ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
The Relationship between Vocabulary Size and Reading Comprehension of ESL Learners
Author: Ibrahim, Engku Haliza Engku
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Correlation,Reading Comprehension,Vocabulary Development,Scores,Reading Tests,Language Tests,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Mastery Learning,Second Language Instruction,Foreign Countries,Statistical Analysis,Admission Criteria,Intensive Language Courses,State Universities,Language Proficiency

There are many factors that contribute to one's ability to read effectively. Vocabulary size is one important factor that enhances reading comprehension. The purpose of the study is to examine the relationship between students' reading comprehension skills and their vocabulary size. A total of 129 pre-university students undergoing an intensive English language programme at a public university in Malaysia participated in this study. A correlational analysis was employed to ascertain the relationship between scores in the reading comprehension component of the institutionalised English Proficiency Test (EPT) and the Vocabulary Levels Tests (Nation, 1990). Based on Pearson product moment correlation coefficient, there was a moderate correlation (r = 0.641) between scores in the EPT reading comprehension and Vocabulary Levels Tests. The relationship was statistically significant at p&lt;0.01 level. The findings also indicate that all students (100%) were able to fulfil the minimum admission requirements for the reading skill (Band 5.5) in the EPT even though only half of the students (54.3%) reached the mastery level at the 5,000 word level. The findings provide useful insights into the prediction of ESL students' performance in reading and the teaching of vocabulary in the ESL context.
Modernity in Two Great American Writers' Vision: Ernest Miller Hemingway and Scott Fitzgerald
Author: Keshmiri, Fahimeh
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Authors,United States Literature,Twentieth Century Literature,Philosophy

Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway, American memorable novelists have had philosophic ideas about modernity. In fact their idea about existential interests of American, and the effects of American system on society, is mirrored in their creative works. All through his early works, Fitzgerald echoes the existential center of his era. Obviously, we recognize Hemingway's vision of modernity in formation of his own philosophies of life, death, and art in what is known as Hemingway's characteristic philosophy, Code, and Code Heroes. In this article, among the numerous characteristics illuminating these two writer's vision of America, the main themes of their foremost works have been analyzed with regard to some Critic's viewpoints regarding these two, literary masters. Critics see Fitzgerald both as a chronicler, and a perceptive social critic who is totaling the &quot;dilemmas of philosophy&quot; in his art. Indeed, what in American critics' view is a fatalistic philosophy, with the darker side of life, existentialist critics consider as a prophetic optimism and an absurdist vision that places Hemingway in the ranks of a &quot;guide prophet of those who are without faith&quot;.
Learner Autonomy as an Element in Chinese Education Reform: A Case of English Language Subject
Author: Lu, Jinjin
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Personal Autonomy,English (Second Language),English Curriculum,Curriculum Development,Compulsory Education,School Location,Student Development,Secondary Schools,College Students,Mixed Methods Research,Elementary Schools,Barriers,Student Surveys,Case Studies,Nonparametric Statistics,Interviews

Enhancing students' learning autonomy has been emphasized in the current round of English curriculum reforms by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in China. The initial aim of the new guidelines was developed to enhance students' English proficiency to better fulfil their basic education (Nine-year compulsory education). However, up until now, very little is known about the quality of students' basic education and their learner autonomy development. This paper uses the English language subject as a case to examine the relationship between the different locations of students' attendance of their basic education and their learner autonomy development at university level. The result shows that secondary schools' locations play a more important role in students' learner autonomy development at university. A &quot;Have A Go&quot; model is proposed to improve students' transition between high schools and universities in the English language learning process.
Effectiveness of Proactive Intensive FFI in Cultivating Grammatical Knowledge of Iranian EFL Learners at Different Proficiency Levels
Author: Rooholamin, Amir
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Grammar,Teaching Methods,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Language Proficiency,Advanced Students,Foreign Countries,Metalinguistics,Statistical Analysis,Pretests Posttests,Experimental Groups,Error Correction,Feedback (Response),Instructional Effectiveness,Higher Education,Quasiexperimental Design

