Many French EFL (English as a foreign language) learners may be aware of the origin of anglicisms (loanwords from English) and may thus attempt to use these words in English. However, changes in meaning, phonology, and syntax, etc., during the integration of a loanword into the borrowing language create the potential for error in such efforts. This report reviews relevant research and theory on language transfer, vocabulary knowledge, metacognition, and lexical borrowing as factors that bear light on this type of transfer. It then presents two studies, one with French EFL learners and one with EFL teachers in France. Results suggest that anglicisms do cause errors in the English of French learners, that learners are generally aware of anglicisms and of the possible difference in meaning between the French and the English words, and, finally, that this awareness does not necessarily lead to correct usage of such words. / text

Learners from many corners of the earth are acquiring English as a Foreign Language (EFL), lending importance to issues of language learning and its effects on global and local identities being forged in the process. As English language users, they are recipients and producers of multiple discourses around the global status of English as a foreign language, from English as linguistic, material, and symbolic capital (Bourdieu, 1991) to language as commodity (Heller, 1999). Such discourses are accompanied by representations of language and culture, or imagined communities (Anderson, 1983, Norton, 2001) that represent language use and cultural representations deemed as legitimate.The purpose of this study is to triangulate three different but intersecting perspectives: that of the researcher, Mexican EFL teachers and Mexican teachers-in-training, on the imagined communities and the underlying ideological discourses of English in a global EFL textbook, as well as those held by these same teachers and teachers-in-training. Critical discourse analysis, classroom observations, in-depth interviews and language learning autobiographies provided the data for a critical assessment of the language and cultural content of the textbook and the ideologies of English.While CDA has been rightly challenged for privileging the researcher's position, this study contributes to a poststructuralist view of the participants as agents of change; they are receptors of discourses that taint their ideologies about language, but they also resist and transform them, through articulated ideas as well as through specific classroom actions that allow them to appropriate the English language, despite the textbook's systematic exclusion of speakers like them, and cultural practices like theirs.This study contributes to the growing field of critical applied linguistics, where learners are viewed as social beings in sites of struggle and with multiple and changing identities (Norton, 2000). In this vein, neutrality can no longer be accepted as a construct in textbooks or in the ELT practice, since the contained practices are subject to ideologies which must be dismantled in order to offer students and teachers more equitable representations of the English language and its speakers.

Each year a group of university students from English speaking countries go to Chile and work as volunteers under the National Volunteer Centre Program. The purpose of this case study is to examine how a group of novice volunteer teachers describe their experiences in a foreign country and how these experiences shape their understanding of teaching. Participants went through the process of open-ended questionnaires and one-on-one interviews of their experience. This study was sustained in the literature by the domains of volunteerism, English Language Teaching, and volunteerism and ELT, and a socio constructivist and experiential lens was adopted. Even though volunteer teaching abroad is an increasing worldwide trend, there are few studies that combine these areas, showing that the existing blend of volunteerism and English language teaching needs to be further examined. The analysis of the data showed that novice volunteer teachers experience five types of experiences when teaching English: language teaching experiences, language learning experiences, challenges, general experiences, and volunteering experiences. Novice teachers recalled their expectations before teaching and those were maintained, modified, or unfulfilled. Volunteers stated what teaching means to them after working in public schools, they were able to describe diverse language teaching experiences, and make recommendations to future volunteers.

Literature’s role in the foreign language classroom has been extensively researched, and the benefits of enjoyable reading firmly established. But could teachers benefit from a new perspective in the form of Critical Literacy Pedagogy when choosing and teaching literary works? Critical Literacy Pedagogy, CLP, is a method of critically examining literature to detect possible power structures e.g. concerning ethnicity and gender. This study examines how teachers and students value a number of criteria and aspects in connection to what literature is used in the class. Two empirical web-based questionnaire surveys were conducted on a total of 23 teachers and 42 students in upper secondary school in Sweden. The results are primarily presented quantitatively with the complement of excerpts from the written answers to the open-ended questions, and has then analyzed with the help of CLP, to see if the method has a possible role in EFL-teaching in upper secondary school in Sweden.   In the present study, the participating teachers valued practical characteristics, such as level of difficulty, higher than conceptual characteristics, such as the sexual orientation of an author or character, when choosing what literary works to teach. These ratings were seen as problematic when compared to the teachers’ concrete exemplifications of taught works. Moreover, both teachers and students rated the possibility of critical and ethical discussion very highly in regard to the chosen works. A comparison between the ratings and the exemplified works indicate that CLP could be a valuable method when choosing what literature to teach.

