Learners in South Africa underachieve in Mathematics. Amidst many other factors that influence the Mathematics scenario in South African schools, one major aspect of the Mathematics classroom culture is the Language of Learning and Teaching (LoLT). For many learners the LoLT, namely English, is not their main language. The question arises of whether Setswana learners with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) are disadvantaged because the LoLT is English and if so, what could be done about it. The interaction between language and thought is discussed against the background of the learning theories of Piaget, Vygotsky and van Hiele, as well as the Network Theory of Learning. From this study the importance of language for conceptualisation becomes clear, especially that of the mother tongue. The circle is then narrowed down to take a look at the vital part that language plays in Mathematics and the problems that exist for the learner when negotiating meaning during the journey between natural language and the mathematical register. Focusing on the situation of the Setswana Mathematics learner with English as LoLT, the views of parents and teachers come under scrutiny as well as government policies regarding the LoLT. The techniques and strategies of teachers in the English Second Language Mathematics classrooms (ESL-classrooms) are investigated. In this regard code-switching is of importance and is discussed extensively. These theoretical investigations led to an empirical study. Firstly, a quantitative study was undertaken by means of a survey to investigate the language situation in schools where Setswana is the main language. Furthermore, the views of those teachers, who teach Setswana learners with English as LoLT, on how English as LoLT influences Setswana Mathematics learners' conceptualisation were investigated. A sample of 218 teachers in the North-West Province of South Africa was used in this survey. A complex language situation crystallises where no one-dimensional answer can be recommended. Code-switching has clearly made large inroads into the Mathematics classroom, but teachers' views on the expediency of using Setswana, especially for formal notes, terminology and tests, vary considerably. Secondly, a qualitative study was undertaken in two schools. The study investigated the possibility that notes in Setswana as well as in English, and the aid of an English/Setswana glossary of Mathematical terminology in daily tasks as well as in tests, would be of value to learners. It was clear from the sample that the new terminology is difficult for the teachers in question because they are used to the English terminology. Some learners also find the Setswana terminology difficult. However, the learners experience the use of the Setswana in the notes positively. It was clear from the interviews with the learners that by far the most of the learners in the sample felt that the Setswana/English notes as well as the glossary helped them to understand better. The learners oscillate between English and Setswana to understand the explanation given or the question asked. Most of the learners are of opinion that tests where questions are asked in both languages contribute to a better comprehension of what is asked. They also experience the glossary of English/Setswana terminology supplied in the test as an important aid. Recommendations comprise that the Setswana Mathematics register should be expanded and final examinations set in both Setswana and English. Furthermore, teachers should be educated to use new terminology effectively as a scaffold to ensure adequate conceptualisation, as well as to manage code-switching in a structured way. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

Learners in South Africa underachieve in Mathematics. Amidst many other factors that influence the Mathematics scenario in South African schools, one major aspect of the Mathematics classroom culture is the Language of Learning and Teaching (LoLT). For many learners the LoLT, namely English, is not their main language. The question arises of whether Setswana learners with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) are disadvantaged because the LoLT is English and if so, what could be done about it. The interaction between language and thought is discussed against the background of the learning theories of Piaget, Vygotsky and van Hiele, as well as the Network Theory of Learning. From this study the importance of language for conceptualisation becomes clear, especially that of the mother tongue. The circle is then narrowed down to take a look at the vital part that language plays in Mathematics and the problems that exist for the learner when negotiating meaning during the journey between natural language and the mathematical register. Focusing on the situation of the Setswana Mathematics learner with English as LoLT, the views of parents and teachers come under scrutiny as well as government policies regarding the LoLT. The techniques and strategies of teachers in the English Second Language Mathematics classrooms (ESL-classrooms) are investigated. In this regard code-switching is of importance and is discussed extensively. These theoretical investigations led to an empirical study. Firstly, a quantitative study was undertaken by means of a survey to investigate the language situation in schools where Setswana is the main language. Furthermore, the views of those teachers, who teach Setswana learners with English as LoLT, on how English as LoLT influences Setswana Mathematics learners' conceptualisation were investigated. A sample of 218 teachers in the North-West Province of South Africa was used in this survey. A complex language situation crystallises where no one-dimensional answer can be recommended. Code-switching has clearly made large inroads into the Mathematics classroom, but teachers' views on the expediency of using Setswana, especially for formal notes, terminology and tests, vary considerably. Secondly, a qualitative study was undertaken in two schools. The study investigated the possibility that notes in