ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Effects of Blackboard's Discussion Boards, Blogs and Wikis on Effective Integration and Development of Literacy Skills in EFL Students
Author: Alharbi, Majed
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Integrated Learning Systems,Electronic Publishing,Web Sites,Collaborative Writing,Web 2.0 Technologies,Computer Mediated Communication,Electronic Learning,Educational Technology,Qualitative Research,Statistical Analysis,Technology Uses in Education,Foreign Countries,Teaching Methods,Hypothesis Testing,Scores,Writing Tests,Experimental Groups,Control Groups,College Students,Reading Instruction,Writing Instruction,Reading Tests,Pretests Posttests,Student Attitudes,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning

This study aimed to investigate the effects of the online course tools, specifically discussion boards, blogs and wikis, the built-in facilities of Blackboard as computer-mediated communication integrated in e-learning environments on improving integrated reading and writing and on the attitudes of EFL college students towards literacy skills in e-learning environments. A pedagogical model was designed and described in a background of relevant research. The study made use of both quantitative and qualitative data to investigate the effects of these tools on both reading/writing performance and on attitudes. The findings indicated that the students' performance on an integrated reading/writing test was improved and so were their attitudes towards literacy skills. The findings also showed that the e-course tools at issue facilitated students' interactions and supported learning of the reading/writing skills in a growing online discourse community. The paper ends with a conclusion and discussion of pedagogical implications and recommendations for prospective research.
Teaching English for Specific Purposes: Attitudes among Saudi Engineering Students
Author: Alqahtani, Majed Ali
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Engineering Education,English (Second Language),English for Special Purposes,College Students,Student Attitudes,Mixed Methods Research,Student Surveys,Interviews,College Faculty,Mentors,Negative Attitudes,Attitude Change,Teaching Methods

Attitude is considered as one of the most crucial factors for learning a second or foreign language for a specific purpose. It plays a major role in arousing student's interest and motivation towards learning. The main purpose for conducting this research is to identify the attitude among engineering students in Saudi Arabia towards learning English for a specific purpose. This research used qualitative and quantitative methods. Surveys were conducted from students of a Saudi Engineering university; furthermore teachers and mentors were interviewed to analyze the attitudes of students towards learning English. Findings suggest negative attitudes towards learning English. Interviews however identified several ways through which attitudes of students can positively change towards learning English for specific purpose. It could be concluded that although the number of students having positive attitude towards learning English is a handful but it could significantly be improved through introducing advanced language course and enhanced instructional methods to motivate students towards learning English for specific purpose. Finally, some implications would help in tapping motivation of students and changing their attitudes.
Review on China Accreditation Test for Translators and Interpreters (CATTI)
Author: Zou, Min
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Translation,Test Validity,Test Reliability,Test Items,Test Content,Scoring Rubrics,Licensing Examinations (Professions)

Since its first pilot study was launched in 2003, China Accreditation Test for Translators and Interpreters (CATTI) has developed into the most authoritative translation and interpretation proficiency qualification accreditation test in China and played an important role in assessing and cultivating translators and interpreters. Based on the analysis of its form and content, the current study appraises CATTI in terms of reliability, validity, practicality, fairness and washback. The results suggest that CATTI has a satisfying validity and reliability, but the amount and types of test items, test content, evaluation rubrics and transparency are expected to be improved.
Compensatory Reading among ESL Learners: A Reading Strategy Heuristic
Author: Ismail, Shaik Abdul Malik Mohamed
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reading Comprehension,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Secondary School Students,Foreign Countries,Reading Strategies,Heuristics,Reading Skills,Reading Difficulties,Correlation,Teaching Methods,Reading Motivation,Student Attitudes,Self Esteem,Likert Scales,Self Evaluation (Individuals),Statistical Analysis