The present study provides a report on an experiment seeking the effect of proactive intensive form-focused instruction on the grammatical development of intermediate and advanced Iranian EFL learners. More specifically the aim of the study was to discern (a) whether the grammatical knowledge of Iranian EFL learners at different proficiency levels ameliorated in the wake of exposure to proactive intensive FFI (b) whether the grammatical knowledge of the learners at the two proficiency levels improved equally or not, and (c) whether there was an interaction effect between the FFI and the proficiency level, which affected the grammatical development of the learners. To meet these objectives, 119 intermediate and advanced EFL learners at Sadr Institute of Higher Education in Isfahan, Iran were asked to take part in this study. To ascertain the homogeneity of the participants, a QPT was administered to them. The learners in each proficiency level were assigned to a control and an experimental group and they sat for a grammar pretest. Subsequently, the learners in the treatment groups received proactive intensive FFI (metalinguistic explanations followed by repeated form-focused tasks and explicit corrective feedback on form) in their free discussion classes, while those in the control groups participated in classes bereft of FFI. After 9 sessions of instruction, the learners took a posttest. Such statistical tools as paired sample t test and two-way ANOVA were utilized to analyze the collected data, and the following results were obtained: (a) both intermediate and advanced group learners experienced a boost in their grammatical knowledge after being exposed to proactive intensive FFI (b) the treatment in the current study was more beneficial to intermediate EFL learners' grammatical development than it was to advanced learners', and (c) proactive intensive FFI, proficiency level, and the interaction between them all were instrumental in molding the grammatical knowledge of Iranian EFL learners. The implications for EFL practitioners are enumerated in the paper.
Advancing Ecological Models to Compare Scale in Multi-Level Educational Change
Author: Woo, David James
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Holistic Approach,Models,Comparative Analysis,Educational Change,Technology Integration,International Schools,Private Schools,Comparative Education,Educational Technology,School Location,Demography,Foreign Countries

Education systems as units of analysis have been metaphorically likened to ecologies to model change. However, ecological models to date have been ineffective in modelling educational change that is multi-scale and occurs across multiple levels of an education system. Thus, this paper advances two innovative, ecological frameworks that improve on previous models. These models are extended to different educational contexts, specifically technology integration efforts in two private international school systems. While both models adequately compare scale of change through interactions between non-locational demographic groups on several geographic/locational levels the models are limited by their simplistic visual renderings and their application to educational contexts within the field of educational technology.
Investigating the Application of Needs Analysis on EAP Business Administration Materials
Author: Mohammed, Saifalislam Abdalla Hajahmed
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Instructional Materials,Material Development,Needs Assessment,Business Administration Education,English for Academic Purposes,College Students,Content Analysis,Qualitative Research,Relevance (Education),Structured Interviews

This study is conducted to investigate the application of needs analysis in developing EAP materials for business administration students in two Sudanese universities. The subjects are 2 head departments of English language. To collect data, the researcher uses interview and content analysis. The study adopts the descriptive approach. The data of the study is analyzed qualitatively. The findings show that most of the business administration EAP materials in Sudanese universities are not based on needs analysis and are not relevant to the students' learning and target situation needs. The drawbacks in EAP materials, in Sudanese universities, are due to the absence of needs analysis practice in the process of syllabi design. Therefore, the researcher recommends the application of needs analysis in the process of course design to assure designing courses that are relevant to the students' actual needs. The EAP courses which are taught in Sudanese universities should be tailored to the students' specific needs.
Analyzing Public Discourse: Using Media Content Analysis to Understand the Policy Process
Author: Saraisky, Nancy Green
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Policy,Policy Formation,Content Analysis,Educational Trends,International Assessment,Achievement Tests,Secondary School Students,Foreign Countries,Media Research,Coding,Discourse Analysis,Mass Media Effects,Comparative Education

One of the most basic and obvious sources of data for education policy analysis is text. This article discusses content analysis as an important part of the methodological toolbox for elucidating patterns and trends about education policy. Focusing specifically on media, I show how media content analysis can produce nuanced insights about the ways in which educational ideas are understood in a local context. Drawing on a research project that analyzed thirteen years of media coverage of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), I demonstrate the utility of media content analysis for understanding the way in which ideas and global trends influence national education policy on the ground.
Evidence for Action: Translating Field Research into a Large Scale Assessment
Author: Byker, Erik Jon
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Field Studies,Annual Reports,Educational Assessment,Research Methodology,Volunteers,Case Studies,Educational Improvement,Young Adults,Data Collection,Rural Areas,Evidence Based Practice,Affordances,Surveys,Statistical Analysis,Qualitative Research,Questionnaires,Focus Groups,Semi Structured Interviews,Participant Observation

