This study investigates the effects of including a recipient in writing instructions on the quality of writing produced by L2 English students. To evaluate the effect of the recipient, writing performances are first assessed in texts written in response to instructions that do not explicitly specify a recipient. They are subsequently compared to writing performances by the same students in texts produced for similar instructions but this time with an explicitly stated recipient. The results of the main experiment are complemented with test-taker surveys that capture the students’ own perceptions about the differences between the two tasks. The participating pupils are from two classes at an inner-city municipal Upper Secondary school in Sweden, one at level ENG05 and the other at level ENG07. The study is inspired by communicative language teaching where the writer’s adaptation to the recipient is central. The study tests for the recipient effect along a broad spectrum of linguistic and communicative measures. The results show that students in both classes performed at a higher level with an explicit recipient across all four communicative measures and two out of four linguistic measures. The study also identified a generally stronger recipient effect in ENG05 than in ENG07 and a mixed pattern when comparing students with differing abilities in English. The main finding of the test-taker survey is that students prefer doing tasks with a specified recipient but are slightly more familiar with tasks without a recipient. They also report that they rarely imagine an English-speaking recipient when writing a task and that they often write with the teacher in mind.

Este trabalho tem como objetivo a análise de sentidos em processos designativos decorrentes da chamada Abordagem/Metodologia Comunicativa, também referida como CLT (Communicative Language Teaching), depreendidos de: a) textos de teóricos em ensino-aprendizagem de língua inglesa e b) de professores de inglês, participantes de um programa de curso para certificação na didática de línguas. Pelo aparato teórico da Semântica Histórica da Enunciação, em confluência com a Análise do Discurso, que contempla a dimensão histórico-social e ideológica na relação do sujeito com a língua, buscamos compreender como se estabelecem processos de produção de sentidos em nomes que circulam em torno da designação CLT, no contexto ensino-aprendizagem de língua inglesa. A aparente estabilidade e univocidade das designações levaram-nos a confrontá-las e, com isso, propusemos um questionamento acerca da transparência da linguagem. Pela análise, percebemos uma tentativa de construção referencial do CLT e, que conflitos constitutivos da relação falante-língua são escamoteados, na cena enunciativa. A busca constante de fixação de um sentido único para essa designação, o bom sentido de comunicativo, levou-nos a buscar compreender, pelo interdiscurso (memória discursiva), como se estabelecem certos movimentos dicotômicos de produção de sentidos nos dizeres de professores e teóricos, na polarização método antigo versus método moderno. Depreendemos, pelos processos designativos analisados, que a idealização do modelo comunicativo remete a um lugar de completude, onde a aprendizagem da língua parece se dar de uma maneira natural, sem conflitos, lugar esse que professores buscam ocupar. No percurso da análise procuramos problematizar o convívio dos professores com o lugar estabelecido pelo CLT, de suposta neutralidade política perante o método, colocando-os fora de sua historicidade. Concluímos que os processos designativos dos nomes analisados buscam promover um efeito de homogeneização nos dizeres de teóricos e professores do corpus, no processo de constituição de sentidos da Abordagem Comunicativa. / This work aims at analysing meanings observed in designation processes derived from the so-called Communicative Language Teaching, also referred to as CLT, in a corpus formed by a) texts of theorists in the field of ELT and b) texts of EFL teachers who participated in a program on ELT for further external exams. From the perspective of both Historical Semantics of Enunciation and Analysis of Discourse which contemplates the historical-social and ideological dimension in the relation of the subject with language, we have sought to investigate how processes of production of meaning are established as far as names related to CLT are concerned. Our analysis enabled us to confront the apparent stabilised meaning of the observed designations in relation to the names of the Communicative Approach/Communicative Language Teaching thus questioning the evidence of language transparency. By means of analysis, we have noticed an attempt towards reference construction of CLT and also, that constitutive conflicts in the relation speaker-language are silenced in the utterance locus. The constant search for fixing a single meaning to this designation, the good meaning for communicative led us to understand, from the interdiscourse (discourse memory), how certain dichotomical movements in the constitution of meaning in the teachers´ and theorists´ sayings are established in the polarization old method versus modern method. From the analysed designation processes we have apprehended that the idealisation of the communicative model alludes to a place of completeness where the learning of the language seems to occur in a natural way, with no conflicts, a place which teachers seek to occupy. Throughout the analysis we have tried to question the experience the teachers have with the place established by the CLT, of apparent political neutrality in relation to the method, placing them out of their historical context. Our analysis has concluded that the designation processes of the analysed names seek to promote an effect of homogeneity in sayings of theorists and teachers of the corpus in the process of constitution of meanings related to the Communicative Approach/Communicative Language Teaching (CLT).