Setswana as well as in English, and the aid of an English/Setswana glossary of Mathematical terminology in daily tasks as well as in tests, would be of value to learners. It was clear from the sample that the new terminology is difficult for the teachers in question because they are used to the English terminology. Some learners also find the Setswana terminology difficult. However, the learners experience the use of the Setswana in the notes positively. It was clear from the interviews with the learners that by far the most of the learners in the sample felt that the Setswana/English notes as well as the glossary helped them to understand better. The learners oscillate between English and Setswana to understand the explanation given or the question asked. Most of the learners are of opinion that tests where questions are asked in both languages contribute to a better comprehension of what is asked. They also experience the glossary of English/Setswana terminology supplied in the test as an important aid. Recommendations comprise that the Setswana Mathematics register should be expanded and final examinations set in both Setswana and English. Furthermore, teachers should be educated to use new terminology effectively as a scaffold to ensure adequate conceptualisation, as well as to manage code-switching in a structured way. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

This study evaluates a teacher development course on the use of English as the language of learning and teaching (LoLT). The course was developed and implemented in a sample of Intermediate Phase classrooms in four rural primary schools of the Free State Province. The course was a language intervention programme in an integrated district development project funded by the Flemish Government. The project was implemented from 2002 to 2004. The course was developed and implemented by Sacred Heart College Research and Development Unit in collaboration with the School of Languages of the North-West University. The course aimed at developing teachers' knowledge and skills in using learners' basic interpersonal communication skills in their home languages and in English to develop their English cognitive academic proficiency. It practically demonstrates communicative language teaching, co-operative learning and reflective practice. The evaluation of the English as LoLT Course explored the multiple perspectives of its evaluation audience; the interrelatedness of the course content and the learning milieu; planning, learner participation and assessment in Outcomes-based education (OBE), teaching practice, and the conceptual development and transfer of English in everyday communication and as the LoLT. The findings and recommendations of the study highlight the need to develop teachers' own English language usage and their participation in professional working groups to develop their knowledge and skills as facilitators, reflective practitioners, and curriculum developers. In addition, the study evaluates the Context Adaptive Model (Lynch, 1996; 2003) selected to guide the evaluation of the English as LoLT Course at a meta-evaluation level. The validation of the language programme evaluation model is mainly related to the epistemological claims of utilitarian pragmatism and interpretivism in programme evaluation research. The ability of the model to facilitate valid findings according to these epistemological claims in the evaluation of the English as LoLT Course is evaluated. Core criteria of flexibility, appropriateness, clarity of description and clarity of logic were identified and used to evaluate the language programme evaluation model. The findings and recommendations of the study attempt to offer a response to the need for quality assured language learning programmes in teacher development, especially for programmes in the use of English as a LoLT in the multilingual and multicultural rural context of South Africa. / Thesis (Ph.D. (English))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

This study evaluates a teacher development course on the use of English as the language of learning and teaching (LoLT). The course was developed and implemented in a sample of Intermediate Phase classrooms in four rural primary schools of the Free State Province. The course was a language intervention programme in an integrated district development project funded by the Flemish Government. The project was implemented from 2002 to 2004. The course was developed and implemented by Sacred Heart College Research and Development Unit in collaboration with the School of Languages of the North-West University. The course aimed at developing teachers' knowledge and skills in using learners' basic interpersonal communication skills in their home languages and in English to develop their English cognitive academic proficiency. It practically demonstrates communicative language teaching, co-operative learning and reflective practice. The evaluation of the English as LoLT Course explored the multiple perspectives of its evaluation audience; the interrelatedness of the course content and the learning milieu; planning, learner participation and assessment in Outcomes-based education (OBE), teaching practice, and the conceptual development and transfer of English in everyday communication and as the LoLT. The findings and recommendations of the study highlight the need to develop teachers' own English language usage and their participation in professional working groups to develop their knowledge and skills as facilitators, reflective practitioners, and curriculum developers. In addition, the study evaluates the Context Adaptive Model (Lynch, 1996; 2003) selected to guide the evaluation of the English as LoLT Course at a meta-evaluation level. The validation of the language programme evaluation model is mainly related to the epistemological claims of utilitarian pragmatism and interpretivism in programme evaluation research. The ability of the model to facilitate valid findings according to these epistemological claims in the evaluation of the English as LoLT Course is evaluated. Core criteria of flexibility, appropriateness, clarity of description and clarity of logic were identified and used to evaluate the language programme evaluation model. The findings and recommendations of the study attempt to offer a response to the need for quality assured language learning programmes in teacher development, especially for programmes in the use of English as a LoLT in the multilingual and multicultural rural context of South Africa. / Thesis (Ph.D. (English))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

