Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / El teatro es un género mixto en el sentido que combina el lenguaje con elementos plásticos o espectaculares junto con una gran variedad temática y así se presta como vehículo que abarca los cinco estándares nacionales de la enseñanza de una segunda lengua: comunicación; cultura; conexiones; comparaciones; comunidades. El aprendizaje de una segunda lengua a través de la actuación dramática tiene beneficios para el aprendiz de índole personal y de carácter social. El aprendizaje se realiza mediante el uso de lenguaje auténtico, cuidadosamente metido en contexto y enmarcado en la matriz de la pragmática...

Afrikaans text / In hierdie studie is die ontwikkeling van 'n meetmiddel vir die evaluering van mondelinge taalvaardigheid ondersoek. Relevante literatuur is bestudeer om duidelikheid te verkry oor die begrip mondelinge taalvaardigheid en die belangrikheid daarvan as sleutel tot kommunikasie, oor die probleme random mondelinge taalvaardigheid, die onderrig daarvan, die evaluering daarvan en die probleme wat met die evaluering daarvan verband hou. Die vereistes waaraan meting in die algemeen en die evaluering van mondelinge taalvaardigheid in die besonder moet voldoen, asook die faktore wat dit kan bel'..nvloed, is ondersoek. Van die bestaande toetse en metodes vir die evaluering van mondelinge taalvaardigheid is ontleed. 'n Alternatiewe model vir die ontwikkeling van 'n toets of metode wat die evaluering van mondelinge taalvaardigheid so geldig en betroubaar moontlik behoort te maak, is ontleed. Die probleme wat met so 'n evalueringsmetode gepaard sou gaan, is ontleed en moontlike oplossings daarvoor is gevind. Riglyne vir die ontwikkeling en die standaardisering van toetse in die algemeen en van mondelinge taalvaardigheid in die besonder is verkry. Onderwerpe waaruit 'n toets vir die evaluering van mondelinge taalvaardigheid in Afrikaans saamgestel kon word, is geskryf, gekeur en volgens spesifieke voorskrifte eksperimenteel uitgetoets. Die mondelinge taaluitinge is op klankkasset opgeneem en volgens vaste riglyne geevalueer. Statistiese verwerkings is uitgevoer en op grand van die verkree resultate is agt toetsvorms saamgestel. Een van die toetsvorms is saam met 'n ongestandaardiseerde mondelinge taalvaardigheidstoets en 'n objektiewe taaltoets, wat as kriteria vir die geldigheidsbepaling daarvan moes dien, in die praktyk toegepas. Dieselfde vorm is daarna saam met 'n tweede vorm van die toets toegepas om ook die geldigheid daarvan te bepaal. Na aanleiding van die empiriese gegewens is gevolgtrekkings oor die geldigheid en ander statlstiese eienskappe van die toets gemaak. Op grand daarvan is spesifieke aanbevelings oor die gebruik van die toets as model vir die evaluering van mondelinge taalvaardigheid gemaak. / In this study the development of a measuring instrument for the evaluation of oral language proficiency was investigated. Relevant literature was studied to reach a better understanding of the term oral language proficiency and in particular, its relevance to effective communication, the problems underlying oral language proficiency, the teaching thereof and the problems inherent in its evaluation. The requirements for a measuring instrument in general, and for the evaluation of oral language proficiency in particular, and the factors which influence such measurement were also investigated. A number of existing tests and methods for the evaluation of oral language proficiency were analysed. An alternative model for the development of a method to improve reliability and validity in the evaluation of oral language proficiency was examined. The problems connected to such a method were analysed and possible solutions were suggested. Guide-lines for the development and standardization of tests in general, and of oral language proficiency tests in particular, were recommended. Suitable topics for inclusion in a test for the evaluation of oral language proficiency in Afrikaans were compiled, selected and applied on an experimental basis according to specified directions. The oral responses of the testees were recorded on sound cassettes and evaluated according to specified directions. Statistical calculations were executed and on the basis of the results, eight test forms were finalized. One of the test forms, together with a non-standardized oral language proficiency test and a standardized objective language proficiency test which served as criteria for the determination of the validity of the test, was applied officially. The same test form, together with a second form of the test, was subsequently applied to a different group of testees in order to determine the validity of the second test form as well. On the basis of the empirical data, conclusions about the validity and other statistical characteristics of the test could be made. This in turn led to specific recommendations concerning the use of the test to serve as a model for the evaluation of oral language proficiency. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Empiriese Opvoedkunde)

This study compares the performance of unilingual normal, unilingual learning-disabled, bilingual normal, and bilingual learning-disabled groups of children from 8 to 11 years of age on acquisition of word meaning tasks. The tasks were derived from the Re-cognition Function Level of Kass's theory. Initial subject selection involved using teacher judgments and an examination of school files to determine the presence of learning disability. Bilingual linguistic background was determined by teacher and parental judgments and by ability in verbal conversation to achieve a criterion of approximate equivalence between English and Spanish. Four groups of at least 15 subjects each were established, reflecting linguistic background (unilingual, bilingual) and presence of learning disability (learning-disabled, normal). Final assignment of subjects to learning-disabled and normal groups was verified by the administration of four tests and a discriminant analysis of the results. Five experimental tasks involving the acquisition of word meaning were devised and administered to the subjects. These tasks were: Task 1, Word Classification; Task 2, Word Class Labeling; Task 3, Verbal Analogies; Task 4, Synonyms and Antonyms; and Task 5, Creative Language. Task 5, Creative Language, consisted of Parts A (written) and Part B (verbal). An Abstract-Concrete Scale score and a Words per Sentence score resulted from both Part A and Part B. The results of the study were as follows: (1) Learning-disabled subjects, regardless of linguistic grouping, scored significantly lower than normal subjects on the Word Classification, Word Class Labeling, Verbal Analogies, and Synonyms and Antonyms tasks. They also scored significantly lower than normal subjects on the Creative Language Task Part A (written) and Part B (verbal), Abstract-Concrete Scale. No difference was present on the Creative Language Task, Part A (written) and Part B (verbal), Words per Sentence. (2) Bilingual subjects, regardless of the presence of learning disability, scored significantly lower than unilingual subjects on the Word Class Labeling and Verbal Analogies tasks. They scored significantly higher than unilingual subjects on the Creative Language Task, Part A (written), Words per Sentence. (3) Younger subjects scored significantly lower than older subjects on the Word Classification and Verbal Analogies tasks and on the Creative Language Task, Part A (written) and Part B (verbal), Abstract-Concrete Scale. (4) No significant interaction effect (presence of learning disability x linguistic background) was obtained on any of the tasks. The results of this study support these conclusions. First, children labeled as learning disabled have skill deficits in acquiring word meaning, with the qualification that measures of the quantity of language production do not consistently correspond to measures of the quality of language production. Second, bilingual children may appear to display deficits in the acquisition of word meaning if task selection in the secondary language (English) does not take practice factors into account. However, bilingual learning-disabled children display these deficits in both primary and secondary languages. Third, skill in the acquisition of word meaning improves across the age span of 8 to 11 years regardless of the presence of learning disability.

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Educational Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Educational Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

published_or_final_version / Chinese Language and Literature / Master / Master of Arts

published_or_final_version / Linguistics / Master / Master of Arts

published_or_final_version / abstract / Educational Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

The present study examines the L1 influence on the adult acquisition of the negative concord parameter (two negative elements that agree to form a sentential negation without canceling each other) between the following groups of learners: (1) two groups of second language learners whose first and target languages are typologically similar (Lusophone and Hispanophone learners of Spanish and Portuguese respectively), and (2) two groups of learners whose first and target languages are typologically different (Anglophone learners of Spanish and Portuguese). The study compares the scores of the groups, and focuses on two goals: (1) to investigate the influence of L1 transfer on the acquisition of the negative concord parameter in adult L2 learners when the first and target languages are typologically similar and different, and (2) to attempt to find a correlation between L2 learners’ level of awareness on the similarities and differences of the negative concord parameter between languages, and its effect on their overall performance of the task. A total of 135 participants responded to a grammaticality judgment task, and independent sample t tests were used to determine whether there were differences between the groups. The results indicate that adult L2 learners of languages that are typologically similar to their native languages perform better than those adult L2 learners whose languages are typologically different than their native languages. The results imply that L1 transfer facilitates the acquisition of the negative concord parameter for adult second language learners when languages are typologically similar, which is relevant to current research on the developmental stages of L2 acquisition. As far as their level of awareness during the task, the results could not indicate whether or not there was any correlation between learners’ awareness of the grammatical typological similarities and differences of the languages involved and their overall performance on the task. It was also observed that learners responded in unpredictable ways to the specific question of their state of awareness during the task, which left the study inconclusive with regards to the level of these L2 learners’ consciousness. / text

Immersion is an acclaimed method for second language acquisition, but is not available to majority of students. The idea of this study is to create Mobile Immersion on smartphone using Instant Messenger, WhatsApp. 45 Form 1 (7th Grade) students participated in a 3-month experiment. They were divided into two big groups: one with Mobile Immersion (Mobile Group) and the other without (Control Group). A vocabulary list of 200 high-frequency verbs was the main learning material. Net Gain in vocabulary score between pre-test and post-test was used to measure their learning progress. The statistics show no significant difference between the two groups’ means. However, within Mobile Group, there is significant correlation between individual’s chat frequency and vocabulary gain. Furthermore, chat histories of participants reveal a possible theme that has implications for researchers and educators. A questionnaire is also used to survey participants’ attitudes towards the Mobile Immersion. This paper shares the experience from the case study and draws insights into a new direction contributing to the knowledge base of Second Language Acquisition and Mobile-Assisted Language Learning. / published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education