bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Teaching and Learning Inquiry Framework
Authors: Molebash Philip Edward , Lee John K , Heinecke Walter F
Published: February 2019

This article describes the development of the Teaching and Learning Inquiry Framework (TLIF) and applications forits use. For decades teacher preparation and support has been dictated by a narrow mindset in which academicdisciplines have been taught in isolation. This landscape, however, is evolving to align with the view that the world israrely experienced in disciplinary silos. Interdisciplinary approaches to teaching and learning can enable students tomake more holistic connections to the world around them and be better prepared for college and career. With the recentpublication in the USA of four related standards-based reform documents across each of the core subject areas, teacherpreparation and professional development programs are evolving to offer teachers opportunities to examine theimplications of the new standards. To address these complexities, a guiding conceptual framework is needed thatfocuses in on how inquiry can serve as an entry point to frame the integration of content within and across disciplines.The TLIF was developed out of the hypothesis that teachers need to be prepared to teach in a more interdisciplinaryway using inquiry methods. There are six recursive stages to the TLIF: 1) stage and engage, 2) ask and pose, 3) planand monitor, 4) search and gather, 5) analyze and create, and 6) communicate and apply.
The Meaning of Maśśāʾ as a Prophetic Term in Isaiah
Authors: Floyd Michael H.
Published: February 2019

In contrast with conventional etymological explanations of maśśā’ as a prophetic term, Richard Weis has proposed that this word refers to a genre whose definitive characteristic is the reinterpretation of an already promulgated prophecy. This article counters recent criticisms of Weis’s position and, using a simplified methodology, reaffirms his basic insight with regard to the maśśā’ texts in Isaiah.
Understanding the Dynamics and Operations of Civil Society in the 21st Century: A Literature Review
Authors: Botchway Thomas Prehi
Published: February 2019

This article sets out to review the extant literature on civil society. Indeed the literature on civil society abounds with several views and perspectives, especially on the theoretical debates on the concept. However, in order to avoid the unnecessary entanglement of the unending theoretical debates that have characterized the subject, the article focuses on the activities and operations as well as the usefulness of civil society in the twenty first century. The article consequently tries to identify the literature that discusses the activities of civil society across the globe. It begins by giving a general background to the concept of civil society. This is then followed by discussions on civil society and how it relates to democracy and democratic consolidation and development in different parts of the world with particular emphasis on Africa. It then examines the activities of CSOs in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region (with emphasis on Malaysia). It further examines the changing nature of CSOs in the midst of global crisis by discussing how civil society has operated in challenging times amidst financial crisis, terrorism, etc. It concludes by suggesting some new ways of understanding civil society.
Reviewer Acknowledgements for Review of European Studies, Vol 11, No. 1
Authors: Dou Paige
Published: February 2019

Review of European Studies wishes to acknowledge the following individuals for their assistance with peer review of manuscripts for this issue. Their help and contributions in maintaining the quality of the journal are greatly appreciated.

Review of European Studies is recruiting reviewers for the journal. If you are interested in becoming a reviewer, we welcome you to join us. Please find the application form and details at http://recruitment.ccsenet.org and e-mail the completed application form to res@ccsenet.org.

Reviewers for Volume 11, Number 1

Alejandra Moreno Alvarez, Universidad de Oviedo, Spain

Arthur Becker-Weidman, Center For Family Development, USA

Carmen Ramos, University of Oviedo, Spain

Dave Williams, Dublin Institute of Technology, Ireland

Efstathios Stefos, University of the Aegean, Greece

Emilia Salvanou, Hellenic Open University, Greece

Gabriela Gruber, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Romania

George Touche, Texas A&M University, USA

Hyunsook Kang, Stephen F. Austin State University, United States

Ifigeneia Vamvakidou, University of Western Macedonia, Greece

Ioan-Gheorghe Rotaru, ‘Timotheus’ Brethren Theological Institute of Bucharest, Romania

Ioanna Efstathiou, University of the Aegean, Greece

Karen Ferreira-Meyers, University of Swaziland, Swaziland

Macleans Mzumara, Bindura University of Science Education, Zimbabwe

Maria-Eleni Syrmali, Panteion University, Greece

Meenal Tula, University of Hyderabad, India

Mehdi Ghasemi, University of Turku, Finland

Mirosław Kowalski, University of Zielona Góra, Poland

Nikos Christofis, Shaanxi Normal University, Greece

Rebecca Burwell, Westfield State University, USA

Rickey Ray, Northeast State Community College, USA

Ronald James Scott, Leading-Edge Research Institute, USA

Savanam Chandra Sekhar, St. Ann’s College of Engineering & Technology, Chirala, India

Serena Kelly, University of Canterbury, New Zealand

Smita M. Patil, School of Gender and Development Studies, India

Szabolcs Blazsek, Universidad Francisco Marroquin, Guatemala
The differential effects of good luck belief on cognitive performance in boys and girls
Authors: Kostovičová Lenka
Published: February 2019

