ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
The Development of an Online Reader Self-Perception Scale for EFL University Students
Author: Poomarin, Wanpen
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),College Students,Foreign Countries,Self Concept,Information Literacy,Reading Comprehension,Evaluation Methods,Internet,Reading Processes,Student Attitudes,Factor Analysis,Reliability,Protocol Analysis,Correlation,Metacognition,Physiology,Performance,Feedback (Response),Teaching Methods,Rating Scales,Self Evaluation (Individuals)

Self-perception, which mediates between knowledge and behavior, increasingly plays an important role in the determination of the ability to comprehend and respond to information on the Internet. Teachers need to gain insights about how EFL readers feel about themselves as readers in the Internet-based learning environment. There is a critical need for appropriate instruments to provide such information. This study was aimed at developing a scale to measure self-perception of online reading for EFL students at the university level. The scale was refined and validated through multiple procedures: interview, experts' validation, and observation through the think-aloud method before being administered to Thai university students. The exploratory factor analysis showed that the existence of two dimensions represented the clearly interpretable relationship and the identification of each dimension. Cronbach's alpha internal reliabilities also indicated a strong coherence of the items on each dimension. The results show that the final scale was constructed with two components -- Social Reference and Self-Reflection, in which the first scale included four constructs: Performance Accomplishment, Physiological States, Social Feedback, and Vicarious Experience. Implications for pedagogical practices, limitations of the study, and suggestions for future research are presented.
Beyond Motivation: Investigating Thai English Major Students&apos; Grit
Author: Gyamfi, George
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Majors (Students),Learning Motivation,Academic Persistence,Foreign Countries,Student Attitudes,Inferences,Student Motivation,College Students,Questionnaires,Validity,Reliability

Success in language learning has generally been attributed to students' motivation. However, beyond motivation is grit, a psychological construct that has rarely been mentioned in language learning research. This study therefore aimed to investigate the grit of 171 Thai students studying English as a Foreign Language (EFL), and the factors that might have influenced their grit as EFL learners. A questionnaire based on adapted grit scales and a focus-group discussion were used to collect the data. A statistical analysis was conducted on the questionnaire-derived data. Meta-inferences were made in relation to the transcribed orally- collected data from the focus group discussion in order to draw relevant conclusions. The findings revealed that participants' socio-cultural context influenced their consistency of interest and perseverance of effort at an above moderate level. This may have resulted in making them adaptable in their approach to achieving their learning goals. Future careers, societal needs, life purpose and the reputation as an English major student were found to contribute to the variance. It is suggested that a more perseverance-oriented approach coupled with proper mentoring sessions that is context-relevant should be incorporated into EFL programs to enhance students' interest and effort in attaining their goals.
Google Translate and Translation Quality: A Case of Translating Academic Abstracts from Thai to English
Author: Tongpoon-Patanasorn, Angkana
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Translation,Computational Linguistics,Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),Search Engines,Usability,Native Language,Second Languages,Documentation,Thai,Language Processing,Error Analysis (Language),Journal Articles,Academic Language,Reading Comprehension,Punctuation,Sentence Structure,Error Patterns,Humanities,Social Sciences

Machine translation (MT), especially Google Translate (GT), is widely used by language learners and those who need help with translation. MT research, particularly that which examines the quality and usability of the translation produced by the MT, only makes up a handful of studies. Moreover, only a few of them have looked at translation quality and problems of translated texts from the user's first language to a second language, and none has been conducted to examine translations produced by the updated system of GT (i.e., the Neural Machine Translation System). The purposes of this study are to examine the quality of abstracts translated from Thai, the user's first language, to English, the target language, using GT by evaluating their comprehensibility and usability levels and to examine frequent error types. Fifty-four abstracts were selected from academic journals in eight disciplines of Humanities and Social Sciences. They were rated by two experts using coding schemes. The results revealed overall comprehensibility and usability were both at a moderate level. That means the quality of the abstracts translated by GT may not meet the language requirements needed for academic writing. The most frequent errors produced by GT were those of capitalization, punctuation, and fragmentation.
Effects of Global Englishes-Informed Pedagogy in Raising Chinese University Students&apos; Global Englishes Awareness
Author: Lu, Huashan
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Language Role,English (Second Language),Global Approach,Instructional Effectiveness,Language Attitudes,Self Efficacy,Attitude Change,Undergraduate Students,Native Speakers,Intercultural Communication,English Instruction,Second Language Instruction,Sociolinguistics

