ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Reading in Developing L2 Learners: The Interrelated Factors of Speed, Comprehension and Efficiency across Proficiency Levels
Author: Maluch, Jessica T.
Date: 2020-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Middle School Students,Grade 8,Reading Rate,Reading Fluency,Reading Comprehension,Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),Language Proficiency,German

This study investigates L2 reading speed of developing readers. While L2 reading speed has been a topic of research, almost all studies to date investigate L2 adult learners and do not take into consideration samples of middle school students in the earlier stages of L2 development. Using data from a sample of 124 German eighth-graders, who range in their L2 reading proficiency from beginner to intermediate, we examined the patterns of reading speed, text comprehension, and reading efficiency in the students' L2 English and L1 German. Utilizing the Common European Framework of References for Languages (CEFR) to estimate students' proficiency levels (A1 to B2), we found that students with intermediate proficiency read faster and more accurately than students with beginner L2 proficiency. However, all students in the sample, on average, read with similar efficiency, the ratio of speed and comprehension. In addition, controlling for L2 proficiency, students who read faster in the L1 are more likely to read faster in the L2, on average, although the relationship of reading speed between the two languages is stronger when students read more slowly. The implications for teaching, curriculum development, and assessment are discussed.
Teacher Motivation: A Study of Polish Secondary School EFL Teachers
Author: Stezycka, Pamela Emilia
Date: 2020-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Motivation,Language Teachers,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Faculty Development,Secondary School Teachers,Teacher Attitudes,Metacognition,Teacher Salaries,Teaching Load,Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Social Influences,Context Effect

The current study aimed at investigating the motivation of Polish EFL teachers working in state secondary schools in Poland. In order to collect research data, a mixed-methods approach involving the use of quantitative and qualitative research instruments was employed. Overall, thirty-seven Polish state secondary school EFL teachers completed a closed-ended questionnaire and six of them were subsequently interviewed. Following data analysis, research findings revealed that participant teachers were most motivated by factors associated with knowledge imparting, self-fulfilment, self-vision, working atmosphere, and work benefits. In contrast, the least motivating factors were related to external recognition and service to society. Moreover, their current motivation level was concluded to be moderate and the most demotivating factors encompassed insufficient recognition for achievements, excessive workload, limited professional development opportunities, and low salary. Lastly, based on the results, several implications for practice, professional development, and future research were proposed.
The Contribution of Conferences to Teachers&apos; Professionalism
Author: Rimmer, Wayne
Date: 2020-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Conferences (Gatherings),Professionalism,English (Second Language),English Teachers,Teacher Attitudes,Synchronous Communication,Sense of Community,Teacher Associations,Professional Continuing Education,Professional Development

While conferences have always been seen as an indicator of professional activity, very little is known in an ELT context regarding how teachers perceive these experiences as contributing to their sense of professionalism. The purpose of this article is to address this knowledge gap and to examine teachers' perceptions and experiences of ELT conferences in order to determine the role which conferences play in professionalism. Based on the literature, a practice-based perceptual definition of professionalism is adopted and operationalized in this study as pertaining to the concepts of Continuing Professional Development (CPD), Community, and Professional Identity. Seventeen teachers who had attended face-to-face conferences were interviewed and the data analysed through content analysis. The results suggest that conferences have a valuable contribution to make to English teachers' sense of professionalism because they offer a rich source of CPD, provide a strong sense of community and help develop their professional identity. This leads to acknowledgement of the special role which teaching associations play in conferences and advice on how, through their agency, the conference experience can be maximised. Recommendations are made for future studies, including the suggestion that online conferences be added to the research agenda.
Review of Academic Word Lists
Author: Therova, Dana
Date: 2020-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Word Lists,Academic Language,English for Academic Purposes,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Teaching Methods,Intellectual Disciplines,Decision Making,Vocabulary Development

Academic vocabulary is indisputably one of the most important features of academic texts and recent decades have seen the creation of several lists of academic vocabulary intended to provide a pedagogically useful compilation of the most prevalent words used across as well as within various academic disciplines. These academic word lists have assisted not only the teaching and learning of academic vocabulary, but they have also made a contribution to academic vocabulary research. However, the pedagogical and research value of such lists is sometimes questioned. When utilising these lists, it is therefore important to understand the underlying principles and methodological decisions which had informed their creation. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to offer an up-to-date overview of existing compilations of academic vocabulary, which will hopefully assist EAP researchers and practitioners in making informed decisions regarding the choice and utility of these word lists in their research and pedagogical practices.
Infusing Cooperative Learning in Distance Education
Author: Jacobs, George M.
Date: 2020-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Cooperative Learning,Distance Education,Best Practices,Peer Relationship,Group Membership,Difficulty Level,Teacher Student Relationship,Teaching Methods,Linguistic Input,Comparative Analysis,Thinking Skills,Management Systems,Second Language Learning,Native Language,Student Evaluation,Class Size,Computer Software

