. each year two lectures. Then he observed the same lectures of the same teachers again. Then the results of the two different observation sessions were compared, calculated and analyzed. The observations were carried out by the Researcher to observe closely and directly the methods, materials, programs and activities used in teaching/learning affixes in the English classes at the Department. Moreover, the Researcher wanted to find out whether whatever was reported in the questionnaires by the students and teachers are being followed and reflected in the classrooms or not. The first step of the second experiment was to design a syllabus of the model course depending on the respondents needs, desires and answers in the questionnaire according to the questionnaire items. The Researcher prepared a pre-test and post-test according to the respondents needs and desires in their answering to the questionnaire items. The test was validated by expert teachers in Aden University and the Department of English, College of Education-Zingibar. Then it was administered to the Experimental Group and Control Group. The two groups consisted of 30 students each (15 of the First Year and 15 of the Second Year each). At first the pre-test was given to the two groups. The second step XI
was the designing of the syllabus of the model course units. The model course units were designed and taught to the Experimental Group for one semester (three months= 12 weeks, and it was four hours a week, i.e. 48 hours). The units were designed according to the answers, needs and desires of the students. The third step taken by the Researcher was to finalize the empirical study and the teaching period by a post-test for the same two groups and to make a comparison between the results of the pre-test and the results of the post-test of the two groups. CHAPTER FOUR: It provides the analysis of questionnaires and classroom observation forms and the interpretation of data collected and obtained in the empirical study. It gives the statistical methods and techniques used for the analysis. The items of the questionnaires which are instruments were analyzed on the basis of percentages (%) and quantitative analysis. Tables and figures were used as well. The chapter includes the questionnaires analysis such as: Section one the respondents' profile; Section two evaluation of vocabulary and affix teaching methods and teaching materials in use; Section three importance of implementing vocabulary and affixes in TLEFL; Section four a sample of prefixes and suffixes needed in TLEFL. All the items have been analyzed and interpreted in detail. Two of the hypotheses of the study (No.1 and 2) have been proved. The items of the classroom observation forms which are instruments were compared, calculated and analyzed on the basis of the percentages (%) through using Cooper's formula to find the percentage of agreements and differences between the two different times of the observations. Cooper's formula: R% = A x 100 A + D R% = percentage of reliability A = total agreement, D = total differences Total agreement = 118, Total differences = 22 Therefore, percentage of reliability = R% = 118 x 100 = 84.28% 118+22 XII
Samples of Tables of the Quantitative Analysis of the Questionnaires: Table No.1: Respondents profile Respondents Number Age Gender Male Female First year students 50 20-24 30 20 Second year students 50 20-24 26 24 Teachers 20 Different ages N/A Table No.2: Evaluation of Vocabulary and Affix Teaching Methods and Teaching Materials in Use Question Item Students Teachers Total No. 6. Present syllabus accounts for the importance of vocabulary and Yes No To some extent 5 70 25 2 13 5 7 out of 120 83 out of 120 30 out of 120 affixes in teaching/learning English 10. Studying and practicing vocabulary and affixes in classroom Always Often Sometimes Never 0 12 22 66 1 3 4 12 1 out of 120 15 out of 120 26 out of 120 78 out of 120 XIII
Table No.3: Importance of Implementation of Vocabulary and Affixes in TLEFL. Question Item Students Teachers Total No. 21. Priority of implementing vocabulary and affixes within the Speaking Reading Writing Listening 73 69 64 58 14 13 12 11 87 out of 120 82 out of 120 76 out of 120 69 out of 120 skills in TLEFL 23. Introducing students to the important role of prefixes and suffixes in learning English Most important Important Less important Not important 4 63 24 9 0 13 4 3 4 out of 120 76 out of 120 28 out of 120 12 out of 120 Table No.4: A Sample of Prefixes and Suffixes Needed in TLEFL Question Item Students Teachers Total No. 32. Introducing Most students to the important 5 0 5 out of 120 different Important 67 13 80 out of 120 pronunciations of Less the past and past important 25 4 29 out of 120 participle tense Not suffix (-ed) at important 3 3 6 out of 120 the end of verbs 34. Introducing Most students to the important 2 0 2 out of 120 different Important 65 12 77 out of 120 pronunciations of Less the plural suffix (-s) important 29 6 35 out of 120 at the end of nouns Not important 4 2 6 out of 120 XIV