The spread of English as a global language has resulted in many changes in sociolinguistic realities, which challenges the foundations of how language should be taught and learned. To match today's sociolinguistic realities, researchers have called for a paradigm shift from the traditional pedagogy to a new pedagogy that can prepare students to use English in international communication involving different varieties of English and its cultures. However, little research has been done in implementing a Global Englishes (GE)-informed pedagogy in English language classrooms, especially in mainland China. This research attempts to examine the effects of a GE-informed pedagogy in developing Chinese university students' GE awareness. 82 university students participated in this study and received a 12-week intervention of a GE-informed instruction. Data collection methods included questionnaires and interviews. Paired-samples t-test and content analysis were used to analyze the data. The results show that students' GE awareness was significantly raised after taking the course. Specifically, students acknowledged the diversity of English, assessed English from a GE perspective, and their self-confidence increased in international communication. This paper argues for the importance of raising GE awareness and calls for a more critical approach to ELT in China.
Analyzing Different Module Characteristics in Computer Adaptive Multistage Testing
Author: Sahin, Melek Gulsah
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computer Assisted Testing,Adaptive Testing,Test Items,Item Response Theory,Psychometrics,Item Banks,Error of Measurement,Difficulty Level,Test Construction

Computer Adaptive Multistage Testing (ca-MST), which take the advantage of computer technology and adaptive test form, are widely used, and are now a popular issue of assessment and evaluation. This study aims at analyzing the effect of different panel designs, module lengths, and different sequence of a parameter value across stages and change in b parameter range on measurement precision in ca-MST implementations. The study has been carried out as a simulation. MSTGen simulation software tool was used for that purpose. 5000 simulees derived from normal distribution (N (0,1)) were simulated. 60 different conditions (two panel designs (1-3-3; 1-2-2), three module lengths (10-15-20), 5 different a parameter sequences (&quot;0.8; 0.8; 0.8&quot; - &quot;1.4; 0.8; 0.8&quot;-&quot;0.8;1.4; 0.8&quot; - &quot;0.8; 0.8;1,4&quot; - &quot;1.4; 1,4; 1.4&quot;) and two b parameter difference (small; large) conditions) were taken into consideration during analysis. Correlation, RMSE and AAD values of conditions were calculated. Conditional RMSE values corresponding to each ability level are given in a graph. Dissimilar to other studies in the literature, this study examines b parameter difference condition in three-stage tests and its interaction with a parameter sequence. Study results show that measurement precision increases as the number and length of the modules increase. Errors in measurement decrease as item discrimination values increase in all stages. Including items with a high value of item discrimination in the second or last stage contributes to measurement precision. In extreme ability levels, large difficulty difference condition produces lower error values when compared to small difficulty difference condition.
Grammar in Writing: Teachers&apos; Reflections
Author: Xavier, Christine Anita
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Second Language Instruction,Writing Instruction,English (Second Language),Grammar,English Teachers,Teacher Attitudes,Instructional Materials,Action Research,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Teaching Methods

There has been much debate over the role of grammar instruction in the teaching of writing -- whether grammar and writing should be taught separately, or in an integrated manner in the English Language writing class. This paper describes an action research project aimed at contributing to this debate through some teachers' reflections on integrating grammar and writing in the writing class. Five experienced English Language teachers in a Singapore primary school were concerned that while their students performed reasonably well in grammar tasks done in isolation, they struggled with the effective use of grammar in writing tasks. The teachers participated in the project by attending professional development sessions to enhance their knowledge of grammar as a meaning-making resource, before engaging in teacher inquiry of some student compositions to better understand how their students used grammar in writing. They then proceeded to revise existing writing instructional materials to explicitly integrate grammar and writing. Finally, the teachers were asked to reflect, on paper, on their experience in being part of the project. Results show that the action research process led to teachers' enhanced grammar content knowledge, better understanding of students' gaps in writing, and improved teaching practices in the writing class.
The Development of a Scale to Evaluate Foreign Language Skills at Preparatory Schools
Author: Arslan, Recep S.
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Test Construction,Student Evaluation,Language Skills,Second Language Learning,College Preparation,Program Effectiveness,Secondary School Students,Factor Analysis,Second Language Instruction,Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Test Validity,Test Reliability

