The present research focuses on students' attitudes and preferences towards English language learning at Czech private language schools. In essence, the thesis focuses on unearthing the relationship and attitudes of students towards language mistakes, goals, and creativity. The study approaches language learning from more and less norm-bound perspectives and the English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) paradigm is introduced. In connection with the main focus of the research the intention is also to detect tendencies that could hint at the suitability of integrating knowledge about ELF into English Language Teaching (ELT). To obtain original data from the selected target group I conducted a mixed-method research (a questionnaire survey and in-class observations). The key concepts discussed are: mistakes, learner goals, learner needs, accuracy and language creativity (or 'languaging'). Key words: EFL, ELF, learner goals, accuracy, language creativity, languaging.

A Native Speaker as an EFL Teacher Rodilý mluvčí jako učitel angličtiny Miroslav Ledvinka Abstract Introduction: The principal aim of this thesis is to determine the role and significance of native speaker teachers of English in the teaching process, as well as to define the expectations of their students and employers. The status of native speaker teachers in the Czech Republic is being contrasted to the position of non-native speaker teachers. The core of this study lies in the analytical part which attempts to delimit the characteristics of the implementation of native English-speaker teachers into the Czech education system. Theoretical part: The theoretical chapter presents a concise summary of the theoretical terms and concepts, both historical and contemporary, which are related to the topic of native English-speaker teachers. Apart from the traditional survey of topics discussed in various authoritative publications and journals, the theoretical overview also includes a schematic outline of the historical development of the status of native speaker teachers with respect to the social, political, and economic factors which played a major role in the shaping of native speakers' position in the education process, and society as a whole. In addition, the theoretical chapter traces the contribution of...

If human beings are believed to be individually unique, why are students evaluated with standardized tests? Differentiated instruction, honoring individual differences of each learner, provides an alternative answer to the question by employing tiered performance tasks to address personal needs in assessment situations. To explore the applicability of differentiated instruction in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) environment, this case study explored Taiwanese college students’ perspectives on tiered performance tasks and educational implications of the perspectives with regard to EFL learning and teaching at the tertiary level. Grounded in the humanistic stance of education and sociocultural view of learning, the study’s premise is that culturally responsive learner-centered instruction will promote English learning experience in a Chinese context. Data gathering techniques employed included observations, interviews, videotaping, and artifact collection, while data analysis procedures followed a three-step process: data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification. A total of 12 participants demonstrated generally positive responses to tiered performance tasks offered in a final examination for a freshmen English listening and speaking class. An overall acceptance of the assessment strategy was generated through recognition and appreciation of choices of leveled tasks, heightened motivation, increased efforts, improved English skills, and greater confidence. Concerns caused by the challenging tasks included complexity level, time required to complete the task, partnership, and score. Affirmative results were particularly evident in low-ranking students. The acceptance of tiered performance tasks indicated that differentiated instruction is promising in supporting English language learning of college EFL learners in Taiwan. Implications pointed to the needs of an authentic assessment to link teaching and learning, as well as an equitable relationship between the educator and the learner. Suggestions for future research were offered.

The thought of learning another language makes some people cringe, while others display neutral to positive reactions. To understand the complex experiences of students learning a new language, this study investigated the affective psychological development encompassing language anxiety (LA) among nonnative Englishspeaking college students in the United States (US). The purpose of this study was to identify LA, while keeping in mind that some of the LA experiences may be moderate to none, and to explore the nature of this phenomenon. Ten university students from nine different countries were interviewed concerning their experiences learning and functioning in English in the US. While only a few studies have reviewed the nature of LA encompassing the possible existence of facilitating LA, this study investigated both the positive and negative effects of anxiety on second language learning. The answer to the research question, "How do college students in the US whose native languages are not English experience LA" was pursued by using qualitative analyses. The results indicated a new construct of LA, identity frustration, and its relationships to the other LA constructs already specified in the literature. The study also suggested the timing when students cease to translate between the two languages to be the point where they experience a lower level of LA. In addition, four other themes emerged. They are culturerelated LA; the recursive nature of LA; relationships among selfexpectation, selfconfidence, and LA; and facilitating LA, termed euphoric language tension.

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.

