Results
In terms of the practices related to dialogue-based teaching methods, 93% of the respondents had good practices while 3.7% had poor practices. Most of the respondents claimed that they encouraged the students to speak out. Also, teachers facilitated and monitored suitable interaction, and contact amongst the students hence explaining the numbers presented. Therefore, the teachers perceive that they understand the dialogue-based learning process. Also some of the teacher’s dialogue-based learning depends on students’ participation. 95% of the respondents had a good advantage while 5% had poor benefits, meaning they related to dialogue-based learning mechanisms. This is because the teachers had a long teaching experience which assisted them. Another advantage is that the teachers are able to acquire knowledge from the student and vice versa. More the discussion gives the students a chance to open up and be creative and free to answer questions as they deem fit. Most of the respondents, 93.2% of them had encountered good challenges while implementing dialogue-based learning techniques. 6.8% had poor challenges. Therefore, the chances of improving the learning technique are higher. 6.8% of the teachers claimed that it is difficult to control students during interactions. The second challenge is that students find it hard to express themselves while speaking.
Discussion
Perceptions related to dialogue-based learning techniques
Most of the intermediate teachers supported the fact that dialogue-based learning practices require the student's participation to bring out an accepted understanding of the language being taught. Hence, the teachers' perceptions were based on past experiences because most of them were familiar with dialogue-based learning techniques. Familiarity enabled the teachers to rate the dialogue-based teaching method as they instilled information into the majority of their students (Sun et al., 2019). Whenever teachers used the method, they fully understood the concepts and reflected them in their speech and work. In simpler terms, 93.2% of the teachers who had good perceptions were experienced and familiar with the teaching method. As indicated from the outcome below, teachers were familiar with the dialogue-based learning method, which enabled them to create openings for student interaction through convenience, student engagement, class management, and discussion activities. In summary, perceptions were derived from a good grasp of dialogue-based learning methods and the outcome at the end of the teaching sessions.
Practices related to dialogue learning techniques
According to the result, 96.3% of the respondents had good practices, and only 3.7% had poor practices. Good patterns emerge from accepting that life experiences are part of the student. Life experiences dictate how a learner interacts with the learning material from time to time. Most of the things a person does are based on information, approaches, or skillsets gained while relating the course material to life experiences. On the other hand, poor practices crops from forcing the learners to think only in a particular manner. Poor practice occurs whenever a teacher does not have a straight talk with the students, causing a situation where there is no teacher flow. Therefore, good practice pertains to open thinking and supporting the student to use all material at their disposal to understand the content being taught.
Advantages related to dialogue-based learning techniques
95% of the participants had good benefits, and only 5% had an imperfect gift. Good services imply that students and teachers exchange valuable and helpful information amongst themselves- the teacher learned from the student, and the student learned from the teacher (Ruan et al., 2019). Secondly, the student familiarized themselves with actual and relevant language applications. Therefore, the student would have the freedom to exercise their expression how they deemed fit. On the other hand, poor advantage means that the teacher failed to gauge the content being taught.
Challenges related to learning to dialogue-based learning techniques
93.2% had a good challenge, while 6.8% recorded poor challenges. The majority of the teachers had a good challenge because they could meet the learning objectives and needs of the students without any obstacles. For instance, teachers got the correct feedback from the students. Also, it was an uphill task managing the students during interaction sessions (Arnott et al., 2008). Also, some students were left behind and could not take part in the interactions. On the other hand, the poor challenge was due to a static class whose students did not participate fully in the classroom tasks assigned to them.
Mean scores
For perceptions associated with dialogue-based learning practices, the result was 27.3+/_ 3.9. The mean score was negligible in either gender, implying that neither side had extreme perceptions on the subject matter. Therefore, 93.2% of the teacher were positive, and a paltry 6.8% had revealed a relatively poor perception of the issue under discussion. In terms of the practicality of the dialogue-based learning technique, the mean score was 38.1. In terms of percentage, 96.3% of the participants had a good experience while practicing dialogue-based methods, and 3.7% of teachers had encountered challenges that forced them to label the learning technique as unsuitable for learning. In terms of the advantages of dialogue-based learning mechanisms, teachers with an education degree had a higher score than the rest. Most of the answers came from experiences and interactions with the rest of the students. How students performed was an indication of how people responded to this question. Therefore, 95% of the teachers claimed that dialogue-based techniques were positive, and 5% claimed they had poor advantages. Positive outcomes were seen as progressive due to the time allocated and the resources set in studying languages.
