Enhancing Language Learning through Dictation

Chapter One: Introduction

1.0 Background of the Research

According to previous studies, dictation had been utilised as a tool for learning, since the 19th century. It had also been included in many countries testing systems to facilitate the foreign students, who are trying to learn a different language. The method had gained recognition due to the facilitation provided to the students in host and foreign countries. However, not long after the method was criticised by many researchers due to the arising issues, many students had believed that the method was not teaching the students much but how to duplicate in their relevant fields. Therefore, the current study will simplify the contribution of language learning fields and would put forward guidelines on how method of dictation can be improved in facilitating language learning and teaching worldwide. However, it will address how language learning facilities in China can improve their teaching tools or adopt method of dictation in particular to greatly improve the outcome of the learning methods. While encouraging teachers across the globe regarding how they can improve their teaching style of dictation to make students is interested in learning.

1.1 Research Aim and Objectives

The aim of this research is to investigate the attitudes and perceptions of the students at Beijing Normal University and Beijing Foreign studies towards the dictation as a means of better comprehending and listening to various Languages.

Identify various techniques and types of dictation.

Identify the attitude of students and teachers towards dictation.

Identify the gap in research.

Define dictation in an academic setting.

1.2 Research Questions

What are the types of dictation based on the university students’ experience in China?

What are the attitudes of students and teachers towards dictation?

1.3 Research Methods

The research methods, which have been developed for this study to revolve around gaining both information based on facts and opinions regarding the topic of the study. Hence, this paper will be based on the mixed research method, which makes use of both qualitative and quantitative approaches which include 21 questions both for students and teachers in the interview and 30 questions in the questionnaire. The research will investigate the attitudes that the Chinese university students and teachers have towards dictation.

1.4 Dissertation Outline

This dissertation will be divided into six major sections; the first one will be the introductory section. Followed by the literature review, which will contain the research that has been, done previously regarding the topic under consideration, and it will be preceded by methodology to explain the sample and research design adopted. In addition to the following, the results will be analysed which explain the findings of the paper. The later will be followed by discussion chapter which will consist of integration of all sections of the paper. Lastly, there will be the concluding section, which will provide the directions for further research, the implications and the summary of findings.

Chapter Two: Literature Review

2.0 Introduction

The significance of learning different languages is increasing due to globalization and people are focusing towards learning different international languages. The organizations are also trending towards employees with ability to speak different languages for international dealings so as to eliminate language barrier (Kramsch, 2014). According to Kayaoglu (2012), dictation is one of the most common methodologies across the globe and has always been parts of curriculum activities which are applied in teaching foreign languages. Dictation is gaining a significant amount of importance in the field of language learning and academics; however, it has limited research studies. In order to measure the significance of dictation in the field of academics and language learning, there needs to inspire individuals and students at learning a language at a faster pace and becoming more fluent in whatever language, they are learning. In this regard, many different scholars have developed varying meanings of dictation and have provided results concerning different aspects of dictation. Nevertheless, the research that they have carried out suggests that not much work has been done about the attitudes of students currently in university towards dictation being a tool for learning. These are the gaps that this paper will identify. The focus of this research work is to find out students’ attitudes towards dictation method of learning and identify their negative and positive perceptions. Therefore, this chapter will discuss the works and research of previous scholars and researchers regarding the use of dictation method as a tool for learning a foreign language. The focus of this chapter is to cover both positive and negative findings on dictation by covering the views of advocates and critiques of this method of language learning. Generally, the importance of dictation will be discussed to have deep insights about the topic from the literature, which would be further utilised to complete the study. It aims to identify the gap that exists in the previous research and provides an understanding of why the gap needs to be filled out.

2.1 Defining Dictation in an Academic Setting

The researchers (Davis and Rinvolucri, 2012), have defined the term dictation as decoding, recording and writing sounds of a language. The instructor produces sound according to the word and the listener recognises the sound and uses it to write a word or sentence. Whereas, dictation in the Longman dictionary has been defined as; “a technique used in both language teaching and language testing in which a passage is read aloud to students or test takers, with pauses during which they must try to write down what they have heard as accurately as possible.” Although, the method of dictation had been in use, since the 19th century, however, by the 1960’s the extensive use of dictation had come to an end due to the learning tool and method being termed as ‘non-communicative’ language (Stansfield, 1985). Nevertheless, as many researches had been done on dictation, it had gained its ground in the language learning field (Naalicio, 1965: 58). Additionally, according to the researcher (Kuangzholou, 2012), dictation is a means of testing the vocabulary, grammar and the listening skills of the students, by checking how well they copy down the words and sentences, which are being dictated to them. The dictation improves the ability of students to recognise different words of new languages, which develops their overall communication skills. He further moved on to suggest that dictation tends to facilitate the students in enhancing their memory, by being able to retain the words, which are being dictated to them and writing them down correctly. While, and Oller (1979) stated that, dictation enables learners to understand the meaning of the words, which are dictated to them based on the style of dictation, implemented by the teachers mostly across the globe. The following definitions had been supported by the researchers, (Flowerder and Miller, 2005, p.200), who have described the concept of dictation through the following statement;

“The technique is simple. The learners listen to an oral text and write down what they hear. The passage may be presented more than once, and it needs to be presented in segments, or information units, so the learner has time to process the language and write it down.”

Additionally, Furman (1968) suggested that, dictation is the process that allows the learners to comprehend their language learning capabilities by answering questions onwards dictated to them. He added that dictation allows teachers to acknowledge literacy, grammar and language skills of students who are present for learning different language other than the one that they know it. Lastly, Pappas (1977) defined dictation as the method of learning, which gives the ability to develop a range of skills in students, who adopted the method of learning. Dictation is not helping the listening or writing skills only, it also makes a positive impact on the students’ overall level of communication. For instance, it is known to enhance their listening and understanding skills, which further increases their memory along with developing and copying capabilities of foreign language learners. Recognition of the word is one of the core objectives of using dictation method which means that students are learning towards getting the proficiency in language. Therefore, various definitions, which have been developed for defining dictation, suggest that while many definitions exist for the term, they all have similar meanings and have just used varying concepts in defining the terminology.

