This study was an investigation of Japanese high school teachers' (N=139) beliefs and practices regarding communicative language teaching (CLT). Four research questions were posited concerning the beliefs that Japanese high school teachers hold regarding CLT, how Japanese high school teachers use CLT in the classroom, how Japanese teachers' beliefs and practices differ between academic and vocational high schools, and how the beliefs of Japanese high school teachers, their classroom practices, their learning experience, pre- and in-service training, perceived teaching efficacy, and contextual factors relate to and influence each other regarding the use of CLT. In order to provide answers to these questions, a survey, classroom observations, and interviews were conducted. Before conducting the quantitative analyses, the questionnaire data were analyzed using the Rasch rating-scale model to confirm the validity and reliability of the questionnaire and to transform the raw scores into equal interval measures. Regarding the first and second research questions, the descriptive statistics showed that despite holding positive beliefs about CLT, the respondents to the survey did not frequently use communicative activities. With respect to the third research question, a MANOVA indicated that the types of schools (academic and vocational) did not significantly influence the survey respondents' beliefs and practices regarding CLT. Concerning the fourth research question, the Pearson correlation coefficients showed relatively strong correlations between (a) Classroom Practices and Student-related Communicative Conditions (r = .56) and (b) L2 Self-confidence and CLT Self-efficacy (r = .55). Also, the best fitting path model indicated that (a) Student-related Communicative Conditions impacted Classroom Practices, (b) Positive CLT Beliefs indirectly influenced Classroom Practices via CLT Self-efficacy, and (c) Exam-related Expectations affected most of the indicator variables and Classroom Practices. Related to this, qualitative results indicated that the respondents' learning experience, in-service training, and contextual factors influenced their beliefs and practices. / CITE/Language Arts

Denna studie undersöker genom en kvalitativ innehållsanalys språksynen i två förlagsproducerade läromedel för spanska i årskurs 9, Colores 9 och Gracias 9. Kursplanen för moderna språk i grundskolan har en uttalad funktionell och handlingsorienterad språksyn som utgår från den Gemensamma europeiska referensramen för språk (GERS). I denna studie har lärandeaktiviteterna i övningsböckerna Colores 9 och Gracias 9 samt deras tillhörande digitala material klassificerats i olika aktivitetstyper utifrån kursplanens förmågor (lyssna, läsa, skriva och tala) dels för att ta reda på hur fördelningen mellan lärandeaktiviteterna inom förmågorna ser ut, dels för att ta reda på vilken typ av aktiviteter som representeras i materialet. Dessa aktiviteter har sedan analyserats utifrån Littlewoods kontinuum i syfte att undersöka vilken språksyn som speglas i materialet, samt om denna språksyn överensstämmer med kursplanens. Resultatet visar att majoriteten av lärandeaktiviteterna inom alla förmågor fokuserar på explicit inlärning med fokus främst på språkets strukturer där aktiviteter som övar uttal, översättning, grammatik och högläsning dominerar. Det framgår av denna studie att lärandeaktiviteterna i läromedlen speglar en traditionell och strukturell språksyn med inslag från grammatik- och översättningsmetoden och den audiolingvala metoden och därmed inte överensstämmer med kursplanens handlingsorienterade kommunikativa språksyn.

This thesis deals with the possibilities of using television series `Friends' in teaching English on B2 level to further linguistic and communicative competences of the students. The purpose of this thesis was to find out, whether a systematic use of the series, as a motivation to the students, for sparking a discussion or conversation among them or as means of immersion in the language and acquisition of the language, would be possible in a high school English teaching environment for a prolonged period of time. The thesis also debates the advantages and disadvantages of using series, compared to the advantages and disadvantages of using different multimedia. The thesis contains a list of activities that have been used during the testing of the series and several ideas on their modification.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:46:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Elen Del Sole.pdf: 1119476 bytes, checksum: 222fa8bddb42e6cbb98ff7e00436c997 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-10-22 / This study aims at adding some considerations on the development of intercultural competence in teaching English as a foreign language teaching (TEFL). The corpus under analysis has consisted of the observation of a group of adult students linguistical behavior in English as a foreign language classes within a 12 months ́ period of time. The programme content has been elaborated in such a way that dynamic activities should take place and provide the subjects ́ interaction, that is, the researcher and teacher on one side and the students, on the other side, as the participant group. The purpose has been to analyze students intercultural abilities on the basis of research-action methodology. Intercultural pieces of reality from Western countries, as well as the emphasis on multicultural thought, have been presented to the students. The technique adopted to introduce distinct intercultural pieces of reality has used authentic material and the criterion has involved themes related to politics, economics and creative thinking. Observation of the students linguistical behavior has resulted in subcategories such as generalization, which has been analyzed under the parameter of foreign language teaching as the third space. / O presente trabalho visa a contribuir com reflexões sobre o desenvolvimento da competência intercultural no ensino das línguas estrangeiras. O corpus para a análise constituiu-se na observação do comportamento linguístico de um grupo de alunos adultos de aulas de inglês como língua estrangeira (LE) no período de 12 meses. O conteúdo programático foi especialmente elaborado para que ocorressem dinâmicas que propiciassem a interação dos sujeitos envolvidos a saber, a professora como pesquisadora e os alunos enquanto grupo participante, com a finalidade de analisar as habilidades interculturais dos alunos, dentro dos pressupostos da metodologia da pesquisa-ação. Foram apresentadas aos alunos realidades interculturais provenientes de países do Ocidente, além de ênfase no pensamento multicultural. A técnica adotada para a apresentação de realidades interculturais distintas serviu-se de material autêntico, cujo critério de seleção foram temas relaciona dos à política, à economia e ao pensamento criativo. O resultado da observação do comportamento linguístico dos alunos trouxe subcategorias como a generalização, que foi analisada tendo como parâmetro o ensino de língua estrangeira enquanto terceiro espaço de enunciação.

