ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Virtual Reality on EFL Writing Performance
Author: Dolgunsöz, Emrah
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Computer Simulation,Educational Research,Mixed Methods Research,Computer Software,Writing Instruction,Writing Skills,Task Analysis,Semi Structured Interviews,Student Attitudes,College Freshmen,Video Technology,Visual Stimuli,Foreign Countries,Teaching Methods,Content Analysis

Today technological developments emerge in a blink of an eye with an astounding speed and each update or development is investigated by educational researchers to contribute educational research and practice. VR (Virtual Reality), one of these technologies, can be defined as the visual technology in which a person experiences various virtual environments through dedicated hardware and software. Having adopted a Sequential Exploratory Mixed Method, the current research was inspired by the virtual opportunity provided by VR technologies and aimed to examine the effect of VR experience on developing EFL writing skills. 24 freshman EFL students initially attended a semi-structured interview and watched a VR and a 2D traditional video in different time periods. After completing a short writing task, learners were interviewed again for post-experience opinions. The results showed that (1) EFL learners were aware of VR technology, (2) VR experience did not affect short term writing performance but was found to be promising in the long run and (3) a majority of learners enjoyed VR videos but also expressed a number of technical limitations such as low video quality and physical discomfort. VR technologies were also discussed in terms of language teaching research.
An Investigation on Prospective German Language Teachers&apos; Autonomous Learning Level
Author: Deregözü, Aysel
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,German,Language Teachers,Preservice Teachers,Undergraduate Students,Second Language Instruction,Personal Autonomy,Learning Strategies,Teacher Education Programs,Student Surveys,Statistical Analysis,Age Differences,Gender Differences,Educational Attainment,Instructional Program Divisions,Planning,Scores,Student Role

Developments in the last decades necessitated the acquirement of diverse skills that enables to keep up with the changing conditions of today's world. In this context teachers as learners are in need of a continuous renewal. The acquirement of autonomous learning skills promoted at the teacher education might be contributory for the development of a lifelong learning ability. The aim of this study is to analyze the factors affecting the autonomous learning behaviors of prospective German language teachers to determine their actual state. Thus the purpose of the study is to identify students' autonomous learning behaviors in view of different variables and to discuss the results with respect of learner autonomy and foreign language teacher education. For data collection Autonomous Learning Scale was developed and used. Nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to identify whether there is a significant difference between students autonomous learning behaviors according to class, age, gender and educational background. The results of the study showed that there is no statistical significant difference among class level and educational background in terms of autonomous learning, but there were statistical significant differences with regards of age and gender. Further the subscales &quot;planning&quot; and &quot;performing&quot; had on average a higher score as the subscale &quot;evaluating.&quot; The findings of the study indicated that teachers as learners have to be promoted with regard to their actual state. Further studies regarding learner autonomy in teacher education are recommended for the promotion of teacher competences.
Stakeholders&apos; Views about the FATIH Project: Smart EFL Classrooms
Author: Eksi, Gonca Yangin
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Technology Integration,Access to Computers,Program Effectiveness,Attitude Measures,High School Students,Secondary School Teachers,Parents,Administrators,Semi Structured Interviews,Handheld Devices,Telecommunications

Turkey has launched a large national initiative to integrate information and communication technologies in education. FATIH project, valued at 8 billion$ and with tablet computers for every student from grade 5 to 12, interactive white boards and internet connection in every class, is often defined as ambitious, massive, grandiose and high-tech. The current study aims to investigate the effectiveness and efficiency of FATIH Project based on the views of stakeholders with particular reference to language teaching and learning process. The study has been carried out at a high school in Ankara, which has been a part of the project from the piloting phase. Forty three participants including seven English teachers, 20 students and 10 parents, two school administrators, three project officials and the General Director of Innovation and Education Technologies have been administered semi structured interviews. The study has revealed a distinction between the views of policy makers (officials in Ministry of National Education and Directory of Innovation and Education Technologies) and those of users (teachers and students). It appears that more briefings are needed to inform the teachers and students about the goals and planning of the project to ensure devotion and belief into the effectiveness of the project. The results also indicate that interactive whiteboards helped both language teachers to teach English effectively and students to improve language skills especially in listening, reading and writing by providing motivation via use of technology whereas tablet PCs are not thought to be cost effective by teachers, parents and students because of some technical and practical reasons.
Oh No! Not Ready to Speak! An Investigation on the Major Factors of Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety and the Relationship between Anxiety and Age
Author: Tosun, Bahadir
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Anxiety,Age Differences,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Correlation,College Students,Foreign Countries,Second Language Learning,Likert Scales,Measures (Individuals),Communication Skills,Verbal Communication,Statistical Analysis,Student Attitudes