According to the results obtained from the survey, the mean score was 27.9 +/- 3.7; hence none of the genders revealed any significant statistical variance. The challenges associated with the dialogue-based learning technique were linked to the interaction between the teacher and the student. The more the student knew about the teaching technique, the increased compliance with the dialogue-based learning mechanisms. If the teacher encouraged autonomy and innovation, a higher response could be gotten from the students. 93.2% of the teachers claimed that they encountered good challenges while using the dialogue-based learning technique. Only 6.8% had encountered a poor challenge while using the method.
The sociodemographic information shows that 113 women and 48men participated in the survey. One hundred three of the teachers were fell under the 31-40-year-old age gap. In terms of qualification, 75% of the teachers had a bachelor's degree in teaching, 18% had a master's, and 4.3% had a PhD. The qualifications of the teachers helped them to teach and pass on information through dialogue-based learning techniques. A teacher's qualification rarely affected the delivery of the subject matter. Generally, in each segment of the questionnaire, the good outweighed the poor, indicating the rising need to adopt dialogue-based learning techniques. The environmental condition that facilitates education in western Saudi Arabia shows that learning can occur as long as there is an understanding between the teacher and the students. The connection between student and teacher is enough to bring about the desired perspective that most people long for during class sessions. Hands-on experience or skills are not enough people need to have an understanding of the issues being discussed. The learning experience and teacher's perceptions play a role in the interpretation of the information being taught. The acceptance of dialogue-based learning methods as a teaching method is principally connected to basic language skills such as reading and writing material. The teacher has to obtain the required goal because dialogue-based learning depends on the relationship teachers have with the student during the learning sessions.
The teacher-student interaction. A teacher asks a divergent question to students to motive class interaction. According to the survey results, when asked about dialogue-based learning processes, 93% had a good perception, while 6.8% responded poorly. These results prove that most of the teachers had grasp dialogue learning processes.
Conclusion
The conclusive evidence derived from the research indicated that the effectiveness of dialogue-based education in classes develops intermediate school student's linguistic skills in west Saudi Arabia.
Several underlying factors influence an effective dialogue-based:
The research discussed the viewpoints, actions, disadvantages, and advantages of dialogue-based learning methods in classrooms to boost transitional schools' language in the western parts of Saudi Arabia. The participants were intermediate teachers teaching in the west of part of Saudi Arabia. One hundred sixty-one teachers participated in the survey, 70.2% of this number were women, and 29.8% were men. 75% of the participants had an undergraduate degree, 18% had a master's in teaching, and 10% had a Ph.D. Dialogue-based learning practices and perspectives had a 27.3+/-3.9 score which implies that the genders did not show any notable variance; hence 93.2% of the participants had a positive perception of dialogue-based teaching techniques.
One recommendation that can be used to improve the effectiveness of dialogue-based learning in classes is to encourage students to participate in hands-on education actively. A practical approach would assist the students in relating the concepts learned in the classroom with real-life situations. Furthermore, the practical exercises are meant to provide the student with more information than theoretical teaching. Teachers and students should be encouraged to interact with one another during class sessions to quickly pass data from the teacher to the student with ease. Dialogue-based techniques rely on a defined objective and learning outcomes. Therefore the learning materials have to be specific on the outcome expectations. The assignment given to students has to assist them in attaining the final objective.
In Saudi Arabia, various factors influence dialogue-based learning in classrooms. For instance, a teacher's grasp of dialogue-based learning method, the underlying reasons for picking this learning tactic, practical activities designed to go along with dialogue-based learning approach, and predicaments faced while attempting to apply this learning approach. Implementation of dialogue-based practices in EFL teaching spaces positively impacts students' education; hence, intensive research has to be conducted in the future.