本研究之目的在於為工職英文課本建構一套理論與實證兼顧的評估準則，並對工職學生的語言需求與期望作深入的探討。 評估準則建立在以下五個基礎之上。 (1) 工職英文教與學之現況 (2) 溝通式語言教學 (Communicative Language Teaching)的原理與原則 (3) 專業英文(English for Specific Purposes)的概念與議題 (4) 現有的教材評估準則 (5) 工職學生之語言需求與期望分析 為了解學生對英文的需求與期望，問卷調查與訪談成為此研究之重要部份，涵蓋了有： (1) 針對217位工職舉業生進行需求調查，以了解工業界使用英文的實際情形與溝通需求。 (2) 針對645位工職學生進行期望調查，以了解學生對英語教學的期望。 (3) 訪談5位工職畢業生、6位工廠主管，以了解工業界使用英文的詳細情形；訪談5位四技二專畢業生，以了解學生在進入四技二專後，使用英文的情形；訪談6位英文老師及3位工業英文教師，以了解英文及工業英文教學之概況。 本研究根據問卷調查與訪談的資料深入探討與分析了學生對英文的需求與期望，並對教育當局及編書者多所建議。分析結果並加以整合並融入根據理論及文獻探討所初步擬訂的教科書評量表中，以期能確實有效評估工職教科書。為使評量表發揮最大功用，本研究還設計了彈性的評分方式，並提供了使用方面的建議，希望對英文教師在選擇教科書時能有所助益。 / The purpose of the present study is twofold － to formulate a theory-and-survey based evaluation scheme for IVHS English textbooks, and to give an insight of IVHS students' language needs and wants. The evaluation scheme has been established on considerations of: (1) the current IVHS teaching/learning situation (2) general guidelines of communicative language teaching (CLT) (3) notions and issues of English for specific purposes (ESP) (4) evaluation schemes and criteria already proposed by other researchers (5) an analysis ofIVHS students' needs and wants To inquire into students' needs and wants, surveys and interviews have been conducted, including: (1) A needs survey on 217 IVHS graduates for the actual use of English and communicative needs in industries. (2) A wants survey on 645 IVHS students for their expectations toward an IVHS English textbook. (3) Interviews with 5 IVHS graduates, 6 factory supervisors, 5 technical college graduates, 6 English teachers, and 3 Industrial English' teachers for the situation and episodes requiring English in industries, academic use of English, and classroom use of textbooks. The present study faithfully reports on IVHS students' language needs and wants, along with some other suggestions for textbook writers and authorities concerned. Incorporating the findings from surveys and interviews, the evaluation scheme proposed is thus rooted on both theoretical and practical grounds. To ensure optimum usage of the scheme, its scoring system is devised to be flexible and its application is further provided.

Thesis (Ph.D. (English))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

No description available.

This study evaluates a teacher development course on the use of English as the language of learning and teaching (LoLT). The course was developed and implemented in a sample of Intermediate Phase classrooms in four rural primary schools of the Free State Province. The course was a language intervention programme in an integrated district development project funded by the Flemish Government. The project was implemented from 2002 to 2004. The course was developed and implemented by Sacred Heart College Research and Development Unit in collaboration with the School of Languages of the North-West University. The course aimed at developing teachers' knowledge and skills in using learners' basic interpersonal communication skills in their home languages and in English to develop their English cognitive academic proficiency. It practically demonstrates communicative language teaching, co-operative learning and reflective practice. The evaluation of the English as LoLT Course explored the multiple perspectives of its evaluation audience; the interrelatedness of the course content and the learning milieu; planning, learner participation and assessment in Outcomes-based education (OBE), teaching practice, and the conceptual development and transfer of English in everyday communication and as the LoLT. The findings and recommendations of the study highlight the need to develop teachers' own English language usage and their participation in professional working groups to develop their knowledge and skills as facilitators, reflective practitioners, and curriculum developers. In addition, the study evaluates the Context Adaptive Model (Lynch, 1996; 2003) selected to guide the evaluation of the English as LoLT Course at a meta-evaluation level. The validation of the language programme evaluation model is mainly related to the epistemological claims of utilitarian pragmatism and interpretivism in programme evaluation research. The ability of the model to facilitate valid findings according to these epistemological claims in the evaluation of the English as LoLT Course is evaluated. Core criteria of flexibility, appropriateness, clarity of description and clarity of logic were identified and used to evaluate the language programme evaluation model. The findings and recommendations of the study attempt to offer a response to the need for quality assured language learning programmes in teacher development, especially for programmes in the use of English as a LoLT in the multilingual and multicultural rural context of South Africa. / Thesis (Ph.D. (English))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

