This study examines the problems involved in oral English teaching in the Chinese tertiary institution Erwai (the Beijing Second Foreign Language Institute). In the study the author analyses oral English teaching in China based on his experience as a teacher of English in China, his two-year study experience as a student in Australia, interviews with colleagues, and class observation of oral English teaching by Australian teachers in the C.C.A.E. Special English Programme. Some materials from Erwai are also drawn on in the study, such as Erwai-compiled textbooks and the Erwai teaching curriculum. During the study the author has referred to many books and journals on TESOL in various libraries in Canberra. The theoretical knowledge and teaching techniques learned in the TESOL Programme at the Canberra College of Advanced Education have also helped the author carry out this study. Chapter One introduces the background to the problems which exist in oral English teaching in China. It emphasises the importance of Chinese teachers' having a clear understanding and a good command of a wide range of techniques in teaching oral English. Chapter Two examines some approaches now used in oral English classes at Erwai. This chapter also analyses students' motivation to learn oral English, the teachers' performance in oral English classes as well as when and how to correct students' mistakes in their oral English. Some practical oral activities which Erwai has arranged for present students and is thinking of arranging for future students are also discussed in this chapter. Chapter Three identifies and analyses in more detail theories of teaching oral English such as the audiolingual method, counselling learning, the direct method and the eclectic approach. In Chapter Four some activities are suggested to make oral classes more enjoyable. In second year oral English classes, repetition and situational dialogue are far from enough for teaching oral English. Short plays and skits can be used to enrich the oral English classes. This chapter also discusses the observation of oral English classes by Australian teachers in the C.C.A.E. Special English Programme. Chapter Five considers the choice of materials and the application of materials in class. Oral English materials used at Erwai at the moment mainly come from two sources: home-produced materials compiled by Erwai or other foreign language institutes in China, and some commerciallypublished materials imported from foreign countries. There is another source which can be used in teaching oral English - materials compiled on the basis of authentic materials such as excerpts from magazines and newspapers. In the conclusion it is pointed out that many suggestions have been made in the study about oral English teaching techniques and materials. It is hoped that such suggestions have practical value in improving the level of oral English in China in line with the country's present needs. At the same time new techniques require ample opportunity for trying out in practice before their full effectiveness will become apparent.

The English language occupied a specially important status in the increasing development of science, technology, culture and international relations in Vietnam, which has resulted in a growing demand for English Language Teaching (ELT) all over the country. The Hanoi Foreign Languages Teachers' Training College in general and its Department of English in particular plays a very important role in this by producing as many teachers of English as possible for high schools as well as for other Colleges and Universities in Vietnam as a whole. Unfortunately, ELT in Vietnam is still far from satisfactory. There exists a common problem of communicative competence in Vietnamese students, even in Vietnamese teachers of English. ELT at HFLTTC is taken to illustrate the fact that even after five years' training, graduates remain deficient in the ability of language use as well as understanding its use in normal communication. This being the case, how can they carry out effectively the teaching of English to high school pupils or students at other institutions? In this situation, we need to take a serious look at ELT in the Department of English at the HFLTTC so as to suggest suitable materials and methods which will enable the Institution to function more effectively. This project makes an exploratory study of the problem. To provide a context for the study, the background to ELT in the Department of English is reviewed. This is followed by a detailed description of different approaches used in ELT with the reference to the actual activities of teaching and learning in the Department of English. A special emphasis is placed on the difference between conventional approaches and the currently influential one - The Functional- Notional-Approach to language teaching and learning. The basic notions of this approach will be covered and also different categories of functions and categories of situations which the students of English often encounter in using English. Different techniques of teaching functional spoken English will be suggested with an aim to improving the teaching of spoken English in the above-mentioned setting. It is hoped that this project may become a contribution to solving some of the existing problems of inadequate communicative competence of Vietnamese students of English and to teaching and learning English with effective communication skills in the Department of English at the HFLTTC.