With the newly designed curricula, the preparatory year of the Anatolian High Schools (AHS) was terminated while expanding its English program to four years. Within that context, utilizing semi-structured interview protocols this descriptive study aimed to bring an insight into the perceptions of parents, students, and teachers about the new AHS English program. Moreover, the perceptions of the participants on the materials provided by MONE and European Language Portfolio were also aimed to be revealed. Additionally, it was targeted to bring out what participants think about the applicability of the communicative language teaching, student-centered approach, and multiple intelligences, since they were stated in the foreign language curricula. While the population consisted of AHSs in Ankara, the sample of the study made up of 4 groups of parents, students, and teachers from 4 AHSs in Ankara. Each group consisted of 12 interviewees, which makes 36 participants in total. In selecting students and parents convenience sampling, and in selecting teachers purposive sampling was utilized. Analyzing the data collected using content analysis the findings revealed that parents, students, and teachers do not favor the current English language practice in AHSs where preparatory class is terminated. Additionally, the findings showed that in order to learn English, preparatory class is a necessity either after 5-year or after8-year elementary education. Results also showed that all groups perceive English positively and support teaching and learning of the language. As for the perceptions of the participants on the materials, they expressed how insufficient they are in terms of teaching the language and in terms of practicing the language teaching approaches stated in the curriculum. Moreover, it was found that most of the participants did not know about the European Language Portfolio. Lastly, according to the answers, the English language teaching approaches stressed in the curriculum were difficult to be practiced in classes.

This degree project aims to yield new knowledge about oral communication in English classes by investigating whether and to what extent students are given opportunities to develop their communicative abilities. A socio-cultural and pragmatic perspective was adopted and previous research was thoroughly examined. The study rests on the scientific approaches hermeneutics and phenomenography, which also influenced the methods used to collect data, that is, interviews and observations. This study includes four informants who are teachers in years 3–6. These teachers were interviewed and observed during one English class each, which means that their respective groups of students also participated in the study. The results show that English was the language used most frequently in the observed classrooms. The teachers in the study describe problems with using English Only in their classrooms as the students are on different levels of English proficiency. Furthermore, the results show that collegial cooperation is necessary if an expanded and comprehensive view of English teaching in years 1–6 is to be achieved. Finally, the participating teachers expressed a need to develop their own knowledge in teaching English in order to meet the requirements of communicative language teaching expressed in the curriculum. / Mitt arbete syftar till att bidra med ny kunskap om muntlig kommunikation under engelsklektioner genom att undersöka huruvida elever ges möjlighet till att utveckla sina kommunikativa förmågor. Genom ett sociokulturellt och pragmatiskt teoretiskt perspektiv samt en genomlysning av tidigare forskning som rör ämnet söker jag förståelse för hur muntlig kommunikation ter sig i engelskundervisningen. Vetenskapliga förhållningssätt som studien har utgått från är hermeneutik och fenomenografi, vilka även påverkade studiens datainsamlingsmetoder nämligen intervjuer och observationer. De fyra informanter som deltog i studien är verksamma lärare i årskurserna 3-6. Dessa lärare intervjuades samt observerades under en lektion vardera, således deltog även informanternas klasser i observationerna. Resultaten visar att muntlig engelska får stor plats i de observerade klassrummen. Lärarna som deltog i studien beskriver en problematik där en undervisning som huvudsakligen sker på målspråket (English Only) inte fungerar när eleverna är på så många olika nivåer. Vidare visar resultaten att ett kollegialt samarbete anses nödvändigt, dels för att kunna utveckla och strukturera engelskämnet bättre, dels för att skapa en helhetssyn över årskurserna 1–6. Slutligen uttrycker lärarna i studien ett behov av kompetensutveckling där de önskar få tillgång till verktyg för att kunna undervisa i linje med kursplanens kommunikativa inriktning och funktionella språksyn.