Providing students with opportunities for peer interaction is considered best practice in classroom teaching. However, facilitating peer interaction as part of distance education represents a new challenge for some teachers. The present article raises eleven questions for teachers to consider when infusing cooperative learning (thoughtfully organized peer interaction opportunities) as part of distance learning. These questions concern group size (with pairs also considered to be groups), group membership, whether to teach collaborative skills, the difficulty level of the tasks the groups undertake, how often group activities are done as opposed to individual activities and teacher input, encouraging everyone in the group to contribute their fair share to the learning of all group members, assessment of students when they learn in groups, whether to include thinking skills when students do cooperative learning via distance, how to convince students of the benefits of learning together, reaching out to stakeholders other than students, and helping other teachers learn to use ICT tools. The authors encourage teachers to develop their own answers to these eleven questions, based on their own teaching contexts and, at the same time, to keep an open mind as they accumulate more experience and continue to learn from colleagues and students.
Recruiters&apos; Attitudes to Hiring &apos;Native&apos; and &apos;Non-Native Speaker&apos; Teachers: An International Survey
Author: Kiczkowiak, Marek
Date: 2020-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Recruitment,Employer Attitudes,Native Speakers,Language Proficiency,Equal Opportunities (Jobs),Teaching Experience,Teacher Qualifications,Employment Interviews,Teacher Selection,Selection Criteria,Student Attitudes,Foreign Countries,Dialects,Pronunciation,English Teachers,English (Second Language)

Little is known about recruiters' attitudes to hiring 'native' and 'non-native speakers', or the factors which might influence their potential preference for the former group. Of the four studies conducted thus far, three were carried out in the US or the UK, and are over a decade old (Clark &amp; Paran, 2007; Mahboob et al., 2004; Moussu, 2006). The fourth, conducted in Poland, had a small sample size of five recruiters (Kiczkowiak, 2019). Consequently, the present study aimed to investigate this issue further providing more up-to-date data and extending the scope to EFL contexts. Mixed methods were used: an on-line questionnaire completed by one hundred fifty recruiters, followed by semi-structured interviews with twenty-one recruiters. The results showed that while teaching experience, qualifications, and performance in the interview were important for over 90 per cent of respondents, almost half still considered the 'native speaker' criterion as important. This may be due to concerns about the proficiency of 'non-native speakers' and the reaction from clients. Nevertheless, high satisfaction with 'non-native speaker' teachers was also observed, and the data provided important advice for recruiters on how to successfully implement an equal opportunities policy.
Pronunciation Teaching in Tertiary EFL Classes: Vietnamese Teachers&apos; Beliefs and Practices
Author: Nguyen, Loc Tan
Date: 2020-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Pronunciation Instruction,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Teaching Methods,Teacher Attitudes,Language Teachers,College Students,Video Technology,Foreign Countries,College Faculty,Recall (Psychology),Pronunciation,Content Analysis,Error Correction,Feedback (Response)

Recent research in English as a second language (ESL) contexts has shown pronunciation teaching to be undervalued and often overlooked both in published textbooks and teachers' classroom practice, despite growing research evidence for the efficacy of appropriately structured pronunciation teaching. The current study extends research on this topic into an English as a foreign language (EFL) context where it has hitherto been underexamined, namely tertiary EFL in Vietnam. The study investigates the beliefs and pronunciation teaching practices of six EFL teachers at a Vietnamese university. Data includes nonparticipant observations and video-recordings of twelve 45-minute EFL lessons taught by these teachers. Classroom observations were followed-up by individual interviews involving stimulated recall and general questions about beliefs and perspectives concerning pronunciation teaching. Interviews were transcribed and translated into English for content-based analysis. The results show that the teachers' pronunciation teaching was typically unplanned and reactive, involving corrective feedback through recasts and/or prompts in response to learners' pronunciation errors of segmental features. The study also shows that the teachers lacked initial training and professional learning opportunities in pronunciation pedagogy and that contextual factors appeared to constrain their pronunciation teaching.
A Comparative Study on Speech Acts: Formal Complaints by Native Speakers and Turkish Learners of English
Author: Önalan, Okan
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Speech Acts,Pragmatics,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Foreign Countries,Role Playing,Video Technology,Native Speakers,Second Language Instruction,Student Behavior,Speech Communication,Comparative Analysis,Task Analysis,Oral Language,Age Differences,Item Analysis,Turkish