CHAPTER FIVE: It gives the statistical analysis of the pre-test and post-test which were given to the two groups. It provides a comparison of the results of the two groups in the two tests by using the SPSS program. The Mean (X) and the Standard Deviation (SD) have been used to describe the scores of the students of the two groups in the two tests. Tables and figures have been used as well. The comparison of the results of the two groups in the pre-test and post-test shows that there is a clear difference in the results in the post-test for the Experimental Group which has been taught the model course. This proves that the teaching of the model course for the Experimental Group was effective and the level of the students improved and progressed in the area of affixes. In other words, three of the hypotheses of the study (No. 3, 4 and 5) have been proved. Therefore, the results of the two tests were translated into the major conclusions and recommendations of the study. Consider the following statistical analysis and comparison of the results of the two groups in the pre-test and post-test: Table No.5: The pre-test statistical analysis Groups Number Mean Standard Deviation Experimental 30 54.3333 7.0348 Group Control Group 30 52.1666 7.5325 Table No.6: The post-test statistical analysis Groups Number Mean Standard Deviation Experimental 30 79.8666 6.1195 Group Control Group 30 59.9666 7.4318 CHAPTER SIX: It states the conclusions, the recommendations (the pedagogical implications) and the scope for further study. CONCLUSIONS OF THE STUDY: The purpose of this study has been to survey the importance of vocabulary and affixes in acquiring EFL for the Yemeni tertiary students of the First and XV
Second Year, Department of English, College of Education - Zingibar, University of Aden, Yemen. The hypotheses of the study have been proved to be valid. The aims of this research have been achieved. The study has answered the research questions. On the basis of the analysis and the interpretation of the data several conclusions have been drawn. They are as follows: 1) The study indicates that students tend to learn better if their needs and interests are taken into account while preparing, designing and selecting the course units, materials and syllabus. 2) The modern learner-centered approach, which considers learners as the main source of the course goals and aims, is better than the traditional teacher-centered approach in which teachers impose their own ideas on the learners. 3) The study has revealed that affixes are problematic for students of the Department and one of their major difficulties is the recognition and the production of them. The Researcher has found that the students in the Experimental Group did not recognize the pronunciation of the three spoken realizations /s/, /z/ and /iz/ of the suffix (-s) and of the three spoken realizations: /t/, /d/ and /id/ of the suffix (-ed), at the end of words. They pronounce them as [s], [is] and [id]. They pronounce them as they are pronounced in the spelling forms s, es and ed. Such sounds pose a problem for students in perceiving them. Therefore, students need more practice, training and drilling in spoken English in this respect. The correct recognition and perception of such sounds will ultimately improve the learners' spoken language. 4) The present study has shown that most of the errors committed by the learners in pronouncing some sounds of the affixes are attributable to the mother tongue interference. The Researcher has found that the students in the Experimental Group faced difficulty in pronouncing the sound /ŋ/ of the suffix (-ing) and the sound /ʤ/ of the suffix (-age). They pose a serious problem for the learners. These sounds do not exist and have no equivalent in Arabic sound system. This accounts for why the learners have difficulties in the pronunciation of such sounds. Mother tongue interference is clearly observed in pronouncing of such sounds by the students. They have the tendency to transfer the mother tongue pattern by replacing and substituting these sounds by easier and near equivalent XVI
ones which occur and they find in their mother tongue sound system, Arabic. Therefore, students need a lot of practicing, training and drilling in spoken English in this regard. 5) This study reveals that the learners in the Experimental Group have deficiency in recognizing and producing affixes which can be ascribed to the fact that they have poor background and knowledge of the language. In addition, affixes are generally ignored and neglected in the present syllabus, teaching process, methodology and teaching materials in use at the Department. Therefore, it is suggested that learners need to be exposed, introduced, trained and practise for the various affixes that make changes in word-meaning, word-class, sound, spelling and stress, in order to be able to recognize them easily and produce them well to learn EFL better. 6) Students in the Experimental Group have problems, difficulties and constraints in affixes which basically emerge from their limited EFL competence and proficiency. They have poor background and knowledge of the language. This may be ascribed to their inadequate and insufficient vocabulary acquisition in their previous English education in the preuniversity stage (school stage). 7) Teachers have to find out their students needs and interests before starting an affixes course in order to achieve their goals. 8) The Researcher noticed that for effective and comprehensible affix lessons, all the students should participate in the activities and exercises in the class. They should play a role in choosing the course units and the materials. The syllabus should be designed according to their needs and interests. 9) Affix task is very important. It can improve students abilities. Therefore sufficient time for practising affixes should be allotted. 10) The results of the post-test of the experimental group have proved three of the hypotheses of the research (No. 3, 4 and 5). The post-test results indicate: 1) Student-centered approach, new teaching methods and teaching materials and sufficient time for studying and practising affixes help to develop the knowledge and background of the learners in the area of affixes. XVII
