ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Previewing Questions, Repetition of Input, and Topic Preparation on Listening Comprehension of Iranian EFL Learners
Author: Rouhi, Afsar
Date: 2014-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Questioning Techniques,Repetition,Listening Comprehension,Listening Skills,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,High School Students,Comparative Analysis,Teaching Methods,Statistical Analysis,Readiness,Hypothesis Testing,Pretests Posttests,Experimental Groups,Control Groups

In this study, an attempt was made to examine the effects of previewing questions, repetition of input, and topic preparation on listening comprehension of Iranian learners of English. The study was conducted with 104 high school students in 3 experimental and one control groups. The participants in the previewing questions group read the comprehension questions before hearing the text and answering the questions. The topic preparation group took advantage of topic-related texts in Persian followed by previewing questions; then they listened to the texts and answered the questions. The repetition of the input group had two hearings with previewing before each hearing that preceded answering the comprehension questions. The control group, however, only had one hearing before answering the questions. The results obtained from data analysis showed that the topic preparation group performed better than the other participating groups. The repetition group, in turn, did better than the previewing group. There was, however, no statistically significant difference between the previewing and repetition groups. Based on the results obtained, it can be argued that providing and/or activating background knowledge and repeating a listening task might facilitate listening comprehension in EFL classroom settings. The findings and pedagogical implications of the study are discussed in detail.
Metacognitive Awareness and the Fluency of Task-Based Oral Output across Planning Conditions: The Case of Iranian TEFL Students
Author: Seifoori, Zohreh
Date: 2016-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Metacognition,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Teacher Education,Language Teachers,Undergraduate Students,Pretests Posttests,Language Proficiency,Learning Strategies,Oral Language,Factor Structure,Scores,Language Tests,Independent Study,Control Groups,Experimental Groups,Language Fluency,Statistical Analysis,Teaching Methods,Foreign Countries

The present inquiry inspected the impact of metacognitive awareness on the fluency of 114 Iranian TEFL learners' task-based oral output. The participants in six intact classes were selected from a population of 120 English sophomores based on their scores on proficiency pre-test. The classes were randomly assigned as two tripartite groups of experimental and control participants each embracing three groups of pre-task planners (PTP), on-line task planners (OLP), and pre and on-line task planners (POLP). The fifteen-session metacognitive awareness program in the form of a topic-based listening and speaking course was based on Cotterall's (2000) principles of autonomous learning and three sets of metacognitive strategies, centering learning, arranging and planning learning and evaluating learning (Oxford, 1990). Employing a narrative task type, the researcher collected the data using a 2x3 factorial design with two levels of metacognitive awareness and three levels of planning. It was hypothesized that fluency would improve through metacognitive awareness under various planning conditions. Two-way Repeated Measures and One-way ANOVA analyses of the research data revealed significant fluency gains in all experimental participants compared to the control ones and in the control POLP planners. The findings have pedagogical implications for educators and teachers and highlight the need for strategic investment.
The Multiple Roles and Functions of English in South Korea
Author: Vasilopoulos, Gene
Date: 2013-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,English (Second Language),Language Role,Qualitative Research,Second Language Instruction,Gender Differences,Language Usage,Sociolinguistics,Questionnaires,Focus Groups,Relevance (Education),Context Effect,Adoption (Ideas),College Students,Student Attitudes,Ethnography,Semi Structured Interviews

In the field of language and identity, the subcategory of gender has been an area of growing interest (Pavlenko, 2001; Norton &amp; Pavlenko, 2004; Menard-Warwick, 2008; and Higgins, 2010). Adopting the view of gender as &quot;a system of social relationships and discursive practices&quot; (Norton &amp; Pavlenko, 2004, p. 504), social context is fundamental in understanding how gender relates to foreign language learning. This qualitative study focused on the extent to which gender impacts English language learning and English language use in the context of teaching English as a foreign language in South Korea. More specifically, it investigates how gender shapes self and social identity, and how these identities relate to English language learning and English language use, at present and/or in the future, in both real and/or imagined communities. Four male and four female participants were selected using purposive homogenous sampling techniques based on the criteria of having lived abroad in an English speaking community for over 5 years--a criterion which assumes the formation of self and social identity in addition to their native Korean L1. Data was collected through multiple methods including open-ended questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions. Interview and questionnaire data reveals gender differences in the symbolic meaning of English language, the relevance of English in self and social positioning, and the role of English in shaping future professional trajectories with males situating themselves in international contexts and females in the local.
The Politics of Student Housing: Student Activism and Representation in the Determination of the User-Price of a Public-Private Partnership Residence on a Public University Campus in South Africa
Author: Mugume, Taabo
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,College Housing,Activism,Public Colleges,School Business Relationship,Student Costs,College Students,College Administration,Interviews,Focus Groups,Accountability,Student Participation

