ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Parental Participation in Children&apos;s Education: Experiences of Parents and Teachers in Ghana
Author: Appiah-Kubi, Jamal
Date: 2020-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Parent Participation,Parent School Relationship,Parent Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Foreign Countries,Elementary School Teachers,Barriers

The engenderment of children's education requires the interplay of several factors with parental involvement as a key ingredient in the educational experience. However, some parents' participation in their children's education has been found to be low in both rural and urban communities alike. This has led to the loss of the positive effects attributed to parent's participation in their children's education. A qualitative research was therefore conducted with parents of pupils in the University of Ghana Basic School as well as the teachers of primary classes four, five and six, to interrogate factors that motivate and inhibit parents' participation in children's education. Participants were purposively sampled due to their experience and knowledge in issues related to parents' participation and non-participation in their children's education. Findings revealed that parents' belief that their participation in their children's education is part of the training they are supposed to give them has motivated them to participate. Barriers to parental participation in their children's education include the high cost of living which keeps parents preoccupied with economic ventures, and low self-esteem due to some parents' illiteracy which makes them feel they cannot offer much besides paying their children's school fees.
The Effects of Distractors to Differential Item Functioning in Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test
Author: Kurnaz-Adibatmaz, Fatma Betül
Date: 2020-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Item Analysis,Test Items,Vocabulary,Verbal Ability,Intelligence Tests,Test Format,Preschool Children,Gender Differences,Regression (Statistics),Foreign Countries

In this study logistic regression and Lord's Chi Square methods were used to research the items that have DIF. The study utilized Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT). The original form of the PPVT includes four options. Three different forms (A, B and C) were formed by removing one of the distractors respectively. The original form of PPVT was implemented in a group of 970 preschool children who were aged between 3 to 6. 757 of them took one of the forms. In each implementation, the order to the implementation of the original form and the form (A, B or C) was changed. The applications were conducted 15 days apart. In the first application, the original form was applied, while one of the devised forms (A, B or C) was used in the following application. In this way, the effect of order of application on responses was investigated. The gender variable constituted the reference and focus group of the study. The Logistic Regression and Lord's Chi-square methods did not give compatible results in DIF analysis. DIF was found in 15 items in the original form according to the logistic regression method and in nine items according to the Lord's Chi-square method. The three-option and four-option applications of the test revealed that DIF was determined in five items in different forms. It was observed that there was no compliance in different applications and analyses in other items with DIF.
Acquisition of L2 Collocation Competence: A Corpus Analysis of Exclusivity, Directionality, Dispersion and Novel Usage
Author: Chen, Alvin Cheng-Hsien
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Phrase Structure,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Teaching Methods,Language Proficiency,Native Speakers,Computational Linguistics,Comparative Analysis,Writing Skills,Scores,Skill Development,Writing Evaluation,North American English,Asians

This study evaluates the development of L2 collocational competence in texts written by learners of differing proficiency levels, compared to native speaker collocation patterns from a reference corpus. We address: (1) whether learners develop their collocation competence as their proficiency grows; and (2) How is this development mediated by different aspects of collocability, i.e., exclusivity, directionality, and dispersion? Effective quantitative metrics based on the native corpus were assigned to each bigram type in L2 texts, covering important aspects of collocability. Correlations between the text-based average scores of each metric and L2 proficiency were analyzed to examine the development of collocability in each dimension. Our results show that exclusivity increases with learner proficiency. When directionality is considered, learners develop native-likeness in forward-directed word selection across all levels; backward competence, however, improves more markedly at advanced levels. Our analysis also suggests learners start to use less deviant collocation patterns but more domain-specific bundles as their proficiency grows.
Designing a CLIL-Based Cultural Training Course to Enhance Learners&apos; Cultural Quotient (CQ) by Introducing Internationalisation at Home (IaH)
Author: Yang, Wenhsien
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: International Education,Content and Language Integrated Learning,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Foreign Countries,Cultural Awareness,Textbooks,Undergraduate Students,Metacognition,Cognitive Processes,Hospitality Occupations,Internship Programs,Course Descriptions,Student Attitudes,Teaching Methods,Educational Policy

