ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
The Interplay between Reflective Thinking and Language Achievement: A Case of Iranian EFL Learners
Author: Davoudi, Mohammad
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Reflection,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Grade Point Average,Gender Differences,Cognitive Style,Educational Attainment,College Students,Critical Thinking,Thinking Skills,Correlation,Language Proficiency,Graduate Students,Undergraduate Students

The present study aims at exploring the relation of EFL learners' reflective thinking attitudes and language achievement (GPA). The association of the learners' reflective thinking styles with their educational levels as well as their gender, were also estimated. To this end, 196 students from universities of Gonabad and Mashhad, two cities in the Northeast of Iran, took part in this study. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and correlational analysis. The results indicated among the comprising factors of reflective thinking, understanding receives the highest mean, followed by reflection and critical reflection. Habitual action, on the other hand, has the lowest mean score. Moreover, the highest correlation is observed between UND and language achievement (GPA). The second higher correlation was found between REF and GPA, followed by CREF and GPA. It was also found that there is a significant negative correlation between HA and GPA. According to the results, MA students achieved higher mean scores in UND, REF, and CREF but lower mean scores in HA in comparison with their BA counterparts. Regarding their reflective thinking, there are no significant differences between males and females. The findings of the present study may redound to the benefit of teacher educators, administrators, policymakers, and teacher training courses (TTC), teacher educators, administrators, and policymakers.
The Effect of Peer Feedback on EFL Learners&apos; Classroom Anxiety
Author: Motallebzadeh, Khalil
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Anxiety,Peer Evaluation,Feedback (Response),Males,Program Effectiveness,Foreign Countries,Student Attitudes,Error Patterns

English is learned as a foreign language (EFL) in Iran, but because of the limited opportunities to practice or use it in an everyday life environment, it is not easy to make any distinguishable improvement unless the learners are very interested and active ones. When learning in this kind of EFL environment, students are very likely to experience a certain level of language anxiety, which have some damaging effect on language learning acquisition (Chen &amp; Chang, 2004). As such studies about learners' language anxiety are very important not only in improving learners' language proficiency, but also in achieving a targeted syllabus objective or a particular teaching goal. This study aimed to explore the effect of peer feedback on the learners' classroom anxiety specifically focused on speaking ability. To this end, having administered a test of homogeneity among 70 upper-intermediate EFL male students, the researchers finally selected 50 students who were at the same level of English proficiency and were assigned to two groups- the experimental and the control group- each consisting of 25 participants. For collecting the required data, one homogenizing test, one questionnaire, a semi-structured interview and an opinion test were employed in the study. Having done analysis, the results revealed that peer feedback as a technique, has a significant effect on reducing students' anxiety. The qualitative data from the interview also revealed that the students took benefits from the peer feedback process and enjoyed the course.
The Effects of Odor on Vocabulary Learning
Author: Rolletschek, Helga
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Vocabulary Development,Olfactory Perception,Second Language Learning,English (Second Language),Teaching Methods,Attention,Persistence,Correlation,Time,Foreign Countries,Preadolescents,German,Indonesian

Explicit vocabulary learning is a burden for most of the students. But vocabulary is the basis of each language, and not all words can be acquired incidentally through context or reading. Especially for content and language integrated learning in L2 it is important to offer lots of support for learning a large number of terms in order to avoid frustration and negative impact on motivation for the subject. This classroom study investigated the effects of odor on L2 vocabulary learning. The olfactory sense is connected with the limbic system and therefore associated with emotions and motivation. Young EFL Learners (n=158) were randomized to 7 different groups to compare the effects on retention of vocabulary, on motivation and concentration. A mix of essential oils that is proven to enhance concentration and vigilance was given as support. Major finding found as a result of the testing was the positive correlation with the time during a school day the odor was offered as support.
Toward Integrative Reading Science: The Direct and Indirect Effects Model of Reading
Author: Kim, Young-Suk Grace
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Models,Reading Comprehension,Word Recognition,Listening Comprehension,Reading Fluency,Knowledge Level,Emotional Response,Cognitive Processes,Vocabulary,Grammar,Phonology,Morphology (Languages),Orthographic Symbols,Short Term Memory,Attention Control,Grade 1,Foreign Countries,Korean,Inferences,Perspective Taking

