published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

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In this dissertation I attempt to examine “the experience of the perspective” of foreign students introduced into English classrooms in South Africa. I acknowledge the importance of focussing on the individual’s narrative, since it is “only through an unconscious synthetic activity of consciousness” that perspectives are connected together (Carspeken 1996:11), but, along with Freire, I believe that “generative themes” can only be investigated in “man-world relationships”. The researcher needs to examine the phenomenon in context of the world that it originated from, since “historical themes are never isolated , independent, disconnected or static” (Freire 1972: 73). In this dissertation I, therefore, carefully follow the classic phenomenological steps to analyse data from my respondents and then immediately contextualise it in term of literature about the learners background, the educational and political system in which they currently find themselves as well as general literature about the phenomenon of immigrants and learning of a second language. The premise underlying this research is the “taken-for-granted certainty” (Carspeken 1996:11) that there is something unique in the South African situation which results in foreign students experiencing the learning of English in a particular way within this context.

For decades, the majority of educational research has been preoccupied with understanding as a product—as various “learning achievements” and “subject mastery” to be measured and subsequently represented as statistics or test scores. This preoccupation is also observed in the field of second language education, whose attention has focused on how the outcome of language acquisition can be improved at a curriculum or activity level. However, what is equally important, and yet largely underexplored, is understanding as a process: how understanding is achieved and facilitated in and through classroom interaction. To fill this research gap, this study respecifies understanding as a social and interactional phenomenon and investigates how it is enabled, managed, and restored in the adult ESL classroom in situ. Data comprise 27 hours of video- and audio-taped classroom interaction collected from two research sites serving adult ESL learners: an academic ESL program and a community-based ESL program located on the East Coast of the United States. Participants were two experienced teachers with over two decades of teaching experiences and 20 students with low to intermediate English proficiency. Data were analyzed within the conversation analytic framework. Findings include three teacher practices concerning understanding-in-interaction. First, teachers can facilitate students’ understanding of grammatical errors by an embodied repair practice that I called “finger syntax.” By counting syntactic elements on fingers on display, the teacher can scaffold learners’ understanding of the location of the error, the nature of the error, and even the method of repair. Finger syntax can be deployed to initiate learner self-repair or demonstrate other-corrections. Second, teachers can answer students’ language-related questions by doing more than answering or doing approximate answering. In attending to both the what and the why, doing more than answering helps learners develop a principled understanding of a grammatical item. Doing approximate answering, on the other hand, is shown to be less responsive to students’ understanding troubles. In the absence of an agreement of what an ambiguous question actually asks, the teacher’s response deviates from students’ learning concerns to varying degrees. Lastly, teachers can respond to trouble-laden learner contributions that result in a (potential) breach of intersubjectivity in a stepwise fashion. Specifically, their displays of understanding can be leveraged as a springboard for form-focused work, enabling a stepwise entry into linguistic feedback carefully aligned to meaning that a learner has struggled to articulate. Findings thus contribute to research on repair and corrections, on responses to learner questions, and on understanding-in-interaction in the context of the language classroom.

No description available.