2.2 Defining Differing Attitudes towards Dictation

Multiple tools are used by the teachers and institutions to provide language learning to the students across the globe and dictation method is one of the significant tools for teaching language. Dictation has been proved consistently to be an effective tool helping the students to learn a language and understanding certain phenomena. It allows the student to learn the language using voices and decoding them to write the word. Despite being an old method, the advantages and the positive contribution cannot be ignored. There are also negative aspects of dictation but it is about utilising the method in a better way to neutralise the negative impacts and optimise the positive side of the method (Kazazoglu, 2013). Many experts, students and teachers advocate the use of the dictation for a better understanding in an academic setting. According to Kazaoglu (2013), dictation is an effective tool for the teachers to improve the language proficiency of students in classrooms. The dictation is not a tool, which distorts the abilities of students in learning language, but the importance of dictation cannot be overlooked, as it forms a strong foundation for the students learning language. The proficiency in the language is directly linked to dictation methodology, which is adopted by teachers and learners. A lack of dictation method would keep the students in trouble especially for the development of sentence structure and using a wide range of vocabulary. According to Renandya & Farrell (2010), the proficiency in language would not just assist in getting good grades in the language subject but this would help students to be effective in understanding the complex language concepts. This better understanding would lead to an improved overall academic performance of the student. A student would get an advantage over other people when professional or organisational life set in. especially, in case of international dealing, the student with high level of language proficiency would be preferred over those with low proficiency in language. Montalvan (1990) believed that, there are at least twenty benefits of using dictation in the classroom setting which includes: grammar improvement, developing short term-memory, improved listening and it also boosts the unconscious mind of the student. The four language skills, namely reading, writing, listening and speaking are all improved through dictation because it involves the usage of these skills. The writer listens to the speaker first and then writes it by decoding the sounds of the instructor. This would improve the overall vocabulary of the student and be better in speaking the language. The study would also help the student to improve in the language grammar as consistency imperfect sentence writing would expose the student to grammar structure and usage. The short-term memory is improved in a way that the student quickly recalls the word or sentence instructed by the teacher. The uncurious mind is developed as students use predictability skills and their regular skills to enhance the efficiency of this skill (Xueyun, 2009). The improvement in students prediction leads to improve in the overall development of personality and success. Kavaliauskienė, & Darginavičienė (2009) are the advocates of the dictation process as it provides multiple new and creative methods to expand the traditional ways of learning the language. The traditional ways are not creative and the student's interest in those ways is low, but dictation keeps the interest of the student making an impact on learning ability. Pre and post-dictation exercises further intensify the positive impact of the dictation process. Just providing the mere activity of dictation would not be able to achieve the desired results but the support from pre and post activities would enhance the positive impact of basic methodology of dictation. The dictation is not a dull process, but it can diversify the activities. The dictation has the potential to provide multiple activities for students of different ages and levels of learning.

Rahim (2008) launched a study to identify how the use of different dictation methods would contribute to the language proficiency on the students. A study was conducted on the students that were learning a particular language and the groups were divided into two. In the study, one group is exposed to dictation on a regular basis, while others did not have any dictation activities. The results of the study showed that, the group of students with dictation were able to achieve a high level of language proficiency as compared to second group. The dictation exposed the students with different aspects of language which enable them to learn while the students without dictation were focused on the routine activities that have limited scope. Dictation allows the student to compare their ability to understand the language by comparing their written document with the original document to pinpoint the mistakes and make improvement. Along with the advocacy, the dictation method has faced some criticism as well due to its reliance on instructions rather than using the student’s mind and creativity. Myint (1998) stated that, the dictation is a controversial activity and it does not provide any positive input in the learning process of the student. This dictation erodes the abilities of the student and it develops a habit of working through strict instructions rather than using own mind. A student performs better in student and organizational life when the student has creative and innovative ability as this modern era of business requires creative and innovative employees rather than employee relying on the dictation type methods. Another criticism on the dictation is that the dictation hinders the mental learning and it just helps to memorize the language rather than developing the structure. The dictation does not allow the student to use the mind for forming the structure but the habit of getting the developed structure is adapted through dictation exercises (Gattegno, 2010). In order to be proficient in any language, the structure formation is significant, and the dictation does not allow the student to learn and adapt the ability to structure the sentences.

2.3 Global Approach to Dictation

Dictation is process used widely in different regions of the world and the importance and usage of dictation has risen in the past by many different scholars. However, in the last few years, the importance of dictation aroused again and different world level institutions are focused on adapting the dictation method to provide learning to the students (Richards & Rogers, 2013). According to Hornberger, & Vaish (2009), the dictation is modified in many countries of the world and the education system of Singapore has also adapted a modified and modern version of the dictation methodology for teaching the language. The modern dictation is used for testing the proficiency of language, reading skills, proof-reading skills, and predicting and confirming different words. The education system of Singapore relies on dictation for language learning and the dictation is provided at primary level. The teachers believe that, the primary level students cannot learn the innovative and creative skills. The mental growth does not allow it but the students can take the benefits of dictation approach at this age. Rather than focusing on innovation all the time, the focus on skills development should be based on the level of students. It is important to expose the primary students with the dictation method to develop a deep understanding and also the memorisation of some of the important words of the language. This would set the tone for the students to be more creative and innovative in the future as the language would not be a barrier for them and the dictation has already provided a solid foundation for the language presidency of the students. According to the research that has been carried out by Stanfield (1985), dictation is one of the oldest forms of measuring the performance and testing the progress that has made by students, who are trying to learn a foreign language. However, in the previous decade, it was being used as a method of learning and teaching in the field of the first language, where the teachers would teach the students by dictating them, the following claim was also supported by Frey and Kelly (1971), who suggested that, initially in the publishing of books the method of dictation was often adopted, where the author would dictate the group of scribes on what to write. According to Menken & Garcia (2010), in case of US, the education system is different from the Asian system of providing education especially in Hong Kong and China. The education system of America does not focus on reproducing the same content of the teacher, but also it works on developing the creative and innovative abilities of the people. Dictation is a method, which does not primarily focus on the creative and innovative abilities and this lacking of the method towards creativity and innovation are the reasons of its ignorance in US. The education system of US does not rely and promote the dictation method as they believe in developing the abilities. Learning a foreign language for the Americans is not as important as the learning and development of innovation and creativity. If the innovation and creativity come at the expense of foreign language, the US is willing to take the innovation and creative skills. According to Lippi- Green (2012), the dictation focuses more on memorisation and recognising the already produced words while the innovation and creativity focuses on mind to develop something new. The experts in US believe that the dictation method would put the students on the track of memorisation that will hurt the country in the longer run despite the proficiency over different foreign languages. The scholars in the US mentioned that the dictation is an unreal activity as the dictation involves the listening of the words at an unreal pace. This activity is not helpful at all in real settings as no one would be speaking this way. This continuous training of dictation would put the students on the track of this method of listening to the messages by the sender. The glimpses of the dictation are still found in the education system of the US as it has completely eliminated but the overall promotion and usage of dictation in the country is not appreciated.