The present dissertation is a corpus-based investigation of the frequency, structure and functions of lexical bundles in published scientific writing in English, whose main objective is the creation of an inventory of the most frequent and pedagogically useful lexical bundles in scientific prose, one that can be utilized in a variety of teaching applications. In this study, three- to six-word lexical bundles were extracted from a 1.3 million word sample from the Health Science Corpus, a collection of published articles in biology and biochemistry. This initial list was filtered and enhanced through the application of the Mutual Information (MI) statistic and of a set of exclusion criteria established to satisfy the pedagogical objectives of the study. Following the SciE-Lex investigation (Verdaguer et al., 2009) the remaining lexical bundles were grouped together using like keywords. The present study additionally used the concept of prototypical bundle, which is based on Sinclair’s (2004) notion of canonical units of meaning, to tackle the semantic and structural connections between similar bundles. The structural and functional characteristics of the lexical bundles were explored through careful concordance analysis, which made it possible to categorize the bundles using modified versions of Biber et al.’s (1999) structural framework and Hyland’s (2008a) functional taxonomy. These quantitative and qualitative analyses reveal how native expert writers employ recurrent word strings in the construction of a coherent, well-structured and convincing scientific text that conforms with the conventions of the genre. They bring to light the different functions that lexical bundles perform in scientific discourse, and how these functions enable writers to address their research concerns, achieve their communication goals and elicit the desired reaction from their target audience. They also show the typical structural realizations of these bundle functions, as well as important aspects of usage that non-native writers need to be aware of to be able to incorporate these expressions in their own writing. The study also compares the results obtained from the corpus of published scientific articles to the lexical bundles found in a smaller corpus of biomedical research articles written by native Spanish-speaking scientists, who are all non-native users of English. In accordance with the methodology proposed by Cortes (2004), the lexical bundles identified in the HSC were treated as target bundles and subsequently searched for and analyzed in the corpus of non-native writing. This comparison uncovered non-native writers’ overuse of certain bundles, a tendency that results in unnecessary repetitiveness and lack of variation, as well as their restricted use of participant- oriented bundles, which points to their limited awareness of the usage and importance of this particular function. The dissertation also discusses the pedagogical implications of its final product, a practical list of lexical bundles in scientific English for use in teaching applications, and how it addresses the six major challenges that hinder the successful introduction of lexical bundles in EAP classrooms and teaching materials, as identified by Byrd and Coxhead (2010). / La presente tesis es una investigación de la frecuencia, la estructura y las funciones de los “lexical bundle” en artículos científicos escritos en inglés, con la finalidad de crear un inventario de los “lexical bundle” más frecuentes y pedagógicamente rentables en la prosa científica, una lista que se puede utilizar en varias aplicaciones didácticas. La investigación empezó con la identificación de combinaciones léxicas de tres a seis palabras en una muestra del “Health Science Corpus” que contiene 1,3 millones de palabras. Después, se filtró la lista inicial con la aplicación de la estadística de la información mutua y de un conjunto de criterios de exclusión. Se organizó la lista a través de la agrupación de los “lexical bundle” mediante las palabras clave que tenían en común y la utilización del concepto de “prototypical bundle” o combinación prototípica (Sinclair, 2004), que permitió tratar las conexiones semánticas y estructurales entre los “lexical bundle” similares. Finalmente, se investigaron las características estructurales y funcionales de las combinaciones léxicas a través del análisis de listas de concordancia, lo que hizo posible clasificar los “lexical bundle” según versiones modificadas del marco estructural de Biber et al. (1999) y la taxonomía funcional de Hyland (2008). Los análisis cuantitativos y cualitativos revelan cómo los científicos nativos y con largas trayectorias de publicación científica, emplean combinaciones léxicas en la construcción de un texto científico coherente, bien estructurado y convincente que se ajusta a las convenciones del género. Ponen de relieve las distintas funciones que realizan las combinaciones léxicas en el discurso científico y muestran las típicas realizaciones estructurales de estas funciones. El estudio también compara los resultados obtenidos del “Health Science Corpus” a un corpus más pequeño de artículos de investigación biomédica escritos por científicos de habla española, que son todos usuarios no nativos de inglés. Esta comparación resaltó las diferencias entre los autores nativos y los no nativos, y permitió averiguar las dificultades que los científicos no nativos pueden tener en el uso de combinaciones léxicas, y cómo estas dificultades pueden abordarse en el aula de idiomas, así como en los materiales didácticos.

