The patterns used to express how a figure moves from one place to another may vary from language to language. These patterns are acquired early in childhood and are often resistant to restructuring (Slobin. 1996). As a result making the switch from Ll motion event patterns to a typologically different L2 pattern tends to be particularly difficult for language learners. Despite the evident challenges for learners. this area has been relatively neglected in language teaching. and there is virtually no research into how motion event construal can be taught. Taking a cognitive semantic approach. based on the theoretical framework for the typology of satellite-framed and verb-framed languages developed by Talmy (1985. 1991.2(00)) and Slobin (1987. 1996. 2004. 2005. 2006). this is the first study to compare the effectiveness of two instructional approaches in the teaching of L2 motion events with a focus on entering and exiting. Fifty-nine learners ofL2 English were quasi-randomly assigned to two groups: an input-based group and an input/output-based group. Pre-. post- and delayed post- tests were administered to assess learning and retention of the Manner verb+ Path satellite combination typical of English motion expressions. The measures included self-paced reading tests and picture-based written production tasks that were designed to draw on both implicit and explicit knowledge of motion event construal in English. The results showed Significant positive effects for both groups. As a result of the inSight gained. practical recommendations have been made for teachers approaching the domain of L2 English motion in the ESL classroom.

This current research study is an exploratory study which has the aim to investigate language anxiety experienced by students majoring in English for International Communication (EIC) at the college in a university in the southern part of Thailand. This study adopted an interpretive methodology that used a sequential mixed methods approach for data collection. There were 42 students participating in the quantitative study whilst 6 students in qualitative study. The data, both quantitative and qualitative, were collected through questionnaire, diary and semi-structured interview. Data were analysed quantitatively using SPSS descriptive statistics and Factor Analysis while the thematic analysis was used as qualitative method. The findings revealed that all participants experienced language anxiety in class. Their sources of anxiety mostly were from the students themselves. Diary writing activity—one of the research instruments—had a very positive effect as it enabled students to deal with their anxiety and improved the situation.

With the Home Office permitting licenced Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to decide how students’ English language ability is assessed, many institutions use in-house English for Academic Purposes (EAP) assessments developed to reflect the particular context and focus of the HEI in which they are used. These are often created administered by and further developed by EAP practitioners. For this development to take place, it is necessary to establish the usefulness of such assessments to decide what development is required. In an attempt to address gaps in the literature relating to research on in-house developed assessments, with a focus on how to establish whether these are useful to assess language proficiency, as well as providing students with the opportunity to develop wider academic skills, the research question for this study is: how can EAP practitioners establish the usefulness of in-use in-house EAP assessments? Bachman and Palmer’s (1996) test usefulness framework is used as a basis for developing a practical framework for evaluating in-use assessments. The literature review considers EAP, language assessment and academic acculturation, ending with an evaluative framework for establishing authenticity of tasks, their predictive validity, and reliability of grading criteria and marking schemes. The focus group case-study approach demonstrates how the framework can be given an institute-specific focus, considering opinions of three key stakeholder groups: EAP lecturers, subject-specialist lecturers and former pre-sessional students. Findings suggest academic language is highly contextual, and this context is institute- and, perhaps, department-specific. The findings suggest that for EAP assessments to be useful they need to support students with academic acculturation, providing valid and reliable results, supporting wider academic skills development. Using the evaluative framework and establishing the institutional context in which students find themselves, this case-study of the EAP pre-sessional assessments used between 2010 and 2014 culminates in a transferable approach which can be used by practitioners before considering further assessment development.

