ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Finding the Key to Successful L2 Learning in Groups and Individuals
Author: Lowie, Wander
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Second Language Learning,Individual Differences,Learning Motivation,Personality Traits,Language Aptitude,Language Proficiency,Systems Approach,Generalization,Twins,Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Oral Language,Written Language,Learning Processes,Case Studies,Prediction,Language Tests,Monte Carlo Methods,Personality Measures,Correlation,Statistical Analysis

A large body studies into individual differences in second language learning has shown that success in second language learning is strongly affected by a set of relevant learner characteristics ranging from the age of onset to motivation, aptitude, and personality. Most studies have concentrated on a limited number of learner characteristics and have argued for the relative importance of some of these factors. Clearly, some learners are more successful than others, and it is tempting to try to find the factor or combination of factors that can crack the code to success. However, isolating one or several global individual characteristics can only give a partial explanation of success in second language learning. The limitation of this approach is that it only reflects on rather general personality characteristics of learners at one point in time, while both language development and the factors affecting it are instances of complex dynamic processes that develop over time. Factors that have been labelled as &quot;individual differences&quot; as well as the development of proficiency are characterized by nonlinear relationships in the time domain, due to which the rate of success cannot be simply deduced from a combination of factors. Moreover, in complex dynamic systems theory (CDST) literature it has been argued that a generalization about the interaction of variables across individuals is not warranted when we acknowledge that language development is essentially an individual process (Molenaar, 2015). In this paper, the viability of these generalizations is investigated by exploring the L2 development over time for two identical twins in Taiwan who can be expected to be highly similar in all respects, from their environment to their level of English proficiency, to their exposure to English, and to their individual differences. In spite of the striking similarities between these learners, the development of their L2 English over time was very different. Developmental patterns for spoken and written language even showed opposite tendencies. These observations underline the individual nature of the process of second language development.
L2 Japanese Learners&apos; Responses to Translation, Speed Reading, and &quot;Pleasure Reading&quot; as a Form of Extensive Reading
Author: Tabata-Sandom, Mitsue
Date: 2017-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reading Fluency,Japanese,Second Language Instruction,Recreational Reading,Translation,Student Surveys,Teaching Methods,Speed Reading,Correlation,Student Attitudes,Grammar,College Freshmen,Questionnaires,Instructional Effectiveness,Statistical Analysis,Likert Scales,Qualitative Research

Fluency development instruction lacks in reading in Japanese as a foreign language instruction. This study examined how 34 upper-intermediate level learners of Japanese responded when they first experienced pleasure reading and speed reading. The participants also engaged in intensive reading, the main component of which was translation. Survey results indicated that the two novel approaches were more welcomed than translation. There was a positive correlation between the participants' favorable ratings of pleasure reading and speed reading. The participants exhibited flexibility toward the two novel approaches in that they were willing to be meaningfully engaged in pleasure reading, whereas they put complete understanding before fluent reading when speed reading. The latter phenomenon may be explained by their predominantly-accuracy- oriented attitudes, fostered by long-term exposure to the grammar-translation method. The study's results imply that key to successful fluency development is an early start that nurtures well-rounded attitudes toward the target language reading.
The Role of Attitudes in the Development of Russian as a Foreign Language: A Retrospective Study
Author: Bátyi, Szilvia
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Russian,Language Attitudes,Language Teachers,Mixed Methods Research,Individual Differences,Social Attitudes,Language Proficiency,Surveys,Interviews,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Attitude Measures,Educational History,Foreign Countries,Learning Motivation,Likert Scales,Language Tests,Adults,Older Adults,Negative Attitudes,Profiles,Social Change,Social Systems,Multiple Regression Analysis

The article reports the findings of a retrospective study which looked at Hungarian learners' attitudes towards Russian people, the Russian language and teachers of Russian. Mixed-methods sequential explanatory design (Ivankova, Creswell, &amp; Stick, 2006) was applied which combines the collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data in two consecutive phases. First person accounts turned out to be a useful and relevant resource for exploring individual differences in proficiency in Russian. Differences in attitudes appear to play a role in the developmental process, but to what extent this refers to attrition or non-acquisition is unclear.
Voices from the Field: &quot;Systems Trump Programs&quot; A Case for Agency Support in Afterschool
Author: Hodgkins, Alexandria
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: After School Programs,Leaders,Administrators,Leadership Training