The aim of this study is to investigate the pragmatic language behavior of Turkish learners of English in formal complaint situations through the comparison of their speech act performances to those of native speakers. The data was collected from a total of 276 participants, 132 Native Speakers (NSs) and 144 Turkish Learners (TLs) of English. Three different data collection methods were used: a) Discourse Evaluation Task (DET); b) video-recorded role plays; and c) open-ended oral interviews. The results indicate that native English speakers' and Turkish learners' production of complaints reflects a significant difference with respect to the linguistic components and the pragmatic choices made in complaining. A significant contribution of the current study to the literature is the Discourse Evaluation Task (DET), which is both a data collection tool and a term used for the first time in this paper.
Turkish EFL Instructors&apos; Engagement in Professional Development
Author: Tanis, Ayfer
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,English Teachers,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Faculty Development,Action Research,College Faculty,Teacher Attitudes,Reflective Teaching,Lifelong Learning,Teacher Motivation

While the beliefs and practices of teachers on professional development (PD) are generally considered to promote quality in education and raise teachers' awareness regarding teaching strategies, there is still limited research available into different PD models' effectiveness in providing teachers with practical knowledge. This research aims to explore the role of AR in Turkish EFL instructors' beliefs, and compare action research (AR), as a transformative model, with transmissive and transitional PD models. Qualitative data collected by means of semi-structured in-depth interviews were analysed by using constant comparative data analysis procedure. The participants were nine Turkish EFL instructors from a state university, selected according to purposive criterion-based sampling. The results revealed that the PD beliefs of Turkish EFL instructors conducting AR were different from those engaging in transmissive PD models in terms of access to and reflection on knowledge. The beliefs of the former group indicated strong evidence of a lifelong learning PD process, collaboration-based PD practices with intrinsic motivation, integration of inquiry based, experiential knowledge with reflective practice experiences, and a bottom up approach to PD. In contrast, the latter group showed short-term learning, and a theoretical knowledge transmission model depending on extrinsic motivation, presenting non-reflective, passive roles, with a top down approach. In this context, AR as an on-going PD activity is seen as highly effective for fostering teachers' practical knowledge.
Cooking as a Language Learning Task
Author: Seedhouse, Paul
Date: 2020-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Cooking Instruction,Internet,Food,Curriculum Enrichment,Vocabulary Development,Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),Handheld Devices,Computer Software,Foreign Countries,Cultural Awareness,College Students,Foreign Students,Authentic Learning,Computer Assisted Instruction,Cooperative Learning

Cooking is a universal task of humanity and is intimately linked with culture and language. This article explains the advantages of using real-world cooking as a basis for task-based and technology-assisted language learning. It outlines how the latest digital technology can be used by learners over the Internet to learn aspects of languages and their associated cultures and cuisines whilst cooking a meal, which can then be eaten. We explain the rationale for the Linguacuisine app, how it works, and how integrating cooking into the ELT curriculum as an occasional, complementary activity offers opportunities on many levels to ELT teachers around the world. We explain how app design incorporates the Internet and task-based principlesto develop language collaboratively and how all five senses are engaged in the task. The results of research studies on vocabulary learning using the app are also discussed, as well as the limitations of cooking as task. Finally, we consider the potential for using 'cultural tasks' other than cooking for language learning.
The Effects of Socioeconomic Status and Cram Schooling on L2 Writing: Evidence from Taiwanese EFL Learners
Author: Liu, Dorinda Tsai-hsiu
Date: 2020-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Socioeconomic Status,Writing (Composition),Program Effectiveness,College Students,Correlation,Difficulty Level,Accuracy,Grammar,Tutoring,Private Schools,Asian Culture,Elementary Secondary Education,Preschool Education

In theoretical accounts of second language acquisition, socioeconomic status (SES) has a great impact on the second language (L2) learning outcomes, where their relationship is suggested to be indirect (Ellis, 1994; Gardner, 1985, 2007). Previous studies mostly focus on the influence of SES on L2 general proficiency or L2 academic achievements rather than specific L2 proficiencies. In the educational context of non-English-speaking East Asian countries, cram schooling is believed to have played a mediating role in the relationship between family SES and English academic achievements (Butler, 2009). The present study clarifies the effects of SES and cram schooling on the L2 written task-based performances of 82 Taiwanese EFL college students by examining the correlations between complexity and accuracy. The high-SES and low-SES groups demonstrated two contrasting outcomes. A negative correlation between grammatical complexity and accuracy (known as the trade-off effect) on L2 written output was detected in the low-SES group. But no trade-off effect was attested among the high-SES EFL learners. Moreover, the cram-schooling factor is suggested to have neutralized the negative correlation in the low-SES EFL learners.
Developing ELP Students&apos; Reading Skills through a Blended Learning Approach
Author: Lamri, Chams Eddine
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Law Students,Legal Education (Professions),English for Special Purposes,Reading Skills,Skill Development,Blended Learning,Masters Programs,Second Language Instruction,Teaching Methods,Instructional Effectiveness,Reading Comprehension,Student Motivation,Reading Tests,Scores,Foreign Countries