However, it was put forward by Lee (2015) that the lack of the books available to teach the second or foreign languages to students, who had made the method of dictation one of the most relied upon methods in the previous decade. Nevertheless, Gouin, did not have the same beliefs as Lee (2015) and had argued by stating; “No more dictation lessons. This deplorable exercise is severely interdicted... It would be better simply to copy; the pupil at least would not make mistakes, and to copy he does not need a master. During the time that he scribbles and blots on a page under dictation, he might assimilate it and read it over twenty times. Therefore, we have no more corrections, no more recitation of lessons, and no more dictation.” He was of the belief that dictation does not teach the pupils the concept of grammar and in turn they are not truly learning a foreign language but just mimicking the words that are being taught to them (Handschin, 1912). Nevertheless, in the United States the foreign students, who wanted to learn American English, were mostly relying on the oral methods of learning, as it was suggested by the “Report of the Committee of Twelve of the Modern Language Association (MLA) of America on Preparatory Requirements in French and German” (Nightingale, 1897). According to AIT Hamouda (2016), the case of Algerian is different from US as Algeria is not developed and economically strong like US. The country has to learn the foreign languages especially English to keep the pace with the changing and technological modern world. The globalisation has made it necessary for the developing nations to adapt different international practices to keep their pace with the world. The learning of foreign languages such as English, Chinese, Japanese and Germany are one of the significant practices in the country. The contribution of dictation towards language proficiency is the reason that, it is widely used in the Algerian education system to promote the international language proficiency. The teachers in the country have a positive review about the dictation methodology and consider it important for the students to improve their listening abilities. According to the teachers, listening is one of the most important aspects of communication and the dictation has a wide contribution towards the learning of listening skills. The teachers stated that, the purpose of using dictation to learn foreign language is to develop a basic understanding and make the grip stronger. The innovation and creativity of the students is secondary but the communication ability of the students is preferred. A lack of communication would not allow the student to be better in delivering their ideas and this communication are improved through the usage of dictation method. On the other hand, the students in Algeria also have a positive view about the usage of the dictation method. The students believe that the dictation helps them to develop a vocabulary, which is beneficial for the overall learning of different concepts. The vast vocabulary helps students to understand different international level researches which contribute to the better overall academic performance of the students. Liu (2013) mentioned that, the focus of dictation in UK education system is also positive as the dictation has been realised as a method of providing proficiency to the language. In order to keep a diverse workforce, it is important that, the diverse people does not have language barrier and the proficiency achieved through different types of dictation would help the organisations to improve the diversity. The teachers and the students in the UK are not against the dictation method majorly but the criticism is there. Some of the critiques raise the questions on the ways of dictation while others are against the existence of such method of teaching language. According to Kavaliauskienė, & Darginavičienė (2009), the UK system has adapted three different types of dictation that includes phonemic text, phonemic item, and orthographic item dictation as the advantages of each type provide the positivity to the students to learn the language. The phonemic item dictation is a system by which the teacher produces the sounds, while phonemic text is the recitation of passage by the teacher for the student to transcribe. The orthographic item is the dictation of single words rather than entices of paragraphs to develop the vocabulary of the students.

In addition to the following, regarding the changing nature of dictation in the global context, it was stated by Joynes that “Its value includes not spelling only-though this is no small matter-nor word form only, whether orthographical or grammatical, but all that belongs to grammar, phrase, or sentence. . . . AU that is possible in composition or retranslation - whether in grammatical sentences or as an aid to accurate pronunciation, as a stimulus to alert attention, and as conducive to that Sprachgejiuhl which rests so largely on the quick apprehension of the significance of the spoken language, it presents distinct advantages which no form of written composition can possibly secure” (Stansfield, 1985). It was in the beginning of the 20th century, that dictation had started to be adopted by many higher education institutions, such as the Modern Language Institution in Middle States and Maryland had made ample efforts to conduct dictation tests in Spanish, German and French which would allow for the institutions to understand the grammatical skills of the foreign students. The oral tests which are used to be carried out consisted of three major tests; completing a ten-minute dictation, presenting a written summary in English of the passage that was being dictated to them and providing answers to general questions that would be asked by the examiner. The following types of tests that composed of various means of dictation were adopted by many teaching institutions across the globe, which had included Columbia, Princeton, Hamilton and Harvard. However, the college administration board had rejected such type of a test to be included as an entry test, as they believed that it would be too difficult to administer such a test due to difficulties which the institutions might face in grading the papers (Bashore, 1916). The following suggests that while many across the globe had accepted the use of dictation as a teaching tool developed for students who are interested in learning a foreign language, many were also against it due to their beliefs regarding grammar.

2.4 The Use of Dictation in China

According to Yang (2009), the dictation is method, which is used in developed as well as developing countries. The dictation method to teach the language is found in China, as it allows the students to familiarise themselves with the basic tools of language. The education system of China applies the dictation method for teaching the language to the students. There have been concerns regarding the negative aspect of the dictation method, but there are still many advocates of keeping the dictation method for teaching the language and basic concepts. According to the South China Morning Post (2014), the students in China can take benefits from the modified version of dictation. The modification in any old methodology is important according to the changing trends and the use of technology for the dictation methodology would be a great step towards making a positive impact through dictation. Instead of eliminating the methodology completely from the roots or criticise the usage, the Chinese education system has focused on modifying the method according to the needs of modern era. The Chinese also believe in having proficiency on international language and the use of dictation would not rust the creative abilities. According to Xiao & Carless (2013), the dictation method for teaching language should be used only for those that are willing to develop a career of international dealing. the people looking to conduct business domestically shouldn’t be exposed to this method of dictation and they should be focusing innovation and creativity. The hypothesis number 1 is developed for the study which is stated below

The dictation method is used in China to teach foreign languages to Chinese people.

Institutes in China still consider dictation a significant way of teaching the Chinese language to the foreigners as it forms the strong basis of the learners. The international college in China conducts dictation competition of the learners every year for the characters of the Chinese language. The purpose of this dictation competition is not only to teach the language, but the objective is to signify the importance of dictation for the learning process of any language, without dictation, the speed of the learning would be slow and the proficiency in the language would not be expected. According to the management of the Institute, this dictation helps learners to recognise the characters and improve their vocabulary. In the competition, the groups are made and different group and individual-based activities are conducted. In the second round of the competition, the players take the turns to write a sequence and be effective in writing. This competition is slightly different from the rational dictation methodology and the use of modified versions of the dictation in China is helping students to get a grip over different global languages (China University of mining and technology, 2017). The hypothesis number 2 is developed for the study which is mentioned below

The dictation is used in China to teach Chinese language to foreign people.

Other than these there is multiple university levels competition that are held among Chinese students for their proficiency in the English language. China firmly believes in international trade and the language should be the barrier. Providing proficiency to the language requires the use of dictation method extensively which the China has been using for its students for learning English language.