Este trabalho tem como objetivo a análise de sentidos em processos designativos decorrentes da chamada Abordagem/Metodologia Comunicativa, também referida como CLT (Communicative Language Teaching), depreendidos de: a) textos de teóricos em ensino-aprendizagem de língua inglesa e b) de professores de inglês, participantes de um programa de curso para certificação na didática de línguas. Pelo aparato teórico da Semântica Histórica da Enunciação, em confluência com a Análise do Discurso, que contempla a dimensão histórico-social e ideológica na relação do sujeito com a língua, buscamos compreender como se estabelecem processos de produção de sentidos em nomes que circulam em torno da designação CLT, no contexto ensino-aprendizagem de língua inglesa. A aparente estabilidade e univocidade das designações levaram-nos a confrontá-las e, com isso, propusemos um questionamento acerca da transparência da linguagem. Pela análise, percebemos uma tentativa de construção referencial do CLT e, que conflitos constitutivos da relação falante-língua são escamoteados, na cena enunciativa. A busca constante de fixação de um sentido único para essa designação, o bom sentido de comunicativo, levou-nos a buscar compreender, pelo interdiscurso (memória discursiva), como se estabelecem certos movimentos dicotômicos de produção de sentidos nos dizeres de professores e teóricos, na polarização método antigo versus método moderno. Depreendemos, pelos processos designativos analisados, que a idealização do modelo comunicativo remete a um lugar de completude, onde a aprendizagem da língua parece se dar de uma maneira natural, sem conflitos, lugar esse que professores buscam ocupar. No percurso da análise procuramos problematizar o convívio dos professores com o lugar estabelecido pelo CLT, de suposta neutralidade política perante o método, colocando-os fora de sua historicidade. Concluímos que os processos designativos dos nomes analisados buscam promover um efeito de homogeneização nos dizeres de teóricos e professores do corpus, no processo de constituição de sentidos da Abordagem Comunicativa. / This work aims at analysing meanings observed in designation processes derived from the so-called Communicative Language Teaching, also referred to as CLT, in a corpus formed by a) texts of theorists in the field of ELT and b) texts of EFL teachers who participated in a program on ELT for further external exams. From the perspective of both Historical Semantics of Enunciation and Analysis of Discourse which contemplates the historical-social and ideological dimension in the relation of the subject with language, we have sought to investigate how processes of production of meaning are established as far as names related to CLT are concerned. Our analysis enabled us to confront the apparent stabilised meaning of the observed designations in relation to the names of the Communicative Approach/Communicative Language Teaching thus questioning the evidence of language transparency. By means of analysis, we have noticed an attempt towards reference construction of CLT and also, that constitutive conflicts in the relation speaker-language are silenced in the utterance locus. The constant search for fixing a single meaning to this designation, the good meaning for communicative led us to understand, from the interdiscourse (discourse memory), how certain dichotomical movements in the constitution of meaning in the teachers´ and theorists´ sayings are established in the polarization old method versus modern method. From the analysed designation processes we have apprehended that the idealisation of the communicative model alludes to a place of completeness where the learning of the language seems to occur in a natural way, with no conflicts, a place which teachers seek to occupy. Throughout the analysis we have tried to question the experience the teachers have with the place established by the CLT, of apparent political neutrality in relation to the method, placing them out of their historical context. Our analysis has concluded that the designation processes of the analysed names seek to promote an effect of homogeneity in sayings of theorists and teachers of the corpus in the process of constitution of meanings related to the Communicative Approach/Communicative Language Teaching (CLT).

Workplace English skills for Grade 9 languages in C21 argues that a most valuable contribution of any educational programme in a developing country is the imparting of (English) workplace skills to school-leavers. The Introduction ascribes, in part, the current lack of these skills in school-leavers to (British) colonial education policy which was perpetuated and aggravated by the National Party during the apartheid era and which distinguished, on racial grounds, between mental and manual labour. During South Africa’s international isolation – imposed because of its policy of apartheid and leaving it unprepared for major global economic changes – globalisation became a significant force in international commerce, creating an increased demand for workplace skills (in English) that could attract foreign capital and direct investment. The newly elected ruling party’s answer to both the socio-political and educational legacy of apartheid education was Curriculum 2005. In contrast to the National Party’s content-based curriculum, the newer outcomes-based approach to education, revised as C21, initially failed because of poor management and not because of any inherent conceptual flaws. The research methodology that Chapter One outlines is essentially traditional in its use of the scientific method although it reflects the changing face of contemporary research that is often transdisciplinary, heterogeneous, heterarchical, organisationally transient, socially accountable and reflexive. This approach enlists input from many fields and subject experts in the hope of addressing a problem in the community in which the research is conducted. The literature survey shows that this thesis contributes to the corpus of research by exploring the need and relevance of workplace skills in the context of Curriculum 2005 – an approach hitherto not explored in the context of secondary education. Chapter One also outlines the theoretical base of this study. Chapter Two focuses on resolving conceptual obstacles to integrating workplace skills into the outcomes-based language teaching context. Work is described as a phenomenon that comprises both process and product, thus bridging the conceptual chasm that traditionally separates the classroom from the workplace. A brief overview of the structure of Curriculum 2005/C21 shows that this curriculum does not conflict, conceptually, with the teaching of workplace skills. The focus then shifts to the identification of those workplace and workplace literacy skills that are currently in demand and that are in harmony with the fundamental principles of this curriculum design. Chapter Three illustrates the fact that workplace skills do not conflict with generally accepted communicative principles of language teaching. A tentative theory of workplace skills that comprises the principles of the newest curriculum, Curriculum 2005, workplace skills and communicative and task-based English language teaching is proposed. Chapter Four offers a model that can be used to design workplace literacy activities for the language classroom. Two tasks are designed according to this model, then tested in the classroom and, finally, subjected to analysis. The data analysis reveals certain weaknesses in the model. Changes to the model are proposed. The study closes with a synopsis of the argument in each chapter. Finally, the evaluation also briefly describes alternative research avenues. / Thesis (Doctor Litterarum (English))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / English / unrestricted