When Alexandria Hodgkins began her inquiry for the National Institute on Out-of-School Time's Afterschool Matters Practitioner Research Fellowship, she wanted to investigate afterschool programs that had been rated &quot;excellent&quot; by funders. Wanting to understand what excellent programs look like and how they get that way, she writes that she had a hidden assumption: that success rests solely--or maybe just mostly--on the shoulders of the person on the ground running the show: the program director. However, as the year of inquiry wore on, an unforeseen theme kept popping up. It became more and more clear that, if you want to run an excellent program, you need support from your agency or organization, which in turn needs support from program funders. In other words, &quot;systems trump programs&quot; (Fixsen, Naoom, Blase, Friedman, &amp; Wallace, 2005). This essay explores what she learned during that year. Ideas to help program directors maintain their sanity and make their program successful are shared. Steps that agencies might consider to support their programs in serving the greater good are also presented.
A Benefit-Cost Analysis of a Long-Term Intervention on Social and Emotional Learning in Compulsory School
Author: Klapp, Alli
Date: 2017-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Cost Effectiveness,Intervention,Social Development,Emotional Development,Compulsory Education,Foreign Countries,Longitudinal Studies,Outcomes of Treatment,Drug Abuse,Pretests Posttests,Experimental Groups,Control Groups,Middle School Students,Quasiexperimental Design

There is growing evidence that social and emotional skills can be taught to students in school and teaching these skills can have a positive effect on later outcomes, such as better mental health and less drug use. This paper presents a benefit-cost analysis of a longitudinal social and emotional learning intervention in Sweden, using data for 663 students participating in the evaluation. Intervention costs are compared against treatment impact on self-reported drug use. Pre-test and post-test data are available. Since follow-up data for the participants' drug use as adults is not available, informed projections have been made. Net present monetary values are calculated for the general public and society. The results show that students in the treatment group report decreasing use of drugs over the five year long intervention, the value of which easily outweighs the intervention costs.
How Do People with Intellectual Disability Describe the Experience of Falling in Love?
Author: Mattila, Jenni
Date: 2017-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Young Adults,Mild Intellectual Disability,Foreign Countries,Interviews,Qualitative Research,Content Analysis,Interpersonal Relationship,Intimacy,Psychological Patterns,Well Being,Emotional Response

The phenomenon of falling in love among people with intellectual disability has not received much attention in research. In this study, seven Finnish young adults (5 women and 2 men) with mild intellectual disability (ID) were asked about their experiences of falling in love. They were interviewed with a qualitative themed interview method. The data were analyzed with content analysis by searching the participants' descriptions of partner selection, the event of falling in love, and how falling in love has changed their lives. The study showed that that young adults with ID were familiar with and able to describe falling in love concretely and in a very positive manner. Love was seen as an important part of well-being. The findings suggest that people who live or work with young adults with ID should be prepared to support them in various phases of love in a way that enhances their cognitive love skills and self-determination in intimate relationships.
Extended Paper: Reconceptualising Foundational Assumptions of Resilience: A Cross-Cultural, Spatial Systems Domain of Relevance for Agency and Phenomenology in Resilience
Author: Downes, Paul
Date: 2017-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Resilience (Psychology),Phenomenology,Role,Spatial Ability,Cross Cultural Studies,Personal Autonomy,Causal Models,Guidelines,Bullying,Mental Health,Self Concept,Dropouts,Drug Use

This article seeks to amplify Bronfenbrenner's (1979) concerns with concentric structured, nested systems and phenomenology, for Ungar's (2012) extension of resilience to systems based on Bronfenbrenner's (1979, 1995) socio-ecological paradigm. Resilience rests on interconnected assumptions regarding space, agency and system blockage, as well as the role of individual phenomenological dimensions. This article proposes a specific model of dynamic spatial systems of relation to underpin agency and phenomenology in resilience, building on a reinterpretation of Lévi-Strauss' (1962, 1963, 1973) cross-cultural observations of contrasts between concentric and diametric spatial systems; space is a key bridge between material, symbolic and interpersonal domains of relevance for resilience. Agency in resilience is interpreted in terms of movement between concentric and diametric spatial systems at social and school microsystem levels, as well as for individual phenomenology. Space is not just an object of analysis but an active constituent part of educational and developmental processes pertaining to resilience, as a malleable background contingent condition for causal trajectories. This framework of spatial-relational agency shifts focus for resilience from bouncing back into shape, towards transition points in space, moving from diametric spaces of splitting to concentric spatial relations of assumed connection across different system levels.
Teachers' Perceptions of Kindness at School
Author: Binfet, John-Tyler
Date: 2017-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Attitudes,Altruism,Elementary Secondary Education,Kindergarten,Definitions,Teacher Influence,Teacher Student Relationship,Educational Environment,Cohort Analysis,Canada Natives,Foreign Countries,Teacher Surveys