The aim of the present study is to develop a valid and reliable scale evaluating the effectiveness of language preparatory programs in the acquisition of language skills. In the development of Foreign Language Skills Scale (FLSS) in this study, research sample consisted of 326 preparatory school students for the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and 350 preparatory school students for the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Based on the data obtained from the first sample, an EFA was carried out on the FLSS. EFA has identified that 27 items of the scale have factor loads between 0.519 and 0.729, while they explain 65.376% of the total variance and are distributed under five factors. These factors are named as &quot;writing skill,&quot; &quot;speaking skill,&quot; &quot;listening skill,&quot; &quot;core skills,&quot; and &quot;reading skill.&quot; A CFA was applied on the data obtained from the second sample that consisted of 350 students. As a result of the CFA, it was confirmed that the FLSS consisted of 27 items and five factors. For all the items in the scale, item-subscale, item-test correlation coefficients and mean differences between the upper and the lower 27% of the participants were calculated, and it is determined that each item is consistent with not only the subscale it is under but also the whole test. In addition, the Cronbach's Alpha reliability coefficients of the total scale's and five sub-scales' internal consistency is quite high. The FLSS is expected to offer a comprehensive evaluation of the acquisition of four language skills in foreign language teaching programs.
The Development of Teachers&apos; Knowledge of the Nature of Mathematical Modeling Scale
Author: Asempapa, Reuben S.
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mathematical Models,Knowledge Level,Teacher Characteristics,Test Construction,Elementary Secondary Education,Elementary School Teachers,Secondary School Teachers,Content Validity,Psychometrics,Factor Analysis,Mathematics Teachers

This study addresses a gap in the literature on mathematical modeling education by developing the mathematical modeling knowledge scale (MMKS). The MMKS is a quantitative tool created to assess teachers' knowledge of the nature of mathematical modeling. Quantitative instruments to measure modeling knowledge is scare in the literature partially due to the lack of appropriate instruments developed to assess such knowledge among teachers. The MMKS was developed and validated with a total sample of 364 K-12 teachers from several public-schools using three phases. Phase 1 addresses content validity of the scale using reviews from experts and interviews with knowledgable teachers. Initial psychometric properties and piloting results are presented in phase 2 of the study, and phase 3 reports on the findings during the field test, factor structure, and factor analyses. The results of the factor analyses and other psychometric measures supported a 12-item, one-factor scale for assessing teachers' knowledge of the nature of mathematical modeling. The reliability of the MMKS was moderately high and acceptable ([alpha] = 0.84). The findings suggest the MMKS is a reliable, valid, and useful tool to measure teachers' knowledge of the nature of mathematical modeling. Potential uses and applications of the MMKS by researchers and educators are discussed, and implications for further research are provided.
Classroom Pivotal Response Teaching: Teacher Training Outcomes of a Community Efficacy Trial
Author: Suhrheinrich, Jessica
Date: 2020-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Students with Disabilities,Autism,Pervasive Developmental Disorders,Intervention,Behavior Modification,Program Effectiveness,Training,Teacher Attitudes,Student Motivation,Student Behavior,Faculty Development,Program Implementation,Inclusion

Classroom Pivotal Response Teaching (CPRT) is a naturalistic behavioral intervention for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that was systematically adapted for teacher use. In this study, the authors evaluate outcomes of a large randomized trial training teachers (n = 126) to use CPRT. Training involved 12 hours of small group sessions and additional 1:1 coaching in each teacher's classroom. Overall, CPRT fidelity was significantly higher at the end of the training year relative to the observation year (B = 0.24, p = 0.001) and teachers report using CPRT an average of 47 minutes per day. Moderator analyses indicate that training, teacher, and classroom- and school-level characteristics affected CPRT fidelity. Teachers report high overall satisfaction (M = 4.37, SD = 0.45; 1-5 Likert-type scale) and confidence in their ability to use CPRT with their students (M = 4.2, SD = 0.57). In this study, the authors indicate the acceptability and feasibility of the CPRT training protocol and adds to the limited number of school-based randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating interventions for students with ASD.
The Flipped Pedagogy: Effects on the Grammatical Competence and Writing Skill of Basic Users of English
Author: Valizadeh, Mohammadreza
Date: 2020-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Blended Learning,Grammar,Pretests Posttests,Intervention,Writing Skills,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Teaching Methods,Guidelines,Foreign Countries,Teacher Attitudes,Comparative Analysis,Rating Scales,Outcomes of Education,Language Skills,Learning Activities