Submitted by Alison Vanceto (alison-vanceto@hotmail.com) on 2016-10-06T12:47:03Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DissNC.pdf: 1851887 bytes, checksum: 1793717dced91d0de8ed28eaabb39fe8 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marina Freitas (marinapf@ufscar.br) on 2016-10-20T18:52:37Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 DissNC.pdf: 1851887 bytes, checksum: 1793717dced91d0de8ed28eaabb39fe8 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marina Freitas (marinapf@ufscar.br) on 2016-10-20T18:52:47Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 DissNC.pdf: 1851887 bytes, checksum: 1793717dced91d0de8ed28eaabb39fe8 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-10-20T18:52:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DissNC.pdf: 1851887 bytes, checksum: 1793717dced91d0de8ed28eaabb39fe8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-02-10 / Não recebi financiamento / This research, of an interpretive and documentary nature, aims to analyze the reports that are produced by undergraduates of a Portuguese-Spanish Language Teaching Course, as a requirement for the subject Supervised Practicum in Foreign Language (observation and practice stages). The corpus of this study consists of reports written by undergraduates as part of the subject Supervised Practicum in Foreign Language of Portuguese-Spanish Language Teaching Courses in two universities in São Paulo State, a public one and a private one. The organization and analyses of data were done according to the analyses of categories (BURNS, 1999). As a theoretical background, we considered authors such as: Almeida Filho (1993; 1999; 2006; 2011); Alvares-Ortís (2006); Vieira-Abrahão (2001; 2002; 2006; 2007); Silva & Margonari (2005); Kfouri-Kaneoya (2003, 2008); Gileno (2013), among others. We assumed that the undergraduates of the Portuguese-Spanish Language Teaching Courses, when observing and teaching classes in regular schools, reflect on some aspects related to the language teaching/learning process (teacher, student, language skills, types of exercises, the content of classes, etc.) and describe their reflections and experiences in the reports they write by the end of the subject Supervised Practicum. Thus, by means of the reports written by the undergraduates, we sought the aspects that could support the following research questions: 1- What do undergraduates reveal in the reports they produce during the Supervised Practicum (observation and practice stages)? 2- Do the reports on the practice stage of Supervised Practicum indicate a consistent practice with the reflections made in the reports on the observation stage of Supervised Practicum? 3- Are there moments of theoretical and methodological reflection on the observation and the practice in the reports that relate to the studies of Applied Linguistics? When answering the research questions, despite consulting several theoretical texts, we noted in the reports that there are several problems in the stages of the Supervised Practicum that are not addressed in the publications consulted, such as the carelessness of some higher education institutions concerning the initial education of teachers and the difficulty of finding schools where the undergraduates are able to carry out the Supervised Practicum of some foreign languages, including Spanish. We also noticed that, depending on the institution, there are notable differences on how to conduct and record the Supervised Practicum stages, and that the expected reflection about the theoretical and methodological aspects, although not fully developed in all reports, can be perceived in some of them. Therefore, we tried to point out and justify the failures of the Supervised Practicum stages that we found in our corpus of research in order to contribute to the improvement in Supervised Practicum and hence to teacher education. / Esta investigación interpretativista y documental, analiza informes producidos por estudiantes brasileños de la carrera de Profesorado en Español como Lengua Extranjera durante su pasantía obligatoria, en