This explorative research paper looks at language proficiency development of English Language Learners (ELLs) in the United States, and examines what factors influence their academic achievement. The paper discusses cultural and linguistic diversity in the United States and aims to explore educational policies, in relation to educating ELLs. The study was carried out with a qualitative approach where semi-structured interviews were conducted with three teachers and two administrators at the high school of the investigation. The data collected were analysed with a constant comparative approach, and a thick description of the setting is provided. The conclusion that is drawn from this investigation is that ELLs’ academic achievement is affected by a wide range of factors, including current testing policies, resource allocation, school system requirements, school environment, home situation, and the ELLs’ previous schooling.

This explorative research paper looks at language proficiency development of English Language Learners (ELLs) in the United States, and examines what factors influence their academic achievement. The paper discusses cultural and linguistic diversity in the United States and aims to explore educational policies, in relation to educating ELLs. The study was carried out with a qualitative approach where semi-structured interviews were conducted with three teachers and two administrators at the high school of the investigation. The data collected were analysed with a constant comparative approach, and a thick description of the setting is provided. The conclusion that is drawn from this investigation is that ELLs’ academic achievement is affected by a wide range of factors, including current testing policies, resource allocation, school system requirements, school environment, home situation, and the ELLs’ previous schooling.

No description available.

Teachers of English language learners (ELLs) are often ill prepared to provide content area instruction tailored to their students' needs. This explanatory mixed method study examined the relationship between 15 ELL teachers' multicultural attitudes and use of sheltered instruction (SI). The purpose of the study was to ascertain whether teachers' multicultural attitudes influenced their use of SI. Data were gathered using a Demographic Questionnaire, Multicultural Efficacy Scale (MES), Classroom Instruction Questionnaire, and semi-structured interviews. A correlational analysis found no statistically significant relationship (i.e., r = -.34; p = .22) between participants' scores on SI observations and the MES. A correlational estimate for the four highest SI scorers indicated a relationship between the two sets of scores (i.e., r = .75; p = .25). Qualitative data did not indicate any patterns that might distinguish the high and low SIOP scorers; however, Aptitude Measurement Interaction may explain the different correlational results.

This qualitative, longitudinal study followed four first-year MA TESOL students through their initial year in a teacher training program with the goal of determining whether their overall beliefs about teaching and learning changed over time as a result of program curriculum and other outside factors. An analysis of semi-structured interviews with each participant, conducted one to two times per quarter, revealed that participants' beliefs appeared to evolve as a result of coursework and teaching practice. Participants' identities as teachers also showed signs of evolution and development. The participants attributed the majority of their development to hands-on teaching practice, though there was evidence that they began to integrate more theoretical aspects of program curriculum by the end of the year. However, the participants also demonstrated a lack of interest in theoretical and research-related coursework that persisted throughout their first year. Participants' lack of interest and stress brought on by unfamiliar material may have limited the amount of integration of research and theory into their practice. Findings suggest a mismatch between program goals and student goals, with students being focused on teaching practice and the program being focused on both the practical and theoretical aspects of the curriculum.

This project addresses the needs of the adult learner. The adult learner referred to in; this project comes from two distinguishable groups. One group of adult learners consists of the ESL students who attend adult school or community-based English programs. The other group of adult learners consists of the teachers within adult education ESL programs who themselves are students as they participate in professional development workshops.

This study explored the impact of the importation of expatriate English teachers on the morale of the Malaysian English teachers and attempted to identify the perceptions of Malaysian English teachers, expatriate native English-speaking teachers (NESTs), and expatriate nonnative English-speaking teachers (nonNESTs) regarding the practices that are prevalent in Malaysia in areas such as hiring, remuneration, and benefits. An initial questionnaire was completed by the participants to ensure that they fit the target demographic profiled. Then, a semi-structured interview was conducted as a follow-up to the participants' open-ended responses in the second part of the questionnaire. Completed questionnaires were gathered from ten participants, and two semi-structured interviews were conducted with an expatriate NEST and a Malaysian nonNEST respectively. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze responses to the seven-point Likert-scale statements. In addition, this study took a qualitative approach in analyzing the core themes of the responses in the semi-structured interview and the questionnaire. Examining individual survey items and interviews revealed that there is a large discrepancy in wages between NESTs and nonNESTs in Malaysia, and this contributes to the unhappiness and low morale of Malaysian English teachers. In addition, the presence of expatriate NESTs causes Malaysian nonNESTs to have low self-esteem as they compare themselves to their native counterparts. This study also revealed that participants felt that the importation of expatriate NESTs had no significant impact on improving the language proficiency of students. Owing to the perceived failure to deliver desired results, the majority of the participants agreed that hiring qualified and experienced English teachers (not on the basis of one's race or first language) is paramount in improving the language proficiency of Malaysian students. The analysis of the data collected resulted in recommendations for a more in-depth study of the impact of the importation of expatriate NESTs/nonNESTs to the morale of Malaysian nonNESTs and the improvement of the language proficiency of Malaysian students. Also, the contributing factors for the decline of the English proficiency of Malaysian students should be thoroughly evaluated so as to affect change.

This thesis is a reflective exploration of the use and impact of using drama pedagogies in the English as a Second Language (ESL)/ English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom. It stems from the problem of secondary school English language learning in Malaysia, where current teaching practices appear to have led to the decline of the standard of English as a second language in school leavers and university graduates (Abdul Rahman, 1997; Carol Ong Teck Lan, Anne Leong Chooi Khaun, & Singh, 2011; Hazita et al., 2010; Nalliah & Thiyagarajah, 1999). This problem resonates with my own experiences at school, as a secondary school student, an ESL teacher and, later, as a teacher trainer. Consequently, these experiences led me to explore alternative or supplementary teaching methodologies that could enhance the ESL learning experience, drawing initially from drama techniques such as those advocated by Maley and Duff (1983), Wessels (1987), and Di Pietro (1983), and later from process drama pedagogies such as those advocated by Greenwood (2005); Heathcote and Bolton (1995); Kao and O'Neill (1998), and Miller and Saxton (2004). This thesis is an account of my own exploration in adapting drama pedagogies to ESL/EFL teaching. It examines ways in which drama pedagogies might increase motivation and competency in English language learning. The main methodology of the study is that of reflective practice (e.g. Griffiths & Tann, 1992; Zeichner & Liston, 1996). It tracks a learning journey, where I critically reflect on my learning, exploring and implementing such pedagogical approaches as well as evaluate their impact on my students’ learning. These critical reflections arise from three case studies, based on three different contexts: the first a New Zealand English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) class in an intermediate school, the second a Malaysian ESL class in a rural secondary school, and the third an English proficiency class of adult learners in a language school. Data for the study were obtained through the following: research journal and reflective memo; observation and field notes; interview; social media; students’ class work; discussion with co-researchers; and through the literature of the field. A major teaching methodology that emerges from the reflective cycles is that of staging the textbook, where the textbook section to be used for the teaching programme is distilled, and the key focuses of the language, skills, vocabulary, and themes to be learnt are identified and extracted. A layer of drama is matched with these distilled elements and then ‘staged’ on top of the textbook unit, incorporating context-setting opportunities, potential for a story, potential for tension or complication, and the target language elements. The findings that emerge through critical reflection in the study relate to the drama methodologies that I learn and acquire, the impact of these methodologies on students, the role of culture in the application of drama methodologies, and language learning and acquisition. These findings have a number of implications. Firstly, they show how an English Language Teaching (ELT) practitioner might use drama methodologies and what their impact is on student learning. While the focus is primarily on the Malaysian context, aspects of the findings may resonate internationally. Secondly, they suggest a model of reflective practice that can be used by other ELT practitioners who are interested in using drama methodologies in their teaching. Thirdly, these findings also point towards the development of a more comprehensive syllabus for using drama pedagogies, as well as the development of reflective practice, in the teacher training programmes in Malaysia. The use of drama pedagogies for language learning is a field that has not been researched in a Malaysian context. Therefore, this account of reflective practice offers a platform for further research and reflection in this context.