Superdiversity has reached the EFL classroom and consequently language acquisition’s starting point has changed from one to various native languages. EFL teachers in Sweden meet a broad spectrum of students, varying from nearly bilingual when it comes to English, to students, who have to learn both English and Swedish from scratch. Meanwhile, the Swedish school system aspires to provide all students with an equal education. In addition to the increasingly diverse student body, EFL teachers also face the dilemma of steering documents that can be perceived as favouring the traditional monolingual principle of language teaching, while at the same time EFL teachers are asked to support students’ development into plurilingualists that embrace linguistic and cultural diversity. This thesis seeks to investigate EFL teachers’ reasoning concerning linguistic diversity and inclusion methods in the EFL classroom, as a part of school practice. Furthermore, this thesis aims to give a picture of the current situation in Swedish schools and seeks to find indications of whether further training is required in order to embrace the diversity of the globalized classroom. Mixed methods are used to examine the current situation and the results are based on the answers of 35 EFL teachers in Sweden. The findings indicate that most EFL teachers rarely include students’ L1 in the EFL classroom and that the inclusion of students’ L1 is for many participants related with weaker proficiency in English. Additionally, the necessity of enhancing the benefits of translanguaging pedagogy for all students, and consequently further education for EFL teachers can be identified, because the very important aspect of identity that matters when it comes to school success has hardly been considered.

This essay examines Dirie’s and Miller’s Desert Flower and its depiction of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and the effect that this violation has had on the narrator. The analysis has been conducted through the critical lens of trauma studies with emphasis on how bearing witness of traumatic events can serve as healing and empowerment in the struggle to end FGM. As the multicultural classroom has grown extensively over the past years, the demand for an intercultural awareness is placed on the schools, where the pupils are to be given the chance to develop an understanding and acceptance of people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. This essay argues that, in spite of the dilemmas that often occur when teaching trauma as a sensitive and controversial issue, Desert Flower can in fact be used in the EFL classroom to engender intercultural awareness as well as offering the pupils a chance to develop self-actualization and social consciousness.

O objetivo deste trabalho é analisar a problemática da fala do aluno em aula de Inglês como Língua Estrangeira, por meio das opiniões de alunos e professores. O principal aspecto analisado foi o processo motivacional dos alunos para falar inglês em aula. As respostas foram divididas em oito categorias: o professor, as atividades, os outros alunos, o material didático, a própria personalidade do aluno, a avaliação, o ambiente de aula, a falta de conhecimento da língua estrangeira e outros fatores. No entanto, as razões por que o aluno estuda inglês, as opiniões sobre a distribuição da fala em aula entre alunos e professores e as possibilidades de intervenções que estes utilizam de maneira consciente para estimular os alunos a falar em inglês durante a aula também foram analisadas. Para tanto, foram desenvolvidos e aplicados questionários em 125 alunos, jovens e adultos, que estudavam em Cursos Livres em um Centro de Idiomas da cidade de São Paulo. Ao mesmo tempo, 4 professores da mesma instituição também responderam questionários similares, desenvolvidos de maneira específica para esta pesquisa. Os resultados principais foram a grande diversidade de possibilidades para o processo motivacional do aluno e a importância atribuída ao professor como um estímulo para eles falarem em aula. Conseqüentemente, é necessário que o professor conheça seus alunos (interesses, objetivos, gostos, experiências) por meio de uma comunicação significativa em sala de aula, de modo a compreender o seu processo motivacional. Além de conhecer os alunos, os professores de Inglês devem utilizar estratégias específicas com o objetivo de incentivá-los a falar em aula. A maioria dos professores estudados afirmou utilizar o estímulo direto por meio de questões e debates e a conscientização do aluno sobre o processo de ensino-aprendizagem como estratégias de estímulo à fala. Quanto aos obstáculos para falar em aula, a personalidade do aluno foi o fator mais citado, devido à timidez e ao medo de errar. Além disso, todos concordaram com a idéia de que os alunos devem falar uma quantidade de tempo ligeiramente superior à dos professores durante a aula. Por fim, foi observada na população pesquisada uma clara predominância da motivação instrumental. / This dissertation analyses the students speech in English as a Foreign Language classes, according to the opinions of students and teachers. The main analyzed aspect was the students motivational process to speak English during the class. The answers were divided in eight categories: the teacher, the class activities, the other students, the course material, the students own personality, the assessment, the class environment, the lack of knowledge about the foreign language and other factors. However, the English students learning goals, the opinions about class speech distribution among teachers and students and the strategies intentionally used by teachers to encourage their pupils to speak English during the class were also studied. For that, self-report questionnaires were developed and applied to 125 young adult and adult students in eligible EFL programs in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Also, 4 teachers from the same institution answered similar questionnaires, specifically developed for this study. The main results were the huge diversity in the students motivational process and the importance attributed to the teacher as an encouragement for them to speak during the class. Consequently, it is necessary for teachers to know their students (interests, goals, likes and dislikes, experiences) through meaningful interaction in the classroom in order to understand their motivational process. Besides knowing their students, the teachers used specific strategies to encourage them to speak during the class. Most teachers surveyed said they used direct stimulation through questions and class discussions and tried to make students aware of their learning process as strategies for speech encouragement. The students shyness and fear of making mistakes were regarded as the most frequent obstacles to speak during the EFL class. Besides that, everybody agreed that the students should speak a little more than the teachers in the class. Finally, the instrumental motivation was predominant among the studied population.