Recommendations
Lately, as a student matures, he or she interacts with various schooling approachs. Dialogue-based strategies suppose that a student will nurture and advance the knowledge taught in the classroom in later years. However, in later years, decisions making remains a holistic and practical efforts exhibited through the community members. Therefore, dialogue-based approaches have to cater to not only understanding the language but speaking the language. Failure to express oneself limits decision making and future interaction with the language. Some of the suggestions put forward to improve the effectiveness of dialogue-based learning in classrooms among intermediates students in west Saudi Arabia are listed below:
- Teachers should direct dialogue-based mechanisms and actions while rectifying mistakes made during class sessions (Skaftun et al., 2018). For example, reading, planning, expressing and listening, inquiring, and reacting to the content matter should be considered in every session. The teacher should step in whenever the students make a mistake. Step-by-step guidance improves dialogue-based learning as it encourages the student to learn actively, interact and participate in the classwork.
- The integration of thoughts and perspectives from various students constructs an ideal learning environment to acquire more content and cement the existing facts (Skaftun et al., 2018). More so, integrating opinions extends views on the dialogue-based subject matter.
- Dialogue-based learning approaches should be used to teach language and develop personalities, philosophies, and attitudes (Skaftun et al., 2018).
Limitations of the study and future research
Time limit otherwise I will make student interviews a priority due to the holistic approach such a research requires. The sample size was not enough due to online teaching also time limit could not allow me to enlarge the sample size. I wish I could have comprised the teachers of the 3rd intermediate private school but because of locality and finances I could not do it.
The study focused on teachers' perspectives rather than factoring students' perceptions and thoughts on the learning approach. Therefore, the study was biased because it relied on teachers' viewpoints hence did not incorporate students' experiences. When researching an EFL country, a teacher's qualification is secondary because having a teaching degree or qualification does not translate into great teaching results. Teaching English can be done by anybody as long as that particular individual presents great results to parents (Skaftun et al., 2018). In the future teachers will be trained to use dialogue-based learning specifically for cognitive improvement and personal training. Therefore, I suggest to fill the gap in this research, researchers should evaluate learners’ comprehension before and after a class session. I recommend that the researcher in the field should dig deeper into the challenges side so that they can improve on the outcome and further sharpen the research papers for future generations and relevancy connected to the dialogue-based learning mechanisms. I also recommend that more time should be added to the research in order to allow the researchers to collect more evidence on the issues being discussed.
Pedagogical Implications
I propose that teachers should personalize dialogue-based learning approaches so that all the students can equally rip the benefits. There should be no standard way of applying dialogue-based learning approaches. The learning approach ought to be tailored according to the needs of the students. Globalization expanded the student’s scope from the school compound to a more interactive platforms. Therefore, it is important to comprehend dialogue-based learning methods through evaluation. Evaluation is not a simple element in the schooling and studying process (Skaftun et al., 2018). There should be an integration of expertise and awareness. Failing to understand dialogue-based approach might lead to failure of connecting with the students and initiating an active participation in the classroom. A teacher is supposed to assess dialogue-based learning approaches and keenly define the objective of the curriculum. Comprehending teaching using dialogue-based method is vital for systematic understanding.
Reference
Arnott, E., Hastings, P., & Allbritton, D. (2008). Research Methods Tutor: Evaluation of a dialogue-based tutoring system in the classroom. Behavior Research Methods, 40(3), 694-698.
Ruan, S., Jiang, L., Xu, J., Tham, B. J. K., Qiu, Z., Zhu, Y., ... & Landay, J. A. (2019, May). Quizbot: A dialogue-based adaptive learning system for factual knowledge. In Proceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 1-13).
Skaftun, A., Igland, M. A., Husebø, D., Nome, S., & Nygard, A. O. (2018). Glimpses of dialogue: transitional practices in digitalised classrooms. Learning, Media and Technology, 43(1), 42-55.
Sun, K., Yu, D., Chen, J., Yu, D., Choi, Y., & Cardie, C. (2019). Dream: A challenge data set and models for dialogue-based reading comprehension. Transactions of the Association for Computational Linguistics, 7, 217-231.