la que realizan actividades de observación y práctica docente (asignatura: “Estágio Supervisionado de Língua Estrangeira”). La fundamentación teórica que ha direccionado esta investigación se basa en los estudios de Almeida Filho (1993; 1999; 2006; 2011); Alvares-Ortís (2006); Vieira-Abrahão (2001; 2002; 2006; 2007); Silva & Margonari (2005); Kfouri-Kaneoya (2003; 2008); Gileno (2013), entre otros. El corpus está formado por los informes recogidos en dos instituciones de enseñanza superior, una pública y otra privada, ubicadas en el interior del Estado de São Paulo (Brasil). La organización de los datos se hizo a través del análisis de categorías, basado en Burns (1999). A través de las informaciones obtenidas, se buscó contestar las siguientes preguntas de investigación: 1. ¿Qué revelan los estudiantes en los documentos producidos durante la pasantía obligatoria de observación y práctica docente? 2- ¿Los informes de las prácticas de regencia indican una práctica coherente con las reflexiones formuladas en los informes de pasantía de observación? 3- ¿Hay momentos de reflexión teórica y metodológica sobre la observación y la práctica en los informes que se conecten con los estudios de la Lingüística Aplicada? / Esta pesquisa de mestrado, cuja natureza é interpretativista e documental, pretende analisar relatórios que são produzidos por licenciandos em Letras com habilitação em Espanhol na disciplina obrigatória de Estágio Supervisionado de Língua Estrangeira (LE) (modalidades: observação e regência). O corpus desta pesquisa é formado por relatórios de estágio supervisionado obrigatório de duas instituições de ensino superior do interior paulista, uma pública e uma particular. A organização e análise dos dados foram feitas de acordo com a análise de categorias (BURNS, 1999). Como aporte teórico, nos baseamos em: Almeida Filho (1993; 1999; 2006; 2011); Alvares-Ortís (2006); Vieira-Abrahão (2001; 2002; 2006; 2007); Silva & Margonari (2005); Kfouri-Kaneoya (2003; 2008); Gileno (2013), dentre outros. Partimos do pressuposto de que os estagiários do curso de Licenciatura em Letras, ao observar aulas de professores regentes de escolas de ensino regular e ao ministrar aulas como estagiários em escolas, refletem sobre alguns aspectos ligados ao processo de ensino/aprendizagem de língua (papel do professor; papel do aluno; habilidades linguísticas; tipos de exercícios; conteúdo das aulas entre outros) e relatam suas reflexões e experiências nos relatórios e diários que produzem no final do Estágio Supervisionado Obrigatório. Desta forma, procuramos, a partir de tais relatos, buscar elementos que possam dar suporte às seguintes perguntas de pesquisa: 1- O que os estagiários revelam nos documentos que produzem durante o Estágio Supervisionado Obrigatório de observação e regência? 2- Os relatórios de Estágio Supervisionado de Regência indicam uma prática coerente com as reflexões feitas nos relatórios de Estágio Supervisionado de Observação? 3- Há nos relatórios momento de reflexão teórico-metodológica sobre a observação e a regência que se articulam com os estudos da Linguística Aplicada? Ao responder as perguntas de pesquisa, pesar da consulta a vários textos teóricos, na leitura dos relatórios, notamos que há vários problemas nos estágios supervisionados que não são abordados nas publicações consultadas, como, por exemplo, o descuido de algumas instituições de ensino superior com a formação inicial de professores e a dificuldade de encontrar escolas para realizar o estágio de algumas línguas estrangeiras, inclusive o espanhol, fato que detectamos nesta pesquisa. Notou-se que de acordo com a instituição, há diferenças notáveis quanto à forma de realizar e de registrar o estágio, sendo que a reflexão esperada quanto aos aspectos teóricos-metodológicos, apesar de não estar totalmente desenvolvida em todos os relatórios, pode ser percebida em parte deles. Por isso, procuramos apontar e justificar as falhas dos estágios que encontramos em nosso corpus de pesquisa para contribuir para uma melhora nos estágios e consequentemente para a formação de professores.