Due to increasing globalisation, workforce mobility and international assignments, higher education providers are attempting to equip their graduates with professional knowledge and proficient language skills to enhance their competitiveness in the global job market. In addition, intercultural competence is regarded as essential to enable graduates to communicate effectively between cultures. CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) education is expected to accommodate these targets in one approach. In our study, we designed a CLIL-based cultural training course and an accompanying self-produced textbook to develop our 43 university students' intercultural awareness before they started a one-year hospitality internship, either at home or overseas. CQ tests were conducted before and after an 18-week course intervention, and the results showed significant increments in the cognitive, meta-cognitive and behavioural dimensions of CQ, but not in motivational CQ. In the interview, the learners also commented on their high level of satisfaction with the course and its activities. The research calls for the implementation of various teaching techniques or educational policies borrowed from Internationalisation at Home (IaH) to enhance the success of cultural training in the classroom.
Unpacking Reading Text Complexity: A Dynamic Language and Content Approach
Author: Sun, Haimei
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reading Comprehension,Difficulty Level,Readability,Textbooks,Higher Education,Secondary Education,High Schools,Computational Linguistics,Syntax,Sciences

Reading texts may serve as a vital source of informational content and language knowledge for second language (L2) learners, which is known as the dual relevance of L2 reading (Han &amp; D'Angelo, 2009). Text complexity, however, influences the two, determining to a great extent whether the dual outcome is attainable. Drawing on Complex Dynamic System Theory (CDST, de Bot, 2017), the present study conceives text complexity as residing primarily in the interrelationship between language and content complexity and their respective subsystems. To apply this conceptualization to text analysis, this study analyzed language complexity and content complexity of authentic science texts sampled from high school and college textbooks on four different subjects. Results show that college texts in general exhibited greater language and content complexity than high school texts, especially in terms of sentence length and the use of complex nominals. Aside from this emerging pattern, variability characterized the magnitude of difference in complexity and the manner in which the texts differed. Overall, the findings from this study attest to the mutual relationship between language complexity and content complexity embedded within authentic texts.
The Role of Language Aptitude in Children&apos;s Rate and Route of L2 Acquisition: A Direction for Future Research in Child SLA
Author: Beccia, Ashley
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Second Language Learning,Language Aptitude,Children,Adults,Age Differences

A fundamental distinction in the field of second language acquisition (SLA) is route versus rate of acquisition (or L2 development). While the former has traditionally referred to developmental sequences of learning, the latter denotes the speed with which learners progress through developmental trajectories (Muñoz, 2006). A second distinction at the center of SLA is the ultimate L2 attainment of children versus adults. Although researchers in the field hold different views regarding the role and effects of age in language learning ability and ultimate attainment--such as whether learners are subject to one or multiple critical or sensitive periods of development--researchers generally converge on the fact that early (child) L2 learners fully acquire the target language (TL) while most late (adult) learners do not (Hartshorne et al., 2019).
The Relationship between ESL Learners&apos; Motivation, Willingness to Communicate, Perceived Competence, and Frequency of L2 Use
Author: Lao, Tiffany Laiyin
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Correlation,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Student Motivation,Graduate Students,Adult Students,Second Language Programs,Community Programs,Communicative Competence (Languages),Self Efficacy,Language Attitudes,Language Usage

The present study seeks to examine the relationship between the motivation of adult ESL learners, their willingness to communicate, their perceived competence, and the frequency of L2 use. Three research questions motivate this study: (1) Is there a relationship between the motivation of L2 learners and their willingness to communicate? (2) Is there a relationship between the motivation of L2 learners and their frequency of L2 use? (3) Is there a relationship between the perceived competence of L2 learners and their frequency of L2 use? The affective variables were measured using surveys; descriptive and inferential statistics were used to investigate the relationships between the affective variables that influence L2 communication and the frequency of L2 use. The results show that there was a relationship between motivation and willingness to communicate. Motivation was also a significant predictor of the frequency of L2 communication. In addition, while there was a relationship between learners' perceived competence and the frequency of L2 use, perceived competence did not predict the frequency of L2 use. The findings indicate that teachers can utilize a variety of strategies to boost students' motivation by strengthening their desired self-image and by nurturing their communicative confidence.
Confidence Is Everything: The Mediating Effects of Self-Efficacy on Task Value and Social Media Participation
Author: Bailey, Daniel R.
Date: 2021-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Self Efficacy,Value Judgment,College Students,Late Adolescents,Student Participation,Social Media,Collaborative Writing,Student Educational Objectives,Language Skills,Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),Correlation,Foreign Countries