English education in Sweden tends to be viewed as a second language, rather than a foreign language. Therefore, it is generally expected that instruction is performed, and content is taught in English. However, previous research shows that English is generally not the sole language used, even in classrooms with explicit “English only” policies. The following essay has investigated how this translates into classroom practice through observations of classroom interactions between students and teachers, as well as between students and students. Three different teachers were observed at two upper secondary schools. Shorter interviews were also conducted with the teachers. The results showed large differences between observations, but some clear trends were observed nonetheless. Socializing and metalanguage were more prevalent than other code-switches among students, while floor-holding was very rare and in most observations, non-existent. All teachers claimed to use English as much as possible although they also recognized the utility of using Swedish as a tool in the classroom. The view that English should be used as the language of instruction to a great extent was additionally observed in teacher interviews. However, there were no categorical opinions arguing for “English only”. The teachers also largely concurred with the use of Swedish, or other first languages as a language of comparison. This was supported by observations in the classrooms and significant differences existed between teachers. An investigation with a larger cohort in this field could be fruitful for future researchers. The results of the study could be used to further examine strategies to find a balance in the classroom between English and Swedish. The differences between classrooms show that there is no clear consensus on the extent of Swedish use in the EFL classroom. In order to improve teaching it is important to know why students use code-switching and in what situations it might be helpful to them, such as in translation or grammatical rules. However, different classrooms may require different approaches, which highlight the importance of discussing these issues.

AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to understand and describe the sources of Nicaraguan EFL teacher educators’ knowledge base, the types of knowledge and skills that constructed their knowledge base, and the relationship of this knowledge base and classroom practices in a teacher education program at a Nicaraguan University. This study presents a literature review on the sources of knowledge and knowledge base of EFL teacher educators in the field of language teacher education. I used a purposeful sampling technique to select both the research site and the six EFL teacher educators who participated as research participants in this study. Data were collected from three sources: a curriculum analysis, six one-shot semi-structured interviews, and a document analysis to lesson plans, syllabi, and assessment instruments used by the research participants. To analyze the data collected, I used the qualitative data analysis model proposed by Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña (2014). As a mode of findings, I describe the sources of knowledge, a categorization of knowledge base and skills that Nicaraguan EFL teacher educators possess as well as the relationship they identified between their knowledge base and their teaching practices in EFL teacher education classrooms. Findings revealed that Nicaraguan EFL teacher educators possess sixteen types of knowledge and fourteen types of skills that resulted from eight sources of knowledge, among which English proficiency, own experiences as language learners, subject knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, teaching experience in EFL teacher education programs, assessment knowledge of language student teachers, and knowledge of students’ L1 seem to be the most important when it has to do with actual teaching in language teacher education classrooms. In addition, according to the findings, the process of becoming an EFL teacher educator may take many years. It begins with the professional coursework teacher educators take in their language teacher education programs where they first become English teachers. It continues with teaching experiences either in high schools, English teaching centers, or universities. Their professional knowledge as teacher educators is completed through the interaction with EFL preservice student teachers in teacher education classrooms, in which their previous pedagogical, linguistic, and teaching experiences as EFL teachers is transformed. In other words, their professional identity as EFL teacher educators is developed as they begin teaching in EFL teacher education programs. Pursuing this further, this study presents some pedagogical implications based on the findings that can help improve the quality and preparation of EFL teacher educators in Nicaragua. Finally, it offers some avenues for more research regarding the knowledge base of EFL teacher educators in Nicaraguan teacher education programs.