This paper aims to gain an insight to the relationship of two different concepts about reading comprehension, namely, the linear model of comprehension and the interactive compensatory theory. Drawing on both the above concepts, a heuristic was constructed about three different reading strategies determined by the specific ways the literal, reorganisation and inferential skills of comprehension interact. The concepts of apt and smart reading strategies were introduced, which refer to two possible ways of compensatory reading. Applying the reading strategy heuristic to the secondary analysis of a large reading assessment data from Malaysian secondary school 3567 ESL learners, compensatory reading was found to be used by a significant group of those students who struggle with poor reading skills. Furthermore, one of the compensatory strategies, namely, smart reading, was found to be positively correlated with the learners' motivation to read and their belief about own reading competence, the proportion of positive answers among smart readers being 3.5% and 3.9% higher than among the mainstream readers, respectively. The findings suggest that the language talent of apt and smart readers (18.2% of the current sample to be discovered and cultivated in the L2 classroom, especially among low-achiever learners who would most benefit from the recognition of compensation as a legitimate skill of reading comprehension.
A Cross-Cultural Study of Offering Advice Speech Acts by Iranian EFL Learners and English Native Speakers: Pragmatic Transfer in Focus
Author: Babaie, Sherveh
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Speech Acts,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Native Speakers,English,Pragmatics,Comparative Analysis,Indo European Languages,Cross Cultural Studies,Mixed Methods Research,College Students,Foreign Countries

The purpose of the present study was to compare the speech act of offering advice as realized by Iranian EFL learners and English native speakers. The study, more specifically, attempted to find out whether there was any pragmatic transfer from Persian (L1) among Iranian EFL learners while offering advice in English. It also examined whether Iranian EFL learners' perception of directness/indirectness in the realization of offering advice develops as a result of proficiency development. In order to achieve the objectives, a Discourse Completion Test (DCT) was used to collect the speech act of offering advice from among Iranian EFL learners and native English speakers. The findings indicated that Iranian EFL learners were not as balanced as native English speakers in the use of indirect use of offering advice. It was also observed that Iranian EFL learners had not acquired the pragmatic competence to offer native-like advice with regard to social power and social distance between interlocutors. The result also revealed that Iranian EFL learners and the native English speakers favored a number of similar strategies for the realization of offering advice, though there were differences in terms of frequency use of the speech acts of offering advice. Thus, this study showed evidence of pragmatics transfer.
An Investigation into the Culture-Loaded Words Learning by English Majors in a Vocational College in China
Author: Yuewu, Lin
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Majors (Students),Cultural Influences,Vocational Education,Student Attitudes,College Faculty,Teacher Attitudes,Questionnaires,Interviews,Postsecondary Education,Semantics,Language Usage,Classification,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Language Patterns,Statistical Analysis

Culture-loaded words and expressions are loaded with specific national cultural information and indicate deep national culture. They are the direct and indirect reflection of national culture in the structure of words and expressions. The improper use of culture-loaded words often leads to misunderstanding in cross-cultural communication. However, few systematic researches on culture-loaded words learning and teaching in vocational college have been conducted in China. The study attempts to investigate the present situation of English culture-loaded words learning among vocational college English majors in vocational college; the attitude by students and teachers towards English culture-loaded words learning and teaching in vocational college; the differences and similarities in their opinions through culture-loaded words test and a questionnaire for students as well as an interview for teachers. Results showed that the vocational college English majors' learning of the English culture-loaded words is rather inadequate and unsatisfactory, which reflects that great attention should be paid to the cultivating of students' culture awareness and their acquisition of cultural knowledge.
An Evaluating Study on ESP Medical Textbook: Instructors and Learners' Needs Analysis
Author: Salehi, Hadi
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Textbook Evaluation,English for Special Purposes,Medical Education,Questionnaires,Interviews,Textbook Content,Needs Assessment,Medical School Faculty,Medical Students,Student Needs

Textbook evaluation is determining the productivity and value of textbooks with respect to stated objectives, standards, or criteria. This study was an attempt to evaluate the ESP medical textbook, which is taught at some universities in Iran. To gather the necessary data, two researcher-made questionnaires and one interview protocol were used. Iranian Medical instructors and learners answered to a 28-item questionnaire to express their attitudes towards the content, exercises, and topics of their ESP course book. In addition, some members of both groups participated in an interview to gain in depth information about the study. They were both male and female. The findings revealed that the content and the topics of the ESP medical textbook are based on the learners and instructors' needs. The results of this study have a number of implications for medical instructors, learners, and syllabus designers.
Construct Validity of MSRT Reading Comprehension Module in Iranian Context
Author: Sichani, Elham Fallahian
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Construct Validity,Reading Tests,Statistical Analysis,Factor Analysis,Language Proficiency,Language Tests,Reading Comprehension,Foreign Countries,Test Reliability,Qualitative Research,Questionnaires,Institutes (Training Programs),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Student Attitudes,English (Second Language)