Social networking for language learning (SNLL) entails students practicing second language (L2) writing on social media platforms like Facebook. Language learning through social media activities occurs through active participation resulting in language output. This examination of how L2 output influences language learning highlights the importance of interactions when participating on social network sites. Self-efficacy refers to confidence to succeed and task value refers to the value SNLL has towards helping students meet their language learning goals. Self-efficacy and task value in the context of SNLL are two motivational factors that influence participation and, consequently, language acquisition. This quantitative study surveyed a group of students (n = 203) who participated in a six-week SNLL program in South Korea to investigate the relationships among task value, self-efficacy, and participation. Furthermore, a mediation model was carried out. Results showed that self-efficacy completely mediates the relationship between task value and participation, indicating that increasing levels of self-efficacy explain the relationship between the value SNLL contributes to language learning goals and participation in EFL class Facebook groups. Results-driven pedagogical implications on SNLL are given.
Constructing Analytic Rubrics for Assessing Open-Ended Tasks in the Language Classroom
Author: Vercellotti, Mary Lou
Date: 2021-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Scoring Rubrics,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Instructional Effectiveness,Teaching Methods,Feedback (Response),Communicative Competence (Languages),Performance Based Assessment,Language Skills,Evaluation Methods,Task Analysis,Grammar,Vocabulary Skills,Pronunciation,Language Fluency,Speech Communication,Student Evaluation,Classroom Environment

With the increased emphasis in communicative language learning and task-based language teaching, classroom assessment increasingly includes performance-based assessments (e.g., essays, speeches, projects, presentations), which require careful planning and can be challenging to implement and assess. The ability to design and use well-designed assessments for language performance tasks is a critical skill for classroom instructors. A rubric is a tool to more objectively measure the quality of the language performance when assessing language use in open-ended tasks. Analytic rubrics, with multiple categories and descriptions reflecting various levels of performance, help the instructor evaluate the effectiveness of instruction, document evidence of learner progress, and give feedback to learners. This article synthesizes theoretical and empirical scholarship in order to describe how to construct well-designed analytic rubrics for classroom language assessment. Four main steps are described: (1) establishing categories, (2) describing levels of performance, (3) reviewing the components of the rubric before implementation, and (4) evaluating the effectiveness of the rubric after implementation.
Evidence for Second Language Socialization in Multiplayer Online Game Play
Author: Shahrokni, Seyed Abdollah
Date: 2021-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Ethnography,Computer Games,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Socialization,Teaching Methods,Case Studies,Computer Simulation,War,Peace,Immigration,Computer Mediated Communication,Communities of Practice,Trust (Psychology),Credibility,Language Proficiency,Computer Assisted Instruction

This ethnographic case study aims to examine second language socialization (SLS) in a massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) called Stronghold Kingdoms (SK). To explore the affordances of this community for SLS, the social dynamics in a Faction community during 4 life-time periods, namely, war, post-war peace and life in exile, end of the world, and immigration to a new world were investigated using three methods: observation, analysis of records (in-game forum exchanges), and interview. The results suggested that the norms of the Faction community, that is, communication, collaboration, skills, support, rules, closeness, trust, status, and shared experiences provided a supportive environment for SLS. Moreover, the results of an in-depth interview conducted with one of the Faction non-native English speakers (NNES) revealed that the affordances of SK were important in the development and improvement of second language skills. Therefore, this study offers implications for second language pedagogy and research.
Language Task Engagement: An Evidence-Based Model
Author: Egbert, Joy L.
Date: 2021-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Task Analysis,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Teaching Methods,Learner Engagement,Models,Teacher Attitudes,Student Attitudes,Researchers,Teacher Surveys,Student Surveys,Online Surveys,Factor Analysis,Personal Autonomy,Student Interests,Conferences (Gatherings),English (Second Language),College Faculty,Difficulty Level,Learning Motivation,Cross Cultural Studies,Student Behavior,Cognitive Processes,Outcomes of Education

