Ho Ki. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 141-145). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Background of the research --- p.4 / Chapter 2.1 --- Some principles of syntax --- p.4 / Chapter 2.2 --- The anatomy of the ergative construction in English --- p.6 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Properties of the ergative construction --- p.8 / Chapter 2.3 --- The anatomy of the passive construction in English --- p.10 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Properties of the passive construction --- p.11 / Chapter 2.4 --- Problems in learning the ergative construction --- p.12 / Chapter 2.5 --- Different approaches to the learning of English ergative construction --- p.16 / Chapter 2.5.1 --- Differences in L1 and L2 acquisition --- p.16 / Chapter 2.5.2 --- The Subset Principle and the learning of ergative construction --- p.19 / Chapter 2.5.3 --- The role of negative evidence in L2 acquisition --- p.20 / Chapter 2.6 --- Some theoretical issues in SLA --- p.22 / Chapter 2.6.1 --- Different kinds of knowledge in SLA --- p.23 / Chapter 2.6.2 --- """Focus on form"" VS ""Focus on forms"" type of instruction in SLA" --- p.25 / Chapter 2.6.3 --- The role of awareness in SLA --- p.26 / Chapter 2.6.4 --- The role of input in SLA --- p.27 / Chapter 2.6.5 --- The role of output in SLA --- p.32 / Chapter 2.7 --- Issues under investigation --- p.34 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Methodology --- p.37 / Chapter 3.1 --- Subjects --- p.38 / Chapter 3.2 --- Experimental Design --- p.38 / Chapter 3.3 --- Research instruments --- p.44 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Formal grammar teaching materials --- p.45 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- The interpretation task --- p.46 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- The production task --- p.49 / Chapter 3.3.4 --- The grammaticality judgement task --- p.50 / Chapter 3.3.4.1 --- The grammaticality judgement task in the pretest --- p.51 / Chapter 3.3.4.2 --- The grammaticality judgement task in the posttests --- p.54 / Chapter 3.3.5 --- Free production task --- p.56 / Chapter 3.4 --- Scoring Method --- p.57 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- The grammaticality judgement task --- p.57 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- The interpretation task and production task --- p.59 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- The free production task --- p.59 / Chapter 3.5 --- Statistical procedures --- p.60 / Chapter 3.6 --- Presentation of results --- p.62 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Results: Key findings --- p.64 / Chapter 4.1 --- Overall results --- p.66 / Chapter 4.2 --- Results by subtype of ergative --- p.69 / Chapter 4.3 --- Detailed results of grammaticality judgement task --- p.73 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Detailed results of the interpretation task groups (with grammar lesson) --- p.74 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Detailed results of the interpretation task group (with grammar lesson) compared with the mere interpretation task group --- p.79 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Detailed results of the production task groups --- p.81 / Chapter 4.3.4 --- Detailed results of the interpretation task group compared with the production task group --- p.84 / Chapter 4.4 --- Analysis of key findings of the grammaticality judgement tests --- p.86 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Differences between the treatment groups (the interpretation task group) and the other groups (the no task group and the control group) --- p.86 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Differences between the interpretation task group and the mere interpretation task group in the posttest --- p.88 / Chapter 4.4.3 --- Differences between the interpretation task group and the production task group in the second posttest --- p.89 / Chapter 4.5 --- Free production task results --- p.89 / Chapter 4.5.1 --- The free production task results