South African universities have been facing a critical shortage in the provision of student housing for several years now, and the establishment of public--private partnerships (PPPs) is seen as part of the solution to address the shortage (Rensburg, 2011). This article investigates the effectiveness of the Students' Representative Council (SRC) of the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in representing student interests during its negotiations with university management to reduce the user-price per student for the new Kovacs Residence, a PPP student housing complex on the UWC campus. It thus highlights some of the complexities involved in public--private collaborations on student housing provision, including the tension between profitability, affordability and equity in the face of organised student power. The article shows that, considering the various initiatives taken by the SRC to engage university management, and the resulting reduction of the user-price per annum, students' interests were effectively represented by the SRC, even if this view does not correspond with the perceptions of students. Our analysis uncovers many deficiencies in student representation processes both within student structures and university management. It is supported by data from in-depth interviews and a focus group discussion. Interviews were conducted with SRC members and university management, and a focus group discussion was facilitated with students in residences.
Temporal Fluctuations in Foreign Language Motivation: Results of a Longitudinal Study
Author: Kruk, Mariusz
Date: 2016-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Student Motivation,High School Students,Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),Questionnaires,Observation,Interviews,Lesson Plans,Qualitative Research,Statistical Analysis,Student Interests,Foreign Countries,Attitude Change,Student Attitudes

According to Ellis (2008), motivation has received a lot of interest in language learning. It is unfortunate, however, that little attention has been paid to the dynamic nature of the construct, particularly changes in motivation within single classes and series of lessons. The study whose results are reported in this paper aims at investigating the dynamic character of foreign language motivation both within single lessons and sequences of classes over the period of several months. The participants were 52 senior high school learners. The study encompassed 121 naturally occurring English lessons. The data were gathered by means of a background questionnaire, motivational grids, observations and teacher's notes as well as individual interviews and lesson plans. The data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The results of the study demonstrate that language learning motivation changes not only during a single class but also from one lesson to the next. Factors responsible for such variations included lessons, learners and school.
Nobody Seems to Speak English Here Today: Enhancing Assessment and Training in Aviation English
Author: Douglas, Dan
Date: 2014-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Vocational English (Second Language),Aviation Education,Intercultural Communication,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Flight Training,Language Proficiency,Air Transportation,Language Tests,Applied Linguistics

In 2003 the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) strengthened the provisions that English be made available for international radiotelephony communication. ICAO also developed standards for English proficiency for international pilots and air traffic controllers. However, these standards are applied variably from country to country and in no country are native speakers of English tested for their ability to employ what has been termed &quot;interactional competence&quot; when using English for intercultural communication. Problems with this situation are reviewed and suggestions made for improving English assessment and training.
The Editor Dilemma in Modern Language Instruction: Is Tutoring out of Control?
Author: Correa, Maite
Date: 2014-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Editing,Peer Evaluation,Modern Languages,Second Language Learning,English Language Learners,Native Speakers,Tutors,Tutoring,Cheating,Plagiarism,Prevention,Graduate Students,College Faculty,Academic Standards

