M.A. (Applied Linguistics) / This dissertation explores the phenomenon of errors in the writing of second language learners. The concepts of language error and standard language are discussed briefly. The Contrastive Analysis and Error Analysis hypotheses are presented and the notions of interlanguage and fossilization explored. The limitations and strengths of the Error Analysis hypothesis are pointed out. Research on error correction and remediation is reviewed. Questions such as whether errors should be corrected, when, how and by whom, as well as which errors should be attended to, are considered. An error analysis of the written work of a group of English second language students is undertaken. Errors of a mainly syntactic nature are identified and classified and the possible causes of some are pointed out. The dissertation considers the implications of these errors for language teaching and concludes by making recommendations with 'special reference to the distance teaching situation.

D.Litt. et Phil. (Higher Education) / This study investigates the design of a Reading-to-Write programme for students who enter a university with limited literacy competence in English. The history of the design and development of the programme are tracked, examining the design principles that were extracted from the literature and how these were employed in the programme over a period of five years. Having identified that there were no theory-based design principles for literacy programme development in this context, the purpose of the thesis was to capture the evolvement of the literacy course in a design-based format addressing both literacy experts and relevant university administrators. Design-based research has the potential of informing innovative approaches to learning and teaching that can bring about change in educational practice showing how designs develop and require modification. Sustainable innovation, however, requires an understanding of how and why an innovation works within a setting over time and across settings (Brown & Camplone, 1996). The distinct advantage of such a methodological orientation is that it addresses the relationship between research and instructional practices while attempting to find workable solutions that accomplish educational goals (Reinking & Bradley, 2004). In South Africa, where many students come from an impoverished educational background with limited access to books and libraries, the dominant modes and literacy practices of higher education are often unfamiliar and alienating. Because students enter university without the prerequisite intellectual and linguistic basis needed for academic study, there is often a fundamental mismatch between their 'ways of knowing' and the expectations of the institution. For the majority of students the preferred language of instruction is English which is seen to provide access to .a global community. However, English is a primary language for a very small percentage of the South African population and in many instances, students have not acquired it adequately even as a second language at school, because of ineffective teaching methods. At university, students have to expand their often inadequate knowledge of the language of instruction, while they are busy learning their new content subjects.

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The purpose of this study is to examine which language skills university professors believe are most essential for academic success in Portland State University classes. The study can shed light on a question for future research: Do current academic ESL classes at Portland State University teach the necessary skills to help international students maximize their second-language learning potential in university-level courses. Enrollment statistics for 1993 I 94 show 53 percent of the 815 international students declared majors in two programs: the school of Business Administration and the school of Engineering and Applied Science. This study asked 31 instructors from business and engineering to assess which language skills--reading, writing, listening or speaking--were most important to success in their undergraduate and graduate classes; how they used the language skills; how international students performed in their classes compared with native speaking students; and to describe any critical incidents which appeared to have been caused by lack of comprehension of orally-presented materials. Interview questions were designed to establish a profile of each class and assess the relationship between the amount of culturally-embedded vocabulary and the degree of difficulty experienced by non-native speaking students. Three patterns emerged from the research. First, the ranking of language skills followed results of earlier national surveys showing the importance of reading and listening. All faculty ranked reading the "most important" language skill; reading and listening were ranked equally "most important" by engineering faculty; and writing varied by level and discipline; and speaking was ranked "least important" by all faculty. Second, all faculty ranked textbooks the preferred use of reading skills; note taking was the most-used listening skill; and class discussion was the mostused speaking skill. Writing activities varied by level and discipline, although reports and essay answers were the most frequently mentioned uses. Third, faculty said international students performed better in quantitative than qualitative classes. Within both disciplines, classes which manipulated numbers were less problematic than those which manipulated language with culturally-embedded context or vocabulary. Implications for ESL curriculum design suggest emphasis on skills considered most important by academic faculty.

Beginning with an analysis of current problems in English education in South Korea, this project is intended to suggest various ways to implement effective English education, especially for writing instruction. The project is designed for students who have low English proficiency in South Korean colleges and universities.