2.5 Attitudes towards Dictation in China

Experts in China believed that the dictation should not be abolished completely from the education system and the modified version needs to be adapted to overcome the negative impacts of the dictation. Experts of education in China firmly believe in the positive side of dictation for improving the vocabulary of the students. The efficiency is not to eliminate a process due to negative sides of it, but the responsibility lies in neutralising the negative impacts and taking the best from a particular method or process. The Chinese teachers do not focus on the traditional methods of dictation but the grouping of students in an effective method used in the language learning in Chinese system. The group of students are formed and the dictation should be done from one of the students to make a larger positive impact. Chinese consider dictation an important learning tool for teaching English to the Chinese students and the dictation is included at the national level to teach students. The National Foreign Language Teaching Advisory Board in China organises and supervises a Test of English Majors. The students passing the test are considered specialized and proficient in English language and given the certificates. There are six parts of the test comprising of 135 minutes and one of the six parts is the dictation of the English writing. The test would not be completed until the student fulfils the dictation steps and the percentage of the dictation in the whole grading is also significant. The addition of dictation is made as it tests different important skills of the student and the student with efficiency in dictation method means that the student has grip over the basics of language (Junqiang, 1996). It is also stated that, the listening capability of the applicant is judged by the dictation method as it also confirms the predictability quality of the student. A high proficiency means easiness to detect the words during the dictation method and if the student is unable to detect, this shows a lack of proficiency over the language. The hypothesis number 3 is developed. The Chinese students have a positive perception about dictation method for teaching foreign languages to Chinese students. According to Chunita &Yujuan (1998), the dictation is included in the test for English majors in 1988 keeping in view the importance of such learning style. This inclusion of the dictation in the National test for English Majors is the proof of importance for this technique in the teaching style of Chinese people. The test includes compound and spot dictation that differs from the complexity level. The dictation is also added in the listening comprehension so that the listening abilities of the students can be improved and the bad habit of guessing the words would be eliminated. The experts in the field of education applauded the inclusion of the dictation in the English Majors test, but the experts also provided the suggestion to keep it to the language learning (Weidie, 1996). The dictation can still be found in non-language learning, which has faced criticism and needs to be abolished according to different experts and teachers at different levels. The hypothesis number 4 is developed.

There is appositive relationship between language proficiency and dictation method among Chinese students.

2.6 Hypothesis

H1: The dictation method is used in China to teach foreign languages to Chinese people.

H2: The dictation is used in China to teach Chinese language to foreign people.

H3: The Chinese students have a positive perception about dictation method for teaching foreign languages to Chinese students.

H4: There is a positive relationship between language proficiency and dictation method among Chinese students.

Chapter Three: Methodology

3.0 Introduction

The current study is taking place to investigate the attitudes of teachers and students, who are trying to teach and learn another language as a second language with the help of dictation, as a learning tool. It requires a significant amount of research to study the attitudes and perceptions of the university students towards the learning tool, which is why thorough and accurate research methods need to be chosen, in order to avoid any errors from arising during the course of the study and to develop the most accurate findings in regard of the topic, which has been chosen. In order to accomplish utmost accuracy and reliability in the study, several articles and works of other scholars and researchers were observed to develop a research methodology, which can facilitate in the study, which is being carried out. Therefore, the current section of the study is going to put forward the research methodology that has been developed for the current study, which is also going to carve out the way for the following sections which will put forward the results of the research.

3.1 Research Methods

There are two major research methods that have been currently chosen to implement the study. The first one is secondary data collection approach, the following research method was carried out in the literature review section of the study, where works of previous researchers and scholars that was analysed and compiled to put forward the gap, which exists in the current research and to support the claims that are to be made in the current research project. Secondly, the primary research method was also utilised in the current study, which is the superior data collection method, as it facilitates in the process of filling out the gap that exists between the previous and the current research. The following research method consists of two major approaches that facilitate in the process of data collection;

Quantitative Data Collection

Qualitative Data Collection

The following two methods can be used alone, however, in the current study a mixture of the two data collection methods would be used to gain results that have increased chances of accuracy, reliability and validity. Therefore, the study is a mixture of both primary and secondary research methods that are further divided by the various approaches that are present in the two research methods, which have been developed. As the secondary research has already been carried out in the previous chapter of the study, the current section will mostly focus on the primary data collection method.

3.2 Methods with Justifications

The primary data collection method has been chosen for the current study due to the benefits that it holds, especially in the level of accuracy in the findings and results that it manages to produce. Primary means of data collection allows the researcher to produce results, which are in accordance to the research gap that has been identified and the time that the research is taking place. It has an increased amount of accuracy attributed due to the relevant research methods that it puts forward regarding the topic of the study. Additionally, several ways have been developed regarding the use of primary research that is carried out and which creates an increased amount of convenience for the researcher when the study is being carried out. Additionally, the mixed approach to research had been chosen for the current study to gather results that are both quantifiable and of high quality in nature. The qualitative data would allow for the data regarding personal beliefs, attitudes and opinions to be gathered, whereas the quantitative method to research would allow for data that is based on facts mostly. The following data that can be easily represented using graphs and other statistical tools. The current study will make use of interviews in the qualitative method to carry out the research, whereas the quantitative method is going to utilise the tool of survey questionnaires to gather research. The following tools are the most commonly used tools for both qualitative and quantitative research, as these tools allow for data to be extracted in any part of the world using the internet or telephone as a means of communication.

3.3 Sampling and Research Design

In order to gather and compile the primary data for the ongoing study, certain number of participants was required to develop a consensus regarding the study. The research project requires a total of 60 participants; however, 80 participants were gathered, in order to avoid any unwanted and unforeseen events from occurring. Hence, it made use of the stratified random sampling method to gather the participants for the study to progress. The participants were divided into a 50-50 ratio out of which 30 participants were males and 30 participants were females, in order to prevent any bias from occurring. The participants for the questionnaire are students in university, aged between 18-22 years old. The interview will be taken from both teachers and students who are currently teaching or studying in various universities in China. The participants for the interview would be chosen at random. 5 teachers and 5 students would be required to undergo the interview, for accurate results and findings to be generated. As the study is known to be targeting participants that are in the China, the interview and questionnaire was done remotely, using the internet to develop a communication bridge. The questionnaire is to be distributed and carried out on the internet, whereas, the interview will take place over WeChat, a social media platform that is commonly used in the Chinese region. The questionnaire that has been developed consists of 20 close-ended questions, which would take approximately 15-20 minutes to answer. The interview questions that are to be asked the participants consist of 21 questions that have been developed for the teachers who are currently teaching in various universities in China. 20 interview questions have been developed for the students, who are currently enrolled in Chinese universities. The interview would take around 30 to 40 minutes to be completed.

3.4 Data Analysis

In order to put forward the results of both the qualitative and quantitative research that has been carried out, and the data, which has been compiled needs to be analysed. In order to carry out the qualitative analysis the responses of the interview will be compiled and analysed to identify a common pattern and theme to be identified in the responses that have been provided by the students and the teachers. The following would allow the researcher to understand the attitude and the perceptions that teachers and students have towards dictation being used as a learning tool for improving the language efficiency and comprehension skills of the language learning students. In addition to the following, for the quantitative data, that has been gathered through the survey questionnaires, would undergo SPSS Analysis, which consists of regression tests, correlation tests, and descriptive tests and would allow for the results of the questionnaire to be represented in graphs to be analysed using statistical means. After the results have been accumulated using the quantitative data and analysed using the SPSS Analysis, they will be interpreted to understand the meaning of the results and to develop an understanding of how the results answer the research questions that have been collected.

