bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Computers and the Language Laboratory: Learning from History
Authors: Schwartz Michael 
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  In the 1950s and 1960s, educators and researchers were extremely enthusiastic about the advent of the language learning laboratory. Many felt at the outset that students would finally, through the use of high‐tech equipment, reach higher levels of proficiency in the foreign or second language in a shorter amount of time than students who did not use the available technology. This is not what researchers found. In retrospect, the problems with the research as well as with the existing software at the time are obvious. Materials were developed, published, and distributed without research into how best to use the technology. The result was a loss of credibility for foreign language education and for the use of technology in language learning in general.In Smith's studies on the Pennsylvania project in the 1960s, he concluded that the use of a language laboratory had no discernible effect on student achievement. In fact, on a variety of tests, students who did not use the laboratory performed better than students who did use it. We know that assessment of student performance in this study was based on the grammar‐translation method. Since the students who used the lab were taught language via the audio‐lingual method rather than the grammar‐translation method, it is not surprising that they did not do well on the exams.This parallels, to a large extent, what is happening today in the area of Computer‐Assisted Language Learning (CALL). First, many studies focus on what students can do with the computer rather than what students actually do. Researchers such as Garrett (1991) have pointed out that the existence of state‐of‐the‐art functionality that may allow students to search for lexical, cultural, or structural items does not necessarily lead to actual use of these features. Second, as with the early language laboratories, materials are again being developed without research into their pedagogical efficacy, and results are often disappointing. As a result, many educators do not see the value of using computers in teaching foreign languages. This paper will describe a variety of possible uses of computers going beyond traditional drill‐and‐practice programs.
Adolescent Language Learners on a Three‐Month Exchange: Insights from their Diaries
Authors: Warden Michael , Lapkin Sharon , Swain Merrill , Hart Doug 
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  This paper examines the diaries that were kept by 18 anglophone high‐school students of French while they spent three months in Quebec as part of an exchange program. The four main research issues deal with: 1) insights into the language learning process provided by the student diarists; 2) affective factors in language learning; 3) extralinguistic benefits of the exchange; and 4) the ways in which the diaries supplement other data, such as tests and questionnaires.The analysis yields a great deal of information about individual differences among language learners. While generalizations about students' language learning strategies must await replications of this study, there are common themes with respect to affective factors. All the diarists express some degree of linguistic and cultural shock at the beginning of the visit. However, these initial feelings of frustration and anxiety gradually subside as the students become acclimatized and start to make linguistic progress, and by the end of the exchange all the diarists express satisfaction with their experience in terms of both language learning and personal growth.
How to Discover a Culture in its Literature: Examples from Steinbeck, Saroyan, and Pagnol
Authors: Nostrand Howard Lee 
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  The arts are the truly authentic expression of culture, and literature is the most explicit, the richest in verifiable evidence. Literature becomes even more rewarding when the author is one who rises above the received ideas to see the culture critically, as do Steinbeck, Saroyan, and Pagnol.Situations from short stories of the two American writers, and an autobiographical film of Pagnol, are searched for evidence of the culture their authors represent. The approach proposed for this kind of inquiry assumes that the key to understanding what one sees at the surface–behavior, social relations, institutions, etc.–is to be found in the culture's underlying value system, which includes characteristic habits of mind and prevalent assumptions about human nature and society. This system evolves only at a rhythm of generations or even centuries, so that the culture has a persistent identity. The parts of the system color one another's meaning as they reinforce or limit one another, so that each culture is unique.Provided we keep in balance the appreciation of literature's other aspects, this approach to its cultural underpinning can lead to perspective on a person's native culture, empathy toward other cultures, and awareness of one's own personal values.Lacking from this perspective, however, are a needed awareness of non‐Western cultures, and the needed dimension of time. Brief selections from Latin and Greek literature can provide the latter, and the Athenian culture offers much more from which we can benefit.The annotated References comprise a first group concerning the integrating of an effective cultural component into language teaching (References A), and a second group on the value system of American culture (References B). For the French value system, an inventory is available in a book that also contains thorough bibliographies.