The present study examines and classifies learning activities found in teaching materials of Spanish as a foreign language produced for a Swedish context with the aim of determining to what extent they conform to the functional, action-oriented language view advocated by the Swedish curriculum. Both the distribution of learning activities within receptive, productive and interactive skills, the activity types within each skill, and the theoretical underpinnings of the activities have been studied in four popular coursebooks and two websites for teaching Spanish as a foreign language. The activities analyzed have shown a dominance of the written language even in oral activities. The results have also shown a bias towards more controlled, non-communicative activities with an explicit focus on forms at the expense of freer communicative activities with a primary focus on meaning, known to support language acquisition.

The fact that people tend to alternate between languages for various communicative purposes seems to increasingly interest researchers all over the world. Thus, the linguistic phenomenon of codeswitching has been given more academic attention in recent years than ever before. This particular topic has also been infused by new research because of an ongoing pedagogic debate about whether languages other than the target language should be used in foreign languages classroom or not. The debate consists of two major opinions. On one side, adherents claim that use of non-target languages limits natural target language-input and therefore damages the learning process. On the other, it is argued that non-target languages may even be beneficial for the learning process since they carry many pedagogic opportunities with them otherwise gone lost. This paper aims to find out how, and to what extent, foreign language teachers at a Swedish for Immigrants-school codeswitch into English in class. Moreover, it is also of interest to investigate how they think about their own codeswitching and how their reasoning may reflect their codeswitching self-awareness. In search for answers to these questions, three teachers have been observed in class. Later, the teachers have been interviewed to reflect upon their own codeswitching. The study revealed clear differences in the teachers’ codeswitching and codeswitching-reasoning, However, similarities were also found, and that all three teachers shared the main objective to develop their students’ communicative competence. Moreover, they also proved to have a rather realistic picture their own codeswitching. Not only were they able to roughly estimate how, and how much, they each codeswitched. Their individual results also went in line with their reasoning to a high extent, suggesting that they all have a high degree of codeswitching self-awareness.

This work explains the types of affixation errors second language learners make when learning English word formation processes, especially derivational and inflectional affixations. The data for the study were collected as primary sources from two secondary schools in Sweden. The data were analyzed with the use of Error Analysis noted by Corder (1967) and the error analysis framework adapted by Ellis et al. (2005, p. 57). The method chosen was to identify, classify, describe,and evaluate derivational and inflectional affixation errors. In total 2,812 answers were retrieved. The results consist of some findings, for example, some of the derivationaland inflectional affixations errors were noticed to be intralingual and interlingual. Also, the nature of the errors issuch that they are either transferred, omissive, additive or substitutive errors. Moreover, the errors were also due to overgeneralization, including substitutionerrors, or additive errors. Previous research findings showedstudents make grammatical errors with letter insertions, letter omission, or substitutionerrors. This study made the same findings as students made errors of letter insertion, letter omission, substitution errors, and errors due to overgeneralization. Some of the most difficult derivational and inflectional affixation errors were also noticed across all the grades.

This study investigates the view of some students and a teacher’s attitudes towards the learning possibilities of the integration of personal interests to the teaching of English. The research carried out at one of the largest profile schools in Sweden, with an aesthetic subject-orientation. These subjects are referred to as “passion subjects”. Qualitative interviews and observation were the methods used for data collection. The research questions were about students’ and teachers attitudes towards the involvement of their passion subject in the formal education process, as well as their views on integrating English as a foreign language in the teaching/learning process of their passion subject. The results show that the teacher and the students view the involvement of students’ personal interests in the formal education as a key source for motivation. Regarding the involvement of English as a foreign language in the passion subject, the results are both positive and negative: positive in the sense that it is viewed as getting extra lessons in English and negative in the sense that information can be overlooked as the students not always understand the input.