of the interpretation task groups and the production task group --- p.90 / Chapter 4.5.2 --- The free production task results of the interpretation task group (with grammar instruction) compared with the production task group --- p.92 / Chapter 4.6 --- Summary --- p.92 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Results: Further observations --- p.95 / Chapter 5.1 --- The discrepancy in students' response towards the verbs which belong to the same verb category --- p.95 / Chapter 5.1.1 --- Paired ergatives (Judgement data) --- p.96 / Chapter 5.1.2 --- Paired ergatives (Error analysis) --- p.97 / Chapter 5.1.3 --- Unpaired ergatives (Judgement data) --- p.98 / Chapter 5.1.4 --- Unpaired ergatives (Error analysis) --- p.100 / Chapter 5.2 --- Failure of the students in learning the unpaired ergatives --- p.102 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Judgement data for unpaired ergatives --- p.102 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Error analysis for unpaired ergatives --- p.104 / Chapter 5.3 --- The treatment effects in School A and School B --- p.107 / Chapter 5.4 --- Results of the interpretation task and the production task --- p.111 / Chapter 5.5 --- Summary --- p.113 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Discussion --- p.115 / Chapter 6.1 --- The effect of the interpretation task (with grammar instruction) vs. the interpretation task (without grammar instruction) --- p.117 / Chapter 6.2 --- The effect of the production task --- p.119 / Chapter 6.3 --- The effect of interpretation task vs. the production task --- p.121 / Chapter 6.3.1 --- Students' performance in the grammaticality judgement task in the pretest-posttest comparisons --- p.121 / Chapter 6.3.2 --- Students' performance in the free production task in the posttest --- p.126 / Chapter 6.3.3 --- The role of the interpretation task in L2 acquisition --- p.128 / Chapter 6.4 --- Further observations --- p.131 / Chapter 6.4.1 --- Inconsistency of grammaticality judgement within a verb category --- p.131 / Chapter 6.4.2 --- The discrepancy in the performance of students in School A and School B --- p.132 / Chapter 6.4.3 --- The degree of difficulty of interpretation task VS. production task --- p.135 / Chapter 6.5 --- Limitations of the present study --- p.137 / Chapter 6.6 --- Summary of findings --- p.138 / Chapter 6.7 --- Conclusion --- p.139 / References --- p.141 / Appendix I Results tables for Chapter 4 and Chapter 5 --- p.1 / Appendix II The interpretation task --- p.12 / Appendix III The production task --- p.19 / Appendix IV Teaching material --- p.25 / Appendix V The grammaticality judgement task --- p.29 / Appendix VI The free production task --- p.32 / Appendix VII Results tables --- p.35 / Appendix VIII Mean scores of students in the grammaticality judgement tasks --- p.55

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a newly adapted treatment, Attentive Reading with Constrained Summarization-Written, to improve microlinguistic and macrolinguistic aspects of written and spoken discourse of people with mild aphasia. Background: Attentive Reading with Constrained Summarization-Written takes a top-down approach to language rehabilitation that focuses on the cognitive-linguistic processes required for spoken and written discourse production. Methods: Five people with mild aphasia received Attentive Reading with Constrained Summarization-Written across two single subject experimentally controlled pre-post treatment design studies. Results: All participants demonstrated improvement in both written and spoken discourse generalization measures. Improvement in functional communication, and confrontation naming was also observed for some participants. Conclusions: The results reported in these two studies provide preliminary evidence that Attentive Reading with Constrained Summarization-Written is a viable treatment option to improve both written and spoken discourse in people with mild aphasia. Participants demonstrated different pre-treatment profiles and mechanisms of improvement, which are discussed.

