Acuity: Journal of English Language Pedagogy, Literature and Culture

An Analysis of Positive Politeness Strategy Used on Expressive Utterance in “The School for Good and Evil” Movie

Jazila Atsna — 2025-01-12

This study investigates the use of positive politeness strategies in the movie The School for Good and Evil, utilizing Brown and Levinson's politeness theory (1987). By analyzing expressive utterances, the research examines how characters convey emotions, maintain relationships, and enhance interpersonal interactions within a fantasy setting. A qualitative descriptive method was employed, with data sourced from the movie and its script. The findings reveal that the characters employ various strategies such as noticing, exaggeration, using in-group identity markers, avoiding disagreements, and offering promises to navigate themes of identity, belonging, and moral dichotomy. These strategies foster solidarity, resolve conflicts, and strengthen social bonds in the fantastical context of the story. However, the study's reliance on a single movie limits the generalizability of the findings, highlighting the need for further research across different genres and cultural contexts. This study contributes to linguistic research by showcasing how positive politeness strategies are adapted in unique narrative settings and provides insights for improving communication in real-world contexts, such as educational environments.

Exploring EFL Instructors’ Awareness and Perceptions of Using ChatGPT in Language Education

eda tayşı — 2024-12-29

Since it was first releasd in 2022, ChatGPT has rapidly become widespread as a well-known and widely used chatbot. This innovative tool has attracted interest from language teachers and researchers for its potential benefits in language learning and teaching. Despite this, there is very little scientific understanding of to what extent and how it is used for language learning and teaching purposes. To this end, this study aimed to investigate university level EFL instructors' awareness of ChatGPT's potential for language learning and teaching, and their perceptions of the advantages and disadvantages of using it. A questionnaire consisting of open-ended and closed-ended questions was administered to 153 EFL instructors working in different universities in Türkiye. The study found that although participants were aware of ChatGPT's capabilities and found it very useful for material development and lesson planning, they were concerned about inaccuracies, unreliable information, prompt difficulties, ethical issues, overreliance, and ineffective outputs. The findings of this study present several important implications for the effective integration of AI tools like ChatGPT into language instruction.

Current Issues in the Implementation of English Language Subjects in Elementary Schools

Arsyi Rizqia Amalia — 2024-12-29

The aim of this research is to identify the English language skills of junior high school students who have just graduated from elementary school, as well as identify problems in implementing English language learning in elementary school. This research was motivated by the interview result with junior high school teachers who stated that there are a big differences in English language skills among students who had just graduated from elementary school which became an obstacle in learning English process in junior high school, this was believed to occur due to issues in implementing English language learning in elementary school. This research used a mixed method with a research sample of 150 students from two junior high schools in the Sukabumi City and Sukabumi Regency areas. The results of this research show that the English language skills of students both in the city and regency show that more than 50% of students scored below 60 and fall into the category of very low English skills. This study reveals that English language education in elementary schools faces various challenges, including inconsistencies in the quality of English language teaching, gaps in access to English language teachers, limited use of teaching materials, learning methods and media. Despite these challenges, there is a high level of interest in English among students, indicating that with the right support, the implementation of English subject in elementary school will be better.

Parent’s Role in Developing Children's English-Speaking Skills through Home-Based Language Learning

Yenni Christina — 2024-12-29

This study examines the critical role that parents play in assisting their children in improving their English-speaking abilities through language learning activities carried out at home using the Narrative Inquiry approach. The research aims to provide a thorough understanding of how parent-child interactions affect language development in addition to formal education. Recognizing the importance of the home environment, the study intends to illuminate the unique contributions parents make to their children's English proficiency, emphasizing the necessity of a thorough approach to language learning. Using in-depth interviews to gather rich, qualitative data, the main technique is narrative inquiry. Parents talk about their experiences and methods for encouraging English speaking in the family. This method enables a detailed investigation of the complex relationships and narratives that emerge in the setting of parent-child language development. Preliminary findings highlight a diverse range of home-based language learning activities, such as interactive dialogues, storytelling, reading English book, watching videos, using online applications, and language-rich routines. The narratives provide insights into the unique strategies parents employ to cultivate their children's language skills, revealing a profound impact on English-speaking abilities. Therefore, parents play a crucial role in helping their children develop their English-speaking skills.