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Ting, Sum Pok. / "August 2011." / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 178-185). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ABSTRACT --- p.i / ACKNOWLEDGMENTS --- p.v / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.VI / LIST OF TABLES --- p.x / LIST OF FIGURE --- p.x / Chapter CHAPTER ONE --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT STUDY --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- PURPOSE OF THE PRESENT STUDY --- p.2 / Chapter 1.3 --- RESEARCH QUESTIONS OF THE PRESENT STUDY --- p.3 / Chapter 1.4 --- SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PRESENT STUDY --- p.5 / Chapter 1.5 --- ORGANISATION OF THE THESIS --- p.6 / Chapter CHAPTER TWO --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1 --- STANDARDISATION OF ENGLISH AND WORLD ENGLISHES --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Standardisation of English --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- World Englishes --- p.11 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Non-standard English as a kind of deficiency --- p.12 / Chapter 2.2 --- B. KACHRU'S AND SCHNEIDER'S DEVELOPMENTAL MODELS OF N EW VARIETIES OF ENGLISH --- p.14 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- B. Kachru's three-stage developmental model of English --- p.14 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Schneider's five-stage dynamic model of post-colonial Englishes --- p.16 / Chapter 2.3 --- DEBATE OF H K E AS A N EW VARIETY --- p.21 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- HKE as an autonomous variety --- p.21 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- The non-readiness of HKE as an autonomous variety --- p.23 / Chapter 2.4 --- DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN FEATURES AND ERRORS --- p.27 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- """Innovation"" and ""selection.""" --- p.27 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- "“Mistakes,´ح ""errors,"" ""deviations,"" and “features.´ح" --- p.28 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- Bamgbose's five factors in determining the status of language features --- p.29 / Chapter 2.5 --- FACTORS AFFECTING ACCEPTABILITY OF NON-NATIVE FEATURES --- p.31 / Chapter 2.5.1 --- Intelligibility --- p.31 / Chapter 2.5.2 --- Social prestige and stigma --- p.33 / Chapter 2.5.3 --- Past experience and somatic markers --- p.33 / Chapter 2.6 --- STUDIES OF ATTITUDES TOWARDS LOCAL VARIETIES IN ASIA AND HONG KONG --- p.35 / Chapter 2.6.1 --- Studies in the Asian context --- p.35 / Chapter 2.6.2 --- Studies in the Hong Kong context --- p.37 / Chapter 2.7 --- GRAMMATICAL FEATURES OF HKJE --- p.40 / Chapter 2.7.1 --- Grammatical features identified in previous studies --- p.40 / Chapter 2.7.2 --- The targeted grammatical features in the present study --- p.42 / Chapter 2.8 --- SUMMARY --- p.46 / Chapter CHAPTER THREE --- METHODOLOGY --- p.48 / Chapter 3.1 --- RESEARCH QUESTIONS --- p.48 / Chapter 3.2 --- RESEARCH DESIGN --- p.48 / Chapter 3.3 --- TARGET PARTICIPANTS --- p.50 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Selection criteria --- p.50 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Respondents of the acceptability survey --- p.52 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Interviewees of the semi-structured interview. --- p.53 / Chapter 3.4 --- INSTRUMENTATION --- p.53 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Acceptability surveys --- p.54 / Chapter 3.4.1.1 --- Rationale for employing acceptability surveys --- p.54 / Chapter 3.4.1.2 --- Design of the acceptability surveys --- p.54 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Semi-structured interviews --- p.58 / Chapter 3.4.2.1 --- Rationale for employing semi-structured interviews --- p.58 / Chapter 3.4.2.1 --- Design of the semi-structured interviews --- p.60 / Chapter 3.5 --- Two PHASES OF DATA COLLECTION AND PROCESSING --- p.61 / Chapter 3.5.1 --- Quantitative phase --- p.62 / Chapter 3.5.1.1 --- Data collection --- p.62 / Chapter 3.5.1.2 --- Data analysis --- p.64 / Chapter 3.5.2 --- Qualitative phase --- p.64 / Chapter 3.5.2.1 --- Case selection --- p.64 / Chapter 3.5.2.2 --- Interview protocol. --- p.66 / Chapter 3.5.2.3 --- Data collection --- p.68 / Chapter 3.5.2.4 --- Data analysis --- p.69 / Chapter 3.6 --- ETHICS --- p.70 / Chapter 3.7 --- LIMITATIONS --- p.71 / Chapter 3.8 --- SUMMARY --- p.72 / Chapter CHAPTER FOUR --- FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION - FACTORS AFFECTING ACCEPTABILITY OF THE TARGETED GRAMMATICAL FEATURES OF HKE --- p.74 / Chapter 4.1 --- ACCEPTABILITY OF THE TARGETED GRAMMATICAL FEATURES AN OVERVIEW --- p.74 / Chapter 4.2 --- FACTORS AFFECTING THE ACCEPTABILITY OF THE TARGETED GRAMMATICAL FEATURES --- p.79 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Intelligibility of the expression --- p.80 / Chapter 4.2.1.1 --- Perceived completeness of meaning. --- p.80 / Chapter 4.2.1.2 --- Perceived complexity of the sentence structure and the idea expressed --- p.83 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Past experience of learning English in school --- p.86 / Chapter 4.2.2.1 --- Negative feelings towards the feature --- p.87 / Chapter 4.2.2.2 --- Perceived level of difficulty of the feature --- p.89 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Everyday exposure to English --- p.92 / Chapter 4.2.3.1 --- Prevalence of the grammar item --- p.93 / Chapter 4.2.3.2 --- Perceived familiarity with the feature --- p.95 / Chapter 4.2.3.3 --- Perceived distinctiveness of the feature as “Hong Kong style. ´ح --- p.97 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Contexts in which the features appear. --- p.98 / Chapter 4.2.4.1 --- "Computer-mediated communication in MSN, SMS, and Facebook." --- p.100 / Chapter 4.2.4.2 --- Daily face-to-face conversation --- p.105 / Chapter 4.2.5 --- Perceived competence and status of the users of the feature --- p.109 / Chapter 4.2.5.1 --- Perceived competence of the users of the feature --- p.109 / Chapter 4.2.5.2 --- Perceived social status of the users of the feature --- p.111 / Chapter 4.3 --- IMPLICATIONS FROM THE INTERVIEWS --- p.113 / Chapter 4.4 --- SUMMARY --- p.116 / Chapter CHAPTER FIVE --- FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION - PERCEIVED STATUS OF HKE --- p.118 / Chapter 5.1 --- AWARENESS OF THE EXISTENCE OF THE TARGETED GRAMMATICAL FEATURES --- p.118 / Chapter 5.2 --- INTERVIEWEES' PREFERRED VARIETY OF ENGLISH --- p.124 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Preference for standard native varieties of English --- p.125 / Chapter 5.2.1.1 --- Perceived international intelligibility of the targeted grammatical features --- p.127 / Chapter 5.2.1.2 --- Perceived public image of the varieties of English and their users --- p.129 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Low preference for standard native varieties of English --- p.132 / Chapter 5.2.2.1 --- Limited capability of the people in Hong Kong. --- p.132 / Chapter 5.2.2.2 --- Communicative effectiveness of the standard native varieties --- p.133 / Chapter 5.3 --- PERCEIVED STATUS OF HKE AS AN AUTONOMOUS VARIETY --- p.137 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- The perceived current status of HKE --- p.137 / Chapter 5.3.1.1 --- The lack of intention for the adoption of the non-standard features --- p.138 / Chapter 5.3.1.2 --- The lack of a unifying set offeatures --- p.140 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- The perceived future status of HKE --- p.142 / Chapter 5.3.2.1 --- Inevitability of becoming an autonomous variety. --- p.142 / Chapter 5.3.2.2 --- Perceived limited usage of English in Hong Kong --- p.143 / Chapter 5.3.3 --- The prospect of HKE as an autonomous variety --- p.144 / Chapter 5.3.3.1 --- Negative influence on English learning. --- p.144 / Chapter 5.3.3.2 --- The lack of ownership of English --- p.145 / Chapter 5.4 --- RECOGNITION OF THE TARGETED GRAMMATICAL FEATURES AS FEATURES OF HKE --- p.147 / Chapter 5.4.1 --- One standard for using English --- p.147 / Chapter 5.4.2 --- Non-standard features as identity marker. --- p.150 / Chapter 5.4.3 --- Ownership of English --- p.151 / Chapter 5.5 --- THE STATUS OF HKE IN BECOMING AN AUTONOMOUS VARIETY --- p.152 / Chapter 5.6 --- SUMMARY --- p.155 / Chapter CHAPTER SIX --- CONCLUSION --- p.157 / Chapter 6.1 --- ADDRESSING THE RESEARCH QUESTIONS --- p.157 / Chapter 6.1.1 --- Addressing research question 1: Acceptability of the targeted features --- p.157 / Chapter 6.1.2 --- Addressing research question 2: Factors affecting acceptability --- p.159 / Chapter 6.1.3 --- Addressing research question 3: Features or errors? --- p.162 / Chapter 6.1.4 --- Addressing research question 4: Perceived status of HKE --- p.164 / Chapter 6.2 --- IMPLICATIONS --- p.165 / Chapter 6.2.1 --- Exposure to varieties of English --- p.166 / Chapter 6.2.2 --- The teaching of grammar in school --- p.168 / Chapter 6.3 --- LIMITATIONS --- p.172 / Chapter 6.3.1 --- English proficiency of the participants --- p.172 / Chapter 6.3.2 --- The modes and styles of English under investigation --- p.172 / Chapter 6.3.3 --- The methodological design --- p.173 / Chapter 6.4 --- DIRECTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDIES --- p.175 / Chapter 6.4.1 --- Computer-mediated communication (CMC) and HKE --- p.175 / Chapter 6.4.2 --- Linguistic identity of local Hong Kong people --- p.176 / REFERENCE --- p.178 / Chapter APPENDIX I - --- SAMPLE OF ACCEPTABILITY SURVEY --- p.186 / Chapter APPENDIX II - --- INTERVIEW PROTOCOL --- p.191