Despite the numerous studies investigating the nature of anxiety and its relationship with several age groups in the context of foreign language classroom anxiety, these two subjects are still in need of further quantitative investigation. Accordingly, the current study investigated the major factors that lead to students' foreign language classroom anxiety levels, and the possible relationship between anxiety and age. To do this, Horwitz's (1986) Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) was distributed to the third-year students of the English Language and Literature Department of a state university in the Oral Communication II course. The data obtained were investigated by both descriptive and inferential statistical procedures to reveal the major factors of foreign language classroom anxiety and its possible relationship with age. The results indicated unusual findings which are due to be beneficial for the interests of foreign language teaching researchers.
Discourse Markers in EFL Classrooms: A Corpus-Driven Research
Author: Özer, Havva Zorluel
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Native Speakers,Language Teachers,Computational Linguistics,Comparative Analysis,Audio Equipment,Turkish,English,Lecture Method,Discourse Analysis,Classroom Communication,Teaching Methods,Foreign Countries,Language Usage,Statistical Analysis

This study aims at determining discourse markers used by Turkish teachers and native teachers in EFL classrooms and comparing these items in terms of variety and frequency. To reach the objectives of the present study, two separate corpora were compiled through audio-recordings collected from two Turkish and two native EFL teachers? lectures. AntConc (2014), a specific concordance program designed for text analysis, was utilized in the analysis of the corpus data. Corpus-driven research results indicated that Turkish teachers used 29 different discourse markers and native teachers used 37 different discourse markers in their classroom discourse. It was also seen that Turkish teachers underused most discourse markers compared to native teachers in EFL classrooms. In the light of these findings, notable implications were suggested for English language teaching.
Computer-Based and Paper-Based Testing: Does the Test Administration Mode Influence the Reliability and Validity of Achievement Tests?
Author: Öz, Hüseyin
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computer Assisted Testing,Testing,Test Format,Teaching Methods,Test Reliability,Test Validity,Scores,Achievement Tests,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Experimental Groups,Control Groups,Comparative Analysis,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Language Teachers,Teacher Education,Foreign Countries,Language Tests,Statistical Analysis,Preservice Teachers

This article reports the findings of a study that sought to investigate whether computer-based vs. paper-based test-delivery mode has an impact on the reliability and validity of an achievement test for a pedagogical content knowledge course in an English teacher education program. A total of 97 university students enrolled in the English as a foreign language (EFL) teacher education program were randomly assigned to the experimental group that took the computer-based achievement test online and the control group that took the same test in paper-and-pencil based format. Results of Spearman Rank order and Mann-Whitney U tests indicated that test delivery mode did not have any impact on the reliability and validity of the tests administered in either way. Findings also demonstrated that there was not any significant difference in test scores between participants who took the computer-based test and those who took the paper-based test. Findings were discussed in terms of the idea that computer technology could be integrated into the curriculum not only for instructional practices but also for assessment purposes.
Eclectic Matrix Application for Single-Skill and Integrated-Skills ELT Microteachings
Author: Sarigöz, Iskender Hakki
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Preservice Teachers,Teacher Attitudes,Microteaching,Questionnaires,Likert Scales,Teaching Methods,Matrices,Foreign Countries,Action Research

Experiencing and experimenting how to teach a foreign language in methodology courses in the undergraduate programs of ELT departments is a complex and confusing task at microteaching level. Trainees utilize their instructional capacity using the collection of techniques they compile for the simulation of this sort. Such a construction and presentation require a micro FLT cosmos which encloses a lot of assumptions, a collection of techniques, and a technical course of action. The hypothesis in this argument is that the technical construction of single-skill and integrated-skills based microteachings which resemble units requires a complicated procedure in teacher training, and the eclectic matrix (EM) may assist trainees with the technical selection and support well-designed microteachings. The suggested eclectic matrix template may assist them in synchronizing the techniques to be utilized and other variables such as ordering, timing, assessing, modifying and fine-tuning. The unit-like structure, the eclectic density, and the length of such microteachings may cause problems in methodology courses. This study displays the reactions of the teacher trainees to utilizing the eclectic matrix in ELT microteachings. Their responses have been collected through a questionnaire after a long period of matrix applications as described here.
A Study on ELT Students&apos; Cultural Awareness and Attitudes towards Incorporation of Target Culture into Language Instruction
Author: Belli, Serap Atasever
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Cultural Awareness,Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,College Students,Questionnaires,Likert Scales,Statistical Analysis,Student Attitudes,Teaching Methods,High Schools,Institutional Characteristics,Travel,Gender Differences,Qualitative Research