The aim of this research was to examine kindergarten to 12th grade teachers' (N = 257) perceptions of school kindness. Teachers were asked to define kindness, provide examples of kindness they had done and received, identify key agents of kindness, and rate the quality of kind acts within their schools. Findings indicate that teachers define and enact kindness in comparable ways, that most teachers believe they have a strong to moderate influence on shaping students' kindness, and that teachers' perceptions of school kindness varies as a function of the grade they taught.
Investigation on the Practice of the Functional Behavioral Assessment: Survey of Educators and Their Experiences in the Field
Author: Moreno, Gerardo
Date: 2017-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Functional Behavioral Assessment,Educational Practices,Teacher Surveys,Teaching Experience,Intervention,Program Implementation,Positive Behavior Supports,Online Surveys,Special Needs Students,Interviews,Teacher Attitudes

The functional behavioral assessment (FBA) has been a hallmark practice amongst educators working with students demonstrating challenging behaviors. Although the process has been mandated in special education since the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997, the FBA varies in form and implementation across the United States of America (USA). Using a survey format, educators from Midwestern USA were asked to share their experiences as to how FBAs are conducted. Results indicated educators were strongly assured on FBA form and implementation but indicated reservations on culture as a factor on behavior. Discussion on results and suggestions for future research are offered.
Supporting Teachers in Relational Pedagogy and Social Emotional Education: A Qualitative Exploration
Author: Reeves, Jocelyn
Date: 2017-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Elementary School Teachers,Teacher Attitudes,Beliefs,Teaching Experience,Teaching Methods,Social Development,Emotional Development,Faculty Development,Role of Education,Caring,Interpersonal Relationship,Preservice Teacher Education,Inservice Teacher Education,Interviews,Coding,Journal Writing,Content Analysis

We examined the beliefs and experiences of three elementary school teachers who, over one school year, participated in bi weekly, guided discussions of attachment and care theories that introduced them to relational pedagogy as a way of supporting students? positive social, emotional, and academic growth. Teachers? beliefs about the aims of education were assessed at the beginning and end of the study and for the duration of the study they each kept a journal to document and reflect on their classroom interactions. Findings revealed teachers? understandings of the aims of education reflected a more relational perspective at the end of the study than the beginning. Seven themes emerged from the journals capturing the teachers? commitment to fostering caring relationships in their classrooms; their hesitancy to fully implement relational pedagogy as well as missed opportunities to do so; the frustration they experienced leading to abandoning relational pedagogy; awareness of their &quot;mistakes&quot;; their feelings of isolation as they realized relational pedagogy required a supportive school environment and their successes. Implications for pre- and in-service teacher education are discussed.
Short Research Report: Cyberbullying Levels of Impact in a Special School Setting
Author: Beer, Paula
Date: 2017-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Bullying,Computer Mediated Communication,Context Effect,Special Education,Case Studies,Intervention,Student Behavior,Victims,Autism,Pervasive Developmental Disorders,Learning Disabilities,Attachment Behavior,Behavior Disorders,Communication Problems,Power Structure,Interpersonal Relationship,Group Dynamics,Self Efficacy

Cyberbullying is defined as &quot;an aggressive, intentional act carried out by a group or individual, using electronic forms of contact, repeatedly and over time against a victim who cannot easily defend him or herself&quot; (Smith et al., 2008, p. 376). There are many quantitative studies on cyberbullying, but now researchers argue that we need to develop understanding of the contextual determinants of cyberbullying and the actors involved (Bastiaensens et al, 2014; Shultz, Heilman &amp; Hart, 2014). More research is needed to better understand the complexities of bystander behaviours (Jones, Mitchell &amp; Turner, 2015) and about cyberbullying reported by individuals with autism (Zeedyk et al, 2014) and students in special educational provision (Heiman, Olenik-Shemesh &amp; Eden, 2015; Kowalski, 2016). In response, this study offers an analysis of &quot;real world&quot; cyberbullying between members of a special school community.
Inferential Style, School Teachers, and Depressive Symptoms in College Students
Author: Pittard, Caroline M.
Date: 2017-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: College Students,Symptoms (Individual Disorders),Depression (Psychology),Inferences,College Freshmen,Measures (Individuals),Questionnaires,Stress Variables,Multiple Regression Analysis,Teacher Behavior,Social Behavior,Teacher Student Relationship,Cognitive Style,Statistical Analysis

Depressive symptoms affect around half of students at some point during college. According to the hopelessness theory of depression, making negative inferences about stressful events is a vulnerability for developing depression. Negative and socio-emotional teaching behavior can be stressors that are associated with depression in school students. First-time college freshmen completed the Cognitive Style Questionnaire (CSQ), Teaching Behavior Questionnaire (TBQ), and Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). While completing the TBQ, participants reported on a teacher from prior education to college. Multiple regression analysis found significant effects of the independent variables (four teaching behavior types, inferential style, and interactions between the four teaching behavior types and inferential style) on the dependent variable (depressive symptoms). More specifically, negative and socio-emotional teaching behavior were positively associated with depressive symptoms and instructional and organizational teaching behavior were negatively associated with depressive symptoms. Both organizational and negative teaching behavior interacted significantly with inferential style. Organizational and negative teaching behavior shared different relationships with depressive symptoms depending upon an individual's level of inferential style. Promotion of instructional and organizational teaching behavior in school as well as the reduction of negative teaching behavior may be useful in reducing students' depressive symptoms.
An Investigation of Lexical Progress of Teaching Foreign Languages (TFL) Learners in Terms of Part-of-Speech
Author: Çerçi, Arif
Date: 2017-03-23
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Vocabulary Development,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Writing (Composition),Guidelines,Foreign Countries,Turkish,Longitudinal Studies,Language Proficiency,Writing Evaluation,Classification,Form Classes (Languages),Interlanguage,Statistical Analysis

In the related literature, it has been discussed that issues related to foreign language lexicon have been ignored; therefore, a solid theory of foreign language lexicon has not been constructed yet. In the framework of Turkish as a foreign language, the literature lacks both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. To this end, this longitudinal study tries to find out the lexical progress of learners of Turkish as a foreign language. 20 teaching foreign languages (TFL) learners from a variety of nationalities participated in the study which lasted about a year. The participants started at A1 level of language proficiency and were certificated with C1 proficiency level. The learners were asked to write compositions at two-month intervals. The topics for the compositions were chosen from the Common European Framework of Reference. The compositions were analyzed and the word contents were categorized based on their part-of-speech as verbs, nouns, interjections, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions and pronouns. Each category was converted into ratios taking into account the total tokens in each composition. As the measures were taken from the same group at different intervals, Friedman's test was used. The results revealed that, among the part-of-speech categories, the ratio of nouns to the total tokens in the compositions decreased significantly while the ratio of verbs increased. In addition, there were statistically significant differences in the ratios of all the other part-of-speech categories.
A Study on the Views of Preschool Teachers and Teacher Candidates about the Concepts of Learning and Participation
Author: Erkan, Semra
Date: 2017-03-23
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preschool Teachers,Student Teacher Attitudes,Concept Teaching,Teacher Attitudes,Qualitative Research,Phenomenology,Semi Structured Interviews,Learning,Correlation,Achievement Need,Student Participation,Performance Factors,Learner Engagement,Preservice Teachers,Foreign Countries

This study was conducted in order to examine the views of preschool teachers and teacher candidates about the concepts of learning and participation, and to explore how they perceive the relationship between the two. The study group comprised of 10 preschool teachers working at formal preschools located in Afyonkarahisar and affiliated with the Ministry of Education, and 10 teacher candidates who were senior students at Afyon Kocatepe University Education Faculty's Department of Early Childhood Education. Using the qualitative research method of phenomenology, the study collected its data through semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed by using content analysis under four themes: views about learning, views about participation, views about the relationship between participation and learning, and views about requirements for participation and learning.
Prospective Teachers' Lifelong Learning Tendencies and Information Literacy Self-Efficacy
Author: Demirel, Melek
Date: 2017-03-23
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Information Literacy,Lifelong Learning,Correlation,Self Efficacy,Gender Differences,Computer Literacy,Preservice Teachers,Student Attitudes,Teacher Education Programs,Measures (Individuals),Work Environment,Academic Achievement,Foreign Countries,Statistical Analysis

The purpose of this study is to determine the correlations between prospective teachers' lifelong learning tendencies and their information literacy self-efficacy. It is also to find out if such properties differed significantly in terms of gender, grade, computer usage skills, achievement perception, and willingness to pursue an academic career and workplace belief in achievement. Participants in this study were 200 prospective teachers from Hacettepe University, Faculty of Education in Ankara, Turkey. Data were gathered through Lifelong Learning Tendencies and Information Literacy Self-efficacy Scales. The findings revealed that prospective teachers' lifelong learning tendencies and their information literacy self-efficacy were quite high. Their lifelong learning tendencies did not differ in terms of their computer usage skills whereas a significant difference was found in terms of their gender, grade, achievement perception, willingness to pursue an academic career and achievement in workplace. No differences were found in the prospective teachers' information literacy self-efficacy in terms of gender and grade; however, significant differences were found in terms of computer usage skills, achievement perception, willingness to pursue an academic career and belief in achievement in workplace. A moderate but significant positive correlation was found between their lifelong learning tendencies and information literacy self-efficacy.