Although academic dishonesty has received considerable attention in recent years, there is little research on how non-serious cheating issues in a discipline such as biology or chemistry can become highly serious offenses in the context of instruction in the modern languages (MLs). One of these &quot;grey areas&quot; is (unauthorized) editing by a tutor and/or a native speaker: Given that a substantial part (if not all) of the grade in a ML assignment is language usage (be it grammar, vocabulary, spelling, or organization), any assistance received that improves linguistic form (and as a consequence the student's grade) should be considered as an act of punishable academic dishonesty. Still, and even if it seems obvious, it is not uncommon for language instructors to come across assignments that contain advanced linguistic forms or colloquialisms that do not belong to the linguistic repertoire of the student who &quot;wrote&quot; it (Correa, 2011). In this paper I address the following questions: Is the use of a tutor/native speaker accidental plagiarism (Beasley, 2004), pseudepigraphy (Walker &amp; Townley, 2012), or &quot;contract cheating&quot; (Clarke &amp; Lancaster, 2006)? Who is at fault? How can it be prevented or minimized? Should students be allowed to have tutors at all? Is there a double standard when it comes to graduate students and faculty?
Comrades' Power: Student Representation and Activism in Universities in Kenya
Author: Macharia, Mwangi J.
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Activism,College Students,Private Colleges,Public Colleges,Political Issues,Governance,Student Participation,Student Organizations,Literature Reviews,Student Leadership,Student Attitudes,College Administration,Civil Rights

In the last decade, student politics and governance of universities in Kenya and in other African countries have undergone a tremendous transformation. The unprecedented expansion and massification of public universities, the introduction of &quot;Module 2&quot; programmes, the admission of private, &quot;parallel&quot; and &quot;school-based&quot; students, and the substantial increase in private universities have impacted on the governance of the institutions and student politics in different ways. In this context, this article explores student involvement in university governance and describes the structure of students' unions in Kenyan universities in comparison with students exercising &quot;comrades' power&quot; in universities in Kenya.
The Zimbabwe Student Movement: Love-Hate Relationship with Government?
Author: Makunike, Blessing
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Activism,College Students,College Environment,Political Issues,Government School Relationship,Government Role,Educational Legislation,Racial Discrimination,Educational History,Qualitative Research,Interviews

The purpose of the article is to trace the development of student unionism in Zimbabwe. On the basis of a discussion of the nature of the university, the article argues that because the university environment tolerates and promotes academic freedom and liberal values, it provides an environment conducive to critical thought and oppositional politics, while the university quite often itself becomes the target for student attack. Student representation during the pre-independence period in Zimbabwe sought to engage the institution in its effort to re-order society at a time of racial struggle and class conflict. After independence, student representation was in support of government efforts to create a better Zimbabwe and to consolidate the gains of independence. However, after the first decade of independence, the relationship between students and government soured due to students' opposition to the one-party system as well as the University of Zimbabwe Amendment Bill, among other issues. This article thus documents and analyses the relationship between students and government with reference to three periods and two key moments: the 1973 protests against racial discrimination in the pre-independence phase and the post-1990 developments in Zimbabwean national and university politics.
ADHD and Adolescent EFL Learners' Speaking Complexity, Accuracy, and Fluency in English
Author: Marashi, Hamid
Date: 2016-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder,Indo European Languages,Questionnaires,Parent Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Scores,Interviews,Correlation,Language Fluency,Language Skills,Regression (Statistics),Elementary School Students,Diagnostic Tests,Oral Language,Statistical Analysis

This study was an attempt to investigate the relationships among Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and speaking complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF) among Iranian EFL learners. To fulfill the purpose of this study, the teachers and parents of 593 male students were given the Farsi version of the CSI-4 ADHD diagnostic questionnaire, out of which 61 students scored above the cut-off score of nine in both the teacher and parent questionnaires. These students then sat for a sample speaking section of the Key English Test (KET); the interviews were scored by two raters according to the measures of CAF. The data were thus analyzed and the results revealed a significant positive correlation between ADHD and speaking fluency; in contrast, a significant negative correlation was observed between ADHD and speaking complexity and ADHD and speaking accuracy. The regressions disclosed that ADHD is a significant predictor of complexity, accuracy, and fluency in speaking. The findings of this study have pedagogical implications for both parents and teachers in contact with students with ADHD with respect to the importance of identifying such students and thus planning and monitoring their progress.
A Conversation Analysis of the Function of Silence in Writing Conferences
Author: Mirzaee, Milad
Date: 2016-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Writing Evaluation,Feedback (Response),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Teacher Student Relationship,Interpersonal Communication,Revision (Written Composition),Foreign Countries,Discourse Analysis,Nonverbal Communication,Graduate Students,Teaching Methods,Interaction Process Analysis,Error Correction,Questioning Techniques