Culture and language are inseparable from each other as both in combination reflect shared cultural properties such as values, behaviours, and attitude inherent in the society we live and in language patterns we use. In this respect, it is highly valuable to integrate cultural elements into language education for intercultural understanding and welcoming different cultures. The aim of this research was to explore the attitudes of Turkish university students at the English Language Teaching (ELT) Department towards culture and its integration into language teaching and their cultural awareness and to reveal if birthplace, gender, experience abroad and high school graduated had any influence on their attitudes. Data were collected from 96 participants through a questionnaire consisting of three parts (i.e. demographic information, multiple-choice questions, and 5-point Likert-type scale). For data analysis, descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage and means), one-way ANOVA and post-hoc test were conducted via SPSS and open-ended items were qualitatively analyzed. Overall, findings of the study yielded positive attitudes of significant numbers of ELT students towards culture and its incorporation in language teaching regardless of their birthplace, the type of high school, and the experience abroad. As for gender, female students had more positive attitudes towards culture than males. Additionally, participants were found to learn culture mainly to develop their cultural awareness and maintain better communication with people from different cultures. In the light of findings, necessary implications were provided for teachers and teacher educators regarding raising cultural awareness of students and developing positive attitudes towards incorporation of target culture into language instruction.
Exploring the Use of Online Educational Platform in Teaching Writing among ESL Students
Author: Topacio, Katrina Ninfa M.
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Writing Instruction,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Educational Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Computer Assisted Instruction,Quasiexperimental Design,Pretests Posttests,Essays,Writing Skills,Comparative Analysis,Online Courses,Conventional Instruction,Focus Groups,Instructional Effectiveness,Student Attitudes,Foreign Countries

In the light of Integrative CALL, this research aims to know the effectiveness of using online learning platform like a Learning Management Software (LMS) in teaching writing among ESL students in the absence of a traditional classroom instruction. Through a quasi-experimental approach, the study was able to establish that there was no significant difference between the pre- and post-essay overall writing performance of a group which received writing instruction online and a group which received classroom instruction. However, analysis of the individual scoring components revealed that the online-instruction group did not improve in their content-building skill. Focus group interviews were also conducted to know the strengths and weaknesses of the online-based instruction and it was able to reveal that students consider it to be helpful in acquiring sources and expressing opinions, and convenient for lessening issues about time and fear of direct feedback. However, when it comes to instruction and consultation, the students still preferred the face-to-face classroom dialogue. It was also found how lack of autonomous learning habits can be a hindrance to online-based instruction.
Foreignization and Englishization in Turkish Business Naming Practices
Author: Görgülü, Emrah
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Business,Naming,Linguistic Borrowing,English (Second Language),Signs,Orthographic Symbols,Phonology,Phonemes,Syllables,Pronunciation

This paper investigates the effect of foreignization and Englishization on business naming practices in Turkey. The question that is addressed is in what new ways foreign elements and English lexical items influence the naming of store signs in the language. In previous work, it was argued that there are roughly three main ways in which foreignization and Englishization surface in Turkish business naming: (i) foreign signs such as non-English (e.g. German and French) and English signs, (ii) hybrid signs that include a combination of Turkish and English words, and (iii) Englishized Turkish signs that include businesses that adopted artificially created signs using English orthography to represent Turkish phonology (Üstünova et al., 2010; Selvi, 2011). Based on new data, I show here that there is a new and creative practice that manifests itself in a different way. This new procedure could be dubbed as &quot;consonant gemination&quot; since it copies the consonant in the middle of the word, and the new word is usually accompanied by an English word. The practice has important consequences since it changes both the syllable structure and the pronunciation of the word. Further work will shed light on whether this would give rise to other types of business naming practices and whether it will have a long-term effect in the phonology and spelling of Turkish words.
The Effects of Learning a Second Language on the First: The Case of Increased Metalinguistic Awareness
Author: Atar, Cihat
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Grammar,Monolingualism,Bilingualism,Metalinguistics,College Students,Comparative Analysis,Statistical Analysis,Tests

