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.

Computers have begun to be exploited for English teaching purposes by some Indonesian teachers. Unfortunately, the potential of the computer is not fully realized. There is also a danger that the computer is misused. For example, the computer use is limited to delivering exclusively dri11-and-practice exercises. It is, therefore, very essential for Indonesian EFL teachers to explore avenues for improving the computer use. The aim of this study is explore how CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) is used in the ACT in order to encourage and improve the use of CALL in relation to English teaching in Indonesia. In this study, the different theories of CALL are reviewed. This is followed by a description of how CALL is utilized in the ACT. This CALL survey is offered as a model for comparison. Since CALL is still considered a controversial issue, students' and teachers' attitudes toward CALL are also investigated. Finally, implications and suggestions are put forward for Indonesian EFL teachers and educational authorities. Important insights from the survey are emphasized. Necessary information which was not found in the survey, such as the latest developments in CALL, is included.

With the increasing contact between Vietnam and English speaking countries and the growing demand for foreign language professionals in the last decades, the teaching of foreign languages, especially English, has gained considerable prominence in Vietnamese education. However, English has been taught in Vietnam for a relatively short time, there are significant deficiencies in this area. If these deficiencies are to be addressed then methodology is a crucial variable worthy of examination. Many of the EFL teaching (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) methods developed in the last twenty years are unfamiliar to a great number of the Vietnamese teachers, although they may be introduced to Vietnam in the near future. In this study a historical overview of language teaching development is provided. Since language teaching methods are products of Western experience, a scrutiny of their relevance to the Vietnamese teaching situation is necessary. In particular it is important to focus on the psychological and cultural appropriateness of different methods to the Vietnamese settings. A number of most crucial psychological issues such as the learner's motivation, aptitude, personality and learning style are discussed together with some social and cultural influences which may affect the learner's psychological attributes, The study also provides a specific investigation of the psychological attributes of Vietnamese students and a number of cultural problems faced by this type of learners in their English learning process. Finally some practical, though tentative, suggestions are made in the hops that more and more Vietnamese teachers of English will respond to the problem of teaching methodology and search for ways to bring about effective learning.

The major concern of the Field Study is the teaching of composition, with particular reference to Chinese foreign language institutes. Robert B. Kaplan (1966), having analyzed the rhetorical behaviours of several linguistic groups, claims that different cultures develop different rhetorical conventions, which influence the non-English native speaker's way of writing in English. Recent years have witnessed many developments in language teaching as a result of research done in sociolinguistics, yet the implication of Kaplan's finding for EFL teaching is still unexplored. This paper thus intends to examine this issue of "cultural differences in the nature of rhetoric" by comparing the Chinese linguistic system with the English linguistic system in terms of rhetorical organization in exposition. The following aspects are to be discussed. In the first place, an introduction delineates the need for this Study, its aims, scope and sources of data. After the Introduction, there is a brief review of the EFL composition teaching in China and the influence of overseas composition teaching in foreign language institutes in China today. An attempt is then made to study Kaplan's theory by exploring both Chinese and English rhetorical patterns; and devices. The emphasis of this chapter is on a comparison and contrast of expository modes and strategies in the two rhetorics. Having studied rhetorical principles in a broad sense, the report narrows its focus to the differences in their use of English rhetorical devices between Australian English native speakers and foreign language learners from China; the material studied is a selection of compositions produced by Chinese students and rewritten by Australian students. The final section contributes practical suggestions for EFL composition teaching in foreign language institutes in China.

This Field Study Report aims to advocate that the target culture should also be taught while teaching the English language to Chinese students. Chinese students are learning English to communicate and socialize with the English speaking people. But learning only the English language is not enough for this purpose. They have to learn the way the English speaking people express themselves, their value judgements, and their customs. In the review of literature, many linguists like Chastain and Rivers share this same opinion. English teaching in China started more than one hundred years ago. The traditional teaching method still has some influence. The present curriculum appears a little unbalanced. Some of the teaching materials are found to be inadequate to teach the target culture. To illustrate some cross-cultural interferences, a survey questionnaire was conducted among some Chinese students and some Australian students. The data obtained from the survey indicated some selected problem areas for the Chinese students in talking with the native speakers of English. Two teaching aids were designed. One is a fifteenminute video tape, the other is three simulation exercises. They demonstrate several cultural conflicts between the English speakers and Chinese English learners. Both the video tape and the simulation were trialled among the Chinese students. They proved to be relatively effective in teaching the target culture. The trialling convinced this writer that it was possible for a teacher of English to prepare teaching aids such as video and simulation exercises. However, this may be very time consuming. But the result of the trialling proved that it was worth the time and effort.

This study examines the problems of constructing and administering a test of spoken English for Vietnamese EFL teacher-trainees. In an attempt to standardize the assessment, a planned oral interview was pilottested with a group of ten Vietnamese EFL teachers currently enrolled in a Graduate Diploma Course in TESOL at the Canberra College of Advanced Education, Australia. Results of the study indicate that the validity and reliability of such measurement can be achieved if certain carefully outlined procedures in planning the test and training the testers are carefully followed. Given the close relationship between testing and teaching, it is suggested in this study that there could be an improvement in the teaching of spoken English to Vietnamese EFL teacher-trainees if (i) the amount of time allocated to testing oral proficiency in the curriculum was increased, (ii) Vietnamese EFL teachers were provided with formal training in language test construction, and (iii) research on EFL oral testing was encouraged. Further, this study recommends co-operation between TEFL institutions in Vietnam to develop standard instruments for the assessment of spoken English of EFL teacher-trainees on a national level.