Esta tese investiga, sob a perspectiva da Linguística Sistêmico-Funcional (HALLIDAY e MATTHIESSEN, 2004,2014), os processos de retextualização empregados por estudantes de inglês como língua estrangeira na produção de textos em contextos acadêmicos. O conceito retextualização (MARCUSCHI, 2001) constitui-se na produção de um novo texto a partir de um ou mais texto(s)-fonte e trata-se de prática comum em contextos acadêmicos. Tem-se como objetivo verificar as operações de retextualização relacionadas às metafunções da linguagem – ideacional, interpessoal e textual - e como essas se materializam nos respectivos sistemas léxico-gramaticais e no gênero específico no qual se enquadram. O corpus constituise de retextualizações produzidas a partir de diferentes texto(s)-fonte. Os resultados indicam que as estratégias de retextualização estão intimamente relacionadas ao conhecimento da função que etapas e fases dos gêneros desempenham na construção de significados. Procurase contribuir para as práticas de escrita em ILE em contextos acadêmicos, oferecendo uma abordagem sistêmico-funcional dos processos de retextualização envolvidos no desenvolvimento dessa habilidade. / This study investigates, under the perspective of Systemic Functional Linguistics (HALLIDAY and MATTHIESSEN, 2004, 2014), the retextualization processes learners of English as a Foreign Language use when writing texts in academic contexts. Retextualization (MARCUSCHI, 2001) is understood as the production of a new text based on one or more source-texts and is a recurrent practice in academic contexts. The study investigated the processes of retextualization related to the metafunctions of language –ideational, experiential and textual- and their realization in the respective lexicogrammar structures as well as in the specific genre to which they are related. The corpus comprises retextualizations produced from different source-texts. The results indicate that the retextualization strategies are intimately connected to the knowledge of the function the stages and phases of the genres play in the construction of meaning. The purpose of the study is to contribute to writing practices of English as a Foreign Language in academic contexts, putting forward a systemic-functional approach to the retextualization processes involved in the development of writing skills.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / In an English as a second language (ESL) or English as a foreign language (EFL) class, special emphasis is often put on interaction and negotiation as a means of learning and understanding the language being taught (Long, 1981; Pica, 1994). However, student-student interaction as well as student-teacher interaction could be difficult to achieve in students who, for various reasons, avoid opportunities to practice their oral communication knowledge and skills with their peers and teachers. Student response systems (SRSs) are known to increase student achievement and/or interaction in a variety of grade levels in content domains such as math and physics. Students utilize individual hand-held devices, similar to television remote controls, to respond to multiple-choice questions. The public display of aggregate student responses allows for instantaneous feedback to the teacher and students through bar graphs or pie charts. This quasi-experimental mixed-method study investigates the effects of SRS use on student engagement, interaction, and achievement for three intermediate ESL grammar units in two adult higher education settings. Data were collected from five treatment groups using SRSs and five control groups not using SRS. Students' achievements and the robustness of their learning were quantitatively assessed through the analysis of their pre-test, post-test and delayed post-test grades. Qualitative data were also gathered in this study by using classroom video-taping and analyzing students' behavior in SRS and non-SRS classes. An independent samples T-test was conducted on the difference of post-test and pre-test scores in order to identify achievement, and on the difference of delayed post-test and post-test scores in order to determine whether students' learning is robust. Neither of these comparisons resulted in statistically significant differences between combined SRS and combined non-SRS classes. Results of the qualitative portion of the study revealed that students in the SRS classes paid more attention to the lecture and engaged in more discussion, and as a result student-student and student-teacher interaction was achieved. In conclusion, the results of this study reveal that SRSs have a positive impact when used to facilitate active learning strategies and promote interaction in the ESL classroom. These results provide evidence to support the claim that interaction and active learning are possible through the use of SRS-implemented instruction. From the results of the study, it is concluded that while the tool itself has had no statistically significant effect on students' immediate achievement, rather the study demonstrates that Student Response Systems provide the conditions necessary for form-focused student-to-student and student-to-teacher interaction . This active learning encourages the production of language, which can lead to achievement over time. / 2031-01-01

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O presente estudo tem por objetivos compilar e analisar percepções sobre o uso de ferramentas web 2.0 no ensino de inglês como língua estrangeira e aliar a análise de atitudes à teoria da Andragogia, que trata do aprendizado de adultos, proposta por Knowles (1973, 1975, 1984, 1990). O assunto parece não contar com estudos coordenados, visto que Thomas (2010) apenas muito recentemente editou um compêndio com trabalhos envolvendo as possíveis aplicações de recursos da web 2.0 no estudo de uma língua estrangeira e as percepções de alunos, embora outros estudos, como os de Rosell-Aguilar (2004), Conole (2008), Kárpáti (2009) e Jarvis e Szymczyk (2010) tenham discutido o assunto isoladamente. Neste trabalho é realizada a compilação das opiniões de alunos adultos e de professores de inglês como língua estrangeira. Como instrumento de coleta de dados optou-se pela utilização de questionários fechados. Tal abordagem possivelmente dá a esta pesquisa um caráter inédito, ao menos no que se refere à coleta de atitudes de alunos adultos e professores brasileiros de um curso de idiomas quanto ao uso de ferramentas web 2.0 no ensino de uma língua estrangeira. A análise dos dados mostrou que aprendizes adultos e professores têm atitudes positivas e estão preparados para a utilização de recursos web 2.0 em sala de aula. Conclui-se, entretanto, que embora a maioria dos participantes desta pesquisa concorde que o uso de tais ferramentas contribui para o ensino de inglês como língua estrangeira, alguns ajustes e procedimentos ainda devem ser implementados para que as ferramentas web 2.0 se tornem não apenas um acessório, mas parte integrante do processo de aquisição do idioma / This study aims to compile and analyse the perceptions of the use of web 2.0 tools in English Language Teaching and associate the analysis of attitude to the Andragogy theory, which deals with how adults learn, advanced by Knowles (1973, 1975, 1984, 1990). This topic does not appear to have a coordination of studies, since Thomas (2010) has only recently edited a handbook with works involving the possible applications of web 2.0 resources in the process of foreign language acquisition and students perceptions, although other works, as those by Rosell-Aguilar (2004), Conole (2008), Kárpáti (2009) and Jarvis & Szymczyk (2010) have discussed the topic isolatedly. This work compiles the opinions of adult learners and teachers of English as a foreign language. Data was collected through closed questionnaires. This approach may provide this research with novelty, at least with as regards the collection of Brazilian adult learners and teachers attitudes towards using web 2.0 in foreign language acquisition in a language school. Data analysis showed adult learners and teachers have positive attitude and are ready to use web 2.0 resources in the language classroom. Nonetheless, albeit most of the participants of this research agree the use of such tools contribute to teaching English as a foreign language, some adjustments and procedures should be implemented so that web 2.0 tools do not become mere accessories, but rather an integral part of the of the language acquisition process