Holistic Grammar Through Socratic Questioning
Authors: Koshi Annie K. 
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  When teaching grammar to second language (SL) learners, teachers should take the new direction of aiming at grammatical consciousness‐raising. One way to achieve this is to have learners discover grammar rules inductively, the teacher's job being to facilitate this grammar discovery process by providing appropriate techniques. Socratic questioning is an effective technique for facilitating the discovery process. This article discusses an approach that uses Socratic questioning to instill grammar awareness in advanced, academically bound SL learners.The article begins with a short review of the recent controversy of natural vs. formal (conscious vs. unconscious) teaching/learning of language forms. The second part discusses the theoretical framework of the approach. The third part explains the pedagogical concepts on which the approach is based. The final part examines the approach in detail.The approach will help learners look at the study of grammar as a means to receive and share information–the purpose of academic language learning. Language is presented holistically–as whole‐pieces–in the form of reading materials, not in isolated sentences. Paying selective attention to specific structural features in the reading material, students answer higher order, critical thinking (Socratic) questions, which help them discover relevant grammatical rules inductively. The outcome is grammar awareness, which will help learners extend their grammar learning beyond the classroom.
Grammar Groups In the Student‐Centered Classroom
Authors: Davidheiser James C. 
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Experience has shown many second‐language teachers that, although students learn some grammar at the elementary level, they need an intensive review at the intermediate level and still seem to make numerous grammatical errors in advanced courses. This paper briefly reviews the way grammar has been taught in the last 30 years and explores a successful student‐centered method of grammar instruction in second‐language classes that can aid retention.By applying research about pair and group work, teachers can increase the quality of grammar instruction. Instructors briefly teach grammar in context. Pairs of students are then asked to compose several examples of the target grammatical structure, making any changes recommended by group partners. A final slate of examples is then presented to the entire class for review. By being responsible for practicing and integrating the grammar, students internalize, even at the elementary level, challenging grammatical points.
Students Take Flight with Daedalus: Learning Spanish in a Networked Classroom
Authors: Chávez Carmen L. 
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  While incorporating computer technology is time‐consuming and may be challenging for the language instructor, there is no need to reinvent the wheel when using computers in the classroom for the first time. Teachers in the second language classroom can benefit from the advances made in Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) programs. Leaders in this field encourage instructors to incorporate writing in all disciplines in order to develop critical thinking skills and prepare students for the workplace. Using computers as a medium for teaching a second language increases the amount of writing and trains the students to use computers in their discipline.Current research in composition theory maintains that students learn a grammatical structure more effectively when it is used in context. Bringing technological innovation to the second language classroom will enhance student interest and learning. This article describes the use of Daedalus Integrated Writing Environment (DIWE) in the networked computer classroom to teach Spanish grammar and composition.
Motivation and Language Learning with Students of Chinese1
Authors: Wen Xiaohong 
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  The present study investigates the motivational factors of students who are from Asian and Asian‐American backgrounds and learn Chinese at the university level in the United States. Seventy‐seven students at the beginning and intermediate levels of proficiency participated in the study. The data were collected through a survey method. Factor analysis, regression procedures, t‐tests, and correlation coefficients were used to address the research questions.The results of the study indicate that intrinsic interest in Chinese culture and the desire to understand one's own cultural heritage are the initial motivation for students to start learning the Chinese language. Expectations of learning task and effort keep students continuing their Chinese at the intermediate level. In addition, motivational factors correlate significantly with desired learning outcomes from the expectancy theory. Based upon the findings, recommendations are made to enhance students' motivation, expectancy, and self‐efficacy in learning.