3.5 Impact of Pilot Study

The pilot study was of great significance during the course of the study, as it allowed the researcher to gain an understanding of how the dissertation shall take place and provide proper directions for research that could not have been achieved otherwise. The pilot study, that had been carried out, had significantly impacted the findings of the current study, as it had highlighted the factors that will reduce the reliability and accuracy of the study such as; the research questions and the changes in the type and length of the interview questions. The following was taken care of by altering the research questions and the interview questions in relation to the suggestions, which were put forward by the respondents of the pilot study. During the course of the pilot study, there were certain flaws such as the length of the interview and the type of questions, which were highlighted in the interview that had taken place, and suggested that many of the questions that were included in the interview were repetitive and causing the students to respond with a biased approach. Additionally, too many open ended questions regarding the perception and attitudes of the students towards dictation had been included in the interview, which the students had felt was too time consuming for them and they just wanted to answer quickly to get it over with, which resulted in the final study having a variety of questions through carrying out research regarding the type of questions to be included in the questionnaire. Thus, as the pilot study had come to an end and the final study was being developed and it was understood that, the questions that are within the interview should greatly be removed and there should be a variety of questions to keep the participants from getting bored during the course of the interview, or feeling as thought that they do not have a choice but to answer the questions. In addition to the following, to improve the results of the study as compared to the results showed by the pilot study where it was believed that, an additional research method should be used to cater for an increased amount of need for accuracy. Hence, the inclusion of a questionnaire was done to greatly improve the reliability and accuracy of the study that was undertaken. While the pilot study had chosen the high school students to gather the results of the study, however, by the time the final study had commenced the summer break in schools had begun, nevertheless, the limitations and the recommendations, which had been put forward by the pilot study, had been kept under consideration and were easily applied onto the university students who were chosen to conclude the study. Hence, the pilot study had an overall positive impact on the final study that had to be carried out, as it facilitated in the development of the basis of the study and had reduced the time that would have otherwise been spent on correcting the errors that would arise in the study. However, most importantly the pilot study had facilitated in the process of carrying out research that has increased levels of accuracy.

3.6 Limitations

There are certain limitations that create doubts in the accuracy of the study that is being carried out. The participants that have been chosen for the study are limited to one region of the world only, and consist of a very small population; hence, they cannot be used to represent the opinion of the larger population across the globe. Additionally, the interview questions were too long, which is why the participants started to lose interest and give biased responses after a while, in order to get done with the interview sooner. Whereas, the teachers or the students may not have enough time to give the right responses to the large number of questions that were present. The questionnaire, which was developed, could have been made better if it included an additional variety of questions. However, the study provides an accurate direction for further research to be carried out in similar fields, as it has set the basis for further research to be carried out. A larger target population in the future may generate outputs and results that are accurate to an addition

Chapter Four: Results & Analysis

4.0 Chapter Overview

The aim of the current chapter is to analyse the findings and data, which has been gathered from the mixed approach to research. The analysis is going to be done in accordance with the findings of the literature review as well and would also facilitate in carving out the pathway for future research to take place. Moreover, the results and interpretations of the current chapter will facilitate in the discussion that is to take place in the following sections to conclude the study.

4.1 Quantitative analysis

4.1.1 Descriptive analysis:

In the above table, the researcher has compiled the descriptive analysis of the variables. Gender is a demographic variable and categorised as Male and Female. Mean of the gender is 1.50 and standard deviation which shows the variability between the variables is 0.504

In the above table, the descriptive analysis of the second variable that represents the age of the participants has been identified. Age is a demographic variable and categorized as 18-21 and others. Mean of the Age is 1.42 and standard deviation which shows the variability between the variables is 0.497.

Above table shows the descriptive analysis of all the Likert scale questions. Mean and standard deviations of the responses are calculated which shows the variability within the responses of the respondents.

4.1.2 Regression Analysis

Regression between Dictations has provided students the opportunity to develop speaking and Dictation usually involves pronunciation skill.

a. Predictors: (Constant), Dictation usually involves pronunciation skill.

a. Dependent Variable: Dictation has provided students the opportunity to develop speaking.

b. Predictors: (Constant), Dictation usually involves pronunciation skill.

In the above tables, regression analysis shows the significant relationship that is present between the development of speaking skills and pronunciation skills of the students who have used dictation as a tool for learning before, as suggested by the responses to the questionnaire regarding their perceptions. Value of R shows the degree of relationship which has a value of 0.277. As the calculated value is 0.032 which is less than the p value which is 0.05. This trend shows the significance and hence results in the null hypothesis being rejected.

The Regression Analysis shows that the texts are often read at a faster pace by the teacher which limits the understanding of specific textual meanings by the students, which is why dictation is not a helpful tool in learning English.

Regression between the texts is often read at a faster pace by the teacher, limiting the understanding of meanings by students and Dictation is a helpful tool in a combination of words and phrases in learning English.

a. Predictors: (Constant), Dictation is a helpful tool in a combination of words and phrases in learning English.

a. Dependent Variable: The text is often read at a faster pace by the teacher, limiting the understanding of meanings by students.

b. Predictors: (Constant), Dictation is a helpful tool in a combination of words and phrases in learning English.

In the above tables, regression analysis shows the insignificant relationship between the learning skills and English vocabulary enhancement. as the respondents of the questionnaire are of the belief that their English vocabulary has not improved through learning skills or dictation in specific. Value of R shows the degree of relationship which value is 0.214, as the calculated value is 0.101 which is greater than the p value which is 0.05. This trend shows the insignificance and results in the acceptance of the null hypothesis. The null hypothesis in the current table is that there is no relationship between the learning skills and the improvement in the English vocabulary.

The regression analysis puts forward that dictation is a helpful method in writing English in a native-like manner and dictation is a useful method in checking vocabulary.

a. Predictors: (Constant), Dictation is a useful method in checking vocabulary.

a. Dependent Variable: Dictation is a helpful method in writing English in a native-like manner.

b. Predictors: (Constant), Dictation is a useful method in checking vocabulary.

In the above tables, regression analysis shows the significant relationship between dictation and the help in writing and improving vocabulary that it provides to the students, as clarified by the results of the questionnaire. Value of R shows the degree of relationship which value is 0.357. As the calculated value is 0.005 which is less than the p value which is 0.05. This trend shows the significance, thus, rejecting the null hypothesis which suggests that there is a relationship between dictations and improving writing and vocabulary skills of the students, however the respondents proved this suggestion wrong stating that there exists no relationship between enhanced writing and vocabulary skills with dictation.

4.1.3 Correlation Analysis

Above tables shows the correlation between dictations has provided students the opportunity to develop speaking skills and that dictation guarantees attentive learning, it also trains students to differentiate between sounds. The calculated value of the correlation coefficient is 0.214 which is greater than the p value. So, the researcher rejects the null hypothesis and concludes that the results are insignificant. The following piece of information however is based on the perceptions of the students which were gathered from the questionnaire that they were made to fill out.

*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed).

Above tables which is based on the questionnaire regarding the perception of the students towards dictation as a tool of learning shows the correlation between dictation has provided students the opportunity to develop speaking skills as dictation usually involves giving students a chance to improve their pronunciation skills. The calculated value of the correlation coefficient is 0.277 which is greater than the p value. Hence, reject the null hypothesis and conclude that the results are insignificant.

