ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
The Evaluation of the Effectiveness of ESP Courses in Enhancing Technical Translation Proficiency: A Case Study of ESP Course for Mechanical Engineering Students
Author: Hatam, Amir Hussein
Date: 2012-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Case Studies,English for Special Purposes,Translation,Language Proficiency,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Correlation,Computer Software,Engineering Education,English for Science and Technology,Universities,College Students,Indo European Languages,Language Tests,Reading Comprehension,Reading Tests,Multiple Choice Tests,Instructional Effectiveness,Foreign Countries,Test Reliability,Course Evaluation,Statistical Analysis

The purpose of the present study was twofold. Firstly, it tried to investigate the relationship between the technical English proficiency of the students of Mechanical Engineering in the universities of Iran and their technical translation proficiency in translating technical texts of Mechanics. Secondly, it attempted to evaluate the effectiveness of one of the ESP courses being taught to the engineering students in improving their ability to translate texts of their own field from English to Persian. For the first purpose, two sets of tests were administered to 50 male and female students: a technical multiple-choice translation test and a technical English reading comprehension test. For the second purpose, the first test used above was administered two times with a two-month interval. Analyzing the data using SPSS indicated that there is a moderate significant correlation between technical English proficiency and technical translation proficiency; and that the ESP course under investigation is approximately sixty percent effective in enhancing the learners' proficiency in technical translation.
Phrasal Verbs in Malaysian ESL Textbooks
Author: Zarifi, Abdolvahed
Date: 2012-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Verbs,Textbooks,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Second Language Learning,Computational Linguistics,Content Analysis,Secondary Education,Statistical Analysis,Secondary School Students,Measures (Individuals),Computer Software

It is often claimed that ELT textbook materials are mostly unwittingly intuitively- rather than empirically-based and that this bookish form of language is far from reflecting the real language use. The present study, by adopting a corpus-based approach, tends to shed light on the extent of agreement between the Malaysian ESL textbooks and the empirical corpus findings with regard to the inclusion and presentation of the phrasal verb combinations. Results, it is hoped, can provide enough insight into the textbook-related difficulties nonnative speakers might experience in learning phrasal verbs and the areas of the pedagogy in need of supplementary activities.
Use of Discourse Markers in the Composition Writings of Arab EFL Learners
Author: Modhish, Abdulhafeed Saif
Date: 2012-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Arabs,Discourse Analysis,Taxonomy,Essays,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Correlation,Writing Instruction,Second Language Instruction,Writing (Composition),Foreign Countries,Connected Discourse,Majors (Students),Undergraduate Students

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the use of discourse markers that Yemeni EFL learners use in their composition writings. The research questions addressed in this paper are (1) what are the DMs that are frequently used by Yemeni EFL learners? and (2) is there a direct relationship between the use of such markers and the writing quality of the learners in question? The 50 essays written by the study sample were analyzed following Fraser's (1999) taxonomy. The findings of the study reveal that the most frequently used discourse markers are the elaborative ones, followed by the inferential, contrastive, causative and topic relating markers. It is also shown that there is no strong positive correlation between learners' total number of discourse markers used and the writing quality of the participants. There is, however, a positive correlation between the topic relating markers and the writing quality of the learners. The paper concludes with some recommendations and suggestions that should inform EFL writing instruction in this part of the world and in other similar contexts.
Instructional Strategies and Resource Utility in Language Teaching among Basic Educators in 21st Century Nigeria
Author: Ofodu, Graceful Onovughe
Date: 2012-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Educational Strategies,Educational Practices,Teaching Methods,Educational Resources,Elementary School Students,Elementary School Teachers,Questionnaires,Sampling,Hypothesis Testing,Student Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Teacher Surveys,Student Surveys

Learning in the twenty-first century demands learning skills, strategies and utilizing resources which learners can deploy when they leave the school environment. The paper investigates the instructional strategies and resources employed by teachers in teaching and learning English Studies at the basic level of Nigeria's educational system. It emphasizes the place of instructional strategies and resources at this level. The descriptive research design of the survey type was used. All pupils and teachers in Irepodun/Ifelodun primary schools constituted the population for the study. One hundred and sixty pupils were purposively sampled from four schools in the population. A self-designed questionnaire was the instrument employed for data collection. Two research questions were generated. Data collected were analyzed using frequency counts and percentages.
H.W. Longfellow: A Poetical-Dwelling Poet of Ecological Wisdom from the Perspective of Eco-Criticism
Author: Xu, Jingcheng
Date: 2012-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Poets,Criticism,Poetry,Correlation,Environment,Literature,Consciousness Raising,Conservation (Environment),Ethics,Ecology,Spiritual Development