One of the recent issues in English as a Second/Foreign Language (ESL/EFL) writing instruction has been the quest for a more effective way to give feedback to L2 learners' writing drafts. Although teacher-learner writing conferences have been increasingly used for providing ample opportunity for negotiating revisions, relatively little attention has been given to actual teacher-learner conversation. Drawing on sociocultural theory, which holds that all cognitive developments are results of &quot;social interactions&quot;, and drawing on conversation analysis as an analytical tool, this study attempts to explore the different functions of &quot;silence&quot; in writing conferences during teacher-learner conversation. The data comes from transcripts of six 1-hour writing conferences video-recorded in a graduate program with 7 candidates in Iran. During the writing conferences, learners' drafts were discussed. Findings of the study demonstrated that teacher's silence can play a key role in the management of turns in writing conferences, thereby providing the parties with various opportunities for accomplishing intersubjectivity: the teacher used silence to rethink the information provided during writing conferences, and the learner exploited silence to revise the writing draft. The current study, reporting a range of functions of silence in writing conferences, offers an extension to the existing literature and draws language teachers', specifically writing instructors', attention to different functions of silence in writing conferences.
Are African Flagship Universities Preparing Students for Citizenship?
Author: Kgosithebe, Lucky
Date: 2015-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Citizenship Education,Higher Education,Role of Education,Democratic Values,Political Attitudes,Undergraduate Students,Student Attitudes,Public Opinion,Relevance (Education),Democracy,Student Surveys,Comparative Education,Comparative Analysis,Citizen Participation,Citizenship Responsibility,Foreign Countries

This article investigates the contribution of higher education to democratisation in Africa by studying the political attitudes of undergraduate students at four African flagship universities in Botswana, Kenya, South Africa and Tanzania. It analyses students' attitudes against those of youths without higher education and mass publics in their respective countries. The study focuses on flagship universities because of their role as important players in the development of the social, economic and political leadership of their respective countries. The surveys used stratified random samples of third-year students across all faculties and years of enrolment, which resulted in a weighted sample of 400 students from each of the participating institutions. Students' attitudes are compared with those of the same age percentiles of youths without higher education, and those of the entire population sample, from the nationwide public opinion surveys conducted by Afrobarometer. The analysis of the data uses the notions of commitment to democracy, critical citizenship and political engagement to show that students at the four flagship institutions have significantly higher levels of political awareness and political participation, and higher levels of criticalness, than youths without higher education and the general mass public. However, no consistently higher levels of commitment to democracy were found among students. We therefore argue that the study provides evidence of the political hothouse conditions typical in many African universities. It also provides grounds for the call that African higher education institutions should be more conscious of, and explicit in, the cultivation of the norms, values and practices conducive to democracy in order for higher education to contribute in enduring ways to citizenship development and the deepening of democratisation in Africa.
Factors Underlying Students' Appropriate or Inappropriate Use of Scholarly Sources in Academic Writing, and Instructors' Responses
Author: Sivell, John
Date: 2013-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Information Sources,Academic Discourse,Citations (References),Documentation,Plagiarism,Error Correction,Ambiguity (Context),Teacher Response,English (Second Language),Writing Instruction,Second Language Instruction,Influences,Expectation,Translation

At first glance it is surprising that--in remarkable contrast to grammatical or lexical failings which, while certainly not viewed as insignificant, are rarely greeted with outright anger or hostility--inappropriate documentation of scholarly sources so frequently provokes very harsh penalties. Rather than the constructively pedagogical approach that one would expect with regard to other defects in writing, why do we so often witness a rush to negative evaluation of what may, after all, be evidence of nothing more culpable than misinformation, confusion, or oversight? Much has of course been written about possible remedies for ineffective use of scholarly sources and, on the other hand, about available monitoring and punishment for deliberate plagiarism; so, in a sense, the alternatives appear quite simple. However, decisions about when to adopt a more pedagogical or a more disciplinary viewpoint are complicated by difficult and potentially emotional factors that can disrupt calm, confident and well-reasoned judgment. Thus, this paper will focus not on pedagogical or disciplinary strategies, whichever may be considered suitable in a given case, but on a framework for thorough reflection earlier in the thinking process. It will explore multiple perspectives on possible origins for the innocent if maladroit mishandling of scholarly sources, with a view to highlighting a number of informative but potentially neglected reference points--a cognitive psychological perspective on human error and error management, plausible ambiguities in determining what actually constitutes plagiarism, and communication challenges--that may enter into the instructor's final determination.