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

Above tables shows the correlation between Dictations as a helpful tool in writing English in a native-like manner and dictation is a useful method in checking vocabulary. The calculated value of the correlation coefficient is 0.357 which is greater than the p value. Thus, reject the null hypothesis and conclude that the results are insignificant. The null hypothesis puts forward that there is a relationship between dictation and writing in native English like approach and dictation and enhancing the vocabulary.

4.2 An Analysis of the interview

The analysis of the interviews of the student shows that the 6 of the 9 students have used the dictation method for the learning of a language. Some have used on their own and some used it because of the methodology adopted by the teachers. The 7 of the students believed that dictation is a good source of learning other languages as it forms a strong basis. Based on the analysis of the interview data, the students, who are the respondents of the study, believe that, the dictation has a role in the improvement of learning the English language. According to the data collected in the interviews of students, Hu kiang, and other mobile based dictation applications are commonly used for the dictation of learning languages. Some of the students have called it a time-wasting activity while the majority consider it a crucial part of learning a language. One of the students said:

“Dictation has helped me learning and improving the English language.”

Another student spoke in favour of dictation and mentioned that:

“Well it works but it consumers time and passion.”

Another student said

“Dictation is a time-wasting method of learning.”

The students during the interview have also highlighted some of the advantages of using dictation method. These advantages generally include improvement in the listening skills, improving the capability of recognizing the words, help in memorizing the basic rules of language, and improve the learning of spelling and pronunciation. The teacher repeats the words in dictation and the student recognises the repeated words which allow students to memorise different words and develop a vocabulary. The majority of the student was highlighting the advantages and one of the students during the interview mentioned that:

“The dictation provides several advantages and one of the most significant is the improvement of spelling and pronunciation and it reflects quickly in our ability to speak the English language.”

Another student mentioned that:

“Dictation helps to memorize the basic rules and knowledge about a particular language.”

The interviews with the students have also mentioned some of the disadvantages of using the dictation method. The dictation method is not convenient, and it is time-taking activity. It is also boring as it does not include any innovation or creativity. One of the students during the interview stated that:

“Dictation is an activity which makes students bore quickly and it also consumes a lot of time.”

Another student mentioned that

“The primary schools in China focus on spelling and pronunciation of English words but do not focus on the Chinese meanings of the words that create a negative impact.”

Spelling games, pronunciation, and follow and read the paragraph are some of the alternatives of the dictation method highlighted by the students during the interviews The interviews of the qualitative approach are also conducted with the teachers to understand their attitude towards the dictation method for teaching a language. Out of three, two teachers do not use the dictation method at the university level while one of them considers it effective and use it. The other two believes that it is more helpful at the primary and middle school level. One of the teachers mentioned that

“Dictation is a method which is more useful at the primary and middle school level for teaching the language.”

The opinions of the teachers were not much different from the students when it comes to highlighting the advantages of using the dictation method. Teachers also believe in improving memory, spelling, grammar, and basic language skills through the use of dictation method. An interviewee from the teachers mentioned that:

“Yes, I think that of course, there are some advantages. It helps students to memorize the best elements of language like pronunciation and spelling. It also helps the teacher to measure the students learning of language in terms of students’ ability to recognise words and write them.”

On the negative sides of the dictation method, the teachers do not differ from students as they also mentioned it as a non-creative and boring activity. This consumes much of the time and does not provide any creative and innovative value for the students and teachers. A teacher during the interview said that,

“Dictation is not interesting at all probably for students; it is just a practice which is a way to test their spelling and their memory as well.”

Another teacher mentioned it as time-wasting for the intelligent students by saying:

“It is a kind of a waste of time for excellent students.”

Teachers have also agreed that the dictation helps the student to improve their overall language skills especially the listening skills along with recognition of different words. Teachers have also mentioned its significance importance for the early learners of the language as a teacher said that,

“I believe that it is effective for helping Chinese EFL learners, especially at the non-advanced learning stage.”

4.3 Summary of the Findings of the Interview

The dominant themes that have been discovered after carrying out the mixed approach to research are the fact that dictation is an advantageous learning method according to the perceptions of both students and teachers, while to a great extent it has a positive relationship with language learning abilities and enhancing listening and comprehending abilities. In addition to the following, the other themes that were present in the study that were derived from the responses of the majority of the participants suggest that the dictation as a tool of learning is especially vital and advantageous for students in China. In addition to the following, the theme suggests that dictation enhances the abilities of students to remember various things more easily.

Chapter Five: Discussion

5.1 Chapter Overview

The aim of the current chapter is to put forward a discussion, regarding how successful the researcher was at fulfilling the major aim and objectives of the paper. It will discuss how the primary research that was carried out has filled in the gap that was identified in the literature review of the paper, while also keeping under consideration the research questions that were put forward in the introductory chapter of the study and how well the research that has been carried out provides answers to the research questions of the paper.

5.2 Reviewing Research Questions and Aim

In order to gauge the success of the current study, it is vital to address the research questions that were put forward in the beginning of the study, and how they have been answered using the primary and secondary research approaches that were utilised in the current study. According to the findings of the secondary research, there are still many areas that are lagging behind, as the research question regarding the various types of dictation has been answered very briefly, which would make the contribution to the future studies very irrelevant, while the findings of the primary research have failed to put forward clearly the various types and techniques of dictation that are present today. Instead the primary and secondary research that has been carried out significantly provides one major type of dictation, which is being used across the globe in schools and universities, in which there is a teacher or professor that acts as a dictator and the study copies. While the secondary research supported the primary findings, as (Pappas, 2017) had defined a single method of dictation and had failed to identify the various types and kinds of dictation methods that are being used in the current day and age. The following was due to the fact that there was a very limited range of articles to sufficiently answer the research question that was put forward in the study. Therefore, it is evident from the findings of the current study that there exist multiple different types of dictation; however, more research is required indeed, to clearly answer the research question regarding the various types of dictations and their uses across the globe. While, the qualitative research also provided some details on the various types of dictation methods that are present today, it was not enough to clearly answer the research question that was put forward. Thus, the current study acts as a basis for future research to take place regarding the various types of dictation, as it provides other researchers and scholars the base work to carry out the research regarding a similar topic or field. Moving forward, the second research question was developed regarding the attitudes and perceptions of students and teachers towards the tool of dictation being used as a learning method to enhance comprehension skills and listening accuracy. The following research question was successfully tackled by the researcher, as both the primary and secondary research that was carried out provided results for the question to a great extent. However, according to the literature review the secondary research had identified a gap in research present regarding the attitudes of teachers towards using dictation as a learning method; the matter had comparatively less research and attention of the researchers and scholars who had carried out studies in the specific field. Therefore, it can be assumed that the gap identified in research, which was regarding the attitudes and perceptions that the teachers had towards the use of dictation as a learning tool was filled out by the primary research that had been carried out, which included the teachers being interviewed to put forward their thoughts, beliefs and opinions regarding the use of dictation. Therefore, the current research question had not only been answered through the primary research that was carried out but also, the gap in literature had been identified and filled out.