This study evaluates a teacher development course on the use of English as the language of learning and teaching (LoLT). The course was developed and implemented in a sample of Intermediate Phase classrooms in four rural primary schools of the Free State Province. The course was a language intervention programme in an integrated district development project funded by the Flemish Government. The project was implemented from 2002 to 2004. The course was developed and implemented by Sacred Heart College Research and Development Unit in collaboration with the School of Languages of the North-West University. The course aimed at developing teachers' knowledge and skills in using learners' basic interpersonal communication skills in their home languages and in English to develop their English cognitive academic proficiency. It practically demonstrates communicative language teaching, co-operative learning and reflective practice. The evaluation of the English as LoLT Course explored the multiple perspectives of its evaluation audience; the interrelatedness of the course content and the learning milieu; planning, learner participation and assessment in Outcomes-based education (OBE), teaching practice, and the conceptual development and transfer of English in everyday communication and as the LoLT. The findings and recommendations of the study highlight the need to develop teachers' own English language usage and their participation in professional working groups to develop their knowledge and skills as facilitators, reflective practitioners, and curriculum developers. In addition, the study evaluates the Context Adaptive Model (Lynch, 1996; 2003) selected to guide the evaluation of the English as LoLT Course at a meta-evaluation level. The validation of the language programme evaluation model is mainly related to the epistemological claims of utilitarian pragmatism and interpretivism in programme evaluation research. The ability of the model to facilitate valid findings according to these epistemological claims in the evaluation of the English as LoLT Course is evaluated. Core criteria of flexibility, appropriateness, clarity of description and clarity of logic were identified and used to evaluate the language programme evaluation model. The findings and recommendations of the study attempt to offer a response to the need for quality assured language learning programmes in teacher development, especially for programmes in the use of English as a LoLT in the multilingual and multicultural rural context of South Africa. / Thesis (Ph.D. (English))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

The demand for using the English language as a means of communication has increased substantially around the world because of its status as the language of globalisation, international communication, trade, media, and research (Flowerdew and Peacock 2001). The Saudi Ministry of Education (MoE) has considered this demand and taken significant steps to reform the teaching of English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). For example, the aims of and documentation for the TEFL curriculum have been modified to focus on the four basic language skills and to promote students’ communicative competence. However, despite all these efforts, there has been little progress in the area of TEFL in KSA. Classroom teaching practices are still devoted to secondary purposes, such as teaching grammar, translating literary texts, memorisation, rote learning, and preparing for summative exams. This reality may indicate an incompatibility between the government’s efforts to develop TEFL and the practices used by English language teachers in their classes. This incompatibility, however, may also suggest that English language teachers have their own reasons for not teaching English for communicative purposes and are incapable of implementing innovative teaching methods, such as the Communicative Language Teaching approach (CLT). This study therefore explores the challenges faced by Saudi English teachers (SETs) in their teaching practice that might prevent them from teaching for communicative purposes and implementing CLT in their classes. In order to meet this objective, data obtained from interviews, questionnaires and documents were analysed and classified into various categories. The key findings revealed that the current methodological practices of SETs are traditional teaching methods that stress the dominant role of teachers, marginalise students’ interactions, focus on discrete skills, and encourage competitive rather than cooperative learning. Furthermore, by using CHAT theory as a framework, the study explored a range of challenges that SETs face when the implementing CLT. These challenges stem from the individual and contextual levels of SETs’ teaching practice. At the individual level, it emerged that SETs had some misconceptions about some of the main features of CLT, and were not sufficiently confident to run communicative classes and adopt CLT in their teaching practice. The data, moreover, suggested that these shortcomings were a result of the SETs’ pedagogical and linguistic preparation in their pre-service programmes. At the contextual level, the study data suggested that there were two main types of constraint that challenge SETs in terms of teaching for communicative purposes and applying CLT in their teaching practice. Firstly, there were institutional and situational factors (for example the quality of the in-service training programme, examination purposes and classroom structure), and, secondly, socio-cultural factors (such as the traditional view of education, and the status of the English language in the Saudi context) that seemed to be incompatible with teaching English for communicative purposes. The study concludes with recommendations that aim to help improve the current situation of TEFL in KSA. For example, ending the isolation between the key parties involved in EFL teaching and learning in the Saudi context is very important, and changes to pre-service and in-service programmes, as well as at the contextual levels, are also essential.