The present study aims to test if Turkish L2 users of English judge the grammaticality of generic/habitual real conditionals in Turkish differently compared to Turkish monolinguals. Bassetti and Cook (2011) and Bialystok (2001) claim that one of the outcomes of being a bilingual is an increase in metalinguistic awareness. Accordingly, this study investigates if Turkish L2 users have an increased metalinguistic awareness. 20 grammaticality judgment tasks are analysed in data analysis. The participants are university-graduate 15 Turkish monolinguals and 15 Turkish L2 users of English. The responses are evaluated via both descriptive statistics and also SPSS. The analysis indicates that the difference between the monolinguals and L2 users in the judgement of Turkish conditionals is a statistically significant one. This result suggests that learning an L2 has an effect on the L1 of L2 users. This implies that L2 users are a distinctive group of people with regard to their language knowledge.
Assessing Community Health Priorities and Perceptions about Health Research: A Foundation for a Community-Engaged Research Program
Author: McElfish, Pearl A.
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Public Health,Access to Health Care,Diseases,Diabetes,Cancer,Hypertension,Heart Disorders,Obesity,Racial Differences,Ethnicity,Research,Participation,Needs Assessment,Minority Groups,Community Involvement,Networks,Surveys,Internship Programs,College Students,Gender Differences,Educational Attainment,Age Differences

We performed this study to better understand communities' health priorities and willingness to participate in research in order to reduce health disparities. To include communities whose members often experience health disparities and may lack opportunities to participate in research, student interns from multiple disciplines administered the Sentinel Network's 33-item survey in nontraditional locations. The survey was completed by 3,151 respondents. The five most frequently identified health concerns were diabetes, cancer, hypertension, heart problems, and weight. Concerns varied by race/ethnicity. In general, respondents across all races/ethnicities--especially Pacific Islanders--expressed willingness to participate in research. The study demonstrates the effectiveness of this method for identifying health priorities and willingness to participate in research. The results illustrate minority communities' willingness to participate in research if provided the opportunity. Insights gained from this study are informing current and planned community-engaged research to reduce health disparities among minority communities.
L2 Metalinguistic Knowledge and L2 Achievement among Intermediate-Level Adult Turkish EFL Learners
Author: Aydin, Fatma
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Metalinguistics,Knowledge Level,Adults,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Higher Education,Foreign Countries,Grammar,Language Tests,Correlation,Writing Achievement,Writing Tests,Statistical Analysis

The present study investigates the relationship between L2 metalinguistic knowledge and L2 achievement among intermediate-level adult Turkish EFL learners studying at a large scale Turkish university. Metalinguistic knowledge refers to the ability to correct a grammatically incorrect structure in English and explain why it is incorrect, and identify and explicitly state the grammatical role of parts of speech in L2 sentences. It is assessed using the two-section Metalinguistic Knowledge Test (MKT) designed by the researcher. L2 achievement, on the other hand, refers to the participants?L2 knowledge at a specific level and is operationalized as the ability to repeat language elements that have been taught and mastered. It is assessed using the mid-term exam that consists of grammar, vocabulary, listening, reading, speaking and writing sub-tests. Results of the MKT indicate that L2 metalinguistic knowledge is weak among intermediate-level adult Turkish EFL learners. In addition to this, a correlation analysis and a series of bivariate and multiple regression analyses reveal that L2 metalinguistic knowledge significantly contributes to L2 writing achievement explaining 19.9% of the variance in participants? writing exam scores. The findings of the present study are discussed within the light of the previous research. Additionally, considering that metalinguistic knowledge benefits second language acquisition (SLA), some implications are suggested accordingly.
Word Combinations of English in Academic Writing
Author: Demir, Cüneyt
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Phrase Structure,Language Patterns,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Data Analysis,Classification,Dictionaries,Academic Discourse,Writing (Composition),Language Usage,Definitions,Lexicology,Metacognition,Language Fluency

Collocations, no matter where to use them, are an important linguistic issue if it is native fluency that is longed for in academic writing. In line with that, the present study aimed at increasing the awareness towards the importance of collocations in order to have native fluency in academic writing; making some suggestions regarding involvement of collocations in academic texts, and creating a practicable list of collocations to be used especially in research articles by non-native writers of English. A hundred research articles written in English in the field of ELT by native speakers of English made up the data of the present study. The data were analysed and the collocations were identified and categorized. The categorized collocations were enhanced through collocations dictionaries to be able to create a comprehensive list of collocations. The findings showed that native speakers heavily rely on collocations while writing academic texts. In addition, the literature also provided compelling evidence regarding the close relation between native fluency in academic texts and correct collocation use.