Includes bibliography (p. 260-276). / xi, 276 p. : ill. ; 31 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Draws on aspects of socio-cultural theory of second language acquisition in addition to the exploration of the formal structure of ESL instruction. Data collection and analysis has employed a combination of the ethnographic and ethnomethodological approaches. By including the wider situational context, this study provides a new dimension in addressing issues of language education. It demonstrates the usefulness of making connections between linguistics and language education to gain insights into formal language acquisition in school. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Centre for European Studies and General Linguistics, 2003

The research aims at finding out the current issues and Profession dilemma which have an important influence on the Formative Assessment improvement especially in teaching Chinese as a second language in Hong Kong international schools and trying to provide some instructive suggestions to solve the problems. In order to conduct this research, several research methodologies were used to collect data and the whole progress was combined Quantitative Research and Qualitative Research together. First of all, Pilot Tests were carried out to make sure that the methodologies designed for the experiment can obtain the expected results. Second, the researcher utilized questionnaire, interview and observation to get the data from the target teachers who teach Chinese as a second language in Hong Kong international school and the target students who learn Chinese especially Mandarin as a second language. In the procedure, the researcher used the questionnaire to acquire the key points of problems, and then design interview questions which are based on them. Finally, the data collected from the questionnaire, interview and observation was analyzed by synthesis to acquire a final result. According to the findings of this study, three major issues have been identified. Firstly, the lack of professional training of how to apply formative assessment leads to common confusion to the Hong Kong international school teachers. Second, Students feel difficult to balance tests and final exams and hold less confidence in self-assessment and cooperation assessment. Different education backgrounds of the students lead to a complicated attitude to the formative assessment. Lastly, the low quality of teachers’ feedback results in ineffective information to students in the formative assessment. 本論文旨在研究於香港國際學校中，形成性評估在漢語作為第二語言教學時所遇到的現實問題和專業困境，並嘗試提出具有建設性意義的解決方案。本次研究採用質性研究和量性研究相結合的研究方法。其中具體採用的是問卷調查法、訪問調查法與觀察研究法等研究方法，並事先進行先導實驗以確保調查達到預期效果。 研究以先導試驗開始，之後會針對研究物件（香港某所國際學校的對外漢語教師及其班上的學生）進行以形成性評估為主題的問卷調查、訪問調查和觀察研究。在調查過程中，研究者會依據問卷調查的初步結論設計後面的訪談問題；最後各項結果將被加以綜合分析以得出最終結論。 本次研究主要得出以下三方面的結論: 一、教師在推行形成評估時所面臨的主要困境主要是教師在形成性評估的專業知識、技能等方面缺乏系統的培訓和學習。 二、學生在形成性評估所面臨的主要問題有主要是難以平衡平時小測和終結性評估之間的比例關係，且學生普遍對自主性評估和合作性評估的信心度不高。其中不同教育背景的學生複雜而矛盾的認知態度對於形成性評估的推行有著重要的影響。 三、教師和學生在形成性評估之中存在溝通的困境，即教師回饋滯後和回饋品質不高，導致學生無法在形成性評估中及時獲得有效資訊。 / published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

Language is probably the greatest thing developed by mankind. Yet few have come to understand how it is acquired. I am one of them. I want to understand how it is acquired, and how students come to understand the important area of subject-verb agreement. The purpose of the research was to gain an understanding of local students whose mother tongue is Cantonese (L1), and what are the factors affecting their acquisition of subject-verb agreement in English. To a lesser degree, it is aimed at gaining an understanding of how language is acquired; to gain an understanding on how second language is acquired; and to gain an understanding of how grammar is acquired. The research was carried out as the author wanted to see if there was a reason why students could not understand subject-verb agreement in English. The author wanted to look at four main reasons. These included biological reasons, physiological reasons, developmental reason, and cultural reason. The research was conducted on children aged six to twelve from two main school streams (public and private) using a quantitative and qualitative survey. The quantitative survey included fifteen missing words, twenty statements, and five sentences to see if students could recognise if the statements were ungrammatical or grammatical. The qualitative survey was conducted with a group of primary four students (aged nine to ten) to gain an understanding of why certain answers were selected and what was the reasoning behind the decisions the participants made. From the researcher, it was discovered there was some level of first language interference, though to the exact degree it was questionable as it could not be determined quantifiably. It was evident from the YoE data that students new to English had the highest number of errors. It was also found that there was no absolute or definitive time or age when subject-verb agreement was evident. However, there was a sharp decrease in the number of errors at both schools at the age of eight. The results also show that culture does influence the learning of English as a second language in Hong Kong. It is not just because Cantonese has no Subject-verb agreement; it also extends to the teaching practices in the classroom and the culture of teaching through grammar. The problems this created became evident in the research. / published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

It is argued that the gender bias in textbooks can influence students’ development of values and attitudes (e.g. Lee & Collins, 2008, 2010; Sunderland, 1997; Yang, 2011). Despite continuous improvement, gender stereotyping was found in previous studies in different parts of the world (e.g. Evans & Davies, 2000; Lee & Collins, 2008). The aim of the present study is to analyse the gender representation in the ELT textbooks used by junior secondary students in Hong Kong. The content, language and illustrations of two sets of ELT textbooks were examined. Improvements of gender representation were found as compared with the results in previous studies. The findings show a more balanced representation of males and females in terms of their visibility in both texts and illustrations. Females no longer dominate domestic settings and they no longer speak less in an inferior status. However, gender bias of different forms was still found. Females still play a wider range of domestic roles and a narrower range of social roles. There is also a tendency for females to be mentioned after males when two nouns were paired for gender. It was also found that texts and illustrations are good partners in building up gender bias because they supplement and reinforce the gender bias shown in each other. In addition, new strategies of using unisex names and pseudonyms for avoiding gender imbalance in language were found. / published_or_final_version / Applied English Studies / Master / Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics

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Japanese non-native English-speaking EFL (English as a foreign language) teachers in secondary education (JEFL teachers) work in a different educational context from language teachers in Europe. The purpose of this exploratory research is to identify the distinctive ways in which JEFL teachers think, know, believe and do. These concepts are subsumed under the general heading of JEFL teacher cognition, particularly as this applies to teaching and teacher education in Eigo Kyoiku (English education in Japan). The overall purpose of exploring JEFL teachers’ cognitions is reflected in four research guiding questions (RQs): 1) to identify the nature of JEFL teacher cognition; 2) to see any particular influences that might help shape JEFL teacher cognition; 3) to learn to what extent JEFL teachers’ cognitions are consistent with their actual practice of teaching; and 4) to discuss the ways in which the concept of language teacher cognition (LTC) may be understood and situated in the Japanese context. The research consisted of two studies: a) a quantitative Preliminary Study administered to 62 JEFL teachers and 81 modern foreign language (MFL) teachers in Scotland, in order to identify any areas regarding JEFL teacher cognition; and b) an in-depth Main Study based on a qualitative and ethnographic approach, featuring 10 JEFL teachers. This made use of qualitative data analysis and the applied KJ method, and also drew on complexity theory, through reflective and reflexive processes with particular reference to retrodictive qualitative modelling (RQM). The results of the Main Study are presented as 16 concept maps, each of which represents a featured aspect of JEFL teacher cognition (ATC). It represents the signature dynamics of each ATC and points to the variation and tension which JEFL teachers experienced in relation to each ATC. The research suggests that, although LTC have certain universal characteristics, it needs to be explored on the assumption that it is situated socially, culturally, locally and personally.

published_or_final_version / Language Studies / Master / Master of Arts

published_or_final_version / Language Studies / Master / Master of Arts