ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
An Action Research on Improving Non-English Majors' English Writing by &quot;Basic Sentence Pattern Translation Drills&quot;
Author: He, Xiaoyu
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Action Research,Translation,Interviews,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Writing (Composition),Sentences,Language Tests,Asians,Majors (Students),Vocational Education,Technical Education,Second Language Instruction,Questionnaires,Writing Tests,Pretests Posttests,Foreign Countries,Scores,Drills (Practice),Teaching Methods,Writing Difficulties,Undergraduate Students

English writing plays an indispensible part in EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learning for Chinese students, which accounts for a high score in an English test in China. And it is also a comprehensive reflection of students' abilities in L2 application. However, most non-English majors in vocational and technical colleges have great trouble in English writing and writing incorrect and inappropriate sentences ranks number one among all the English writing problems. English writing teaching is always a weak part in English teaching. The researcher conducted an eleven-week action research on basic sentence pattern translation drills among 50 non-English majors from 4 classes who didn't pass CET-3 in a Vocational and Technical College. Before the action research, students' writing problems were identified via questionnaire, sentence test and writing pretest. Then an eleven-week action plan was carried out and one adjustment was made to the plan in the light of results of interviews. Writing posttest was taken and another interview was made afterwards. It was found from data collection and analysis as well as analysis of students' writing samples that students could write correct sentences in English and their English writing scores and abilities improved a lot after the action research.
A Comparison of Functional Behavioral Assessment and Functional Analysis Methodology among Students with Mild Disabilities
Author: Lewis, Timothy J.
Date: 2015-11-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Functional Behavioral Assessment,Environmental Influences,Hypothesis Testing,Mild Disabilities,Observation,Rating Scales,Interviews,Behavior Problems,Student Behavior,Preadolescents,Adolescents,Questionnaires

Functional behavioral assessment (FBA) and functional analyses (FA) are grounded in the applied behavior analysis principle that posits problem behavior is functionally related to the environment in which it occurs and is maintained by either providing access to reinforcing outcomes or allowing the individual to avoid or escape that which they find aversive. Previous research has pointed to the limitations across FBA methodologies in comparison to the direct experimental trials used in FA. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the degree to which hypotheses generated by common FBA strategies (i.e., interview, rating scale, and direct observation) match hypotheses generated through FA trials. Results of a multiphase descriptive study indicated that traditional school personnel with behavioral expertise were able to generate FBA hypotheses that were later confirmed by independent review and largely aligned with FA outcomes. The impact of the findings for the field and implications for future research and practice are discussed.
College Students' Possible L2 Self Development in an EFL Context during the Transition Year
Author: Zhan, Ying
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Undergraduate Students,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Second Language Learning,Content Analysis,Focus Groups,Self Concept,Qualitative Research,Semi Structured Interviews,Diaries

In the field of second language learning motivation, the studies on process-oriented nature of possible L2 selves are scarce. In order to address this research gap, this study explored how a group of five Chinese non-English-major undergraduates developed their possible L2 selves during the transition year from high school to university. The content analysis of 4 focus group interviews, 202 journal entries, and 50 post-diary interviews show that in the first academic year, the five participants experienced a four-stage cyclical process of developing their possible L2 selves, namely, (a) generating multiple possible L2 selves, (b) selecting a possible L2 self to pursue, (c) realizing the selected possible L2 self, and (d) incorporating the realized possible L2 self into the present self scheme. More specifically, the selected possible L2 self was realized through elaboration of relevant imagination and alignment with a larger community. The study has enriched our understanding of the mechanism of possible L2 self development and shed light on motivating undergraduates to learn English in an EFL context.
Acculturation and Perceived Social Distance among Arabs and Saudi Arabians in an ESL Situation
Author: Al-Qahtani, Abdulkhaleq A.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Social Distance,Arabs,North Americans,Interviews,Observation,Graduate Students,Student Attitudes,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Acculturation,Learning Processes,Questionnaires,Social Influences,Futures (of Society),Language Proficiency,Self Concept,Place of Residence,Student Characteristics,Foreign Countries