Among a minority of Longfellow's studies in China and abroad, there has even scarcely been one made from the perspective of eco-criticism. Eco-criticism aims at exploring the relation between literature and natural environment to find out the ecological wisdom in literary works so as to awaken the ecological consciousness of the contemporaries. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, a poet concerning much about nature, in his nature poems, shows the value of nature by evoking people's love and care for nature, and makes them reconsider the Man-Nature relationship so as to seek the ecological balance on earth, including that from within the human world. By reading Longfellow in the light of certain eco-ethical ideas, it is not difficult to discover the legacy glittering with ecological wisdom in his poetry. Such wisdom is highly connected with Longfellow's &quot;environmental niche&quot;. Nowadays, with the increasing deterioration of the environment, the ecological wisdom implied in Longfellow's poetry is of tremendous significance.
Assessment of Teacher Motivation Approaches in the Less Developed Countries
Author: Iliya, Amos
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Motivation,Motivation Techniques,Rewards,Teacher Responsibility,Teacher Participation,Teacher Evaluation,Staff Development,Locus of Control,Educational Practices,Developing Nations,Incentives,Compensation (Remuneration),Recognition (Achievement),Accountability,Career Development,Institutional Characteristics,Instructional Materials,Educational Facilities,Beginning Teacher Induction,Faculty Development,Educational Change

Motivation is an internal process that makes a person move toward a goal. Therefore, this paper examines both traditional and new approaches to teacher motivation, threats to teacher motivation and measures for shaping teacher motivation. The paper concludes that intrinsic rewards such as self-respect, responsibility, and a sense of accomplishment as well as participatory school improvement, comprehensive staff development and supportive teacher evaluation hold great promise for improving teachers' professional motivation.
Determining the Effects of Mobbing on Organizational Commitment: A Case of Educational Sector in Pakistan
Author: ur Rehman, Fazal
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Bullying,Work Environment,School Personnel,Universities,Employee Attitudes,Work Attitudes,Organizational Culture,Questionnaires,Demography,Response Rates (Questionnaires),Predictor Variables,Regression (Statistics)

Mobbing is an activity where a group of people behave negatively against a person to enforce him/her in an unsecure position to push out of the organization. The study assessed this behavior by collecting data through questionnaires based survey from the employees of universities in Pakistan. Questionnaires were circulated among 400 employees of the universities but the response rate was 73.25%. The study found out that mobbing and organizational commitment has significant relationship. It was also noted that affective commitment and intention to leave organization (ILO) have significant relationship with mobbing in education sector.
The Effect of Portfolio Assessment Technique on Writing Performance of EFL Learners
Author: Tabatabaei, Omid
Date: 2012-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Portfolios (Background Materials),Writing Evaluation,Role,Creativity,Second Language Instruction,Writing Instruction,Statistical Analysis,Experimental Groups,Control Groups,Writing Improvement,Evaluation Methods,Preservice Teachers,Foreign Countries,Language Tests,Writing Tests

Nowadays, writing has received a great degree of attention not only because it plays a significant role in transforming knowledge and learning but also in fostering creativity and when acquiring of a special language skill is seen as important, its assessment becomes important as well and writing is no exception. This study intended to investigate the effect of portfolio assessment technique as a teaching, learning and assessment tool on writing performance of EFL learners. Writing sub-skills has also been taken into account. To this end, forty Iranian EFL learners who were all English teaching majors were randomly divided into two groups: experimental (n = 20) and control (n = 20). The experimental group received the treatment i.e. portfolio assessment while the control group underwent the traditional approach of writing assessment. The result of statistical analysis indicated that the students in experimental group outperformed the students in control group in their writing performance and its sub-skills of focus, elaboration, organization, conventions and vocabulary. The findings suggest that portfolio assessment technique improves writing ability of the students. The results have also some implications for assessment, teaching and learning of L2 writing.
Encouraging Young Learners to Learn English through Stories
Author: Mart, Cagri Tugrul
Date: 2012-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Story Telling,Early Reading,Educational Practices,Reading Material Selection,Teaching Methods,Relevance (Education),Childrens Literature,Emergent Literacy,Early Childhood Education

Reading is an important part of successful language acquisition. Motivating young learners to learn English through stories at an early age provides them the opportunity to widen their horizons and stimulate their early enthusiasm and enhance their awareness of the rich use of English. Stories are unquestionably a significant part of children's literacy development. When we read to our children, we do not confine them to academic excellence but extend into their emotional and behavioral learning (Ai Lian Kim, 2008). Reading at an early age is essential. Therefore, this article focuses on how to spark student's interest towards English through stories and how stories develop their language learning.
Study on Reform of College English Stratified Teaching Based on School-Based Characteristics
Author: Yang, Liu
Date: 2012-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: College English,Institutional Characteristics,Educational Practices,Educational Change,English Instruction,Teaching Methods,Curriculum Implementation,Performance Factors,Instructional Innovation

Considering the status quo of college English teaching, we implement stratified teaching, which reflects the idea of stratification in terms of teaching objects, teaching management, teaching process and assessment and evaluation, makes each students get development to the greatest extent in interactive teaching practice of teaching and learning and facilitates students' cultivation and improvement of practical competence in English usage. Stratified teaching should be consistent with positioning of the school and the goal and requirement of talent cultivation and satisfy requirements of individualized teaching at the time of reflecting characteristics of agricultural and forestry schools and subjects.
Aspects on Learner-Biased Classroom Observational Techniques
Author: Chen, Linhan
Date: 2012-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Classroom Observation Techniques,English (Second Language),English Instruction,Lesson Observation Criteria,Teaching Methods,Literature Reviews,Evaluation Methods,Educational Research,Research Methodology,Usability,Robustness (Statistics),Evaluation Research,Foreign Countries

This paper was designed to explore the means in the field of observing classroom teaching/learning from both a general, and an &quot;English as a Foreign Language&quot; (EFL), viewpoint. The aim was to browse the relevant literature, and lead to consider observation tools which might serve to research in EFL. This paper summarizes the reading by surveying the field of classroom observation, and then proceeds to evaluate the likely usefulness of a number of selected observation instruments.
Studies and Suggestions on English Vocabulary Teaching and Learning
Author: Zheng, Shigao
Date: 2012-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Cognitive Style,Learning Strategies,Cognitive Processes,Language Processing,Vocabulary Development,Psycholinguistics,Questionnaires,Teaching Methods,Foreign Countries,Personal Autonomy,College Students,Cultural Awareness,Figurative Language,Teacher Surveys,Student Surveys,Student Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,College Faculty

To improve vocabulary learning and teaching in ELT settings, two questionnaires are designed and directed to more than 100 students and teachers in one of China's key universities. The findings suggest that an enhanced awareness of cultural difference, metaphorical competence, and learners' autonomy in vocabulary acquisition will effectively facilitate the vocabulary learning. Simultaneously, a teaching model is recommended based on the findings of this survey, which incorporates ideas advocated by cognitive linguistics. Class instruction on vocabulary learning strategies can help students gain awareness of learning strategies. The greater the strategy awareness of learners, the more likely they will be to use task-appropriate learning strategies that help them overcome their general learning style limitations, and the more likely that these strategies will assist in processing, retrieving, and using new language information.
Potential Bonds between Extroversion/Introversion and Iranian EFL Learners' Listening Comprehension Ability
Author: Alavinia, Parviz
Date: 2012-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Scores,Personality Traits,Extraversion Introversion,Listening Skills,Correlation,Age Differences,Gender Differences,Personality Measures,Neurosis,Individual Differences,Listening Comprehension Tests,Language Tests,Elementary School Students,High School Students,College Students

The present study was implemented to investigate the possible relationship between introversion/extroversion and the listening ability of intermediate Iranian EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners by taking into account their gender, age, and grades of study. A total of 120 Intermediate learners (62 males and 58 females) studying at Shokoh-e-Andishe Language Institute in Sardasht participated in the current study. The subjects were asked to fill the EPQ (Eysenck Personality Questionnaire) to be categorized as either introvert or extrovert. To test the research hypotheses set forth in the present study, Pearson correlation coefficient and two-way analysis of variance were run as the main statistical analyses. The results indicated that there was a significant relationship between listening ability of subjects and the personality characteristic in question, i.e. extroversion vs. introversion. The scores of listening ability had a positive relationship with the introversion of subjects, that is, the more introvert the subjects, the better their performance on listening. However, as the findings revealed, no significant interaction relationship was found between gender and introversion/extroversion on the one hand and listening ability of subjects on the other; yet, there was a significant interaction relationship between introversion/extroversion and the participants' age and grades of study, on the one hand and their listening ability, on the other.
The Probability Approach to English If-Conditional Sentences
Author: Wu, Mei
Date: 2012-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Second Language Learning,Control Groups,Experimental Groups,Comparative Analysis,Instructional Effectiveness,Sentence Structure,Probability,Measures (Individuals),Language Tests,College Freshmen,College Faculty,Language Teachers