In addition to the following, the major aim of the study which was develop an understanding regarding the attitudes and perceptions of the Chinese University students towards dictation as a means of better comprehending and listening to various Languages has been successfully achieved, as the research that has been carried out has put forward the attitudes and perceptions of Chinese university students and teachers towards dictation being used a tool for learning, their perception and attitude remains positive, as majority of the students and teachers, who acted as participants for the study had put forward a positive response to dictation being used a tool to improve comprehension and listening abilities.

5.3 Filling out the Gap in Literature

As the previous research was being observed and analysed for the literature review to take place, many gaps in literature were identified, which had made the current study an interesting topic to take upon, as the study would be able to contribute to the future success of the academia. The gaps that were identified in the literature review, which were the areas that have not yet carried out in-depth research regarding a certain matter or area, or no research at all, are the attitudes and perceptions that the university students, who are Chinese students and foreign students in the region of China have towards dictation being used as a learning tool, along with how the teachers and professors, who are present in China feel towards the use of dictation being used as a tool for learning. In addition to the following, many of the previous journal articles and works of scholars had made little to no efforts to describe the dictation techniques that were being used in the region of China. Therefore, the primary research of qualitative and quantitative approach gathered the findings that facilitate in filling the gap in research and contributing to the academia along with whoever benefits from the current study, while also providing directions for future research. The findings of the primary data suggest that, overall the teachers and students have a positive approach to the method of dictation being used as a tool for learning and in the region of China it has facilitated in improving not only the comprehension and listening abilities of students, but has also facilitated in the process of developing cognitive skills that reflect upon the enhanced memorisation skills of the students. However, the gaps, which existed in literature, can be further removed by carrying out further research that is of greater accuracy and reliability.

5.4 Overall Discussion of Findings

The findings of the qualitative interviews are aligned with the literature mentioned in the study as Yang (2009) mentioned that, dictation is an effective tool for teaching the English language to the Chinese students. According to Liu (2013), dictation is effective for improving the basics and providing proficiency to the pre-learners of the language. Xia & Careless (2013) have also mentioned that, the positive aspect of dictation in China for helping students to improve the pronunciation, listening skills, and the spellings of the English language. According to Kazaoglu (2013), dictation is a method that needs to be used at primary and middle school level for the learning of different languages as it helps the students to memorize and understand the basic concepts of the language. The proficiency is achieved through the use of dictation method as it improves the spelling, listening, recognition of words, and basic rules of learning and using a language. Menken & Garcia (2010) focused on the negative aspects, as it is boring and does not help the students to develop innovative and creative abilities. This habit of getting dictated would hinder the abilities of the students at an early age and it would negatively impact the development of innovative and creative abilities in the students. Majority of the responses that were gathered via the qualitative approach to research have hence put forward that the method of dictation really facilitates students in developing the language skills, comprehension and listening skills. They believe that dictation can be used to improve other areas in the field of learning as well, and many students have been able to progress forward and prove their capabilities in the international arena by giving tests, which are based on the dictation method as well. The following claim was also supported by, (Stanfield, 1985), which suggests that, dictation has been used for testing the progress and performance of students since over a decade, and countries like Singapore and the United States both are using the method of dictation as an entry test to facilitate the foreign students that apply for a position in foreign universities according to (Lee, 2015). However, whether it was the previous research that was carried out by (Gattegno, 2010) or the research put forward by (Hanschin, 1912) using dictation as a tool or approach for learning has been severely criticised in many fields and by many various researchers and scholars across the globe due to the fact that students only tend to copy or imitate what is being dictated to them, instead of using their own mind to develop an understanding of the subject. There were certain participants who had taken part in the primary research of the current study and had suggested that the method of dictation is very unreliable, as many of the students don’t learn the grammar that is required to truly succeed in speaking a foreign language fluently. While they feel that they have not been able to improve their language learning abilities, they have just been able to prove to whoever is concerned that they are good at their spellings and have an efficient memory.

The following suggests that even though dictation does facilitate students in the process of improving comprehension and listening skills, it still has many flaws that, the teachers need to keep in consideration. For students at the university level it may be difficult to learn a foreign language easily using the method of dictation, as in the past according to (Lee, 2015) dictation was being used as there were no other means to excel in learning a foreign language due to the lack of books that were present to facilitate the students in learning a foreign language. However, as advancements are taking place across the globe, and the impact of globalization is settling in it is becoming rather easy to learn a new language with facilities increasing. Students at the university level now feel that dictation is not the only method that can facilitate them in learning a new language. Nevertheless, dictation does not only facilitate in learning a new language but also aids the students at different levels in improving their vocabulary as well. The results of the questionnaire had suggested that there exists a positive relationship between dictation and the improvement in the students’ vocabulary. The following contradicts the fact that dictation will eventually be overruled by other methods of learning foreign languages, as the method of dictation is not just being used to learn a variety of languages but is also facilitating the students in other subjects and areas, and are allowing them to overcome their weaknesses in their own language as well. The following results were also supported by the claims that were made in the literature review by (Hamouday, 2016) which had suggested that, the students in Algeria believe that, their grip on learning various concepts improves with the introduction of the method of dictation that allows them to learn various concepts that are even taught in their own host language. Due to this very purpose, it can be argued that the negative outlook that many people have of dictation is due to the fact that they are only considering a single aspect and function of dictation, rather than the many different areas of knowledge that dictation often aids students, or even career professionals who are aiming to learn a new language or concept. Although, the following concept was accepted by the qualitative approach to research and the secondary research that had been carried out, the quantitative research and analysis that had been carried out had suggested that, there is an insignificant relationship between the dictations, being used as a learning tool to facilitate the students in improving their vocabulary. Therefore, the following brings into doubt the quantitative results that were carried out for the study, as the results of the quantitative approach to research have contradicted the findings of the secondary approach to research and the qualitative approach to research that was undertaken. It is the following results that allow for the study to gain a place in the various fields that are making use of dictation, as it provides an insight into the perceptions and attitudes that students in the region of China have towards the dictation being used as a learning method, and can be used to facilitate the universities and schools in China to develop a learning program with the inclusion of dictation as a tool for teaching, however, by eliminating the flaws of dictation that have been pointed out in the current study, such as lack of development of grammar skills and the lack of interest that students who are relatively good at a language or subject have by making dictation an interesting learning tool for them. Moreover, research was not carried out in the past regarding the use of dictation as a learning tool in China and the attitudes and perceptions that students have towards it, henceforth making it a vital contribution to the academia. While previous studies have not considered the attitudes of students or teachers towards dictation as a tool for learning, hence making it a significant contribution to the academia, as it will facilitate scholars and researchers to carry out studies and research in similar fields.