The main purpose of this study was to explore the perceived social distance among a small Arab community residing in a college town in the Midwest of the USA. The study examines its possible impact on the process of learning/acquiring English as a second language (ESL). It draws on the findings and contentions of the acculturation model as outlined by Schumann (1978). Three data collection procedures were employed: personal interviews, field observations, and a questionnaire. Five members of the aforementioned community were interviewed: three Saudi Arabians, and two other Arabs. The interviews were mapped against the social factors of the model as summarized by Brown (2000). Then a sum of 17 Saudi Arabian informants (graduate students) responded to a questionnaire. The findings suggest that different Arabs acculturate differently in accordance to their future plans. The persons who intend to reside in the target language (TL) culture acculturate (perceive smaller distance from the TL group) much more than those transient residents who intend to live there for a specific purpose and leave after finishing their business. The permanent residents' self-perception of their English proficiency is higher than the temporary ones.
A Corpus-Based Comparative Study of &quot;Learn&quot; and &quot;Acquire&quot;
Author: Yang, Bei
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computational Linguistics,Teaching Methods,Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,English,Computer Software,Verbs,Language Usage,Phrase Structure,Indexes,Comparative Analysis,Discourse Analysis,Syntax,Language Variation

As an important yet intricate linguistic feature in English language, synonymy poses a great challenge for second language learners. Using the 100 million-word British National Corpus (BNC) as data and the software Sketch Engine (SkE) as an analyzing tool, this article compares the usage of &quot;learn&quot; and &quot;acquire&quot; used in natural discourse by conducting the analysis of concordance, collocation, word sketches and sketch difference. The results show that different functions of SkE can make different contributions to the discrimination of &quot;learn&quot; and &quot;acquire&quot;. Pedagogical implications are discussed when the results are introduced into the classroom.
A Story-Telling Approach to Teaching English to Young EFL Iranian Learners
Author: Kalantari, Farzaneh
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Teaching Methods,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Story Telling,Vocabulary Development,Experimental Groups,Control Groups,Comparative Analysis,Pictorial Stimuli,Nonverbal Communication,Computer Software,Visual Stimuli,Pretests Posttests,Instructional Effectiveness,Student Motivation,Statistical Analysis,Early Adolescents

This study investigated the effects of the storytelling approach on improving of EFL learners' vocabulary knowledge. To this end, 30 upper-beginner EFL learners (out of a population of 134) were selected by means of an OPT test and were assigned to 2 groups: 1 experimental and 1 group. The participants were selected from among young EFL learners who were between 8 and 14 years old. They had already registered for English classes in Paya Language Center, Isfahan, Iran. As for the materials, they were mainly prepared by the teacher/researcher. Based on the units of &quot;Backpack&quot; books--taught in Paya Language Center--some stories were prepared and adopted by the teacher/researcher along with a visual presentation using the PowerPoint software. In carrying out the study, the participants were taught the key vocabulary via pictures and gestures. Once the participants had identified the new words, the teacher started telling and introducing the stories. While reading the stories, the teacher directed the participants' attention to the PowerPoint presentation that included the visual representation of the story to facilitate the comprehension process. After the treatment, there was a posttest to assess the participants' improvement. Results of data analysis revealed that the storytelling approach to teaching vocabulary proved effective for the experimental group. All the experimental group participants experienced a significantly meaningful increase in their vocabulary knowledge, compared to the control group. Finally, there was a boost in the interest rate of the experimental group participants in terms of motivation.
Mainstreaming English Language Learners: Does It Promote or Hinder Literacy Development?
Author: Somé-Guiébré, Esther
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English Language Learners,Mainstreaming,Teacher Student Relationship,Immigrants,Foreign Countries,Literacy,French,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Second Language Learning,Observation,Grade 5,Interviews,Elementary School Students,Family Environment

This study examines the interaction between African immigrant students and their mainstream teachers. I am particularly interested in the influence of classroom practices on the literacy development of Francophone African immigrant children in the U.S. classroom. The student participants in this study (two French speaking African students) were all permanent residents in the United States. They were all born and schooled in their home countries and were fluent in French (the language of instruction in their home countries). Since their immigration to the U.S. with their parents, the children have been confronted to several linguistic, social, cultural, and economic challenges that slowed down their academic progress and achievement. This paper uses Krashen's (2005) discussion on language acquisition to argue that specific classroom practices can hinder the literacy development of immigrant children. The data used for this discussion was collected through the observation of a 5th grade classroom, informal conversations with two French speaking African students, and interviews with their mainstream teacher as well as their English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers.
Investigating Content and Face Validity of English Language Placement Test Designed by Colleges of Applied Sciences
Author: Al-Adawi, Sharifa S. A.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Content Validity,Test Validity,Language Tests,Computer Assisted Testing,Scores,Student Placement,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Questionnaires,Interviews,Student Attitudes,Language Proficiency,Teacher Attitudes,Listening Skills,Oral Language,Reading Skills,Test Format,Foreign Countries,College Students