Many researchers were interested in validity of the language proficiency tests in the previous decades. The present study aims to study the construct validity of the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology Reading Comprehension module (MSRT) in the Iranian context. After administering a standard language proficiency test (OPT) 65 intermediate EFL learners were selected. The participants passed some 72 hours learning MSRT techniques and the strategies needed to be adopted in the MSRT test sessions. After all these hours, MSRT test was administered to those learners in some institutes. Later EFL questionnaire on reading was run among them and they were asked to check the skills they have applied during MSRT reading comprehension test. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches helped this study to collect and analyze the data. By qualitative approaches, this study collected expert's and test takers' judgments and by quantitative approaches, collected factor analysis. The results revealed that there were a significant consent among the judgments of the experts and an agreement among the test takers on the skills being measured by MSRT reading module. Finally, explanatory factor analysis did not reveal similar findings as those in the judgmental phase of the study. The items in the MSRT reading comprehension tests didn't confirm that MSRT reading parts assess the reading skills in the Iranian context. This study highlighted the importance of designing and using more reliable and valid tests, for researchers and designers, and those who are interested in the use of such tests.
Innovating with HOTS for the ESL Reading Class
Author: Yoke, Soo Kum
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Thinking Skills,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Reading Instruction,Instructional Innovation,Quasiexperimental Design,Critical Thinking,Student Attitudes,Structured Interviews,Undergraduate Students,Foreign Countries

The idea of integrating higher order thinking skills (HOTS) in language classrooms has been viewed negatively by language teachers. Students have been found to be passive and teachers have been found to lack creativity in innovating their lessons. The government's effort of introducing thinking skills in the Malaysian Education Blueprint (MEB) 2015-2025 is still at its initial stage and the idea of how and why thinking skills should be introduced is yet to be addressed. As such, this quasi-experimental study aims at investigating how HOTS can be integrated in the ESL reading classroom and to what extent students perceive this idea as applicable for them to develop critical thinking skills. A quasi-experimental approach has been applied involving 30 students selected from a convenient non-random sampling method. The students were exposed to two treatments: (1) online reading response task (2) offline reading response task. In both treatments, they were required to discuss a given issue in groups and then to read an article on the issue before posting their views. A selected number of 10 students were then subjected to a set of structured interview session. A descriptive analysis was done based on the interview responses. The results showed that the students favoured the given tasks and believed that it was innovative and out-of-the-box, with recommendations that the tasks should be continued and recommended to other ESL reading classrooms.
Investigating the Relationship between Iranian EFL Teachers' Autonomy and Their Neuro-Linguistic Programming
Author: Hosseinzadeh, Ehsan
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Correlation,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Neurolinguistics,Questionnaires,Language Teachers,Second Language Instruction,Foreign Countries,Professional Autonomy,Teacher Surveys,Teacher Attitudes,Teaching Methods,Individual Differences,Cognitive Processes,Curriculum

The present study was an attempt to investigate the relationship between English Language Teachers' autonomy and their Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP). To this end, a group of 200 experienced English language teachers at various language schools in Tehran, inter alia, Asre Zaban Language Academy, were given two questionnaires namely Teaching Autonomy Scale (Pearson &amp; Moomaw, 2005); and Reza Pishghadam's Neuro-linguistic Programming Questionnaire (2011) among which 162 instruments were returned. After being verified, 129 questionnaires which had been thoroughly completed were selected and carefully examined. At the outset of the data analysis stage, the researcher was supposed to pick out the accurate correlational measure. In this effort, assumptions of linearity of the relationship between the variables and normality of the data were verified and, as a result, Spearman rho was employed. The findings of an in-depth data analysis revealed that the null hypothesis of the study was to a large extent supported. That is to say, exclusive of General autonomy which was positively and significantly related to NLP, other sub-categories of autonomy--Curriculum and Total, were not correlated significantly with NLP.
Evaluation by Native and Non-Native English Teacher-Raters of Japanese Students' Summaries
Author: Hijikata-Someya, Yuko
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Second Language Learning,Student Evaluation,English Teachers,Interrater Reliability,Scoring Rubrics,Feedback (Response),Evaluators,Holistic Approach,Writing Instruction,Writing (Composition),Writing Skills,College Students,Qualitative Research,Statistical Analysis