Therefore, the findings of the study have significantly provided a sound understanding of the attitudes and perceptions that students and teachers have towards dictation as a tool for learning to a great extent by carrying out a mixed approach to research, both in terms of primary data and secondary data. The study is reliable and accurate to some extent, however, the findings of the literature review would not be considered very reliable as some of the articles that were used to put forward the findings in the literature review were considered to be quite old, making it difficult to gauge their validity and reliability, hence putting forward the need for further research regarding the topic under consideration.

Chapter Six: Conclusion &Recommendation

6.0 Chapter Overview

In the current chapter the major aim would be to put forward a summary of findings that will facilitate in drawing up the conclusion that had been under consideration, while also highlighting the limitations of the study that had kept the study from being fully accurate, valid and reliable. In addition to the following, along with putting forward the limitations of the study, there will also be a brief discussion on the steps that can be taken for further research to take place.

6.1 Conclusion and Implications

6.1.1 Implications

(1) One of the English teachers at Beijing Foreign Studies Universityhas mentioned in the interview that she has never used the method ofdictationin her language teaching in the university. She claimed that dictation is not a suitable method for college students at the university level because it tends to be more helpful for students who are at elementary or pre-intermediate levels. Hence, dictation may demoralise students who had already had good foundation in English while they enter the university. It has also enlightened the teacherson how they would utilize the appropriate dictation method according to the level of students in the future pedagogy. In view of the above, it is worth noting that the suitability of dictation at the university should be further explored. (2) I have found there are over 50 percent of the students have never used the dictation when they are at the university. The have only involuntarily used it when their teacher asked them to do it in class. At the same time, some students took it for granted that dictation has wasted a lot of their timeswhen studying English as depicted from the interview result (appendix 2). Hence, this kind of teaching method seems not to arouse students’ desires to conduct their self -learning and motivate the studentsin their course of studying. It indicates how different dictation methods would be applied in the future to stimulate students’ interests in learning English and how lessons will be conducted effectively through engaging activities such as appealing handout and peer feedback.

6.1.2 Conclusion

The extensive amount of research that was carried out regarding the development of a clear understanding regarding the use of dictation in the region of China and the attitude and perceptions that teachers and students have towards dictation as a tool for enhancing comprehension skill and listening competencies, has facilitated in drawing up the conclusion that dictation is a tool that is being widely used across the region of China, while the teachers and students tend to have a mixed attitude and perception towards its use and significance. The research that has been carried out suggests that the dictation method is widely being used in China to teach students the foreign language, while it is also being used to teach the foreign students who come to the country to learn Chinese to facilitate them in living a life of more convenience and ease. In addition to the following, it has put forward that there is mostly a positive response by students towards dictation being used as a tool for learning in the Chinese region and there is a positive relationship between language proficiency and dictation method among Chinese students. In addition to the following, there were a certain set of objectives that were identified and listed at the beginning of the study to gauge the accuracy of the study and guide the direction that the study would be taking. In order to review them, they are listed below;

Identify the various techniques and types of dictation.

Identify the attitude of students and teachers towards dictation.

Identify the gap in research.

Define dictation in an academic setting.

Although the study was successful in fulfilling all the above mentioned objectives, such as identifying the gap in research, defining dictation in an academic setting and identifying the attitude that students and teachers have towards dictation using both primary and secondary research to fulfil the objectives, the study could not efficiently put forward the various techniques and types of dictation that are required to fully conclude the study. Therefore, carving the limitations of the study to be discussed, which would lead to the directions, = further research and recommendations.

6.2 Limitations

As the study concludes, many areas within the study lack the reliability and the accuracy to deem the study as a fully accurate and complete one. The following brings to the conclusion the fact that the study still remains in its infancy stages due to the fact that the target population that had been chosen for the study was known to be very limited. It does not allow for generalisation to take place over the entire region or country of China. In addition to the following, some of the articles and research that was used in the literature review were considered to be very outdated, as the lack of time did not allow for an extensive amount of research to be done to find articles or books that provide with an increased amount of knowledge that was up to date as well. However, one of the major limitations would be the difference that has occurred in one set of the results in the quantitative data. In order to develop an accurate study, all results should be in accordance with each other, that are the results of the literature review, qualitative data and the quantitative data should conclude in a similar approach. In addition to the following, the study could not clearly identity the various types and techniques of dictation across the globe, which is considered to be another area that cannot allow the study to get out of its infancy stages, as it still requires a lot more work to be done and effort to be made.

6.3 Recommendations

The following section of the study puts forward the recommendations that can be used by scholars, students and researchers to carry out further research regarding the current topic or a different topic in a similar field. Firstly, the research that can be carried out in the future should target a larger population for the primary research, as the population that was chosen in the current study was not large enough to develop findings that can be generalized over a larger population. The participants of the study should be at least 150 to 200, in order to gather a range of facts and opinions regarding the topic under consideration. In addition to the following, the study should utilise data that has been gathered during the most recent times, as it will allow increasing the validity and reliability of the study to a great extent. Moreover, future research that is to be carried out should consider different regions across the globe, however, use the current study as their direction to research as it will allow them to compare the attitudes of students in China with the attitudes of students who belong to other countries and should also consider carrying out research regarding the various types and uses of dictation across the globe. Targeting a certain region or country would, however, be considered of more value to the academia and would also be more convenient research to be carried out to facilitate the researcher and the various fields and areas of interest that utilise dictation as a means of teaching or learning. Lastly, the research is to be carried out in the future can also put forward the reasoning behind why many students who outsmart a certain group of students in the class feel that, dictation is a boring tool for learning.

References

Bashore, N. (1916). How the French Boy Learns to Write. Rollo Walter Brown. The School Review, 24(4), pp.321-322.

Chuntian, C., & Yujuan, Z. (1998). A perspective on the college English teaching syllabus in China. TESL Canada Journal, 69-74.

Frey, H. and Kelly, L. (1971). 25 Centuries of Language Teaching. Hispania, 54(2), p.406.

Handschin, C. (1912). A Historical Sketch of the Gouin Series-System of Teaching Modern Languages and of Its Use in the United States. The School Review, 20(3), pp.170-175.

Junqiang, M. (1996). Some more thoughts on the National English Teaching Syllabus. Journal of the Foreign Language World, 62(2), 46-47.

Kavaliauskienė, G., &Darginavičienė, I. (2009). Dictation in the ESP classroom: A tool to improve language proficiency. ESP World, 8(2).

Kazazoğlu, S. (2013). Dictation as a language learning tool. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 70, 1338-1346.

Lee, S. (2015). French teaching-learning methods for creativity and character education. Foreign Languages Education. Foreign Languages Education, 22(4), pp.277-298.

Montalvan, R. G. (1990). Dictation updated: Guidelines for teacher-training workshops. English Language Programs Division, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, United States Information Agency.

Nightingale, A. (1897). The Committee on College Entrance Requirements: Report of the Chairman. The School Review, 5(6), pp.321-331.

Rahimi, M. (2008). Using dictation to improve language proficiency. Asian EFL Journal, 10(1), 33-47.

Weijia, W. (1996). On raising the oral competence of non-English majors in colleges. Journal of the Foreign Language World, 63(3),30-33.