Although there is evidence of linkages between the concepts of teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) and tourism, there has to date been little attention paid to this relationship. This thesis amalgamates these two concepts and argues for the introduction of the niche form of tourism, ‘TEFL tourism’. The TEFL tourist is defined as a person who travels outside of their usual environment to teach English as a foreign language, whose role shifts between tourist, educator and educatee at various points in their trip. The TEFL tourism phenomenon is explored through the use of a two-phase research approach employing the qualitative examination of blogs (n=36) written by TEFL teachers based in Thailand and quantitative surveys (n=567). Drawing parallels with associated tourism forms including volunteer, philanthropic, package, cultural, education and nightlife tourism, it is concluded that TEFL tourism is an entity in its own right, with unique characteristics, motivations and experiences. Key findings emphasise that the TEFL experience in Thailand differs considerably from teaching experiences in many Western countries, with aspects such as racial discrimination, celebritism and cultural immersion playing prominent roles in the TEFL teacher’s experience. The use of logistic regression facilitated the analysis of TEFL teacher types, enabling the development of a typology of TEFL tourists in Thailand. TEFL tourists were subsequently classified as leisure-minded; philanthropy-minded; career-minded or expatriate-minded. This thesis contributes to knowledge by providing an accurate overview of the TEFL teaching industry in Thailand and its participants. This is first addressed through the examination of the tourism elements and the educational elements within the TEFL experience. The thesis then introduces and justifies the concept of ‘TEFL tourism’ through the development of a definition of TEFL tourism and a typology of TEFL teachers based upon teacher motivations and experiences. This knowledge can be of use to a number of stakeholders involved including prospective TEFL teachers, their prospective employers post TEFL experience, teacher training providers, TEFL recruitment organisations, the Thai educational system and academics.

English for Academic Purposes (EAP) has been increasingly researched in recent years. However, in this research the learner's voice is still not clearly evident. The current study investigates postgraduate students' perceptions of using EAP in studying for higher degrees in Wales and Syria. The study makes a contribution to the field by focusing on the learner's voice in two different contexts, where English is a native language or a foreign language. The students in the study were either home students in Syria or international students in Wales. The juxtaposition of two different contexts allowed for key points of comparison and contrast to be observed. The methodology employed in the research was that of a main and associated case study. A range of data were gathered from University Wales and University Syria through the two case studies. It was found that most University Wales interviewees, as international students, perceived cultural context as an inseparable part of their concept of EAP. They were also aware that they were engaged with a number of overlapping cultures in their use of English. By contrast, the majority of University Syria interviewees, as home students, often perceived clear boundaries between EAP and the cultures surrounding it. It was also found that both groups of interviewees perceived particular features of teaching styles and resources as important elements in their use of EAP. The study findings are valuable in illustrating the similarities and differences of the students' perceptions of their use of EAP in two different contexts. They are also valuable in highlighting the students' identity as EAP learners, a pragmatic one in response to EAP and one that was evolving in response to the broad context of their studies. A central finding was the key role enacted by context in students' overall perception of EAP. Context highlighted the necessity of re-defining EAP, closely considering the different contexts in which it occurs.

The aim of the present study is to explore the motivational factors of Hong Kong vocational students in learning English. A qualitative case study approach was employed with a combination of surveys with self-completion questionnaire, semi-structured interviews and diary notes. The research, which was carried out in two phases from September to June 2005-6 in one academic year, had the objective of examining whether there was any change of motivation for learning English. Ten students from a vocational institute were selected for the interviews, each were interviewed twice. They were also invited to write diaries, and to record their daily English activities. The data collected were used to triangulate with the interview findings when analyzing the results. The study was initiated by students’ differences in learning attitudes and the variations in their standard of English. Research on motivation for, and attitudes towards learning English reveal that instrumental and intrinsic motivations often apply to secondary school and tertiary-level learners, but prior to this study the research did not extend to vocational students in Hong Kong. The findings show that vocational students not only have strong instrumental motivation for learning English but also have intrinsic motivation. It was apparent that in the process of their learning English, participants regarded English as a functional language which was tied up with their career. This finding is the same as that of previous research on attitudes towards learning English of Hong Kong students. In addition, vocational students’ motivation for learning English was found to be influenced and encouraged by many factors, particularly significant others, such as parents. The present study will enable English teachers to have a greater understanding of vocational students’ motives for learning English. This could help to improve teaching strategies, teaching materials and language policies; and, thus, enhance more effective learning of English in the vocational setting of Hong Kong.