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the degree of Master of Education Johannesburg, 2016. / The aim of this research is to understand how the use and manipulation of concrete tools, specifically six DUPLO bricks, can impact language acquisition and vocabulary development in second language learners. The study works within a social constructivist paradigm and draws on the work of Vygotsky (1978b). This is an exploratory study and the data is gathered from observations, focus group sessions and semi-structured interviews. The research is conducted over a period of 14 weeks with one class of Grade 1 children who are learning through the medium of English but are also second language learners. The selected school was a northern suburbs government school. The findings show that the children did benefit from the intervention and that learning was enhanced through tactile activities and embodiment. The social collaborative learning through play provided the best opportunities for language acquisition and the development of a shared repertoire of vocabulary. The research study has implications for the theory and practice of teaching early literacy in South Africa in particular language learning and vocabulary development. / MT2017

This action research explores ways of adapting Task-based language teaching for teaching grammar to Primary six Hong Kong students while maintaining the structural Presentation-Practice-Production approach. It integrates two kinds of focused tasks into the intervention. They are Consciousness-raising tasks and Practice-based tasks. It investigates learners‘perceptions of those two tasks on English grammar learning by collecting questionnaires and conducting interviews. After the first cycle of the intervention, the researcher analyzed the data, students‘performance and works in order to make adjustments for the second cycle. Qualitative and quantitative techniques were employed to collect data from high, average and low-achieving students. It was found that students were positive towards Consciousness-raising tasks, Practice-based tasks and the intervention. They were generally satisfied with the chances provided for individual and group learning, teacher‘s PowerPoint presentation, teacher support and task sequencing. Implications for future research encompass investigation on the intervention‘s emphasis on a sequence of focused tasks to learn the form, meaning and use of target structures for leading learners to attain accuracy, fluency and complexity in second language acquisition. Most importantly, it suggests that teachers have to be flexible and design suitable tasks according to the target structures, students‘ability and learning style as well as available resources. / published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Linguistics / Master / Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics