ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Teachers' English Communication Skills: Using IELTS to Measure Competence of Graduates from a Singaporean Teacher Education Program
Author: Low, Ee-Ling
Date: 2014-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Language Tests,Language Proficiency,Foreign Countries,Teacher Education Programs,Graduates,Secondary School Teachers,Communicative Competence (Languages),Language of Instruction,Scores,Critical Thinking,Test Use,Communication Skills

Possessing strong communication skills is essential in contributing to effective teaching. This paper investigates graduating student teachers' English language proficiency, as measured by IELTS tests scores, of graduating EL student teachers. The paper considers what teachers need to know about the English language given that English has been the medium of instruction (MoI) for Singapore schools since 1987. Given such a context, English language proficiency is an important consideration in the preparation of pre-service teachers in Singapore. Implications for additional training and preparation in language skills are also proposed.
Norms and Varieties of English and TESOL Teacher Agency
Author: Hamid, M. Obaidul
Date: 2014-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Language Variation,Language Usage,Error Patterns,Language Teachers,College Faculty,Evaluation Criteria,Decision Making,Teaching Methods,Language Research

The growing recognition of the plurality of English underlying the World Englishes (WE) paradigm has problematised the conventional second language acquisition (SLA) views of errors. If English use in emerging English-speaking contexts is to be judged by local norms, as argued by WE scholars, applying exocentric norms in these contexts can be inappropriate. On the other hand, despite the significant growth of WE, varieties of new Englishes have yet to develop widely acceptable endocentric norms. These developments have raised a critical question: How can TESOL teachers distinguish between errors in the SLA sense and varietal features in the WE sense? Framed around language management theory (LMT) and teacher agency, this paper investigates how a group of global TESOL practitioners in an Australian university evaluated usages of English as a second language, what criteria they used and what implications their judgments and decision-making processes have for TESOL pedagogy and WE research.
Pre-Service Teachers' Opinions about the Course on Scientific Research Methods and the Levels of Knowledge and Skills They Gained in This Course
Author: Tosun, Cemal
Date: 2014-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Student Attitudes,Questionnaires,Scientific Research,Research Methodology,Anxiety,Multiple Choice Tests,Course Content,Writing for Publication,Literature Reviews,Skill Development,Foreign Countries,Teacher Education

The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether the pre-service teachers taking the Scientific Research Methods course attained basic research knowledge and skills. In addition, the impact of the process, which is followed while implementing the course, on the students' anxiety and attitude during the course is examined. Moreover, the study attempted to determine the pre-service teachers' self-efficacy beliefs in terms of doing scientific research. The study was carried out using an action research design. The sample of the study consisted of 27 pre-service teachers in the third year of the undergraduate program of Elementary Science Education in a state university in the northwest of Turkey. The study was completed in classes (each class lasting 50 minutes) in 14 weeks (two classes per week). The study data was collected with a questionnaire including nine open-ended questions in order to identify the opinions of the pre-service teachers about the course on Scientific Research Methods. A concept success test including short-answer, true-false, multiple-choice and open-ended questions were used in order to determine whether the course content was learnt by pre-service teachers. According to the research results, the pre-service teachers who took this course had decreased levels of anxiety towards doing scientific research. They stated that this course was important and necessary. It was found that this course ensured that the pre-service teachers gained some skills such as article writing, article review, and literature review.
The Educational Approaches of Turkish Pre-Service Elementary Mathematics Teachers in Their First Teaching Practices: Traditional or Constructivist?
Author: Doruk, Bekir Kürsat
Date: 2014-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teaching Methods,Mathematics Teachers,Teacher Education,Mathematics Instruction,Preservice Teachers,Constructivism (Learning),Conventional Instruction,Student Attitudes,Negative Attitudes,Educational Experience,Elementary School Teachers,Epistemology,Learning Theories,Foreign Countries,Observation,Semi Structured Interviews,Content Analysis

This research aimed to identify the educational approaches that pre-service elementary mathematics teachers adopt for their first teaching practice (TP) and the reasons for their choices. It was carried out with thirteen pre-service teachers (PTs). These PTs were observed during their first TP in a real school setting, and interviews were conducted after the TP. Our observations led us to the conclusion that PTs generally tended to utilize traditional teaching approaches. The interviews revealed that PTs' epistemological beliefs and beliefs about learning and teaching mathematics are largely in line with constructivist theory, and that their tendency for traditional approaches was due to: the influence of past educational experiences, the teaching styles of in-service teachers working at practice schools and their negative opinions about constructivist approaches, the limitations of their university educations, their lack of experience, and choosing the easier option. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of these findings for teacher training in mathematics.
Listening to the Voices in Professional Development Schools: Steering Committee as Promoting Partnership
Author: Klieger, Aviva
Date: 2014-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Professional Development Schools,Committees,College School Cooperation,Content Analysis,Partnerships in Education,Qualitative Research,Meetings,Educational Needs,Decision Making,Trust (Psychology),Faculty Development

The article discusses the role and importance of the steering committee in professional development schools in advancing the partnership between the teacher education college and schools. Content analysis of the minutes of steering committee meetings held over a period of 10 years was carried out. The findings reveal the potential of the steering committee as a framework for building a relationship of trust among the partners and promoting discourse about different needs. The findings indicate changes that took place in the content discussed--from focusing on procedures to focusing on the needs of the partners and from ad hoc problem solving to a long-term design and from passivity to activity of the schools' representatives. Over the years, the steering committee became very significant in leading the policy in the professional development schools.
Mentoring Expectations and Experiences of Prospective and Cooperating Teachers during Practice Teaching
Author: Rakicioglu-Soylemez, Anil
Date: 2014-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Student Teachers,Cooperating Teachers,Mentors,Student Teaching,Teacher Role,Student Role,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Student Journals,Interprofessional Relationship,Social Networks,Qualitative Research,Secondary School Teachers,Semi Structured Interviews,Language of Instruction,Student Attitudes

This study aimed to explore prospective and cooperating teachers' perceived and received roles and responsibilities regarding mentoring practices during practice teaching in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) setting. Data were gathered from reflective journals of the prospective teachers and interviews with the dyad members of practice teaching. The findings of the study pose implications for practice teaching applications and indicate a need for an effective socio-professional network between the prospective and cooperating teachers during practice teaching. The study provides suggestions to involve the dyad members in the planning and application stages of the practice teaching experience.
L1 Transfer in Article Selection for Generic Reference by Spanish, Turkish and Japanese L2 Learners
Author: Snape, Neal
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Native Language,Transfer of Training,Second Language Learning,Nouns,Phrase Structure,English (Second Language),Form Classes (Languages),Spanish,Task Analysis,Turkish,Japanese,Language Role,Contrastive Linguistics,Foreign Countries

This study examines second language (L2) acquisition of English generic noun phrases (NPs) by Spanish, Turkish and Japanese learners. The aim is to identify the role of the first language (L1) in the L2 acquisition of definite NP-level generics and indefinite sentence-level generics with singular, bare plural, and mass generic nouns. The four languages in this study differ in the way they express generic interpretations: English and Spanish have article systems, Turkish has an indefinite article, but no definite article, and Japanese lacks an article system. Advanced and upper intermediate L2 learners were tested via a forced choice elicitation task. The results reveal different patterns of article selection across the three groups of L2 learners, which correspond with L1 transfer effects. Our findings suggest that L2 article choice is largely determined by the way the L1 realizes generic reference.
Two Different Faces of Cavafy in English: A Corpus-Assisted Approach to Translational Stylistics
Author: Pantopoulos, Iraklis
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Translation,Computational Linguistics,Language Usage,Case Studies,Poetry,Poets,Language Styles,Comparative Analysis

A translator is seen to leave a personal mark on the text through their stylistic choices and the patterns formed by these choices. This article comprises a case study that uses a specialized comparative corpus containing translations of C.P. Cavafy&apos;s canon in order to explore the distinctive stylistic features of Rae Dalven and of Edmund Keeley and Philip Sherrard (working in collaboration), in both quantitative and qualitative terms. Exploring the different approaches to Cavafy&apos;s poetry on the stylistic level reveals the stylistic fragmentation of the poet after crossing over into a dominant language and literary market. Overall word frequencies for each translation are examined, the stylistic features that are prominent in each case are identified, and their significance is considered. Special attention is also paid to the way a stylistic feature belonging to the &quot;universal aspects of literature&quot; is treated by each translator. By foregrounding the translators and their distinct choices, the &quot;homogenization&quot; effects that often characterize translation into a major language are arrested. Instead, the focus falls on the factors that shape each translator&apos;s use of language and their impact.
A Diary Study on the Causes of English Language Classroom Anxiety
Author: Gkonou, Christina
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Anxiety,Student Attitudes,Diaries,Foreign Countries,Error Correction,Teacher Education,Educational Improvement,Peer Evaluation,Teacher Role,Classroom Research,Individual Differences,Qualitative Research,Content Analysis,Private Schools

Drawing on learners' diaries, the study reported in this article focused on the English language classroom anxiety (ELCA) of eight Greek EFL learners in private language school settings. The study investigated the extent to which anxiety is amenable to change and the factors contributing to the creation and increase in students' anxiety in class. A training session prior to the commencement of keeping a diary was conducted with the participants under the supervision of the researcher. A total of 64 entries were collected and analysed through qualitative content analysis. The results indicated that students' ELCA fluctuated over time, thus proving that language anxiety is a situation-specific as well as a dynamic variable in L2 contexts. Moreover, a closer scrutiny of the diary data revealed an interplay between linguistic and non-linguistic difficulties substantially affecting learning. Anxiety lay mainly with the participants' perceptions of the input taught, of classroom procedures, and of themselves as learners. Socio-psychological constraints raised by the diarists included fear of negative evaluation by the teacher and by the peers with specific attention to mistakes and correction, and extrinsic motivation. Based on the findings, suggestions are made to improve teacher education and training and to slightly deviate from the exam oriented nature that the Greek educational system imposes on EFL learning.
A Study of the Acquisition of Discourse Markers by Chinese Learners of English
Author: Bu, Jiemin
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Interviews,Gender Differences,Student Attitudes,Classroom Communication,Language Styles,Self Concept,Individual Differences,College Students,Asians,Discourse Analysis,Audio Equipment,Foreign Countries

This study investigates the acquisition of discourse markers by Chinese learners of English in terms of gender, style and individual identity. The subjects of the study are 15 female university students and 15 male university students. The data is collected by means of audio recording in the classroom discussion and in the interviews. The examined discourse markers are &quot;like,&quot; &quot;yeah,&quot; &quot;oh,&quot; &quot;you know,&quot; &quot;wel,l&quot; &quot;I mean,&quot; &quot;right,&quot; &quot;ok,&quot; and &quot;actually,&quot; and a total of 1292 tokens for these discourse markers are identified in the subjects' classroom discussion and in the subjects' interviews. The results of the study show that: (1) the female subjects use discourse markers more frequently than the male subjects. (2) all the subjects employ discourse markers in the interviews at a higher rate than in the classroom discussion. (3) the subjects' individual identity has the effects on their use of discourse markers. (4) the subjects display their individual variations in their frequencies of discourse markers in the interviews and in the classroom discussion respectively.
Theater of the Oppressed in an After-School Program: Middle School Students' Perspectives on Bullying and Prevention
Author: Bhukhanwala, Foram
Date: 2014-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Middle School Students,Theater Arts,Role Playing,Bullying,Student Behavior,Teaching Methods,Perspective Taking,Empathy,Responses,Consciousness Raising,After School Programs,Prevention,Clubs,Observation,Interviews,Student Attitudes,Program Effectiveness

This article examines students' participation in Boalian Theater activities to role-play, rehearse, and develop strategies to use when bullied or witnessing bullying. One intention of the theater was for students to respond and to engage in perspective-taking and empathy as one of the ways of responding to bullying experiences and making sense of the differences they experienced. As students begin to experience the &quot;other&quot; as human, like themselves, then empathy for the actor may motivate the audience members to intervene in the events displayed on the stage. Educators who value humane learning environments are more likely to model care and empathy for their students. By incorporating Boalian Theater as an ongoing component of the classroom experience, educators engage students in a theatrical conversation that promotes empathy and perspective-taking, helping them make sense of differences and address issues of bullying.
Creating the Cougar Watch: Learning to Be Proactive against Bullying in Schools
Author: Smith, Robert W.
Date: 2014-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Leadership,Teacher Responsibility,Bullying,Educational Environment,Intervention,Middle School Students,School Culture,Consciousness Raising,Interpersonal Relationship,Surveys,Teacher Attitudes,Student Attitudes,Program Development,Cooperative Planning,Student Responsibility,Planning,Prevention

Despite reticence from the central office, strong middle level teacher leaders worked together to develop an effective anti-bullying program that addresses a significant need for safety and inclusion for all middle school students. This article describes how one teacher's concerns changed her school's attitude with regard to bullying from assuming that &quot;bullying is not a major problem at our school&quot; to &quot;bullying is a priority issue included in the school improvement plan with a school-wide program to address bullying.&quot; The article offers six key points for educators to consider when a grassroots approach to raising awareness about bullying at any school.
Personal-Academic Studies Engage Urban, Seventh-Grade Students
Author: Hansen, Jane
Date: 2014-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Grade 7,Middle School Students,Learner Engagement,Urban Schools,Curriculum Development,Student Needs,Early Adolescents,Culturally Relevant Education,Violence,History Instruction,Student Interests,Literature,Conflict,Minority Group Students,At Risk Students,Language Arts,Social Influences,Social Studies,Writing Assignments,Teaching Methods

A successful middle school team of teachers employed effective middle level philosophy to structure a curriculum around themes that were relevant, challenging, integrative, and engaging for their particular students and community. Realizing that their young adolescents were involved in tough, delicate issues in their out-of-school lives, the cross-subject teachers came together in true middle school fashion to respond to students&apos; needs. Using readings, writing, and discussions of conflict helped students to see that they were not alone. When violence is the norm in any location, it can influence a person&apos;s perspectives on his or her life. The students desires changed, and their study of figures in history and literature, allowed them to use their own lives as exemplars of possibilities. The teachers tried to honor and expand the seventh graders&apos; interests--and the students, rather than act passively, participated in an active, democratic fashion, asking questions and making connections to their lives beyond the classroom.
100 Words: Becoming an Advocate One Essay at a Time
Author: Bennett, Cory A.
Date: 2014-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Essays,Writing Assignments,Cultural Influences,Student Experience,Early Adolescents,Interpersonal Relationship,Identification (Psychology),Adolescent Development,Peer Influence,Family Influence,Dating (Social)

This article highlights how implementing a particular writing experience fosters the development of relationships between students and teachers. Wanting to gain a deeper understanding of the students as individuals, as members of various groups, and their cultural ties seemed overwhelming at first, but after several weeks of working closely with the students and developing their trust and respect, the students were assigned to write an essay, describing in 100 words, what is it like to be your age? While each student&apos;s essay clearly voiced his/her own experiences and perceptions of being a young adolescent, there were several common themes that dealt with relationships, identity, and an awareness of their changing selves, transitions to adulthood and life beyond school, and an optimistic hope for the future. Many students highlighted the roles and influence that their peers had in their life. Many of the students also wrote about the strenuous relationships they often had with parents or other adult family members. The understandings gained from students transformed some instructional practices. Several new classroom policies were adopted. Different partnering structures were used so that students would meaningfully interact with different students throughout the week, not just their closest peers. True to the ideal middle school, this teacher sought to create a safe and inviting space on campus that allowed students to connect and interact with their peers and adults.
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis in Practice: Interventions to Improve High School Completion
Author: Hollands, Fiona
Date: 2014-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Cost Effectiveness,High School Graduates,Intervention,Graduation Rate,Policy Formation,Educational Policy,Clearinghouses,Efficiency,Program Implementation,Dropout Prevention,Program Descriptions,Talent,Employment,Job Skills,Mothers,Early Parenthood,Role,Decision Making

In this article, we perform cost-effectiveness analysis on interventions that improve the rate of high school completion. Using the What Works Clearinghouse to select effective interventions, we calculate cost-effectiveness ratios for five youth interventions. We document wide variation in cost-effectiveness ratios between programs and between sites within multisite programs, reflecting differences in resource use, program implementation, and target population characteristics. We offer suggestions as to how cost-effectiveness data can be used to inform policymaking, with the goal of improving the efficiency with which public and private resources are employed in education.
Determining the Role of Language and Culture in First Nations Schools: A Comparison of the First Nations Education Act with the Policy of the Assembly of First Nations
Author: Morcom, Lindsay A.
Date: 2014-09-19
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Cultural Education,Language,Federal Legislation,Educational Policy,Educational Research,Indigenous Populations,Youth Opportunities,Comparative Analysis,Politics of Education,Educational Benefits,Language Proficiency,Language Acquisition,Educational Assessment,Educational Indicators,Canada Natives,Foreign Countries,Indigenous Knowledge

In this article, I explore the incongruence between the federal government's proposed First Nations Education Act and the approach of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) regarding language and culture education. I also examine research concerning potential outcomes of their approaches to determine what would be most beneficial to learners. Language and culture inclusion in schools has been shown to impact significantly on academic and social outcomes for Aboriginal youth, and there are substantial financial and practical differences involved in creating and maintaining different types of language and culture programs. Therefore, this incongruence is of great practical importance for policy makers and education practitioners.
Declining Enrolment in Ontario: What Can History Tell Us and Where Do We Go from Here?
Author: Robertson, Sean
Date: 2014-10-02
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Enrollment Trends,Expenditure per Student,Educational Policy,Foreign Countries,Economic Factors,Partnerships in Education,Declining Enrollment,Literature Reviews

Declining student enrolment is a phenomenon being faced by many school authorities throughout Canada. This is particularly important for policymakers since governments provide the bulk of education funding on a per pupil basis. In jurisdictions across Ontario, where population demographics and economic factors negatively impact enrolment, the influence on education services can be dramatic. The purpose of this paper is to assess and to explore past and present policy responses to demographic change and to discuss ways policymakers can mitigate the adverse impacts of declining enrolment.