Algerian law students are required to read and comprehend legal texts written in English in order to obtain managerial and regulatory rules knowledge. However, despite the efforts done by English for Law Purposes teachers, students still have language difficulties in general and are not able to comprehend texts related to their specialty in specific. Two main reasons are at the source of this problem: the limited instruction time and students' lack of motivation. Hence, this paper reports on an experimental study undertaken with nineteen 1st year law Master's students who have learned English for at least 10 years and whose proficiency level is estimated to be intermediate. The experiment consisted in teaching them English using the blended approach via a Moodle platform. This ELP blended course based on Content and Language Integrated Learning approach, aimed to develop their reading comprehension. The results showed that this teaching approach was interesting at two levels. First, it allowed students' exposure to a wide variety of law texts and related activities in spite of the low time load allocated to English teaching. Second, it raised students' motivation as they could have access to many activities in their free time, select the ones to deal with, have feedback and discuss their difficulties with their mates or their instructor. Moreover, findings revealed that students involved in the experiment obtained higher scores in reading tests than the students who were not. The main conclusion drawn is that the blended approach combined with CLIL helped ELP students to develop their content knowledge and improve their reading competence in a short span of time.
Eliciting ELT Students&apos; Understanding of Plagiarism in Academic Writing
Author: Rets, Irina
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Undergraduate Students,Preservice Teachers,Plagiarism,Academic Language,Protocol Analysis,Student Attitudes,Identification,Foreign Countries

Given that the term 'plagiarism' is open to multiple interpretations, resulting in confusion among students and teachers alike, research that investigates the current state of empirical evidence and sheds light on students' ability to define and detect this notion has important pedagogical implications. This study examines undergraduate English Language Teaching (ELT) students' understanding of plagiarism in academic writing through qualitative data collection methods. After the focus group filled in the open-ended questionnaire, they were exposed to two sets of texts each containing an original, a plagiarized and non-plagiarized copy. The copy in the first set featured mainly word-for-word plagiarism while the copy in the second set was plagiarized in terms of illicit paraphrasing. The students were asked to identify whether there is any plagiarism in each copy and assess the texts regarding their acceptability in the format of an interview and think-aloud protocols. The results of the open-ended questionnaire and interviews were compared revealing that although all the students were able to define plagiarism correctly, most of them failed to identify it in the written text. The study also uncovered discrepancies in how the students view the aforementioned types of plagiarism.
Teachers&apos; Opinions Regarding the Symptoms of Central Auditory Processing Disorder in Children with Reading and Writing Difficulties
Author: Küçükünal, Isik Sibel
Date: 2020-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Attitudes,Symptoms (Individual Disorders),Auditory Perception,Children,Reading Difficulties,Writing Difficulties,Perceptual Impairments,Public Schools,Gender Differences,Elementary School Students,Elementary School Teachers,Foreign Countries,Correlation,Disability Identification,Clinical Diagnosis

Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) refers to difficulties in perceptual processing of auditory information. It is a difficulty experienced by a person whose pure tone hearing, intelligence, and language abilities are within the appropriate age norms. In children with CAPD, difficulty in spelling and reading loudly can also be observed. Symptom scales (or questionnaires) are required to determine the presence of CAPD-like symptoms. If risks are found in the scales, the children are referred for diagnosis. The study reported on here aimed to investigate whether CAPD symptoms were underlying to reading and writing difficulty. Eight state schools were randomly selected. The questionnaire evaluating the presence of the CAPD symptoms was answered by 32 teachers for 328 children in total. While the children without reading and writing difficulty did not have CAPD indications, the probability of having CAPD was significantly higher in the children with reading and writing difficulties (p &lt; 0.001). When gender effect was examined, a higher CAPD symptom score was found in males. As a result of the 18-item questionnaire, it was detected that children with CAPD symptoms had a significant disadvantage in reading and writing compared to children who did not have these symptoms. Children with CAPD symptoms should be referred for diagnosis if the CAPD indications are identified.