For more than a decade, hundreds of thousands of India's young adults have volunteered to collect data for an annual household education related survey. The survey is called the Annual Status of Education Report or ASER, for short. The ASER survey is a unique methodology of citizen-led assessments. The purpose of this article is to describe and report about how the ASER methodology is implemented. This article examines a case study of ASER volunteers (n = 37) who are prepared to carry out the ASER methodology. This article also analyzes how the ASER methodology supports a conceptual framework about equipping everyday citizens, like the volunteers in the case study, to better understand and use data-driven evidence to take action to improve the education and schooling in their communities.
Shadow-Reading Effect on Reading Comprehension: Actualization of Interactive Reading Comprehension: (A Vygotskyan View!)
Author: Sadeghi, Elahe
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reading Comprehension,English (Second Language),College Students,Pretests Posttests,Reading Tests,Multiple Choice Tests,Reading Aloud to Others,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Imitation,Foreign Countries,Statistical Analysis

Reading comprehension has been the main concern for second language learners and researchers. Today with rising interests towards Vygotskyan Sociocultural Theory (SCT), attempts have been made to insert Vygotskyan approach into Foreign/Second Language classrooms emphasizing the role of scaffolding and meaningful interactions to promote learners' comprehension. Having this on mind, the current study used shadow-reading as a means of meaning internalization to see if it affects on reading comprehension. To this end, 52 junior EFL learners from two universities were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. A pretest of reading comprehension including 4 reading passages with 20 Multiple Choice items was administered to the learners to see if they were at the similar level of reading comprehension. During 10 sessions, the learners were provided with shadow-reading strategy in which they were required to listen and repeat the passage in a well-disciplined imitative task and, then summarize what they had comprehended from the text. A reading comprehension post test was also administered at the end of the semester after 10 sessions of conducting shadowing. The data of the first and the last sessions was analysed. The findings of the study showed that shadow-reading has significantly influenced learners' comprehension. The results also lent support to Vygotskyan theory in that using shadowing as a means of meaningful imitation and interaction facilitates comprehension among learners. The results also shed light on the way through which instructors try to promote learners' comprehension. It seems that shadow reading due to its sociocultural traits can be used as an appropriate means of promoting reading comprehension all over the world.
Comparing the Effects of Four Instructional Treatments on EFL Students' Achievement in Writing Classified Ads
Author: Khodabandeh, Farzaneh
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Writing Instruction,Writing Achievement,Advertising,Comparative Analysis,Instructional Effectiveness,Conventional Instruction,College Students,Direct Instruction,Independent Study,Pretests Posttests,Statistical Analysis,Foreign Countries,Discourse Analysis,Language Tests,Second Language Learning,Quasiexperimental Design,Nonparametric Statistics

The current study set out to compare the effect of traditional and non-traditional instructional treatments; i.e. explicit, implicit, task-based and no-instruction approaches on students' abilities to learn how to write classified ads. 72 junior students who have all taken a course in Reading Journalistic Texts at the Payame-Noor University streamed by performing a TOEFL proficiency test. The selected participants were randomly divided into the following four groups; an explicit group which received direct instruction; an implicit group which were instructed indirectly, and the self-study group with no-instruction treatment in comparison to the task-based group which were asked to prepare a classified ad. A pre-test and a post-test were administered before and after the treatment. The moves in classified ads pre- and post- tests were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. The quantitative analysis of the post-tests revealed that the explicit and task-based groups outperformed the implicit and self-study instruction groups. The findings of this research offer English teachers the chance to reconsider their practices and performances through the advantages and disadvantages of the traditional and new techniques which were employed in the current research and combine them to help learners improve their reading and writing skills.
Identifying Research Priorities for School Improvement in the Developing World
Author: Read, Robyn
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Improvement,Educational Research,Developing Nations,Agenda Setting,Research Needs,Research Methodology,Evidence Based Practice,Foreign Countries,Surveys

This paper discusses a research agenda setting project conducted for an international non-governmental organization which aims to help create a regionally relevant, high-quality knowledge base on key education issues of policy and practice. Specifically, we illustrate how our team adapted the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHRNI) methodology for research priority setting to identify areas for future education research. The paper focuses on the methods used and lessons learned from adapting these methods for education research, as opposed to the results of the exercise itself. While the traditional CHNRI model is not directly applicable to education research, an adapted version of this methodology provides an evidence-based approach to support the decision making process of research funders. The CHNRI method does not provide definite answers on what research should be funded; rather it provides a solid platform to support informed discussion on ways research can be prioritized.
Influence of Songs in Primary School Students' Motivation for Learning English in Lima, Peru
Author: Aguirre, Diego
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Singing,Elementary School Students,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Foreign Countries,Student Motivation,English (Second Language),Private Schools,Metropolitan Areas,Questionnaires,Observation,Mixed Methods Research,Grammar,Music,Pronunciation,Vocabulary Development,Teaching Methods,Student Attitudes