Cette recherche vise à analyser la communication pédagogique multimodale dans des mondes synthétiques (virtuels). L'étude se focalise sur le rapport entre le verbal et le non verbal et son rôle de soutien pour la production et la participation verbales en langue étrangère. Celui-ci est analysé dans une perspective socio-sémiotique de la multimodalité, dans le contexte d'une formation conduite dans le monde synthétique Second Life selon une approche Enseignement d'une Matière Intégré à une Langue Étrangère (Emile). La formation, 'Building Fragile Spaces' menée dans le cadre du projet européen ARCHI21 a été conçue pour des étudiants d'architecture dont la langue étrangère était soit le français soit l'anglais.Le rapport entre le verbal et le non verbal est examiné selon trois angles différents. Premièrement, le rôle du non verbal pendant une activité de construction collaborative est analysé au vu des opportunités offertes par des mondes synthétiques pour la co-création de l'environnement et pour la collaboration. A travers cette étude, nous nous demandons si l'utilisation du mode non verbal a un impact sur la participation des étudiants dans le mode verbal et si le rapport entre ces deux modes a une influence sur la production verbale. Deuxièmement, l'utilisation du non verbal pour la construction des identités est abordée et est considérée en rapport avec l'interaction et la participation verbale des étudiants dans la langue étrangère. Finalement, la recherche se concentre sur le rapport entre les modalités audio et clavardage dans le mode verbal. Plus particulièrement, l'étude s'intéresse au rôle du clavardage dans l'interaction puisqu'il est en compétition non seulement avec l'audio mais également avec plusieurs modalités non verbales. La possibilité d'utiliser le clavardage pour la rétroaction est également abordée.Cette thèse cherche à contribuer aux considérations méthodologiques exigées pour que la recherche concernant la communication pédagogique multimodale dans des mondes synthétiques puisse aller au-delà des exemples spéculatifs et anecdotiques. Une typologie de modalités verbales et non verbales est proposée. Elle sert à étendre une méthodologie proposée pour la transcription des interactions multimodales aux interactions possibles dans les mondes synthétiques. En vue de la problématique plus générale, dans les domaines des Sciences Humaines et des Sciences du Langage, il s'agit de rendre visibles et accessibles publiquement les données utilisées pour les analyses. En effet, cette étude se réfère à un corpus d'apprentissage dans son approche méthodologique. La construction d'un corpus structuré permet d'effectuer des analyses contextualisées des données recueillies lors de la formation 'Building Fragile Spaces'.Cette recherche propose quelques éléments de réponse concernant l'augmentation de la participation verbale en rapport avec l'organisation proxémique des étudiants, la customisation de l'apparence des avatars des étudiants et l'utilisation importante des actes non verbaux. Concernant la production verbale, l'étude décrit comment, dans le mode non verbal, le mouvement de l'avatar est employé en tant que stratégie pour surmonter des difficultés de communication dans le mode verbal. Ces difficultés concernent, en particulier, l'expression de la direction et de l'orientation. L'étude montre également l'intérêt d'utiliser le clavardage pour offrir de la rétroaction concernant la forme linguistique dans le but de soutenir la production verbale des apprenants dans la modalité audio. Au vu des résultats, l'étude propose quelques considérations concernant la conception des activités pédagogiques pour l'apprentissage des langues dans des mondes synthétiques. / This research focuses on multimodal pedagogical communication in synthetic (virtual) worlds. The study investigates the interplay between verbal and nonverbal interaction which supports verbal participation and production in a foreign language. This is analysed from a socio-semiotic perspective of multimodality within the context of a course held in the synthetic world Second Life, which adopted a Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach. The course, entitled 'Building Fragile Spaces', formed part of the European project ARCHI21. It was designed for higher education students of Architecture whose foreign language was either French or English.The interplay between verbal and nonverbal interaction is examined from three different angles. Firstly, considering the opportunities synthetic worlds offer for the co-creation of the environment through building activities and for collaboration, the role played by the nonverbal mode during a collaborative building activity is investigated. The study questions whether the use of the nonverbal mode impacts on the participation of students in the verbal mode, and whether any interplay exists between these two modes that influences verbal production. Secondly, use of the nonverbal mode by students in inworld identity construction is addressed and considered with reference to their verbal interaction, and participation, in the foreign language. Thirdly, the research concentrates upon interplay between the audio and textchat modalities in the verbal mode. More specifically, the focus is on whether the textchat plays