An English placement test (PT) is an essential component of any foundation program. It helps place students into their suitable language proficiency level so that they do not spend time learning materials below or above their levels. It also helps teachers to prepare teaching materials to students of similar levels (Brown, 2004; Illinois, 2012). This paper aims to investigate the extent to which the English Language PT used at Colleges of Applied Sciences (CAS) is achieving this goal by exploring teachers' and students' perceptions of the current exam via questionnaires and interviews. Furthermore, it examines the format and content of the PT and students' PT score against their mid-term score. It was found that face validity of CAS PT ranged from low (teachers) to moderate (students). The majority of teachers and students emphasized the importance of including the listening and speaking components in the test. Moreover, a modified version of the reading section of the test needs to be incorporated into the test. Another suggested using a valid certified computerized test. For future research, it is recommended to design a new test, taking into consideration the findings of this research and pilot it to test its effectiveness. Furthermore, an analytical test of the current marking criteria is essential to check its clarity and consistency.
Impact of Using CALL on Iranian EFL Learners' Vocabulary Knowledge
Author: Yunus, Melor Md
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computer Assisted Instruction,Educational Technology,Teaching Methods,Vocabulary Development,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Technology Uses in Education,Instructional Effectiveness,Literature Reviews,Foreign Countries

Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) integration in EFL contexts has intensified noticeably in recent years. This integration might be in different ways and for different purposes such as vocabulary acquisition, grammar learning, phonology, writing skills, etc. More explicitly, this study is an attempt to explore the effect of using CALL on vocabulary acquisition of EFL learners. It also discusses CALL applications for vocabulary instruction and searches for efficient methods to integrate CALL in vocabulary acquisition. For the discussion, it reviews the results of previous international and Iranian studies on CALL integration in vocabulary instruction to illustrate the state of research in this field. Based on the literature review, it is proposed that further research is required to find out the influences of CALL on different facets of vocabulary knowledge. At the end, some pedagogical implications have been offered for EFL teachers and learners.
English Teachers' Use of Learners' L1 (Arabic) in College Classrooms in Kuwait
Author: Alrabah, Sulaiman
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Semitic Languages,Language Usage,Native Language,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Computer Software,Second Language Instruction,Foreign Countries,Language Teachers,Teaching Methods,Teacher Attitudes,Interviews,Surveys,Language Patterns,Classroom Techniques,Affective Behavior,Sociolinguistics,Psycholinguistics,Negative Attitudes,Teacher Education Programs,Higher Education

This study investigated English teachers' use of learners' L1 (Arabic) in college classrooms in Kuwait. The purpose of the study was three-fold: (1) to describe the functions for which L1 was employed by the teachers, (2) to explore the affective, sociolinguistic, and psycholinguistic factors that may have led teachers to use L1 in L2 teaching, and (3) to measure the teachers' attitudes toward using L1 in teaching English as a foreign language (EFL). 60 EFL teachers at the Language Center in a college in Kuwait agreed to participate in the study. Data collection methods included recorded interviews and a grounded survey that was derived from the data of the interviews. Data analysis methods utilized Ethnograph 6.0, a software program, in order to search for common patterns of L1 use in the teachers' interviews. Analysis of the survey utilized the Microsoft Excel Software Program to generate the means, percentages, and standard deviations for each of the survey items. The survey results indicated that the teachers used L1 in L2 classrooms as a teaching tool and for classroom management. The participating teachers also indicated that affective, sociolinguistic, and psycholinguistic factors have contributed to their L1 use in L2 teaching. However, the results also showed that the participating teachers exhibited mostly negative attitudes toward L1 use in L2 teaching. This contradiction between classroom practice and attitudes entailed implications for language teacher education programs to better equip EFL bound graduates with appropriate teaching strategies and classroom techniques to use L1 in appropriate ways in the EFL classroom.
English and Thai Speakers' Perception of Mandarin Tones
Author: Li, Ying
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mandarin Chinese,Thai,Accuracy,Tone Languages,Suprasegmentals,Auditory Perception,Second Language Learning,Language Tests,English,Native Language,Auditory Stimuli,Identification,Auditory Discrimination,Difficulty Level,Adults,Comparative Analysis,Foreign Countries