Many studies have shown that using music and songs while learning a new language can be of great benefit to students in aspects such as grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary. However, the use of songs in class as motivation to learn English is a subject that has not been explored thoroughly. The purpose of this study is to explore how the use of songs in English helps motivate students while learning English as a Second Language (ESL). The participants were primary school students at a private school located in the Lima Metropolitan Area. This study used a mixed-method design that included observations carried out by the research team and questionnaires completed by students. The results show that students are motivated to participate and become more engaged in classroom activities when songs are used in their English classes. This result was more strongly confirmed with the observations than with the questionnaires.
Authorial Stance in Thai Students' Doctoral Dissertation
Author: Getkham, Kunyarut
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Doctoral Dissertations,Graduate Students,Asians,Authors,Language Usage,Comparative Analysis,Academic Discourse,Computational Linguistics

This study investigates how linguistic devices are used to convey authorial stance in 36 Introduction sections and 36 Discussion sections of doctoral dissertations written in English by Thai students graduated in language education from different universities in the United States during the period 2008 to 2013. It also compares the use of authorial stance in the two sections. A concordance program called &quot;AntConc&quot; was used to detect authorial stance based on Hyland (2005)'s framework. The results of an independent sample t-test revealed that there were some sectional differences in the amounts, types, and functions of authorial stance. Pedagogical implications for EAP/ESP instruction and recommendations for further research are provided in light of empirical data.
Metacognitive Reading Strategies, Motivation, and Reading Comprehension Performance of Saudi EFL Students
Author: Meniado, Joel C.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Metacognition,Reading Strategies,Problem Solving,Reading Motivation,Reading Comprehension,Correlation,Academic Discourse,College Students,Foreign Countries,English for Academic Purposes,Males,Single Sex Schools,Humor,Cartoons,Statistical Analysis,Reading Interests,Likert Scales,Surveys,Interviews

Metacognitive reading strategies and reading motivation play a significant role in enhancing reading comprehension. In an attempt to prove the foregoing claim in a context where there is no strong culture for reading, this study tries to find out if there is indeed a relationship between and among metacognitive reading strategies, reading motivation, and reading comprehension performance. Prior to finding out relationships, the study tried to ascertain the level of awareness and use of metacognitive reading strategies of the respondents when they read English academic texts, their level of motivation and reading interests, and their overall reading performance. Using descriptive survey and descriptive correlational methods with 60 randomly selected Saudi college-level EFL students in an all-male government-owned industrial college in Saudi Arabia, the study found out that the respondents moderately use the different metacognitive reading strategies when reading academic texts. Of the three categories of metacognitive reading strategies, the Problem-Solving Strategies (PROB) is the most frequently used. It was also revealed that the respondents have high motivation to read. They particularly prefer to read humor/comic books. On the level of reading comprehension performance, the respondents performed below average. Using t-test, the study reveals that there is no correlation between metacognitive reading strategies and reading comprehension. There is also no correlation between reading interest/motivation and reading comprehension. However, there is positive correlation between reading strategies and reading motivation. The findings of this study interestingly contradict previous findings of most studies, thus invite more thorough investigation along the same line of inquiry.
Investigator Bias and Theory-Ladenness in Cross-Cultural Research: Insights from Wittgenstein
Author: Tan, Charlene
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Cross Cultural Studies,Experimenter Characteristics,Bias,Educational Research,Observation,Philosophy,World Views,Theories,Case Studies,Foreign Countries

A relatively under-explored topic in the current literature on and methods for research in the field of comparative and international education is the problem of investigator bias in cross-cultural research. This article discusses the nature of and an approach to address investigator bias in research that originates from the theory-ladenness of observation. Theory-ladenness essentially holds that everything one observes or perceives is influenced by and interpreted through one's existing beliefs, values, assumptions and expectations. This article explains how the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein's exposition of belief system--what he calls &quot;world-picture&quot;--illuminates our understanding of investigator bias and theory-ladenness by elucidating the organisation, inculcation and revision of beliefs. It is further proposed that comparativists confront the challenge of investigator bias by critically reflecting on their world-picture, the impact of their world-picture on their theoretical commitment and research process, and the evaluation and revision of their theory through the interaction between theory and data.