ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
L2 Vocabulary Research and Instructional Practices: Where Are the Gaps?
Author: Rossiter, Marian J.
Date: 2016-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Learning Strategies,Vocabulary Development,Second Language Instruction,Language Teachers,Teacher Attitudes,Online Surveys,Teaching Methods,Evaluation Methods,Retention (Psychology),Word Frequency,Phrase Structure,Dictionaries,Faculty Development,Theory Practice Relationship,Best Practices,Knowledge Base for Teaching,Likert Scales

This study investigates the vocabulary knowledge, beliefs, and practices of adult English as a second language (ESL) instructors. Thirty participants responded to an online survey designed to elicit information regarding their knowledge and beliefs; approaches to assessment; vocabulary teaching techniques and strategies; instructional practices related to repetition, retention, and extensive reading; use of technology, dictionaries, frequency lists, corpora, and formulaic sequences; and professional development interests. We used descriptive statistics to analyze responses and identified discrepancies between teacher beliefs/practices and current research findings in: (1) the setting of instructional priorities (word phrase frequency and coverage; expectations of learning rate and retention); (2) vocabulary assessment; (3) vocabulary teaching practices; (4) extensive reading; (5) technology; and (6) dictionary choice, use, and training. Participants expressed greatest interest in the following professional development topics: teaching techniques, learning strategies, assessment, the linking of classroom practice to research findings, and effects of repetition. Professional development in evidence-based best practices in these areas would enhance the teaching and learning of second language (L2) vocabulary.
Critical Reading Discourse of Pre-Service English Teachers in Turkey
Author: Balikçi, Gözde
Date: 2016-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Case Studies,Preservice Teachers,Critical Reading,Foreign Countries,Feedback (Response),Discourse Analysis,Advanced Courses,Teaching Methods,College Freshmen,Critical Thinking,Language Teachers,Teacher Education,Journal Writing,Student Attitudes,Content Analysis

This case study was conducted in order to observe and investigate the critical reading discourse (CRD) of 27 freshman pre-service teachers of English at the department of foreign language teaching at a state university in Turkey. In addition, the study attempts to answer the question of how the critical reading discourse of the students is shaped through feedback, instruction, and time. The written and audio-visual data were collected in the Advanced Reading and Writing I and II courses, which are offered to first-year students in the Foreign Language Education (FLE) department. The results of the data analysis indicate that the critical reading discourse of the freshman pre-service teachers of English involves interpretive, evaluative, and responsive discourse. Evaluative discourse was found to be limited in students' written work and discussions when compared to interpretive and responsive discourse. The students also usually tended to evaluate the content of the texts rather than their form. It was also found that instruction about academic writing fosters critical thinking, but it was not sufficient to encourage critical reading.
EAP Curriculum Alignment and Social Acculturation: Student Perceptions
Author: Tweedie, M. Gregory
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English for Academic Purposes,Language Teachers,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Second Language Learning,Acculturation,Qualitative Research,Undergraduate Students,Student Attitudes,Semi Structured Interviews,Barriers,Curriculum,Foreign Countries,Cultural Awareness,Writing Skills,Notetaking,Reading Skills,Oral Language,Foreign Students,Vocabulary Development

The role of English as a second language (ESL) teachers and instruction as factors in student social and psychological acculturation is widely acknowledged. However, the function of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) is less well known in this regard, because research has focused largely on academic acculturation. This qualitative study investigated the perceptions of curriculum alignment with undergraduate study by post-EAP learners (students who had successfully completed EAP and were registered in mainstream university programs). Semistructured interviews were conducted with 7 former EAP students from a range of faculties at a large Canadian university. Analysis of interview data highlighted social acculturation as a perceived need in EAP curriculum, as participants remarked on linguistic and cultural barriers faced while participating in university life post-EAP. The researchers argue that social acculturation is typically underrepresented in EAP curriculum, and may be inadvertently overlooked by instructors, curriculum planners, and program providers.
Blogging as an Instructional Tool in the ESL Classroom
Author: Featro, Susan Mary
Date: 2016-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Electronic Publishing,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Masters Degrees,Qualitative Research,Teacher Education,Language Teachers,Second Language Instruction,Field Experience Programs,Teaching Methods,Student Attitudes,Elementary Secondary Education,Interviews,Teacher Attitudes,Questionnaires,Teacher Certification