This experimental study, using a pretest-intervention-posttest design, aims to explore the effect of semi-flipped instruction on the grammatical competence and writing skill of basic users of English. These users were also considered to be low achievers among their classmates, based on the opinions of their teachers, the criteria of the institute as well as the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for languages. The participants consisted of 53 Iranian students, who were assigned to two groups: the flipped and non-flipped. Each group received ten sessions of intervention. First, it was investigated whether there was any significant difference between the two groups in terms of their grammatical competence and writing skill. The flipped group significantly outperformed the non-flipped one. Next, it was examined whether the non-flipped intervention caused any significant change in the grammatical competence and writing skill of the non-flipped participants, and significant changes were found. The superiority of the flipped pedagogy can be attributed to the process of actively engaging the students in their learning activity in addition to including various techniques, such as collaborative writing, in-class teacher-learner interaction and negotiation as well as the video screencasting, because it is argued that the essential feature of flipped instruction is how the instructors best utilize in-class-time with the learners.
The Impact of Englishgame-Based Mobile Application on Students&apos; Reading Achievement and Learning Motivation
Author: Sofiana, Nina
Date: 2020-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Game Based Learning,Reading Achievement,Learning Motivation,Instructional Effectiveness,Junior High School Students,Grade 8,Early Adolescents,Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Computer Games,Reading Instruction,Telecommunications,Handheld Devices

This study is aimed at finding the impact of Englishgame-based Mobile Application (EBMA) on reading achievement and learning motivation of the students. It is an experimental research which uses test and questionnaire to gather the data. 119 samples (58 students of experimental group and 61 students of control group) are selected from eighth grade students of junior high school spread into urban and rural areas in the Jepara Municipality of Central Java Province under the Ministry of Education and Culture Indonesia. By using multivariate analysis of variance (Manova), it was found that the use of EBMA in learning could increase the students' achievement in reading. The students who used EBMA as a medium of learning had better achievement in reading than those who did not (71.12 &gt; 65.52). Then, students' motivation in learning differed significantly after the implementation of EBMA. It was higher since the activities engaged and motivated them to learn. Therefore, it indicates that the use of EBMA have great impact on students' reading achievement and learning motivation.
A Probe into the Indicators of Intercultural Communicative Competence in an EFL Self-Study Textbook
Author: Arslan, Sezen
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Foreign Countries,Textbooks,Intercultural Communication,Communicative Competence (Languages),Open Education,Teaching Methods,Cultural Differences,Cultural Awareness,Content Analysis

Textbooks play a vital role for teaching about different cultures since they present various regions, people, behavior, conventions, religions, values and some other cultural elements of different societies around the world. This study aimed to investigate the cultural content of a self-study textbook which was designed for Open Education Faculty in Turkey. In the study design the descriptive content analysis was employed in order to explore which aspects of intercultural communicative competence were addressed. The findings pointed out that the major part of many activities focused on cultural aspects. The study also put forward some practical recommendations on what content should be delivered through a textbook in order to develop intercultural communicative competence.
Students&apos; Competence in Cognitive Process and Knowledge in Biology Based on Curriculum Used in Indonesia
Author: Paidi, Paidi
Date: 2020-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Cognitive Processes,Knowledge Level,Biology,Science Curriculum,Foreign Countries,High School Students,Grade 11,Secondary School Curriculum,Instructional Effectiveness,National Curriculum,Mastery Learning,Thinking Skills,Competency Based Education

This research aim was to reveal the profile of competence in cognitive process and knowledge of grade 11 students of Indonesia's senior high school (SHS) on Biology in relation to the types of the curriculum implemented by the schools. The data were collected using test and self-report inventory technique. The research sample included 1,827 students spread across in five regions/districts of Indonesia. The data were analyzed descriptively using central-tendency and dispersion, and inferentially using independent sample t-test. The findings showed that the students' competence in cognitive process and knowledge in Biology subject is not satisfactory. With regards to the high-level cognitive process of analyzing, evaluating, and creating (C4, C5, and C6), there is a tendency that Curriculum 2013 is more effective than Curriculum 2006. Curriculum 2013 was also (tend to) more effective to develop the metacognitive knowledge especially for aspect of regulation of cognitive, Curriculum 2013 was also more effective than Curriculum 2006.
The Effect of a Dual Coding Technique on Idiom Interpretation in ESL/EFL Learners
Author: Samburskiy, Denis
Date: 2020-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Figurative Language,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Language Processing,Foreign Countries,Cross Cultural Studies,Psycholinguistics,Linguistic Theory,Student Attitudes,Native Language,Adult Students

The goal of this study is to examine differences in the interpretation of idioms by EFL learners in Russia and ESL learners living in the USA and analyze a facilitative effect of a dual-coding technique on interpretation of unfamiliar idioms. Firstly, the study investigates an impact that different levels of metaphorical competence may have on interpretation of target idioms. Secondly, the study investigates whether an elucidation technique, which includes a mapping of the literal meaning of target idioms on correct figurative meaning, facilitates the interpretation of unfamiliar idioms. The study concluded that learners with lower levels of metaphorical competence were more likely to interpret idioms literally. In addition, although the technique proved to be effective for all levels, learners with lower levels of metaphorical competence benefited more from the dual-coding technique. Some implications for language educators are discussed.