Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Queensland, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references.

Following a constructivist paradigm, the research employed a case study approach combining qualitative and quantitative research methods to explore the process of curriculum development of two BA/TEFL programs in Mainland China. Research data sources included questionnaire responses, interview data, university archives and documents, and field notes from case-site visits. The questionnaire survey was completed by 137 graduating student teachers and 86 past graduates teaching in secondary schools, from both programs. Altogether 54 stakeholders in the programs, i.e. program heads, teacher educators, student teachers, past graduates and employers, were interviewed to find out their opinions about strengths and weaknesses of the programs. Content analysis was carried out to identify the salient features of the curriculum planning process, which included decision-making features and degree of involvement by various stakeholders. / The research findings shed light on our understanding of the process of curriculum planning and revision of BA/TEFL pre-service teacher education programs in normal universities in China. They have helped raise awareness that curricular decisions directly affect the degree of student teachers' preparedness for their future teaching profession. Therefore, it is very important for curriculum decision-makers to identify and cater for the needs of program recipients in the process of curriculum development. / The results revealed that the curriculum processes at both BA/TEFL programs followed a primarily top-down approach, and the program heads played an essential role throughout the entire process. Teacher educators and student teachers were not very actively involved. Past graduates and schools that employed the graduates were almost never consulted about the curriculum. The findings also revealed that student teachers from the two case sites held different attitudes towards their learning and professional preparation in their respective programs; this was largely due to the variations in the curricula. Factors such as student in-take, the educational backgrounds of the teacher educators and the approaches adopted for the English language enhancement courses may also have contributed to the cultivation of pre-service teacher qualities. / This research focused on the curriculum planning process of BA/TEFL programs at normal universities in Mainland China. It aimed to examine the procedures that each program followed in curriculum improvement, especially with regard to the level of involvement of different stakeholders and other possible factors, which had an impact on the curriculum decisions. This study was conducted because there was a pressing need to improve pre-service teacher education programs in the Chinese educational context, and curriculum development was of primary importance. / This research has implications for the curriculum development of BA/TEFL programs not only in normal universities but also comprehensive universities that have started teacher education practice. It also has indicated that there is a need to develop TEFL professional standards in the Chinese context, which would inform the curriculum improvements of the BA/TEFL programs in terms of the forming and revision of the curriculum goals and objectives. / Wu Zunmin. / "June 2005." / Adviser: Jane Jackson. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-01, Section: A, page: 0170. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 296-312). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.

The problem of this study was the extent of the relationship between the classroom verbal behavior of the cooperating teacher and that of the student teacher. The purpose of this study was to determine if the student teacher tends to imitate the verbal classroom behavior of the cooperating teacher.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

No description available.

Bibliography: pages 78-90. / There is evidence that many primary school teachers of English Second Language (EL2) are inadequately equipped to teach reading comprehension skills. They test their pupils on literal, at the expense of inferential, reading skills. This investigation therefore sought to test the literal and inferential reading comprehension skills of a group of Afrikaans-speaking EL2 teacher trainees and to design a reading comprehension programme which would improve their thinking skills over a period of nine months. The students were also instructed in a programmed reading course (the SRA Reading Laboratory) to determine its efficacy in improving their thinking skills. A further objective was to establish whether a programmed reading course or the author's cognitive reading development programme benefitted high-status (proficient in English) more than low-status (less proficient) EL2 students and what effects the two different programmes would exert on their reading comprehension skills a year after formal instruction in reading comprehension ceased. It was found that specific sequences of the two different instructional programmes were associated with significant changes in the students' reading comprehension scores. It was also found that, while high-status students benefitted sooner from the author's cognitive reading comprehension programme, that approach was also ultimately beneficial for low-status students. It is suggested that cognitive reading development programmes be implemented at primary, secondary and tertiary institutions where language skills and levels of meaningful reading need to be raised.

"Sept 2004." / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 308-321). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese.

published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

This study analyzes the congruence between the objectives of secondary-level English methods courses in Texas universities and the objectives of the state-mandated high school curriculum (the essential elements) in language arts. A questionnaire was used to obtain information from 26 English methods instructors at 22 universities in Texas. The data obtained from these questionnaires reveal that these instructors strongly emphasize preparing prospective English teachers to teach the essential elements of composition. Other significant findings include: (1) the lack of emphasis in the English methods course on strategies for teaching the essential elements of language, when those elements are unrelated to composition, and (2) the lack of uniformity which characterizes the organization of the English methods course at major Texas universities.

There is no abstract available for this dissertation. / Department of English