Theories on emerging technologies have stated that using blogs in the classroom can engage students in discussion, support peer learning, and improve students' literacy skills. Research has pointed to many ways that blogging is beneficial to student learning when used as an instructional tool. The researchers conducted a project that investigated the use of blogs in ESL instruction. Graduate education students who were taking coursework in order to earn a master's degree in TESL and/or teacher certification in ESL learned how to create and use blogs for educational purposes. While completing their ESL field experience requirement in U.S. K-12 school settings, these students noted how they observed blogs being used, and they interviewed ESL teachers about their experience in using blogs in the classroom. After their observations and interviews, these students completed a questionnaire in which they reported, summarized, and reflected on the use of blogs in an ESL curriculum and instructional implications. The article shares the results of this qualitative research study.
Promoting Engagement with Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles in Adult ESL Programs
Author: Abbott, Marilyn L.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Adult Learning,English (Second Language),Journal Articles,Peer Evaluation,Second Language Instruction,Focus Groups,Foreign Countries,Online Surveys,Faculty Development,Language Teachers,Teacher Role,Administrator Role,Teacher Attitudes,Administrator Attitudes,Educational Research,Statistical Analysis,Educational Attainment,Undergraduate Study,Graduate Study,Interviews

Engagement with current research is essential for the implementation of evidence-informed instructional practices in adult English as a second language classrooms. We explored Canadian administrators' and instructors' engagement with peer-reviewed research articles, perceptions of their impact, and ways in which stakeholders could enhance engagement. Online surveys were conducted with 41 administrators and 268 instructors, and 4 administrators participated in a focus group interview. Results revealed that administrators were not actively fostering instructors' engagement with peer-reviewed research and that neither administrators nor instructors were engaging extensively with research. Those who were reading research, however, reported a positive impact on their work, and 86% of instructors indicated interest in enhancing their engagement. We provide recommendations for professional organizations, program funders, program administrators, and instructors to promote TESL practitioner engagement with research.
Applying an SIOP-Based Instructional Framework for Professional Development in Korea
Author: Song, Kim Hyunsook
Date: 2016-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Faculty Development,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Language Teachers,Teaching Methods,Classroom Observation Techniques,Foreign Countries,Models,Statistical Analysis,Instructional Effectiveness,Oral Language,Teacher Effectiveness,Case Studies,Secondary School Teachers,Reflection,Scores,Coaching (Performance),Surveys,Lesson Plans,Schemata (Cognition)

Nonnative English speaking teachers' oral proficiency and instructional strategies are the significant factors to become effective language teachers where English is not used as a daily communication medium. The study focuses on improvement of EFL teachers' instructional strategies. The main goal of the study is to develop an EFL instructional framework. The framework consists of SIOP (Sheltered instruction observation protocol) and a backward teaching and learning cycle. The backward cycle is used as a frame to implement the SIOP Model and the reflective coaching. A pilot study is conducted with the Korean teachers who have taught five lessons in order to examine effectiveness of the framework. The pre- and post-evaluation survey data, pre- and post-conference reflections, observation field notes, and five lesson plans are analyzed to see the effectiveness of the instructional framework. The survey results indicate that 26 of 30 items show greater means in the post-evaluation, and 2 items show the statistical significance in the t-test. The results from the five reflective coaching cases illustrate that both participants have reached the reflective thinking stage of experimentation, but only one has reached the evaluation stage, with a new conceptual schemata. Implications and future directions are discussed.
Chinese Students' Perceptions of the Value of Test Preparation Courses for the TOEFL iBT: Merit, Worth, and Significance
Author: Ma, Jia
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Test Preparation,Second Language Instruction,Communities of Practice,Interviews,Language Tests,Computer Assisted Testing,High Stakes Tests,English Curriculum,College Admission,Asians,Language Teachers,Educational Quality,Student Motivation,Student Attitudes,Student Characteristics,Qualitative Research