Users of the Probability Approach choose the right one from four basic types of conditional sentences--factual, predictive, hypothetical and counterfactual conditionals, by judging how likely (i.e. the probability) the event in the result-clause will take place when the condition in the if-clause is met. Thirty-three students from the experimental class received a 30-minute lecture on the Probability Approach between taking two conditional quizzes while 32 students from the control class did not. Averagely speaking, students who learned the Probability Approach were found to have scored 6 points higher in the second quiz than in the first quiz, compared with those who didn't learn this approach. This finding proved that the Probability Approach was effective in helping students acquire the four basic types of conditional sentences.
Criteria Affecting Pre-Service TESOLTeachers' Attitudes towards Using CD-ROM Dictionaries
Author: Issa, Jinan Hatem
Date: 2012-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teacher Education,Preservice Teachers,Student Teacher Attitudes,Use Studies,Technology Uses in Education,Computer Peripherals,Dictionaries,Relevance (Education),Usability,Multimedia Materials,Questionnaires,Mixed Methods Research,Sampling,Correlation,Evaluation Criteria,Educational Technology,English Language Learners,English (Second Language),Foreign Countries

Undoubtedly, CD-ROM dictionaries assist in removing the fear of inadequacy in language usage and ameliorating the panic of being-on-the-spot especially with the rapid development of information technology. This research was conducted to find out whether there is a relationship between pre-service TESOL teachers' attitudes towards using CD-ROM dictionaries and certain criteria (perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, functions and multimedia content). The theoretical framework for the study was drawn from TAM model. A modified questionnaire was utilised with employing a mixed-method approach using two sampling techniques (Purposive and Random) to pre-service TESOL teachers. The finding exposed a positive significant correlation between attitudes towards using CD-ROM dictionaries and criteria. A further finding exhibited that the CD-ROM dictionaries do assist learning the four main language skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking) and the subsidiary skills (grammar, punctuation and pronunciation).
A Profile of an Effective EFL Writing Teacher (A Technology-Based Approach)
Author: Seifoori, Zohreh
Date: 2012-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Effectiveness,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Teaching Methods,Observation,Interviews,Guidelines,Writing Instruction,Foreign Countries,Writing Teachers,Language Teachers,Qualitative Research,Video Technology,Profiles,Writing Strategies,Open Source Technology,Educational Technology

Teaching writing has always been a controversial issue in the field of Foreign Language Teaching. And while there are a number of approaches and techniques for teaching writing in an English as a Second Language or English as a Foreign Language (SL/EFL) setting, very few comprehensive frameworks exist for an ESL/EFL writing teacher. The present study hopes to fill that void by exploring the qualities of a good and effective EFL writing teacher on the basis of classroom observation and interviews. The classroom teaching of an Iranian EFL writing teacher, whose students and colleagues consider him a successful EFL writing teacher,was observed for about 1680 minutes.He was observed with intent to isolate the pedagogical skills that make him stand out. The result of the observation shows that there are some specific features for a successful writing teacher to be bear in mind by other EFL practitioners teaching the same classes. Finally, this study provides some guidelines for the effective teaching of writing in an EFL context, which will also be useful for ESL/EFL teachers in their classrooms.
Crisis Preparedness and Response for Schools: An Analytical Study of Punjab, Pakistan
Author: Javed, Muhammad Latif
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Emergency Programs,Crisis Management,Foreign Countries,Secondary Schools,Questionnaires,Teacher Attitudes,Administrator Attitudes,School Districts,Crisis Intervention,School Safety,School Security

This research study aims to analyze the Preparedness and Response to crises in School Education department at secondary level in Punjab, Pakistan. This was done through the experiences and views of District Education Officers (DEOs), Head of Schools and Secondary School Teachers (SST). The purpose of the study was not only to examine preparedness and response to crises but also to help education administration with specific reference to circumstances under which the process of crisis management at school level is going on, within the Pakistani Education system. For collection of data a detailed questionnaire for DEOs, Heads and Teachers was used in nine sampled districts out of 36 (25%) of the Punjab. The study remained with descriptive type of research methodology. To evaluate the crisis Preparation and response of administration, 6 main and 31 sub factors were analyzed through the process of percentage (%), Weighted Mean (WM), and Standard Deviation (SD). After gone through the process of analysis of data and findings of the study it was revealed that at administration and management (DEOs &amp; Head) level the practices of crisis management remained satisfactory. The school administration carries the practices in normal way. No concept of creating awareness among the students about crisis. No proper system of crisis response team, training and other measures were not found, which are very important for safety and security of the students and staff.