Orientador: Alessandra Del Ré / Banca: Renata Maria Facuri Coelho Marchezan / Banca: Cibele Krause-Lemke / Resumo: Esta pesquisa busca pensar a questão da constituição da subjetividade do aprendiz de inglês como língua estrangeira (LE), partindo da hipótese de que o aluno, no caso, adulto, ao se deparar com a língua alvo (LA), enfrenta um embate entre o que já está constituído em sua língua materna (constituição que se encontra também em constante modificação) e o novo, que vem atrelado à LE. Para realizar a pesquisa, partimos de uma perspectiva discursiva, baseada nas ideias do Círculo de Bakhtin (1976, 1981, 1997, 2006). Acreditamos que, ao entrar em contato com a nova língua/cultura, o aluno, enquanto sujeito que se constitui na linguagem, passa por uma série de deslocamentos identitários, constitutivos de sua subjetividade de base, os quais lhe permitem utilizar a outra língua. Na perspectiva dialógica e discursiva apresentada na pesquisa, refletimos sobre tais processos de deslocamento identitário, levando as contribuições bakhtinianas para a área de Aquisição de Linguagem, assim como para os estudos em aquisição/aprendizagem de LE. Analisamos, ao longo do trabalho, seis relatos escritos e cinco entrevistas de alunos adultos de inglês como LE, em situação formal de aprendizagem numa escola de idiomas da cidade de Americana, SP. Buscamos, nos discursos de tais alunos, indícios de sua subjetividade e da emergência identitária trazida pela língua estrangeira. As análises dos dados nos revela que a hipótese dos deslocamentos identitários é consistente, uma vez que flagramos, em alguns momentos da fala dos alunos e de seus relatos escritos, índices de tais movimentos de um domínio a outro e de mudanças de pontos de vista, dentro da linguagem e por meio dela / Abstract: This research aims to consider the issue of the subjectivity constitution of the adult learner of English as a foreign language, assuming that the adult learners, as they encounter the target language, they also face a conflict between what has already been established through their first language (what, in a way, is always changing and assuming new possibilities) and the new point of view, attached to the foreign language. We lead the research according to a discursive point of view, based on the ideas of Bakhtin and his Circle (1976, 1981, 1997, 2006). We believe that in contact with the new language/culture, the student, as a subject that is constituted in and through the language, has to go through a series of identity movements, which allow them to use the other language. In the discursive and dialogical perspective presented on this work, we look at these processes of identity movements, bringing the bakhtinian point of view to the Language Acquisition field as well as to the studies on Second Language Learning. In this research, we analyze six written reports and five interviews of adults learners of English as a foreign language, from a formal learning process in a language school in Americana, SP (Brazil). We aim to show, in the speech of such students, evidences of their subjectivity and the emergence of a new identity, linked to the foreign language. The data analysis reveals that the hypothesis of the identity movement is consistent, since it is possible to recognize traits of changes of point of view in the considered speeches / Mestre

This thesis reports a study which explores the application of scaffolds in genre-informed approach to Second Language (L2) writing performance. Drawing on the genre-based pedagogy (Rose, 2010) and sociocultural perspective, it is argued that Hong Kong students with low English proficiency (LEP) would benefit on the writing performance from the application of genre-based scaffolds. Several principles from the research literature have been tried out in this study: designing high-support, genre- and move-specific scaffolding tasks through genre analysis, message amplification instead of message simplification, use of multiple resources including visuals, graphic organizers and L1 resources (Gibbons, 2009). / Specifically the study focuses on the evaluation of the application of scaffolds in genre-informed approach to second language (L2) writing performance as well as the design of scaffolds in genre-informed approach in the school-based teaching materials. / A case study approach was adopted in this study. An instructional programme with teaching materials designed with scaffolds in genre-informed approach was conducted in a Hong Kong secondary school which admits mostly low achieving students with low English proficiency. References were drawn from documents such as official English curriculum and assessment guidelines as well as from local English textbooks. The application of scaffolds in genre-informed approach to L2 writing was examined through students’ writing