Although the importance of summary writing is well documented in prior studies, few have investigated the evaluation of written summaries. Due to the complex nature of L2 summary writing, which requires one to read the original material and summarize its content in the L2, raters often emphasize different features when judging the quality of L2 summaries. Therefore, this study examines the ratings of English-language summaries written by Japanese university students in order to identify differences in EFL instructors' evaluations. Fifty-one Japanese EFL university students read a passage and then wrote an English summary without receiving any instructions concerning summary composition. The raters included three native English speakers (NESs) and three non-native English speakers (NNESs), who individually evaluated each summary using the Educational Testing Service's holistic rubric. Analysis of inter-rater reliability revealed a lower Cronbach's alpha coefficient for NNES raters (a = 0.39) when compared to NES raters (a = 0.77). Comments were collected from raters regarding the difficulty of evaluating summaries, and the causes of such difficulties were examined. Comments from NNES raters more concerned vocabulary use and paraphrasing, whereas the NES raters concentrated on content and language. This study also explores ways to potentially improve the holistic rubric by examining feedback from raters regarding their rating experiences.
Comparing the Effect of Using Monolingual versus Bilingual Dictionary on Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners' Vocabulary Learning
Author: Ahangari, Saeideh
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Vocabulary,Dictionaries,Comparative Analysis,Monolingualism,Bilingualism,College Students,Pretests Posttests,Statistical Analysis

This study aimed to investigate the effect of using two types of dictionaries (monolingual and bilingual) on Iranian intermediate EFL learners' vocabulary learning. An OPT (Oxford placement test, 2001) was administered among 90 students 60 of whom were selected as the participants of this study. They were sophomore students studying English as a foreign language, with the age range of 19-27. They were then divided into two comparison groups: Monolingual Dictionary (MD) and Bilingual Dictionary (BD) groups. A pretest of vocabulary was administered to both groups. Then both groups were given a five-session treatment. One group was taught vocabulary based on monolingual dictionary, and the other group was taught vocabulary through bilingual dictionary. After the treatment, the same version of vocabulary test was given to both groups as posttest to check the effectiveness of the treatments. The results of Paired-Samples and Independent Samples t-tests revealed that the effect of monolingual dictionary on learners' vocabulary learning was more than that of the bilingual dictionary use. The implications and recommendations will also be presented.
An Analysis on Teachers' Politeness Strategy and Student's Compliance in Teaching Learning Process at SD Negeri 024184 Binjai Timur Binjai--North Sumatra-Indonesia
Author: Manik, Sondang
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Elementary School Teachers,Elementary School Students,Classroom Communication,Compliance (Psychology),Speech Acts,Pragmatics,Qualitative Research

This study aims to find out the politeness strategies used by the teachers and how the politeness affects to the student's compliance. The focus is on directive and expressive speech acts. The subjects of this study were two teachers and the students of class II-A and II-B at SD 024184 Binjai Timur Binjai. The data was gathered by video audio recording the teachers' utterances and the students' compliances to the teacher, in order to find the teacher's politeness principles and the students' compliances to the teachers' utterances. In the data analysis, it is found that 1) the teachers used four maxims in their communication to the students. They are tact maxim, generosity maxim, approbation maxim and agreement maxim. It is not found that the teachers used modesty maxim and sympathy maxim. 2) The teachers were dominantly used tact maxim in their directive speech acts to the students. 3) Children pragmatic competence and positive emotions were the factors that affected the students' compliances to the teachers' politeness utterances.
Applying the Reader-Response Theory to Literary Texts in EFL-Pre-Service Teachers' Initial Education
Author: Garzón, Eliana
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reader Response,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Preservice Teachers,Story Reading,Theories,English Literature,Critical Thinking,Thinking Skills,Language Teachers,Foreign Countries,Qualitative Research,Coding,Video Technology,Audio Equipment,Writing Assignments

This article presents the pedagogical implementation of the reader-response theory in a class of English as a foreign language with language pre-service teachers as they experience the reading of two short stories. The research took place over a 16 week period in which students kept a portfolio of their written responses to the stories. Participants also discussed their interpretations in class. The core constructs of this study are the reader-response theory, the use of literature in English as a foreign language classes and its relation to critical thinking. Results showed that the application of tasks based on the reader-response theory encourages a meaning seeking process as well as the development of higher order thinking skills in future language teachers.