The State of Learning Translation among English Majors of Al-Quds Open University: Obstacles and Solutions

  • Ayman Hassan Abu Elenein Assistant professor of Curriculum and English Instruction at Ministry of Education in Palestine and (part- time) Assistant professor at The Islamic University of Gaza, Palestine. ahae_23@hotmail.com
Keywords: Teaching English as Second language, learning obstacles, translation, questionnaire

Abstract

Abstract: This study aimed to identify the main obstacles encountering English majors at Al-Quds Open University in learning translation. To achieve the  aim  of  the  study, the researcher adopted analytical descriptive approach.  The  researcher  used and applied  two  instruments:  an interview and a  questionnaire. Through the interview, the researcher elicited the most important obstacles and difficulties in learning translation. In light of responses of English majors in the interview. The researcher designed the second tool which is the questionnaire. More obstacles and difficulties were deduced from 80 English students under three domains through the questionnaire. The sample of the study consisted of 80 junior and senior English majors forming (55%) of the population of the study. These subjects were randomly selected to participate in the study. Findings of the study showed that study: More than 58% of English students at Al-Quds Open university were in agreement that ''the targeted texts in the university syllabus are fragmented and decontextualized", ''Students aren’t accurately trained on steps of translating texts from instructors'', ''Instructors don’t create real situations and contexts for students to practise translation practically'', " Translation books neglects the necessary and suitable texts that motivate students to translate them " and " Translation books don’t explain the process of translation accurately '' were the major obstacles encountering English majors in learning translation at Al-Quds Open university. Moreover, the results demonstrated that there are no statistically significant differences at (α ≤ 0.05) between male and female students due to gender and academic level in the obstacles facing English Majors at QOU in learning translation in light of the questionnaire.

Finally, the study pointed out to many recommendations such as the necessity for lecturers to expand their students' reading of different texts and fields and also there is a need to use ICT in learning translation.

Keywords: learning obstacles – translation – questionnaire

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Author Biography

Ayman Hassan Abu Elenein, Assistant professor of Curriculum and English Instruction at Ministry of Education in Palestine and (part- time) Assistant professor at The Islamic University of Gaza, Palestine. ahae_23@hotmail.com

Assistant professor of Curriculum and English Instruction at Ministry of Education in Palestine and (part- time) Assistant professor at The Islamic University of Gaza, Palestine. ahae_23@hotmail.com  

أستاذ مساعد في المناهج وطرق تدريس اللغة الانجليزية (غير متفرغ) بالجامعة الاسلامية بغزة، وأستاذ مساعد في المناهج وطرق تدريس اللغة الانجليزية في وزارة التربية والتعليم – غزة –فلسطين، ahae_23@hotmail.com

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Published
2018-12-21
How to Cite
Abu Elenein, A. (2018). The State of Learning Translation among English Majors of Al-Quds Open University: Obstacles and Solutions. International Journal of Research in Educational Sciences., 2(1), 233 - 266. Retrieved from http://iafh.net/index.php/IJRES/article/view/82
Section
Articles