The authors propose an integrative theoretical model of reading called the direct and indirect effects model of reading (DIER) that builds on and extends several prominent theoretical models of reading. According to DIER, the following skills and knowledge are involved in reading comprehension: word reading, listening comprehension, text reading fluency, background knowledge (content knowledge and discourse knowledge), reading affect or socioemotions, higher order cognitions and regulation (e.g., inference, perspective taking, reasoning, and comprehension monitoring), vocabulary, grammatical (morphosyntactic and syntactic) knowledge, phonology, morphology, orthography, and domain--general cognitions (e.g., working memory and attentional control). Importantly, DIER also describes the nature of structural relations--component skills are hypothesized to have (a) hierarchical relations; (b) dynamic (or differential) relations as a function of text, activity (including assessment), and development; and (c) interactive relations. The authors then examined the hierarchical relations hypothesis by comparing a flat or direct relations model with hierarchical relations (or direct and indirect effects) models. Structural equation model results from 201 Korean-speaking first graders supported the hierarchical relations hypothesis and revealed multichanneled direct and indirect effects of component skills. These results are discussed in light of DIER, including instructional and assessment implications for reading development and reading difficulties. [For the corresponding grantee submission, see ED603977.]
The Gestalt Shift: The Role of the Narrator&apos;s Gender in Teaching Literary Texts
Author: Alhasan, Assyah
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teaching Methods,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Gender Differences,Narration,Novels,Aesthetics,Thinking Skills,Second Language Instruction,Learning Strategies,Graduate Students,Reading Processes,Self Concept,Cultural Awareness,College Faculty,Teacher Attitudes,Language Teachers,Foreign Countries,Literature,Critical Thinking,Psychology

This paper explored the role of the narrator's gender in teaching literary texts that Ahlam Mosteghanemi's makes use of gender in her literary work. This quantitative qualitative study includes only one novel &quot;Memory in the Flesh&quot; (2008) first published in 1985 as its main sample. This paper argues that the shift in the gender of the narrator in &quot;Memory in the Flesh&quot; employs the aesthetic elements of the narrative to stimulate the thinking skills of the language's learner in similar situations as assumed by the Gestalt shift concept. The Gestalt theory as the theoretical framework enhances EFL learners to analyse the real identities of the narrators in relation to gender. In doing so, the research constructs a theoretical framework out of two main standpoints: One of the male narrator and the other of the female narrator which are linked to the gender roles in the narration. These learning strategies are used in teaching literary texts for postgraduate students in EFL contexts. This research used two instruments: semi-structured interviews and textual analysis. This mixed method (quantitative -- qualitative) study used only one novel &quot;Memory in the Flesh&quot; (2008) first published in 1985 as its main date. The findings of the study showed that the use of the Gestalt pattern in reading the literary text &quot;Memory in Flesh&quot; as a case, with concern to the role of the narrator's gender improves the thinking skills of the EFL learner and interpretation abilities. This research recommends that further future research be conducted to investigate gender aspect in relevant literary works.
The Impact of Corpus on EFL Pre-Service Teachers Self-Directed Learning and Oral Proficiency
Author: Zahran, Faten A.
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Oral Language,Computational Linguistics,Teaching Methods,Preservice Teachers,Independent Study,Language Proficiency,Scores,Comparative Analysis,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Check Lists,Language Skills,Language Tests,Scoring Rubrics,Language Teachers,Preservice Teacher Education,Foreign Countries,Educational Benefits,Instructional Effectiveness

In light of the impact of professional and personal skills of teachers on their students, the purpose of this paper was to delimit the efficiency of corpus on pre-service teachers' self-directed learning and oral proficiency. It was anticipated that pre-service teachers receiving training on corpus would reveal greater gains in self-directed learning and oral skills. Questions formulated to achieve the purpose of the study focused on: (1) Finding out differences in self-directed learning scale scores regarding experimental and control group. (2) Determining oral skills suitable for the EEL pre-service teachers. (3) Finding out differences in oral skills test regarding experimental and control group. Four instruments -designed by the researcher- that include: (oral skills checklist, self-directed learning scale, oral skills test and scoring rubric for oral skills) were used for collecting data. Findings indicated that the regular procedure used for teaching oral proficiency is not as significant like the corpus approach that developed self-directed learning and oral proficiency. Pre-service teachers of experimental group outclassed their equivalents of the control group in self-directed learning as well as oral proficiency.
Why and Where Do We Learn a Foreign Language? A Small-Scale Investigation of Postgraduate Teacher Students&apos; Perspectives
Author: Chatzidimou, Konstantinos D.
Date: 2019-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Graduate Students,Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Student Attitudes,Learning Motivation,Elementary School Teachers,Teacher Education Programs,Institutional Characteristics,English (Second Language),Private Education,Employment Potential,Employment Qualifications,Foreign Countries