Test preparation for high-stakes English language tests has received increasing research attention in the language assessment field; however, little is known about what aspects of test preparation students attend to and value. In this study, we considered the perspectives of 12 Chinese students who were enrolled in various academic programs in a Canadian university, and we examined their perceptions of the value of the TOEFL iBT test preparation courses they had taken prior to admission to that university. Drawing on Scriven's (1998, 2007) model, which conceptualizes value as merit, worth, and significance, the thematic findings that emerged from the interviews were triangulated with document analysis and revealed that the value of TOEFL iBT test preparation courses was attributed to (a) quality (merit), including teachers, instruction, and instructional content; (b) benefit (worth), such as efficiency and reorientation to the TOEFL iBT and English skills development; and (c) engagement and affective attainment (significance), in learning communities and sources of motivation. However, the perceived value varied among these students, and the factors related to such variability included both internal factors (e.g., students' motivations for taking test preparation courses) and external factors (e.g., limited time to prepare for the TOEFL iBT). Implications of the benefits are discussed within the context of Chinese students in the Canadian academic milieu.
Switches to English during French Service Encounters: Relationships with L2 French Speakers' Willingness to Communicate and Motivation
Author: McNaughton, Stephanie
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Second Language Learning,French,Multilingualism,Foreign Countries,English,Code Switching (Language),Questionnaires,Teaching Methods,Second Language Instruction,Language Usage,Interpersonal Communication,Likert Scales

This exploratory study investigated second language (L2) French speakers' service encounters in the multilingual setting of Montreal, specifically whether switches to English during French service encounters were related to L2 speakers' willingness to communicate or motivation. Over a two-week period, 17 French L2 speakers in Montreal submitted online questionnaires after they concluded service encounters that they had initiated in French. Their willingness to communicate in French was higher when the service provider did not switch to English; however, the frequency of English switches was not related to their general motivation to learn French. Possible reasons for language switches are explored, and pedagogical implications are highlighted.
&quot;Teachers Are Not Empty Vessels&quot;: A Reception Study of Freeman and Johnson's (1998) Reconceptualization of the Knowledge Base of Second Language Teacher Education
Author: Lee, Joseph J.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Knowledge Base for Teaching,Theory Practice Relationship,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Language Teachers,Teacher Education,Teaching Methods,Journal Articles,Books,Masters Theses,Doctoral Dissertations,Citation Analysis,Authors,Applied Linguistics

This study traces the reception history of Freeman and Johnson's (1998) widely cited article dedicated to theory and practices of second language teacher education (SLTE). It illuminates the degree to which that article has impacted SLTE theory, research, and potentially instructional practices. The reception study analysis is based on a data set of 413 journal articles, books, book chapters, master's theses, and doctoral dissertations that cited Freeman and Johnson (F&amp;J) between 1999 and 2014. Using an innovative analytical approach combining both Hyland's (1999, 2004) citation categories and Coffin's (2009) stance framework, we investigate the citation analytics of F&amp;J within this data set, including how it has been cited over time and the stance that citing authors have taken toward F&amp;J's proposals. Although F&amp;J's reconceptualization of the theory and practices of SLTE sparked initial controversy, our findings indicate that F&amp;J's article has not only been accumulating increased attention over time, but their vision for the future of SLTE also has gained greater acceptance and has edged closer to the center of SLTE. The article concludes with a discussion of implications for further reception studies in TESOL/applied linguistics.
Charting a Democratic Course for Global Citizenship Education: Research Directions and Current Challenges
Author: Myers, John P.
Date: 2016-05-16
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Citizenship Education,Global Approach,Democracy,Educational Change,Educational Research,Neoliberalism,Civics,Educational Practices,Role of Education,Resistance to Change

This article outlines research directions for global citizenship education, by emphasizing the centrality of democratic goals for schools in the 21st century. Despite a significant shift in educational policies and practices towards addressing education that respond to the conditions of globalization, there is not a clear vision regarding its role in schools. Furthermore, curriculum reforms such as global citizenship education inevitably face the issue of whether to adapt to neoliberal tenets of privatization, high stakes testing and standards-based accountability, or to resist and challenge these policies with alternative, democratic visions of schooling. This article argues that for global citizenship education to reach maturity, there is a need for a programmatic research agenda that addresses the complex dynamics that globalization has introduced to schooling, particularly the challenges to teaching and learning for helping youth to make sense of the world and their role in it. An analysis of recent advances in research and practice in civic education is used as a starting point to advance directions for global citizenship education. Two key directions are suggested: to gain a more secure foothold in schools and the need to focus on a shared conceptual focus that helps researchers, practitioners and other stakeholders to access the same body of practices and knowledge.
The Term &quot;Gifted Child&quot; from Teachers' View
Author: Altintas, Esra
Date: 2016-05-23
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Middle School Teachers,Secondary School Teachers,Teacher Attitudes,Student Characteristics,Academically Gifted,Content Analysis,Qualitative Research,High Schools,Foreign Countries