There is evidence that inducing a luck-related superstition leads to better performance on a variety of motor dexterity and cognitive tasks. However, some replication efforts have failed to succeed. At the same time, our previous findings suggest that the effect of good luck belief on cognitive performance interacts with gender. The present research aimed at replicating the study with a sample of adolescents among whom the superstitious beliefs are particularly prevalent. The participants (N = 99) were allocated to either a control or experimental group, and were asked to solve eight problems focused on cognitive reflection, conjunction fallacy, denominator neglect, and probabilistic reasoning. The experimental manipulation negatively affected boys' performance. Yet, it facilitated performance in girls via increase in their self-efficacy, measured as subjective estimate of future success in the tasks. Thus, gender seems to moderate the effect of luck-related belief on solutions to cognitive problems, which are an important part of our day-to-day decisions. Given initial gender gap in the present tasks, the crucial question to be addressed in future research is possibility of gender being a proxy for prior competence. It would imply that good luck beliefs might help low scorers, for instance in becoming less anxious and more confident, but could be harmful for high scorers.
A hypothetical reconstruction of Hallucigenia
Authors: McCall Christian R
Published: February 2019

Hallucigenia is an odd genus of Early Cambrian lobopod whose history is fraught with changes. Presented in this article are four reconstructions showing the three known species of Hallucigenia in further detail; culminating research into single reconstructions. A wrinkled cuticula scattered with tiny papillae is suggested for all species; a pair of antennae suggested for H. sparsa and H. hongmeia; fine anterior appendages lined with hair-like setae suggested for all species as an adaptation for filter feeding. Inferences on diet and method of feeding can be made. Further anatomical connections are made between Hallucigenia and Onychophora.
Digital Tools for Digital Humanists: Information Design and Data Visualization
Authors: Mantegari Glauco
Published: February 2019

Presentation given at UiT Digital Humanities Conference 2017
An Investigation of Linguistic and Localised Features of Thai in English Writing on Facebook Closed Group
Authors: Karanjakwut Chalermsup
Published: February 2019

The research aimed at 1) To investigate students’ linguistic features of Englishes found in writing in the Facebook closed group’s posts and comments, and 2) To investigate types of characteristics of localised features of Thai in English writing found in students’ writing in the Facebook closed group’s posts and comments. The participants were the second-year English major students who enrolled the course entitled “Teaching English Writing skill 1” at Bansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat University in 2018. The data were collected from the students’ writing in the Facebook closed group’s posts and comments and analysed with the qualitative method. The finding showed that the posts were mainly about life-learning. For linguistic features, syntactic features were mostly found in parts of speech, punctuation, verb tenses, and capitalisation, and lexical features were mostly found in word choices and spelling. In the aspects of localised features of Thai in English writing, the characteristics of translation and transfer were found the most, and the rest were code-switching, code-mixing, shift, and reduplication.
Developing a Model for Translating Euphemism in the Qur’an: An Intratextual- and Contextual-based Approach
Authors: Olimat Sameer Naser
Published: February 2019

This paper aims to investigate the role of intratextuality and contextuality in the mechanisms of understanding euphemism in the Qur’an, which in some cases would provide evidence for the intended meaning or a way of interpreting and translating euphemisms. It hypothesises that the dependence only on dictionary, exegesis or single text may yield misunderstanding or misinterpretation of the euphemistic meaning. The paper develops a linguistic model for critical evaluation of the translation of Qur’anic euphemisms based on the textual level, which goes beyond word or sentence levels. Methodologically, certain euphemisms in different verses in the Qur’an which require intratextual or contextual references for their identification and interpretation are selected and then possible interpretations of their meanings are verified via checking semantic coherence with other Qur’anic verses. The size of the selected sample is representative to cover the most common taboos in any society; namely health, death, sex and sodomy. Six translations of these euphemistic expressions of the Qur’an are fully analysed. The paper gives evidence that translation decisions made by translators need to rely on information beyond traditional dictionaries or exegetic works and require the recognition of intratextual and contextual ties within the Qur’an. It also finds that most translators attempt to convey the intended meaning of euphemisms, while the euphemistic style is sacrificed. The study concludes that the translation of euphemism in the Qur’an should adhere to the syntactic patterns and lexical units of the source language (SL) structure, and make cultural and linguistic shifts in the target language (TL).
Development of Secondary School Students’ Generic Structure Execution in Personal Experience Recount Writing Texts through SFL Genre-based Approach
Authors: Mingsakoon Pajonsak , Srinon Udomkrit
Published: February 2019

This paper is a partial fulfillment of the dissertation undertaken with the case study of teaching writing recounts for the EFL Thai upper secondary school students with SFL genre-based approach at Hunkhapittayakom Secondary School, Hunkha District, Chainat Province, Thailand, the second semester of the academic year 2015. This study focused on the analysis of students’ generic structure development of recount writing texts through SFL perspective. Teaching of personal experience recount genre using the teaching-learning cycle of the SFL genre-based approach was employed to 26 Mattayom Suksa five students. The analysis of the students’ pretest writing texts showed that they could not control the structures of their texts in that these writing texts were non-conformed to the stages of recount writing, and the themes were sidetracked from the topic. However, when these students were exposed writing with the SFL genre-based approach, the analysis demonstrated that their personal experience recounts were positively developed with a higher degree of generic structure construction in terms of conformity when compared to the modeling texts of the literature review and the pretest texts at the commencement of the course. It was observable that all students could expand communicative details and dialogic expansion in their final personal experience recount texts from such the orientation stage, the series of the events and the re-orientation stage with some CODA, argumentative elaboration. This is argued that SFL genre-based approach helps promote the students’ understanding and writing ability about the meaning, purpose and organization of the personal experience recount texts insofar that they could independently execute the similar texts themselves in a more degree. The study suggested that the SFL genre-based approach should be promoted continuously to develop writing skill of secondary school students in all levels of education related or in other similar contexts.
Simplification Strategies in the Production of English Word-final Obstruent Clusters by Iraqi EFL College Students from A Markedness Theory Perspective
Authors: Ahmed al-Charrakh Zainab S. , Kareem al-Utbi Mahdi I.
Published: February 2019

This study investigates the phonotactics of English obstruent clusters in the word-final position from a markedness theory perspective among Iraqi EFL College Students whose native language, Arabic, prefers only two-member word-final obstruent cluster as a maximum. The markedness of clusters is measured depending on Iraqi EFL College Students’ utilization of the simplification strategies. This study tries to answer whether or not word-final obstruent clusters are marked or unmarked for Iraqi EFL College Students, and whether or not the markedness of the obstruent cluster increases as to its length. In order to answer these questions, a test has been distributed among 60 Iraqi EFL Fourth-Year College students, Department of English, College of Arts-University of Baghdad for the academic year 2017-2018 involving a list of words and sentences containing word-final obstruent clusters. The study concludes that word-final obstruent clusters are marked due to the fact that the obstruents are universally marked in the coda. The four-member obstruent clusters are more marked than the three-member obstruent clusters which are in turn more marked than the two-member obstruent clusters.
Development of Police Terminology in Albanian Language in Kosovo and Albania
Authors: Haziri Shemsi , Munishi Shkumbin
Published: February 2019

In this paper chronologically are presented several periods of development of police terminology in Kosovo and Albania. Below are some of the topics which will be elaborated:- Development of police terminology in Albania;- Development of police terminology in Kosovo;- Word formation of police terminology in Albanian language;- Influence of foreign languages (Serbo-Croatian, Italian and English).Police terminology in Albania differs based on time period and historic developments, two World Wars from 1913 until 1945, with main influence from Italian language police terminology. Influence by Russian language is present during the communist time in Albania from 1945 until 1990 when the Italian influence returns again and it also starts influence by English language with the establishment of democratic pluralist system. In Kosovo, as a result of historic developments, development of police terminology was mainly influenced by Yugoslav system of government, Serbo-Croatian language, which was the dominant language in use in comparison to other languages in ex-Yugoslavia: Slovenian, Macedonian, Albanian and Hungarian. Whereas, after declaration of Kosovo independence in 2008 the dominant influential language in police terminology in Albanian language has been English after 10 years (1999-2008) during which Kosovo Police was led by United Nations Mission (UNMIK) and the police force in Kosovo was called UNMIK Police.
Reshaping Indigenous Identity of Palestinian People/Place
Authors: Al Areqi Rashad Mohammed Moqbel
Published: February 2019

Palestinian narrative comes to reflect the reality of a nation under dislocation, Diaspora, and reshaping the indigenous identity. The Palestinian narratives always attempt to show part of the Palestinian suffering and struggling under the Israeli occupation. This study traces the life of a family, it is Abulheja’s during three generations as presented by Susan Abulhawa’s “While the World Sleeps” as the title of Arabic version, and it has other versions in English entitled ‘Mornings in Jenin’ or ‘Scar of David’, (2006). The study addresses the postcolonial concepts of dislocation, Diaspora, exile and reshaping the Palestinian identity of people/place in Susan Abulhawa’s “Mornings in Jenin”, it is a story of a Palestinian family living in the refugees’ camp of Jenin from 1948 to the beginning of the third millennium, 2002. It does not only represent the life of Abulheja’s family, it is a story of a nation, living in the refugees’ camp: Jenin refugees’, being strangers, even in their home. Many members of the family are killed, and many members of Palestinians’ identity are reshaped to avoid killing while a large group of Palestinians leave their country to America to fulfill the American dream of hope and happiness, and freedom and fairness as expected. However, their Journey to America and Europe may not help them to forget their traumatic past or start a new life away of nostalgic/collective memory and homeliness. The result showed the suffering and struggling of the Palestinian families, lacking the urgent needs of daily life. The study found the Jewish state worked on reshaping the cultural, religious, national, political and indigenous identity of the Palestinian people/place to fulfill their expansionist project of politico-historical domination, giving no serious considerations to the particularities of the indigenous people. The narrative showed that the indigenous identity of Palestinians had been reshaped and a lot of them left their home to places safer to live as strangers, away of their home.
The Use of Project-based Learning Focusing on Drama to Promote Speaking Skills of EFL Learners
Authors: Sirisrimangkorn Lawarn
Published: February 2019

This study focuses on the use of project-based learning focusing on drama to promote the speaking skills of EFL learners. It also aims to investigate how the use of project-based learning focusing on drama is beneficial to learners’ speaking skills. The participants of this study were EFL learners majoring in English who were enrolled in Learning English through Drama course. The data of the current study was collected quantitatively and qualitatively. Both quantitative and qualitative data analysis revealed that learners’ speaking skills were improved as a result of the use of project-based learning focusing on drama. Moreover, the principles of project-based learning and drama are advantageous for learners’ language learning and speaking skills. Hence, the use of project-based learning focusing on drama is recommended for promoting speaking skills and affective factors. The present study also highlights the advantages of using project-based learning focusing on drama as an effective teaching method as it provides learners with opportunities to speak English and is seen as an enjoyable way for learners to learn a foreign language. Finally, the study recommends the use of project-based learning focusing on drama in the language classroom as it provides learners with opportunities to speak a foreign language in a communicative context.
A Deconstructive Reading of Dickinson’s Poetic Texts
Authors: Al-Muttalibi Aziz Yousif
Published: February 2019

Deconstruction, as a critical theory, maintains that language is a system of signs and, more precisely, a system of oppositions, differences and contradictions. Accordingly, the theory is operative in the sense that meanings are ultimately, unstable, and that a text, any text, contradicts, dismantles and even destroys itself. Hence, literary texts do not work as they appear to be working. They, in fact, ‘subvert’ and/or ‘betray’ themselves. Literary men cannot, therefore, control their works because any work, according to Derrida, the exponent of this theory, tries to defer or suppress its meaning which is ultimately shown as being unstable. Poetry is a unique act and Dickinson’s poetry reveals its gaps, inherent oppositions, and subversions. It is in the light of the theory of deconstruction that this paper tries to show that Dickinson’s poems ‘I’m wife’, ‘This is my Letter to the World’ and ‘Hope is the Thing with Feathers’ unmask their contradictions and enact the instability and indeterminacy of their meanings. Eventually, the newly established meanings of these pieces can hardly be sure of themselves and/or of being decidable.
Pragma-linguistic Difficulties in the Recognition of Phrasal Verbs by Iraqi EFL University Learners
Authors: Amret Mohanad A. , Yousif Sinan A.
Published: February 2019

The purpose of this paper is to recognize the level of pragma-linguistic difficulties Iraqi EFL university learners face when handling phrasal verbs. Despite the fact that phrasal verbs are easy to understand by native speakers of English, non-native speakers usually encounter some difficulties in understanding the meaning of a phrasal verb depending on the meaning of the root verb, or different phrasal verbs of the same root. The problem might be attributed to pragma-linguistic knowledge. However, culture gap could be the reason behind such difficulties. The aim of the study is (1) to evaluate the pragma-linguistic level of interpreting phrasal verbs as understood and used by Iraqi EFL university learners, (2) to check the level of difficulty they experience while recognizing phrasal verbs, and (3) to find out reasons behind such misinterpretations. It is hypothesized that (1) the pragma-linguistic interpretation of phrasal verbs tends to play an important role in understanding the message conveyed by the speaker; (2) cultural gap could be the reason that EFL learners recognize phrasal verbs incorrectly, and (3) mother tongue language might make it difficult for EFL learners to understand phrasal verbs. To verify the aforementioned hypothesis, a test has been constructed and administered to a sample of 100 fourth-year Iraqi EFL university learners, morning classes at the department of English Language and Literature, College of Arts, in Mustansiriyah University, during the academic year 2017 – 2018. The responses of the students have been collected and linguistically analyzed according to a model given by Richards and Schmidt (2010). It has been found that Iraqi students’ lack of cultural norms of the target language makes it difficult for them to understand phrasal verbs. The lack of this knowledge is considered as a factor of confusion and then failure. The influence of the first language culture on the recognition of phrasal verbs may be seen as a negative first language transfer. The reason behind this negative transfer is that the norms and principles of first language are different from the norms and principles of the target language. It has been concluded that Iraqi EFL university learners have difficulties in pragma-linguistic knowledge as far as phrasal verbs are concerned. Iraqi EFL university learners face great difficulties in using phrasal verbs while communicating with other people. While using phrasal verbs, Iraqi EFL university learners have been highly influenced by their mother tongue language.
Hyper-Elitism in Writing Literary Criticisms: Theories and References
Authors: Rahman Syed Mahmudur
Published: February 2019

Current day literary criticisms written in world englishes often seem to be a little hard to comprehend for readers because of critics’ tendency to use too much decorative language with too many theoretical views, jargons, and references of different sorts just to stick to an assumed standard of scholarly writing. This paper, based on a generalized study though, considers that assumed standard hyper elitist, which is affecting the easy entrance of a considerable portion of literary audience into the literary realm where the popularity in the form of reader-friendliness and comprehensibility of literary criticisms are compromised, and thoughts of some creditable thinkers remain unnoticed only because those promising thoughts apparently fail to be expressed in that supposed standard of language. Keeping the purpose of literary criticisms in mind, this paper places forth a seemingly valid question whether this sophisticated way of expressing is really mandatory or not, as the word ‘standard’ itself is subjected to be modified when needed, and the postmodern approach to the literary regime really tends to unsettle the frame of any standardization and deny the distinctions between ‘high’ and ‘low’. Thus, speculated implications of the paper included that the accessibility of greater number of audience into the arena of literary criticisms might be more liberally considered by established but elitist critics, while the stress of synthesized elitism in writing criticisms might also be mitigated for neophytes among critics.
Validation of ‘Self-perception of ESL Learners’ Listening Comprehension Problems and Metacognitive Listening Strategy Use’ Questionnaire
Authors: Sadatmir Seyedehsima , Nimehchisalem Vahid , Abdullah Ain Nazdimah
Published: February 2019

According to the literature, listening comprehension problems mostly relate to the shortage of learners’ metacognition in listening. Through reviewing the developed instruments on listening comprehension problems and metacognitive listening strategy use, some shortcomings can be detected in available instruments. This paper adapts the previous instruments and seeks to explore their shortcomings by adding supplementary sections and items to them. It also aims to validate the new instrument. The adapted questionnaires are Listening Comprehension Problems Questionnaire (LCPQ) and Metacognitive Listening Strategy Questionnaire (MLSQ). The adapted instrument is validated by a panel of experts (n= 3) and a Field- Test (n= 28). The changes are presented in this paper. Results show 9 items of LCPQ and 6 items of MLSQ have been revised by the experts. The modified questionnaires were tested for their internal reliability and the Cronbach’s alpha values were greater than 0.7. According to the Field- Test’s results, 2 items are added to LCPQ and 1 item is added to MLSQ. Moreover, 1 item of LCPQ and 1 item of MLSQ are changed by applying participant’s comments. The developed instrument named ‘Self- perception of LCP (Listening Comprehension Problems) and MLSU (Metacognitive Listening Strategy Use)’ is predicted to be effective for researchers who are concerned with the same area in different contexts. The new instrument will help researchers to identify the perceived metacognitive listening strategy use and listening comprehension problems among ESL/EFL learners with different listening comprehension abilities. Future surveys would validate the effectiveness of the current instrument.
Is it Possible to Enhance the Creative Thinking Skills of EFL Learners through Training?
Authors: Gursoy Esim , Bağ Hatice Kübra
Published: February 2019

In the light of continuous change of global perspectives, current educational contexts have been evolving to cover the necessary 21st century skills that the individuals must acquire. Two of the 4Cs (creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and communication) of the 21st century educational trends; creativity and creative thinking are the key characteristics of the learners. Considering as one of the requirements of the global communication, knowing and learning a foreign language should keep up with the current improvements in the field of education. Language learners should think critically and creatively in order to communicate with people to enhance the global collaboration. The purpose of this study is to enhance students’ creative thinking skills through appropriate training and to understand the effectiveness of the stimuli type –visual or audio. A pre-experimental research design was chosen for the implementation of the training program. Two different groups –visual and audio – were given either visual or audio stimuli at the beginning of creative thinking tasks. 12 participants were chosen via convenience sampling for each group and the ages of the learners are between 12-13. The training continued for 6 weeks and the participants took 3 hours of training were week. Each training session covered creative thinking tasks which were adapted or designed for the development of creative thinking skills –fluency, flexibility, originality and elaboration. A task-based pretest was implemented before the treatment and the students’ creative thinking skills were measured through figural, written and oral tests and the post-test was implemented to check the effectiveness of the training program. The results were scored by two different raters and the scores were analyzed through SPSS program. The results indicate that the creative thinking capacity of both groups has improved however the visual group students have higher creative thinking after the completion of the training program. This study suggests that although regarded as a higher level of reasoning, creative thinking can be enhanced to some extent among the secondary school learners of English and it should be a part of EFL curriculum as an essential learning skill.
The Scope of the Focus Particle ʾInnamā in the Qurʾān
Authors: Borrmann Kai , Dror Yehudit
Published: February 2019

According to traditional Arabic grammar, the particle ʾinnamā has two functions: it serves as an emphatic particle (ḥarfu taʾkīd) or as a particle of restriction (ḥarfu ḥaṣr) denoting “only.” Our research focuses on the restrictive function of ʾinnamā, particularly its scope. Scholars typically explain that ʾinnamā is restricted to clause-initial position, while it always effects the last component in that clause. Our examination raised several findings regarding this particle: First, sentences introduced by ʾinnamā are often categorical statements discussing what it takes to be a believer, an unbeliever; of being God, the Devil or the Prophet. It is therefore comparatively easy to interpret and paraphrase them as conditionals or “if... then” statements. Also, these universal affirmative or negative propositions lend themselves as premises for further deductions that might be drawn from them. Second, the scope of ʾinnamā is versatile ‒ it can be a noun phrase, a prepositional phrase or a verbal phrase followed by its direct object, a relative clause or a complete sentence. These distinctions are not always clear-cut; in some cases there is a choice between two possible domains or scopes, depending on the structure of the ʾinnamā clause. In most cases, however, the verses allow one interpretation only, which is reducible to a genuine symbolic form of modern logic notation.
The Effects of Problem Solving, Project-Based Learning, Linguistic Intelligence and Critical Thinking on the Students’ Report Writing
Authors: Yusri -
Published: February 2019

The aim of this research is to know the effects of problem solving, project based learning, linguistic intelligence and critical thinking on the students’ report writing. Linguistic intelligence, critical thinking and report writing tests are used to collect the data. Two-factor ANOVA at 0.05 significance level are applied statistically. The findings of this research showed that (1) The students’ report writing skill taught through problem solving was higher than those who were taught through project based learning. (2) There were interactions among problem solving, project based learning, linguistic intelligence and critical thinking on the students’ report writing. (3) The students’ report writing who were taught through problem solving and having high linguistic intelligence and high critical thinking is higher than those who were taught through project based learning and having high linguistic intelligence and high critical thinking (4) The students’ report writing skill who were taught through problem solving and having low linguistic intelligence and low critical thinking is lower than those who were taught through project based learning and having low linguistic intelligence and low critical thinking.
The Application of Bakhtin’s “Heteroglossia” to Tennessee Williams’s A Streetcar Named Desire
Authors: Al-Khalili Raja Khaleel
Published: February 2019

Tennessee William in A Streetcar Named Desire shows the struggles of middle class Americans as they undergo socio-ideological contradictions. The research applies Bakhtin’s theory that is defined in his book The Dialogic Imagination and specifically applies heteroglossia on A Streetcar Named Desire. Edward Said’s concept of “orientalism” is useful because Said’s concept explains the link between the problems of American society and its heterogeneous structure. Theplay explores the effects of diversity on American society. The characters in the play perceive their lives as a reflection of their linguistically diverse surrounding which is closely tied to the American experience. The play also shows how diversity is seen as a negative presence in America. The research shows how the play is heteroglot by examining the characters’ stories. The play’s narratives reflect the two faces of how the middle class white Americans see the diversity of American culture. The research recommends that the analysis of plays based on the concept of “heteroglossia” could yield more insight into the other plays by Williams.
Exploring Research Methods in Language Learning-teaching Studies
Authors: Nimehchisalem Vahid
Published: February 2019

Research methods offer authentic ways to elicit useful data based on which informed decisions can be made. With respect to their design and data collection or analysis, research methods are traditionally divided into qualitative and quantitative types, each with its strengths and weaknesses. In response to new theories and technological developments, new methods have evolved as extensions of qualitative or quantitative methods or as combinations of the two with promising features. This article presents an overview of the common methods used in language learning-teaching research.
Language Learning Approaches: Unity in Diversity
Authors: Koondhar Mansoor , M.A Elizabeth , Siming Insaf A. , Umrani Tariq H.
Published: February 2019

This is a conceptual paper based on the existing literature related to three famous language learning theories; Audio-lingual Method, Communicative method and the hypotheses of Stephen D. Krashen. These three schools of thought are not usually seen as similar or it is not common to find much literature regarding these theories having any common traits. The individual criticism on each of these theories focuses on many of their individual aspects but not on similarities among these three. The researchers however, after studying these theories closely, have been able to extract some striking similarities in spite of all the commonly known differences. The aim of this paper is to invite more focus and more research on similarities shared by these apparently independent schools of thought and consequently exploit the maximum fruits of these powerful theories. The findings suggest that the multiple similarities among the three schools of thought under study can jointly be named as one very vividly common trait: stress on the communicative skills involving listening and speaking to be the key towards successful language learning.
A Visual Grammar Analysis of Lesaffre’s Website
Authors: Ping Kuang
Published: February 2019