Language learners' language experience is predicted to display a significant effect on their accurate perception of foreign language sounds (Flege, 1995). At the superasegmental level, there is still a debate regarding whether tone language speakers are better able to perceive foreign lexical tones than non-tone language speakers (i.e Lee et al., 1996; Burnham &amp; Brooker, 2002). The current study aimed to shed some light on this issue. Specifically, 24 adult Thai and 21 adult English speakers, who had no knowledge on Mandarin prior to participation in the study, were recruited. The participants' accuracy in the perception of 4 Mandarin tones (T1, T2, T3, T4) was individually examined using an identification test. 288 stimuli of /ti/, /ta/, /tu/, /t?hi/, /t?ha/, and /t?hu/ produced in 4 Mandarin tones were prepared. The stimuli were embedded in a carrier sentence, and were produced by a female and a male native Mandarin speaker. According to the results, (1) none of the participants achieved 100% accuracy in any of the perception tests; (2) in the perception of Mandarin T1 and T4, the Thai speakers significantly outperformed the English speakers; (3) the Thai speakers and the English speakers displayed very similar degrees of difficulty in the perception of Mandarin T2 and T3; and (4) the Thai participants' most serious confusion was in the discrimination of T2-T3, whereas the English participants showed significant confusion in the identification of T1-T2 and T2-T3. The findings suggest that tone language speakers may benefit more from their L1 in the perception of foreign lexical tones than did the non-tone language speakers. However, the degree of the beneficial effect identified was limited.
Indonesian EFL Teachers' Familiarity with and Opinion on the Internet-Based Teaching of Writing
Author: Cahyono, Bambang Yudi
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Internet,Computer Assisted Instruction,Writing Instruction,Foreign Countries,Language Teachers,Teacher Attitudes,Teaching Methods,Personal Autonomy,Self Efficacy,Futures (of Society),Technology Integration,Elementary School Teachers,Secondary School Teachers,College Faculty

The use of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) especially the Internet has been a common practice in education. However, research studies show that the Internet has not been frequently used in the teaching of English as a foreign language (EFL) writing, especially in the Indonesian context. This study aimed to find out whether or not Indonesian EFL teachers are familiar with the Internet-based techniques for the teaching of writing. In addition, it investigated their opinions on the Internet-based techniques of teaching of writing. This study involved 17 EFL teachers from various parts of the country who were asked about their experiences and opinions dealing with the Internet-based teaching of writing. The results of the study showed that almost half of the teachers admitted that they have used Internet facilities for the teaching of writing. The other EFL teachers either have indirect involvement with the teaching of writing using Internet application or have never used Internet applications at all. However, these teachers had intention to teach writing by applying Internet-based techniques for their future practices. The study also showed that Indonesian EFL teachers valued the Internet-based teaching of writing as this practice benefits the students in terms of their writing quality and quantity, autonomy, flexibility, as well as confidence. This implies that with the development of advanced ICT, there is a hope that students' learning of writing could be improved well.
Introducing Project-Based Instruction in the Saudi ESP Classroom: A Study in Qassim University
Author: Alsamani, Abdul-Aziz Saleh
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Projects,Teaching Methods,English for Special Purposes,Control Groups,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Study Habits,Pretests Posttests,Language Skills,College Students,Universities,Vocabulary Development,Computer Science Education,Educational Technology,Cooperative Learning,Foreign Countries,Needs Assessment,Questionnaires,Multiple Choice Tests,Teamwork,Problem Solving,Statistical Analysis

The aim of this paper is to study the impact of introducing an integrative pedagogical approach in the ESP classes on developing the English language vocabulary of Computer Science and Information Technology students in the College of Science, Qassim University. The study suggests a framework for an ESP course-design employing students' project work based on the analysis of learners' needs. The researchers made use of the experimental pre-test post-test control group design where the English vocabulary test was used as a pre and post test. The results reported from this study revealed the effectiveness of the suggested project-based ESP course on developing the English vocabulary for the target subjects. Also, the results show that project based instruction enhanced the teaching and learning of ESP and developed new study habits for learners by promoting self-directed, independent, cooperative learning as well as out-of-classroom learning. The study concluded with recommendations related to how projects can be incorporated into ESP classrooms to develop different language skills i.e. speaking, listening, reading, and writing.