The aim of the present research is to present the term of &quot;gifted child&quot; from the point of view of teachers who work at middle and high schools.This study aims to obtain more information about gifted students and to learn their different characteristics. It is important to know the key characteristics of gifted students. To obtain suitable data used in selecting gifted students, the formation of suitable learning environments for these children, using suitable learning strategies in educational environments and meeting the educational needs of these children is necessary. It is of great importance for teachers to recognize gifted students. For that reason, the present study aims to provide the meaning of the term &quot;gifted child&quot; by asking teachers who work at middle and high schools in different fields. In the present study, content analysis was used based on qualitative data analysis. The study group of the research consisted of 300 teachers working at middle and high schools. From three open-ended questions, the answers of an open-ended question &quot;Can you explain the term 'gifted child'?&quot; were analyzed. The answers obtained from teachers were grouped under 6 themes as follows: Creativity features, academic features, personality features, physical features, social features and congenital features.
&quot;Are&quot; WE the World? A Critical Reflection on Selfhood in U.S. Global Citizenship Education
Author: Wang, Chenyu
Date: 2016-05-16
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Global Education,Citizenship Education,Reflection,Secondary School Curriculum,Web Sites,Content Analysis,Theory Practice Relationship,Identification (Psychology),Educational Practices,Educational Assessment,Educational Strategies,Relevance (Education)

Although much debate exists on the conceptualization, nature, and goals of global citizenship education, there has been widespread support for incorporating ideals of global citizenship into the practices, texts, and curricula of U.S. schools and universities. This article offers an interpretive discourse-based critique of ideas of selfhood underlying global citizenship education. Based on analyses of two U.S. high school curricula and materials available on websites devoted to global citizenship, we develop a critique of universalizing constructs of selfhood that underlie global citizenship discourse. These assumptions obscure reflection on dynamics of social class privilege that shape global citizenship activism and situate global citizenship education as a potentially counter-productive neoliberal discourse. The article concludes with recommendations for practitioners interested in developing a more self-reflective and critical global citizenship education.
Students and Instructors Opinions about Piano Instruction
Author: Kilic, Deniz Beste Çevik
Date: 2016-05-23
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Music Education,Teacher Attitudes,Student Attitudes,Music Teachers,Questionnaires,Undergraduate Students,Foreign Countries,Content Analysis,Qualitative Research

This study examined the opinions of the students and piano instructors in the Turkish Education Faculties' Fine Arts Instruction Departments' music instruction programs about piano instruction. The study data were collected using a questionnaire administered to the piano instructors and the students who took lessons from them. The study results indicated that the piano lesson should be included in the whole undergraduate process to achieve the target behaviors. Regarding the content of piano lessons, the piano instructors emphasized that the lesson content should be increased to improve piano playing skills, develop deciphering, teach technical and musical skills, improve its usability in the teaching profession, impart a broader piano instruction, and teach students about the piano repertoire of all periods in history. The study found that the instructors and students also emphasized the importance of a piece's harmonic structure, tonality, and tonal context as well as its form, sentences, divisions, and musical language regarding the improvement of technique and musicality when studying musical works (for example, etudes, sonatinas and sonatas). Another study finding showed that the most difficult lessons, according to the instructors and students, were chord clusters with three and four consecutive notes, using two techniques with two hands (for example, legato with one hand and staccato with the other) and finger numbers.
Examination of Primary Education Department Preservice Teachers' Attitudes towards Environment According to Various Variables
Author: Gulec, Selma
Date: 2016-05-23
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Preservice Teachers,Student Attitudes,Environment,Statistical Analysis,Gender Differences,Social Studies,Likert Scales

The study group was composed of 114 students from the Education Faculty of Uludag University in the spring semester of 2014 to 2015 academic year. 90 of them were female and 24 were male; 52 were enrolled in the classroom teaching and 62 in the social studies department. The 27-item &quot;Environmental Attitude Scale&quot; developed was used in the study. To analyze the data, the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) program was used. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to check if the data distributed normally. It was observed that while the results of the Environmental Behavior Scale distributed normally, those of the Environmental Thought Scale did not. The Environmental Behavior Scale was composed of 13 items; the Environmental Thought Scale consisted of 14 items. Items were scored from 1 to 5. In terms of environmental behaviors, no statistically significant differences were found according to gender and branch. Again, no statistically significant difference was found in terms of environmental thought according to gender, but a significant difference was observed according to branch. When the students' attitudes were compared, it was observed that they exhibited a high level of attitude towards environmental thought but a middle level attitude towards environmental behavior.