This study was carried out in a secondary school in Sweden and was written by one student becoming a teacher of English. The aim of this thesis is to find out how well the flipped classroom method would work in an English class in Sweden and what one needs to bear in mind when implementing the method. The following research questions guided this thesis: How did the students and teacher experience the flipped classroom as a teaching approach? What elements are important to bear in mind when implementing the flipped classroom? The main findings of this study showed that both the students and the teacher were positive towards implementing some aspects of the flipped classroom such as using video clips, as it was more student-centred and provided more variety to their English classes. Furthermore, this thesis, as well as previous studies, highlights certain aspects one needs to bear in mind when implementing the flipped classroom. Firstly, finding suitable materials is very time consuming initially when one either records or searches for suitable materials to flip that are well-adjusted to the students’ level. Secondly, one needs to understand that homework is essential for the method and one needs routines to make it efficient. Lastly, the essence of the flipped classroom is to free more time in the classroom. Therefore, one needs to construct a well-planned follow-up lesson in order to help the students’ process as to what they learn at a deeper level.

The native language of South Korea has come to contain a linguistic subset consisting of English and European loanwords and pseudo-loanwords. The notion that the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learner is immersed in such a lexicon, and that this terminology can be utilized to effectively assist target language (Standard American English) vocabulary acquisition by the false-beginner through Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL), was evaluated and examined. The empirical investigation employed a within-methods (i.e. experiment and survey) design. To this end, the researcher developed and deployed multimedia-based learning environments to empirically test research suppositions. In particular, to examine how the student’s knowledge of English words adapted for use in the South Korean vernacular – loanwords – is affected by their attitudes towards computerized instruction, their preference for certain methods of learning and teaching, and also by the attributes of computerized instructional packages. Ultimately, a method of instruction grounded in both CALL and linguistic theory was developed and its effectiveness for use with South Korean EFL learners in a university English program setting assayed. Scholarly accounts of the South Korean cultural learning style were also taken into consideration, and the implications such accounts hold for the implementation of CALL initiatives scrutinized. / The findings of this study are significant at the administrative, practitioner, and field level. Research outcomes indicate (a) computer use did not bias results obtained through CALL: (b) use of the L1 (first language) to assist foreign language acquisition produced positive learning gains, albeit marginal and limited, as evidenced by the persistent difficulty learners had in building new form-meaning connections between pseudo-loanwords in South Korean and English-equivalents; and, (c) multimedia-based learning developed on cultural and classroom expectations of learners, as found in the literature, was not as successful as that it was contrasted against. Consequently, results of the research come to support usability of CALL in the tertiary education sector, the existence of a ‘stabilized interlanguage’ on the South Korean peninsula and the need to re-profile the South Korean cultural learning style and student classroom expectations that pertain to EFL.

This Study is concerned with the problems arising from the application of new ideas in communicative language teaching for EFL adult learners in Vietnam, and the solutions to these problems. The Study argues that to learn to communicate effectively in a foreign language does not mean merely to master the linguistic forms of the language, but also to be able to use them in an appropriate way: to acquire what is called communicative competence. The Study also suggests that in Vietnam, the structural system of the language cannot be neglected if teaching/learning is to be successful. Accordingly, the Study attempts to search for an appropriate approach to develop communicative competence in the EFL adult learners of Vietnam. In order to achieve this aim, the Study enters into consideration of the relevant literature with reference to the development of the concept of communicative competence, and communicative language teaching. Then the Study makes a survey of some communicative-approach-based textbooks pointing out the practical values of different syllabus design models and teaching strategies discussed in the literature. Finally the Study proposes a communicative-structural approach to syllabus design for the target group, the teaching strategies as well as some techniques and activities associated with the suggested approach.