2) Students participation in selecting the course units, methods, materials and syllabus designing according to their needs and interests helps to improve their competence in English. 3) The difference between pre and post-test result shows that the gap between previous teaching methods of affixes and recent technology and techniques of modern teaching of affixes can be bridged. RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE STUDY: In the light of the findings and conclusions of the present study, several recommendations have been brought into the fore. The following are the main ones emanated and arrived at in this study. 1) The results of the pre-test of the Experimental Group and the Control Group proved the weakness of the students of the two groups in the area of the affixes because of neglecting the process of word-formation in TLEFL classrooms and teaching materials at the Department, as a result of negligence of vocabulary as a teaching item in the curriculum and syllabus in Aden University and priority being given to the rules of sentence construction or language form and structure. Therefore, this study recommends that the present syllabus, teaching methods and teaching materials should be improved, adapted and developed to improve and reinforce the acquisition of affixes and vocabulary for the students. Then they will be able to use words effectively and productively. The new syllabus, methods and materials should make them competent and proficient in English. They should give them mastery and command of it for interaction, communication and academic requirements. 2) The study recommends that the syllabus designers, teachers and material developers should take into consideration the students' needs, interests, desires and choices in the area of affixes. They should be matched and met. Consequently, the present syllabus should include particular components for the teaching of affixes to be taught at the departments and form a part of the teaching process of English, teaching methods and teaching materials. This will help to train the students properly and appropriately to be able to recognize and produce affixes easily and improve their vocabulary. This can help for better learning of English and better achieving the course objectives. XVIII
3) It is recommended that sufficient time should be allocated for teaching and practising vocabulary and affixes at the Department. The learners should be given opportunities to practise them by conversing, interacting and communicating with each other. Teachers of the department are advised to give students a chance for practising and participating in the different kinds of spoken English activities in the classroom, such as conversations, discussions, debates, asking and answering, interactions and so on, in order to gain competence and proficiency in vocabulary and affixes, in particular, and the language, in general. Teaching and practicing vocabulary and affixes should aim at improving the overall competence and proficiency of learners in communication in English in their daily life interaction, social settings and academic requirements. 4) In any educational program, the learners needs, interests and motivations are essential, and the only way to enhance these things is to get learners involved in the learning process through implementation of learnercentered methods of teaching English, in general, and vocabulary and affixes, in particular. It is recommended that a shift from the traditional teacher-centered approach of teaching to the modern learner-centered approach should be made because it ensures a reasonable development in the proficiency and competence of learners in English, in general and vocabulary and affixes, in particular. A learner-centered approach to learning EFL based on the learners needs and interests produces better motivated and active learners and thus leads to better results in terms of acquiring EFL. 5) Vocabulary and affixes cannot be acquired in the classroom alone, so students should devote some of their time, energy and hard work towards improving their vocabulary and affixes outside the classroom. They should access and expose themselves to different types of English teaching books, use media and different types of the recent aids such as internet, computer C. Ds., T.V., video cassettes and so on, to assist in improving their vocabulary and affixes. 6) Better and modern methods, technology and techniques in teaching vocabulary and affixes would ensure minimizing their problems for students. Teachers, then, should be equipped with updated methods, technology and techniques, which would give them continuing education XIX