When deciding to learn a foreign language (FL), personal factors such as motivation in its various types and the reasons that impel somebody to learn this particular FL are of decisive importance regarding the learning process and its efficacy. The context and the institution in which the FL is taught and learned are also important factors in FL learning. This paper presents the findings of a small-scale investigation of these aspects on postgraduate teacher students of a Greek university. In particular, 34 postgraduate students of the Department of Primary Education of the Democritus University of Thrace were asked to freely produce a small written text on the FLs they have learned, the learning institution and the reasons for learning them. The quantitative content analysis of the produced texts revealed the dominance of English regarding the FLs learned and of private centres of FLs regarding the teaching institutions. Improving their professional prospects and increasing their qualifications were revealed as basic reasons for the students' learning of a FL.
Are Individual Differences in Response to Intervention Influenced by the Methods and Measures Used to Define Response? Implications for Identifying Children with Learning Disabilities
Author: Hendricks, Emma L.
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Individual Differences,Response to Intervention,Disability Identification,Students with Disabilities,Learning Disabilities,Reading Comprehension,Elementary School Students,Middle School Students,Grade 4,Grade 5,Tutorial Programs,Scores,Expressive Language,Vocabulary,Nonverbal Ability,Intelligence Quotient,Attention,Validity

Response to intervention (RTI) has been promoted for nearly 20 years as a valid supplement to or alternative method of learning disability (LD) identification. Nevertheless, important unresolved questions remain about its role in disability identification. We had two purposes when conducting this study of 229 economically and racially diverse poor readers in Grades 4 and 5 in 28 public elementary and middle schools in Nashville. First, we examined predictors of the children's response to a reading comprehension tutoring program. Second, we explored the utility of different methods (growth vs final status) and measures (near- and mid-transfer vs far-transfer) in operationalizing &quot;response,&quot; and whether these contrasting methods and measures identified similar children. Findings indicated students with higher pretreatment scores on expressive vocabulary, nonverbal IQ, teacher ratings of attention, and reading comprehension measures were more likely classified as responsive with final status methods. Students with lower pretreatment comprehension scores were more likely identified as responsive with growth methods. These and other findings suggest &quot;response&quot; is strongly context dependent, raising questions about the validity of RTI as a means of disability identification.
Examining Superintendent Turnover Intent: A Quantitative Analysis of the Relationship between Exchange Commitment and the Turnover Intent of Public School Superintendents in Texas
Author: O'Connor, Johnny R., Jr.
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Superintendents,Labor Turnover,Public Schools,Predictor Variables,Intention,Persistence,Rewards,Correlation,Administrator Attitudes,Social Exchange Theory

Quality leadership in a school district is critical to school improvement (Dunlap, Li, &amp; Kladifko, 2015; Kersten, 2009; Leithwood, Seashore, Anderson, &amp; Wahlstom, 2004). School leaders must be capable of providing vision, focus, and support to their staff, in order to facilitate a positive working culture, and achieve sustainable academic success. Given the competitive nature and complexities of building a quality workforce, when a quality leader is hired, it is typically in the best interest of an organization to retain this talent. However, planning for employee retention requires a detailed understanding as to why an individual desires to leave their current job (Hackett, 2015). This can prove to be even more challenging in school systems where applicant pools are often limited. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between exchange commitment and turnover intent of superintendents in Texas public school districts. The predictor variable in this study was exchange commitment; whereas turnover intent was the criterion variable. Exchange commitment is a dimension of organizational commitment that is dependent on an employee being rewarded for work efforts (Balfour &amp; Wechsler, 1996). Throughout this study it was found that high levels of exchange commitment was negatively correlated with lower intent to turnover.
Principles and Principals: Leveraging K-12 Principal Training and Evaluation Standards to Support Environmental, Ecological, and Sustainability Education
Author: Rincones-Delgado, Rodolfo
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Principals,School Administration,Administrator Education,Administrator Evaluation,Elementary Schools,Public Schools,Secondary Schools,State Standards,Environmental Education,Sustainable Development,Ecology,Multiple Literacies,Curriculum Implementation,Instructional Leadership,Institutional Mission