a role during interaction, considering it is in competition not only with the audio modality but also with several nonverbal modalities; and on whether the textchat modality can serve for feedback provision on language form.This thesis seeks to contribute to the methodological considerations to allow research to move beyond speculative and anecdotal examples of multimodal pedagogical communication in synthetic worlds. A typology of nonverbal and verbal modalities is proposed, and then drawn upon, to extend a previous methodology suggested for multimodal transcription to interactions in synthetic worlds. Considering, within the fields of Social Sciences and Language Sciences, the more general research problem to render research data used for analyses visible and publically accessible, the study adopts a LEarning and TEaching Corpus (LETEC) methodological approach. Constituting a structured corpus allows for contextual analyses of the data collected during the 'Building Fragile Spaces' course.This research offers insights into how verbal participation increases with reference to the proxemic organisation of students, the customization of students' avatar appearance and an increased use of nonverbal acts. Concerning verbal production, the study shows how avatar movement in the nonverbal mode was used as a strategy to overcome verbal miscommunication when expressing direction and orientation and also the benefits of using the textchat modality for feedback on language form in order to support learners’ productions in the audio modality. In light of these results, the study suggests some considerations concerning the design of pedagogical activities for language learning within synthetic worlds.

No description available.

Este estudio presenta los resultados de una investigación que examina la efectividad del enfoque léxico como forma de instrucción explícita sobre la adquisición de la competencia léxica en aprendices de español como lengua extranjera. El estudio esta guiado por dos preguntas de investigación. La primera pregunta de investigación (PI 1) examina el impacto del enfoque léxico sobre la adquisición de la competencia léxica. La segunda pregunta de investigación (PI 2) examina si la efectividad del enfoque léxico en el grupo de alumnos examinados viene condicionada por las creencias de los participantes acerca de las estrategias empleadas en dicho método. La aplicación del enfoque léxico se basó en una propuesta pedagógica consistente en una unidad didáctica de creación propia. Se analizaron los datos obtenidos tanto de forma cuantitativa como cualitativa. Los resultados confirmaron empíricamente la validez del enfoque léxico como principio metodológico para adquirir la competencia léxica. Del mismo modo, se encontró una relación entre las creencias de los participantes y las estrategias de aprendizaje empleadas. / This paper reports the results of a study that examined the effectiveness of the lexical approach as a form of explicit instruction in relation to the acquisition of lexical competence in learners of Spanish as a foreign language. The study was guided by two research questions. The first question aimed to examine the impact of the lexical approach with regard to the lexical competence. The second question asked whether the effectiveness of the lexical approach was conditioned by the learner’s beliefs regarding the learning strategies inherent to the lexical approach. The lexical approach was applied by means of a lesson plan based on a self-created design. The data obtained was analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The results obtained empirically confirm the validity of the lexical approach as a methodological principle suitable for the teaching of lexical competence. Similarly, a relationship was found between the learner’s beliefs and the learning strategies they employed.

The purpose of this paper was to explore how grammar learning in the English as a second or foreign language classroom can be improved. Our aim was twofold: (1) to investigate the possible effect of implementing Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) on students’ grammar learning in the Swedish upper secondary level education, and (2) to find out what students’ attitudes are towards such an implementation and how it can impact student motivation. We analyzed and provided an overview of ten articles relating to the subject. The results showed that the use of MALL contributed to improved grammar learning when it was used as a tool to help students analyze and reflect upon specific exercises collaboratively and to help individuals do grammar exercises and tests with a formative purpose. However, the results also showed that MALL was not beneficial if only used as an educational or communicative tool. Lastly, the results showed that students overall had a positive attitude towards the use of MALL in education, despite experiencing some technical difficulties, and that the approach further motivated students’ will to learn. Based on the results, we argued that the use of MALL in the English language classroom coincided well with the guidelines of the curriculum and syllabus for English 5, and that, if used as recommended, MALL could help improve Swedish students’ English grammar learning and their motivation.