A Beginner's Guide to the Internet in the Foreign Language Classroom with a Focus on the World Wide Web
Authors: Green Anne 
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  The Internet is “a global communications network, comprised of millions of people using computers in every industrialized nation in the world“… “a treasure chest of information waiting to be discovered”… “huge and overwhelming and difficult to mentally grasp.“1By explaining the Internet in simple terms and offering suggestions for its use, this paper will attempt to provide the language teacher with the impetus to get online and to integrate the tremendous resources available on the Internet into the classroom. The language teacher who wants to utilize the Internet in the classroom faces four challenges. The first is to come to a working knowledge of the history, language, and worldview – the culture–of cyberspace. The second challenge is to establish an actual hardware link to the Internet. The third is to become aware of the breadth, depth, and limitations of the resources available on the Internet. The final challenge is to integrate the diverse and variable quality of information, resources, and opportunities available through the Internet into the language classroom. Our understanding of and interaction with the borderless and dynamic medium of cyberspace can aid us in the teaching of language and culture.
The Sociocultural Message of Language Textbooks: Arabic in the Israeli Setting
Authors: Brosh Hezi 
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT:This paper investigates both the explicit and the implicit sociocultural messages conveyed by language textbooks. Twelve Arabic textbooks taught in junior high schools in the Hebrew educational system in Israel were examined. The findings indicate that Arab society is presented in a partial, subjective, and unbalanced manner. The textbooks under investigation do not reflect the new reality in the Middle East in the era of peace nor the contemporary Arab culture. These findings are especially significant in light of the fact that within the Israeli setting Arabic textbooks constitute one of the most meaningful sources of knowledge about Arab society.
Instruction and Exposure: How Do They Contribute To Second Language Acquisition?
Authors: Shresta Tej B. 
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  Adults have access to two distinct approaches to develop their second language competence. These are instruction and exposure (Krashen 1982). Both approaches contribute to second language acquisition in their unique ways. This article describes how they contributed to the development of oral proficiency in English as a second language in mutually exclusive learning situations in Nepal.There were 58 randomly selected subjects in the study, who came from two distinct groups. The first group was composed of people who had learned English mainly through formal classroom instruction with grammar‐based approaches. The second group was composed of people who had learned English mainly through informal contact with English‐speaking people. English speech samples were collected through personal interviews and presentations based on visual materials. These oral responses were judged holistically by five independent judges. They were also analyzed by means of grammar and fluency‐related errors. Data were analyzed using t‐tests and correlation procedures.The main finding was that both instruction and exposure contributed to second language acquisition in their own unique ways. The former seemed to promote accuracy and the latter fluency. For communication purposes, however, fluency seemed to be more critical than accuracy.
The Effects of Proficiency Level and Passage Content on Reading Skills Assessment1
Authors: Mecartty Frances H. 
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT  This study is designed to investigate the use of reading skills by intermediate and advanced learners of Spanish and to determine whether performance on these skills is uniform across learners and across reading texts, and whether there is a gradation of skills from least complex to most complex.Subjects read two authentic unabridged passages in Spanish and were asked to answer questions based on the skills isolated for the study. These skills are: a) locating details which include the subskills recognition and paraphrase; b) simple inferential skills which include understanding words in context and recognizing cause and effect; c) complex inferential skills which include recognizing main ideas and drawing conclusions.The results of the study showed a) a significant three‐way interaction of level, passage and skill; b) a significant interaction of passage and skill; c) a significant interaction of level and skill; and d) a significant main effect of skill. The findings of the study lend support to a hierarchy of skills. However, it is argued that reading comprehension cannot be viewed in terms of a discrete set of skills when the nature of reading is so complex.
The Role of Homework in Foreign Language Learning
Authors: Wallinger Linda M. 
Published: January 2009

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the role of homework in foreign language instruction and learning. The study was conducted through questionnaires, interviews, and quantitative analysis of the amount of homework that foreign language teachers assigned their students. Special attention was given to whether or not homework expectations varied according to the type of schedule that was used for instruction.The study results indicated that foreign language teachers at all levels felt strongly that homework is essential to language teaching and learning. However, the quantity of homework expected in French 1 classes did not vary significantly according to the schedule used for instruction. Most teachers assigned homework as a means for students to practice material that had already been taught in class. Homework in lower‐level classes consisted primarily of rote exercises, whereas homework assignments in upper‐level classes allowed students to integrate and apply the language skills they were learning. However, few teachers did more than simply check that the home‐work was done, placing little emphasis on whether or not the homework had been completed correctly. There was little evidence to indicate that homework either contributed to or detracted from the language‐learning process.
Toward Responsive Beginning Language Curricula
Authors: Oukada Larbi 
Published: January 2009

Abstract:This article proposes, on the basis of a host of curricular factors, a stratification of foreign language programs in U.S. institutions of higher learning into two graded and curricularly distinctive phases. An initial phase, the general education phase, would be comprised predominantly of nonmajors who enroll in beginning language courses with the premeditated purpose of satisfying a language requirement or investing on their own a modest amount of credit hours to explore or study a second language. A subsequent phase, the professional phase, would begin with courses intended for prospective majors and minors who are customarily predisposed to commit enough time to reach the necessary proficiency level required for their professional goal.This curricular distinction serves to underscore the particular situation and the particular mission of the general education phase and to propose a particular curricular model, the Indiana Model. This model provides, within the current and autonomous structure of the American educational system, a mechanism for selecting, prioritizing, and structuring the most responsive objectives for general‐education foreign language teaching.
A Qualitative Assessment of a Foreign Language Whole Language Class
Authors: Schwarzer David 
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACT: This study had two goals: (1) to provide insights on how to assess a Whole‐Language Foreign Language Class (WLFLC), and (2) to field test qualitative research methods for a WLFLC. The setting was a Hebrew‐language class based on eight established principles of WLFLCs. The class was assessed through the analysis of formal semistructured interviews with four students; students' reflective midterm papers and final class evaluations (from their portfolios); and the teacher/researcher's reflective journal, which included field notes and anecdotal records. Three themes emerged: (1) tensions between teacher‐and student‐centered instruction; (2) tensions between negotiated and predetermined curricula; and (3) becoming part of a multicultural/multilingual community.When the class started in August it was a new experiment for you as well for us, and there were a lot of expectations and misunderstandings in your class and with you. Sometimes people didn't understand what your objectives were, and along with that, they did not have the maturity to just take “the ball in their court,” to take the responsibility to themselves. In the beginning of the second semester there were a lot of changes, good changes, because there was a little more of a structure. I think that it was probably a good adjustment and most clearly defined for people what was going on in the class. Although that took time to evolve. I feel like [we] have come together in a good way.—Assessment made by William, a student in a whole language Hebrew class
Oral Proficiency Testing in the Real World: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Authors: Swender Elvira 
Published: January 2009

Abstract: The ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) is used to assess the ability of individuals to use language for real‐world purposes. Today, OPIs are used by academic institutions, government agencies, and private corporations for many purposes: academic placement, student assessment, program evaluation, professional certification, hiring, and promotional qualification. Through Language Testing International (LTI), the exclusive ACTFL testing office, ACTFL conducts, rates, and archives 8,000 to 10,000 oral proficiency interviews each year. This article addresses questions that are frequently asked by educators, test takers, employers, certification boards, and others who require information about an individual's level of oral proficiency.The frequently asked questions (FAQs) addressed in this article are (1) Does taking an OPI over the phone produce a different rating than a face‐to‐face interview? (2) Are there differences in testing performance from one testing occasion to another when there is no significant opportunity for learning or forgetting between the two tests? (3) How proficient are today's foreign language undergraduate majors? (4) What minimum levels of proficiency are required in the workplace?The answers to questions 1 and 2 are based on the results of an ACTFL‐sponsored testing project that compared face‐to‐face with telephonic interviews. The findings indicated that there is no significant difference in the ratings assigned using face‐to‐face versus telephone test administration. The data from the same study indicated that comparable results are obtained in test/retest situations. Questions 3 and 4 are answered using data from the ACTFL Test Archives. The majority of undergraduate language majors have achieved proficiency levels that cluster around the Intermediate‐High/Advanced‐Low border. Different jobs require different levels of proficiency. Charts are provided to summarize the findings.