The traditional discourse analysis focuses on the language analysis, but ignores the effect of non-language sources to the textual construction. At present, however, with the development of technology, pure discourses gradually decrease. There are other elements existing in the discourse more or less. The discourse analysis blending various communication semiotics is called multimodal discourse analysis. Kress and van Leeuwen (2001:2) hold that multimodality is one of the features of modern society. Multimodal Discourse Analysis is paid much attention in recent discourse analysis. The Visual Grammar founded by Kress and van Leeuwen can help to analyze the multimodal discourse. This text, based on the Visual Grammar to analyze the Lesaffre’s website, will find the charming of the combination of language and pictures, and finally give some points in designing our own websites. Through the study of Lesaffre’s website, when building the website of the company, first the arrangement of information should be paid much attention to. Except some essential conventional information, such as the introduction of the company, other new information, such as the latest news of the company, should be put in obvious place. Then website gives people intuitionistic feeling, so the collocation of the company’s information in the website should be reasonable.
In Search for New Translational Norms: Textual Additions in Parentheses as Devices of Textuality
Authors: Hawamdeh Mohammad Amin
Published: February 2019

This study aims at exploring new norms as to the textual additions in parentheses (=TAiPs) in the translation of a Quranic text as writer-oriented devices of textuality. Coding for this sort of information could be useful in establishing an impact on any decision-making process on the TL version; such TAiPs can give a translated text of the Quran unity and purpose and distinguish it from a disconnected sequence of sentences. Six small-sized chapters of the Quran were selected as a research sample including a number of four handred forty two (442) TAiPs. Two writer-oriented kinds of textuality were found: cohesivity at the levels of grammar and lexis to be in form of recurrence, reference, substitution, ellipsis and conjunction; and relationality by coherence and intentionality to be in form of reiteration, collocation, connotation, evocation and interpretation. The study is a detailed analysis of such a severely criticized yet officially approved English interpretation of the Quran as the Hilali and Khan Translation (=HKT) against a predetermined set of text-linguistic norms. The strength or weakness of TAiPs as to how they might alleviate or aggravate the TL version is eventually identified for sake of improvement.
Hanif Kureishi’s “My Son the Fanatic” and the Illusion of ‘Pure’ Identity
Authors: Alshammari Shahd
Published: February 2019

This paper takes on a critical literary approach to Hanif Kureishi’s short story “My Son the Fanatic.” Through close analysis, the text reveals the intricate concept of hybridity and identity in a neocolonial setting. Identities are shaped and founded on a false notion of “purity.” The text presents the tensions facing immigrants and their attempt to formulate and maintain an identity that falls between complete assimilation and the rejection of one’s own culture. To find and maintain that balance is the complex burden of hybridity. The characters must find a sense of belonging, and it is increasingly difficult to do so in a society infested with racial ideologies. The findings of this paper reflect how problems arise when the West is placed above the East, and this ideology is indoctrinated and internalized by the postcolonial self.
The Entanglements of Cultural Victimization and Cultural Healing within the Dominant White Apparatus: Tayo in Leslie Silko’s Ceremony and Bigger in Richard Wright’s Native Son
Authors: Al-Shraah Sameer M.
Published: February 2019

The dominant white culture in the United States of America has always assumed the role of supremacy that victimizes other ethnicities and minorities and looked upon them as inferiors and unworthy of the privileges white people enjoy. Although the maltreatment of the Other-the non-white- differs from one ethnicity or minority to the other, it has always had sheer negative impacts on individuals as well as communities. This paper aims to show the victimization of African Americans as a community in America represented by the atrocity of Bigger and the victimization of Native Americans represented by trauma of Tayo. This paper will tackle the issue of victimization of the two communities-African American and native American-in general through the tough life journeys of the two protagonists of Richard Wright’s Native Son and Leslie Silko’s Ceremony and will try to show two different faces of maltreatment by the mainstream culture, but eventually same negative effects on both communities, African Americans and Native Americans. Thus, many Native Americans are subject to the mainstream culture instrumental policies that convince underprivileged ethnicities that they are integral part of the texture of the American society in time of national need. The irony is that such attitude is only meant to recruit non-whites to fight for the interest of the white supremacist apparatus. Silko eloquently displays patriotism and loyalty as the citizen who is eager and willing to fight and die for his people and country, and in that sense many Native Americans enlisted in the military so as to assert their masculinity. This, in fact, shows the negative effects of the pressure of white supremacist ideologies practiced against non-whites that they choose to act against their desires and choices in the hope that they will be accepted within the American social fabric. Finally, this paper explores some of the solutions available for the victimization and the atrocities of ethnic Americans, such as the communal support and the reconnection to one’s heritage and cultural roots to heal the damaged self-image and psyches of ethnic Americans.
Investigating the Evaluative Language in Philippine and Chinese News Reports on the South China Sea Disputes
Authors: Ballesteros-Lintao Rachelle
Published: February 2019