Historically, Japan has toiled with issues of national identity and global positioning. Due to the ongoing processes of globalisation and internationalisation, issues of national identity remain at the forefront of various Japanese discourses, many of which are often positioned in relation to the protection and maintenance of an idealized Japanese national-self when confronted by the English language and English language speakers. This study documents an exploration of the role of four attitudinal facets of Japanese national identification (Commitment to National Heritage, Nationalism, Patriotism, and Internationalism) within an initial sample of 1123 Japanese university students in relation to English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learner motivation. The study was situated within a foreign language learning context that promotes extensive intercultural contact opportunities with ‘native-English speakers’, the majority of whom originate from inner-circle (Kachru, 1985) countries. With a quantitative foundation, data was obtained from a single 35-item survey instrument and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques. The data indicate that when an intercultural dimension is used to mediate EFL learner motivation, the role of the attitudinal facets of Japanese national identification is significant. However, when the role of the attitudinal facets of Japanese national identification is assessed more directly, focusing instead upon the contextual components of EFL learner motivation, then the impact of Japanese national identification is severely restricted except for the facet of ‘Internationalism’ which remains significant. Through a series of tested SEM models, a variety of interactions and outcomes are elaborated upon and discussed with a focus on highlighting the need for motivational research within the Japanese EFL context, especially within ‘native-English speaker’ dependent contexts, to consider national identification as a core component in the development and assessment of language learning attitudes and behaviours.

No description available.

There is a need to go beyond the goals, content and methods that have been followed in English Language teaching in Lebanon. Awareness of teaching language from an intercultural perspective is lacking. Intercultural communicative competence is needed to deal effectively and appropriately with cultural diversity, in particular in volatile situations on the local and on the global level. The aim of this study is to incorporate intercultural competence in the Intensive English Program (IEP) at an English-medium Lebanese university to develop the learners’ intercultural competencies and help them avoid stereotyping and otherization. I draw on Byram’s (2006) model and Holliday et al.’s (2004) non-essentialist view of culture along with a critical socio-cultural approach to teaching English, using an action research methodology which fits the purpose of this study. The methodology is tested in three cycles over three semesters. The intervention consists of a supplementary course that draws on theoretical input and practical exercises. To get evidence and evaluate the outcome of my action, I explore the IEP Reading Skills 003 course students’ attitudes towards the English language/culture, and the effect of intercultural teaching on those attitudes. I also examine the extent to which the stakeholders i.e. administrators, teachers and students are likely to approve or disapprove of intercultural teaching/learning. Following the interventions, I use focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews and a diary to find evidence of realization of objectives, using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that teaching English from an intercultural perspective can: develop intercultural competence, promote language proficiency, allow discussion of sensitive issues without triggering tension and conflicts in the classroom, and increase motivation and engagement. Although the results are specific to a particular setting, the findings might encourage other English language teachers and course designers to review their teaching practice and promote intercultural competence that helps students to avoid otherization, engages them, and prepares them for the intercultural world. It generates results which could be of interest to other professionals and researchers in the context of Lebanon, and perhaps in similar contexts in the world.

The aim of this study is to develop an understanding of the effectiveness of using academic discussion boards in Bahraini L2 settings, where L2 instruction has many limitations. There were two main research objectives: a) to investigate the pedagogical effectiveness of using discussion boards in regards to students' writing development, and b) to analyse the discoursal features of students' contributions to the discussion board. A variety of data collection and analysis methods were used to fulfil these aims. First, a quasi-experiment was carried out to investigate the impact of discussion boards on students' L2 writing. 41 L2 university students were divided into a control group and an experimental group, the latter exploiting discussion boards for 10 weeks. Pre- and post- study writing tests, questionnaires and interviews were also used to assess students' perceptions regarding the use of discussion boards. In addition, 30 university teachers completed a questionnaire and some were interviewed to investigate their perceptions of using discussion boards. A content analysis of the students' online contributions was also undertaken to evaluate their participation and involvement. Finally, a corpus was built to examine the second main research question regarding the linguistic features of the discussion board discourse. With respect to the quasi-experiment, while there were no significant differences in students' written fluency, significant differences between the experimental and control groups regarding accuracy and grammatical and lexical complexity were found. Secondly, students were also observed to participate actively in the discussions although some negative behaviour was observed. Thirdly, most university teachers and students had positive perceptions of discussion boards although a number of disadvantages were also reported. With regard to the second main research question on the linguistic features of discussion board discourse, findings suggested that the discourse was a register with writing-like and speech-like features but varied according to individuals' linguistic, social and academic needs and to the types of contribution. These results contribute further to the existing research on the use of instructional technologies in L2 classrooms and extend our understanding of the pedagogical and linguistic nature of this use. This study also suggests that discussion boards can be an effective addition to L2 instruction through helping teachers to overcome some of the limitations of conventional classroom instruction and provide students with opportunities to engage in interactive discussions in a written medium.