or in-service training of the teachers to promote the quality of teaching English, in general, and vocabulary and affixes, in particular. Programs like continuing education or in-service training, workshops, seminars, conferences and meetings are supportive to teachers. It is through such programs that teachers polish their skills and hence become effective in class. They are good means to make teachers acquire new ideas and try new methods and techniques. They can also discuss problems and find solutions. Therefore, the Department, the College and the University authorities should pay attention to such activities and programs to improve teachers skill and encourage them to be dedicated to their job. 7) It is recommended that students should be exposed to tasks, tests, exercises and activities in affixes, since affixes are problematic for learners in recognizing and producing them. The teachers are advised to take into consideration the importance of such tasks, tests, exercises and activities in order to help the learners to cope with the problems of recognizing and producing affixes and overcome them. Contextualized definition exercises can be useful for students to encourage them in using productive affixes that have been introduced to them. 8) It is recommended that, in order to overcome the problem of the influence/interference of the first language of the learners when pronouncing some difficult English sounds of some affixes, a lot of practicing, training and drilling in spoken English is required. Then the learners get the better of the problems which result from the negative transfer or the carry-over of patterns from their mother tongue, i.e. Arabic to English, the target language. 9) Teachers are advised to identify and introduce affixes for students and focus on them in their teaching programs. They should draw students attention to the importance of affixes in acquiring EFL. They should be identified and introduced to students through word-analysis, internal structure of words, word-building and word forming, affix meaning, classification, memorization and so on. Further, students should be introduced to the rules of affix pronunciation, spelling, word-class, stress and so on. In addition, teachers should draw students attention to the affixes that change word meaning, word-class, sound, spelling, stress and XX
so on. Moreover, teachers should pay attention to correcting learners affix errors in pronunciation, spelling, stress and so on. 10) The basic principle of language teaching/ learning is to build up the learners' language skills and abilities. Now the concern of language teaching is to make the learners play a major role and participate in the learning process. Therefore, learners are required to contribute actively to syllabus designing and innovative teaching methods and materials in order to meet and match their needs and interests, since they are the customers of the educational institutes. As far as the affixes are concerned, students need to contribute to the selection of the materials and the affix activities. They should participate in negotiating and choosing the syllabus, methods and materials according to their needs and interests. For effective and comprehensible vocabulary and affix teaching/learning process, all the students should participate in the activities in the class. The learners are well aware of their needs and interests concerning affixes. Students tend to learn better if their needs and interests are taken into account while preparing, designing or selecting the syllabus, teaching methods and teaching materials. Teachers have to find out their students' needs and interests before they start preparing, designing or selecting the syllabus, methods and materials in order to achieve their goals. 11) It is recommended that English language be introduced as early as possible in schools at grade four of the basic education at the age of ten, instead of at grade seven at the age of thirteen, to acquire adequate and sufficient vocabulary and affixes and to bring their competence and proficiency in English at the tertiary level at the required level. Further, we might need to promote English language as an important means in different walks of life rather than persisting in the out-dated tradition of offering a mere subject called English. 12) The study recommends that, over-crowding the class should be avoided and 30 students should be fixed in each class so as to reinforce affix acquisition and giving all students a chance to practise affixes well and participate in the affix lesson activities and exercises. 13) As a prerequisite to the TLEFL, this study recommends that the university and the college should fund the Department and the college library to purchase new books, reference books, curricular text materials, prescribed XXI
textbooks, literary texts, dictionaries, newspapers, magazines, and so on, from the market or from abroad and make them public and bring within the reach of the students in order to encourage them for self-study and improve their reading profile. The university and the college should establish well-equipped and updated department and college libraries and subscribe journals and periodicals in ELT, applied linguistics and language learning. The two libraries should include recently published books because neither students nor teachers can afford to buy expensive books. SCOPE FOR FURTHER STUDY: Many topics and problems in the field of English language learning and teaching still remain to be studied. The present study can serve as a platform for the other closely related studies such as teaching of different parts of speech, and other processes of word-formation in English in the pre-university stage (school stage) and the university level. Thorough investigation is a great need in this area. XXII