This study examined a cross-cultural perspective on how the top popular press in the Philippines and China portray an evaluative stance as regards the current South China Sea tensions. It set out to reveal the news writers’ positions through examining Martin and White’s (2005) appraisal framework particularly the attitude category. The analysis of the media reports from the two countries culled from a three-year period (January 2013-December 2016) focused on how the news writers construed their attitudinal judgment and positions. Findings reveal that the high occurrences of appreciation resources in both corpora provide subtle or indirect expressions of behavioral judgment in the course of journalistic writing where conventions relating to objectivity are necessary. Even if dominated by appreciation evaluative language that construes value of phenomenon relating to aspects of the disputes, affect (manifesting emotions) and judgment (relating to behavior) evaluative resources are employed to reflect or represent the socio-cultural and political contexts, government policy and even capture the local sentiment in which the news reports are written. As regards the difference between the two, the Chinese news reports lean towards a more diplomatic stance through the noteworthy use of evaluative affect and appreciation resources that underscore enhancement of relationship, partnership and accord while the Philippine news reports are more inclined to express implied negative subjective attitudinal stance on the issue. This paper set out the significance of language in framing positions, sentiments, opinions and policies in which meanings are construed in news reports. Examining media discourse from the lens of the appraisal system or evaluative language underscores how subjectivity occurs where beliefs, notions and values in a society are generated.
A Syntactic Analysis of Arabic Tense and Aspect
Authors: Al-Dobaian Abdullah S.
Published: February 2019

I discuss the morphological analysis of tense and aspect proposed by early Arab grammarians and illustrate some of its problems. In order to account for these problems, the Arab grammarians had to relegate the effects of tense and aspect to the morphological forms of faÀal and yafÀal. I show that these forms marked different tense specifications other than the default past tense for faÀal and present or future tense for yafÀal. As for aspect it has only received a sporadic and inconsistent analysis by early Arab grammarians. I agree with Fassi Fehri (1993) and Juhfah (2006) that a comprehensive theory of tense and aspect is essential for Arabic. I propose a syntactic analysis of tense and aspect in Arabic based on MacDonald’s (2008) analysis with some modifications needed to account for the Arabic data. Unlike Fassi Fehri and Juhfah’s analyses, this analysis is based on the verb interaction with its arguments and modifiers in which the verb checks tense and aspect syntactically by moving to functional projections: aspect phrase and tense phrase. I argue that such syntactic analysis consistently explains the interaction of tense and aspect in Arabic and their relevant specifications.
Differences between Task, Exercise, and Drill in L2 Education: A Systems-thinking Perspective
Authors: Sabah Somayyeh
Published: February 2019

The present study considered the definitions of and differences between the concepts of task, exercise, and drill in the related literature on L2 practices. The concept of task has been commonly differentiated from the exercise and drill with respect to certain criteria. Task is, in the main, meaning-based, goal-oriented, and purposeful with a nonlinguistic and communicative outcome. Based on Long (2016), task demands the L2 use in the real world. Also, as said by Swales (1990), tasks are more relatable to the genre than the other two language practices. Moreover, the task performance endows L2 learners with higher degrees of freedom than the accomplishment of the exercise and drilling, respectively. Furthermore, this study examined and supported a systems-thinking perspective on task-based language teaching (TBLT) (Finch, 2001). However, considering the task phase as a complex system seems to be still under debate and thus needs more research and analysis.
Empowering English Speakers Through Diversification and Promotion of World Englishes
Authors: Mohammed Ishaque Rana Khan
Published: February 2019

Proficiency in English language today doesn’t depend on the way language is taught or spoken in classrooms but on creativity and productivity of its diverse teachers and learners. Non-native speakers outnumber native speakers today calling for promoting equity and the concept of World Englishes through respecting diversification in language classes. English needs a paradigm shift as far as language learning and teaching is concerned because the need today is to address the socio-linguistic aspects of its diverse learners and teachers. A study was done on roughly 75 teachers both NNESTs and NESTs to prove the research question. Both native and non-native teachers agreed that being a native isn’t necessary to teach language better. Students were also questioned, and the results revealed they had no preference for native speakers or their accents. Therefore, these findings point to the necessity of having collaborative approaches to promote a stronger foundation of mutual respect, effective communication and interaction in TESOL classrooms. To improve the linguistic and literary creativity in English classrooms, language teaching needs a new rhetoric approach of world Englishes, thus respecting diversity in tones and accents of its learners and teachers both. The racist concept of native speakerism needs to be dismantled. A pluralistic view in daily pedagogical approaches and texts from varied socio-linguistic backgrounds will help improve productivity in classes. Mutual intelligibility and not accent should be the key to language learning in TESOL classrooms. It’s essential that intelligibility rather than accent be promoted to encourage mutual interaction in TESOL classrooms.