Recent research points to the need for a specific research focus on language task engagement because task engagement can lead to increased motivation, persistence, satisfaction, and learner achievement (Early, Rogge, &amp; Deci, 2014; Henri, Halverson, &amp; Graham, 2015; Reeve &amp; Lee, 2014); a major gap in the research in this area is the lack of a unifying model. This study responds to this gap in order to move understandings of language task engagement forward. To meet this purpose, the present study applies both descriptive and statistical data to develop and validate a model of language task engagement. The article describes the exploration of language task engagement from two main sources: (1) the large body of literature around engagement, which was used as one source of data for model-building, and (2) online surveys of student, teacher, and researcher perspectives that were collected and analyzed from multiple sources and contexts. To explain the model, the article first presents a brief justification for exploring the engagement construct, differentiating task engagement from related concepts. The paper then outlines the study methodology, presents and describes the model based on the literature and other data, and provides conclusions and recommendations.
Monolingual and Bilingual Online Dictionary Tools for Academic Reading
Author: Kol, Sara
Date: 2021-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Dictionaries,Electronic Publishing,Monolingualism,Bilingualism,English for Academic Purposes,Reading Comprehension,Reading Attitudes,Preferences,Advanced Courses,Postsecondary Education,College Students,Second Language Learning,Foreign Countries

For students of English for Academic Purposes (EAP), reading articles in their field of study in English is particularly challenging. One of their main difficulties is understanding unfamiliar words. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of online monolingual and bilingual dictionary tools on reading comprehension in English and check student preference for one or the other tool. The study was conducted in an advanced English class for tertiary students of government. Two online dictionary tools were used: Reverso, a bilingual tool, and Rewordify, a monolingual tool. These tools allow for more immediacy and speed than previous dictionary tools. The instructor taught students how to use the tools, and after a few practice sessions, two reading comprehension quizzes were administered. The texts for the quizzes were approximately the same length and reading level, and the questions were objective and parallel. Students used Reverso for one of the quizzes and Rewordify for the other and answered a short attitude questionnaire after each quiz. Results show that students got higher grades using the bilingual dictionary tool and felt it was more helpful. Based on the results, we believe language teachers should consider making students aware of the new tools available.
The Effects of Age of Exposure on Knowledge of English Grammar in English-Medium Instruction
Author: Qureshi, Muhammad Asif
Date: 2021-02-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Age Differences,Grammar,Editing,Task Analysis,Language of Instruction,Undergraduate Students,Elementary School Students,Decision Making,Morphology (Languages),Syntax,Semitic Languages,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Teaching Methods,Student Characteristics,Foreign Countries,Native Language,Comparative Analysis

The current study examined differences in morphosyntactic knowledge of Arabic learners who had significant exposure to English as a medium of instruction at the primary and tertiary educational levels. The study involved a grammaticality judgment task, an editing task, and a background questionnaire. Based on the background questionnaire, the participants (n = 84) were divided into early and late learners -- those first exposed to English medium instruction in the primary and undergraduate levels, respectively. The results of the multivariate analysis revealed a main effect for the age of first exposure to English medium instruction. The post hoc univariate analysis confirmed these effects in favor of early learners only for the grammaticality judgment task; no such effects were observed for the editing task. Theoretical, methodological, and pedagogical implications of the study are discussed.
From Needs Analysis to Development of a Vocational English Language Curriculum: A Practical Guide for Practitioners
Author: Kaya, Suat
Date: 2021-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Curriculum Development,Vocational English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Air Transportation,Service Occupations,Vocational Education Teachers,Higher Education,Student Needs,Student Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Language Proficiency,Difficulty Level,Context Effect,Communicative Competence (Languages),Foreign Countries

This study was conducted to examine the needs of the students of cabin services program regarding English in order to guide the design of a vocational English language curriculum. The research design used in this study was the concurrent triangulation approach, one of the mixed methods models. This approach can be used when the researcher collects both qualitative and quantitative data at the same time not giving privilege to either approach. It compares the two different data types to find out similarities and differences. There were two groups of participants in this study. The first group was composed of 352 students, enrolled in the Vocational School of Civil Aviation from four universities, who were selected with cluster sampling method, while the second group included 10 instructors working in these universities and four in-service flight attendants. A questionnaire and a semi-structured interview developed by the researcher were utilized to collect data. The quantitative data obtained from the questionnaire were analyzed through descriptive statistics procedures including frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations, while qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis. Findings revealed that the students needed to develop their speaking and listening skills in order to be successful in their future work settings, although they were least competent in these skills. Based on further findings determined by needs analysis, the study was concluded with a sample guide for practitioners planning to develop a vocational English language curriculum using Hilda Taba's curriculum development model.