Ecoliteracy is the pedagogical grouping of environmental science, ecology and sustainability studies. This paper is a policy analysis of how principal training and evaluation standards may support a principal's building-level efforts to establish and sustain an ecoliteracy mission and curriculum in US public K-12 schools. A comparative case study of leadership standards in Texas and Michigan was conducted to support the argument that school administrator training and evaluation standards in both states can lend formal, codified support to a sufficiently determined school leader's efforts to center the school's mission on ecoliteracy. The limitations of this support are also discussed.
&quot;It&apos;s Good to Know Something Real and All That&quot;: Exploring the Benefits of a School-Based Hip Hop Program
Author: Crooke, Alexander Hew Dale
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Popular Culture,Music Education,Secondary School Students,Program Effectiveness,Foreign Countries,Teaching Methods,At Risk Students,Learner Engagement,Student Behavior,Attendance,Social Support Groups,Interpersonal Relationship,Cultural Awareness,Student Development,Self Expression,Peer Teaching,Student Attitudes

This article reports on the student benefits of a school-based Hip Hop and beat making program. While a significant amount of literature has reported the benefits of Hip Hop programs in North American schools, comparatively little is known about the benefits of such programs in the Australian context. Using an ethnographic approach, this study explored a two-day intensive Hip Hop music program delivered to nine secondary students in a Melbourne school. The study took an intentionally open and emergent approach in order to avoid preconceptions of potential benefits, and allow any unexpected benefits to emerge. Analysis also explored the elements of the program that appeared key to fostering identified benefits. While time limitations where seen to limit the potential of the program, results identified a number of student benefits, including school engagement, social connection, and personal development. Factors that were seen as key to these benefits included the presentation of facilitators, the ability for the program to link to students' musical preferences, the equipment and space, as well as the focus on Hip Hop culture itself. While more research is necessary to further explore these findings, they provide important evidence for the potential role that Hip Hop and beat making programs can play in Australian schools.
Performing Online: Approaches to Teaching Performance Studies in Higher Education within a Fully Online Environment
Author: Blackburn, Alana
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Music Education,Online Courses,Electronic Learning,Educational Technology,Performance,Music Techniques,Constructivism (Learning),Higher Education,Teaching Methods,Transformative Learning,Student Evaluation,Evaluation Methods

Online education is becoming prevalent across the higher education sector and requires new approaches to teaching and learning. As music is seen as a 'hands on' discipline, there has been a very gradual move toward the use of online technologies in music teaching in tertiary education, especially in the area of performance studies. By surveying existing scholarly research, this article investigates the technology available to consider the possibility of teaching performance studies within a fully online environment. Today, music students are also required to develop meta-skills such as social networking, entrepreneurism, self-management, self-regulation, and self-reflection. Through a constructivist teaching and learning paradigm, this article explores how online technology in instrumental or performance studies can support and develop these essential proficiencies as well as continuing to develop technical skills. This study serves as a foundation for further systematic research, and a practical application for online music education.
A Cappella Ear Training: Bringing Theory and Aural Skills Together via Singing in a Jazz Program Environment
Author: Russell, Helen
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Music Theory,Listening Skills,Music Activities,Singing,Teaching Methods,Undergraduate Students,Music Education,Self Esteem,Creative Activities

As jazz study has become an established branch of the tertiary music landscape, disquiet has arisen in some quarters about the &quot;mechanical&quot; way in which improvisation is taught. This study examined the ways in which singing in an a cappella harmony group affected the improvisational abilities of tertiary level jazz students. Over three semesters, students participated in a method developed by the author known as &quot;A cappella Ear Training&quot; (AET). AET was used to test the author's assumption that learning to sing in harmony with other voices and without recourse to the mechanics of any instrument would improve the ability of the students to internalize the theoretical information with which they were being presented in all areas of the course. The research used a qualitative approach, and drew on data generated through participant-observation and interview techniques. Students were observed throughout the course, with the author making field notes on the practice of the class session. Further interviews with some participants were conducted to ascertain the students' perception of the AET approach. Analysis of the data confirmed that AET enabled the development of a theoretically informed practice whereby the participating students came to recognize concepts in practice and performance.