performance, students and teachers’ perceptions and change in affective outcomes towards the instructional programme as well as the design of scaffolds in the teaching materials. Data collection methods included both quantitative and qualitative data. The quantitative data included different writing performance measures as well as responses to questionnaires, while the qualitative data were collected from semi-structured interviews with students and their English teachers. / The findings show that the application of scaffolds in genre-informed approach is positive, and students have some improvement on their writing performance. The findings also show that a high-support instructional programme and writing curriculum can help students with low English proficiency, and limited support and exposure to English to build confidence, skills, and genre-specific knowledge to cope with writing tasks in the English writing examinations by improving their writing performance. The implications of the study will be discussed with a view to developing localized genre-informed approach to students and teachers facing similar challenges in Chinese school contexts in Hong Kong. / 本教育課程教育博士論文旨在探討推行第二語言（L2）語體寫作教學法與運用鷹架作用之關係。借鑒於語體教學法 (Rose, 2010) 及相關之社會文化觀點，本研究個案認為在推行第二語言語體寫作教學法時若能同時運用鷹架作用 (Bruner, 1984)，能讓香港的低英語水平學生有效改善寫作表現。此外，本研究個案實踐並驗證了數項鷹架作用帶來的果效，透過分析語體，擴展學生的學習訊息以免造成過於疏漏，應用多樣化資源如視覺效果、圖像式思考輔助工具及第一語言資源等，來設計高度支援、具語體特性及文步的支架 (Gibbons, 2009)。 / 本論文之研究個案特別著重檢視語體寫作教學法與應用鷹架作用之關係，評估此教學法與鷹架作用能否有效提高低英語水平學生的第二語言寫作表現，以及其相關之課程教學材料的設計。 / 本論文研究採用個案研究方法。研究者設計了一個以語體寫作教學法與應用鷹架作用的教學方案，並於其中香港一所中學試行，對象均為低英語水平的學生。除以語體寫作教學法與應用鷹架作用為學術理論基礎外，試行的教學方案亦參考了相關的香港教育政策文件及教材。研究個案中為了檢討及驗證語體寫作教學法與鷹架作用的果效，利用了多項資料如學生的寫作成績及表現、學生和教師對教學計劃的觀感和課後轉變，以及在設計教材支架等作參考。數據收集方法包括質性數據和定量數據收集方法。定量數據包括採取不同的寫作表現評鑑指標，以及問卷回應，而定性數據則來自與學生和其英語老師的半結構式訪談內容。 / 研究調查結果顯示，應用於語體寫作教學法的鷹架支援具正面影響，而學生的寫作表現從而能得以改善。調查結果亦顯示，高支援的教學計劃和寫作課程能幫助一些英語水平低、欠缺英語學習支援與接觸英語機會少的學生。透過增強學生的信心、寫作技巧以及與語體相關知識，期盼學生能夠應付香港中學文憑考試的英語寫作考試卷。最後，為提升低英語水平學生的第二語言寫作表現，以及讓面對相類情況與困難的私立學校與教師另闢蹊徑，本教育課程教育博士論文討論並提倡應用發展一些具本土文化的語體寫作教學法與其鷹架作用。 / Cheung, Chui Ling. / Thesis Ed.D. Chinese University of Hong Kong 2014. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 374-409). / Abstracts also in Chinese; some appendixes includes Chinese. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on 17, October, 2016). / Cheung, Chui Ling. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only.

Thesis (M.A. (Translation Studies and Linguistics)) --University of Limpopo, 2013 / Refer to the document

This qualitative study is introduced through a discussion of peer response groups and the researcher's interest in them. The guiding question of whether peer response groups are as useful for teaching writing ESOL classrooms as in first language classrooms is stated along with supplementary research questions. These are fol lowed by a review of relevant theories and summaries of peer response group hi story, social and cultural factors, and research done on peer response groups in first and additional language classrooms.

Long-term studies with both native and non-native speakers of English have shown that vocabulary can be learned passively or "incidentally" simply through the act of reading, even through reading for pleasure. Generally, studies of incidental vocabulary learning have tested subjects' knowledge of words learned after reading novels or other longer works of prose fiction. Eighty-four students from a short-term ESL program participated as subjects in this study. Subjects were divided into three treatment groups and one control group. All subjects were given a 100-i tern word-recognition pretest, containing 45 test words and 55 dis tractors. The three treated groups were each given three treatments meant to increase their vocabulary knowledge: Vocabulary exercises alone, short story reading alone, and a combination of vocabulary exercises and short story reading (using a short story which contained the words taught in the exercises). Fifteen of the 45 test words were taught under each treatment. All subjects were then given a 45-item multiple-choice post-test, testing the 45 vocabulary words taught in the three treatments. It was hypothesized that story-reading alone would produce the highest gains between pre- and post-test scores, exercises and story together would produce median scores, and exercises alone would produce the lowest scores. Analysis of the data revealed a much different pattern: Story-reading alone actually produced the lowest score gains, while the two treatments involving exercises produced gains that were similarly high. Apparently, vocabulary exercises combined with a short story provided the extra context and practice the subjects needed to learn those words better than did story reading alone. Vocabulary exercises alone produced better scores than story reading alone perhaps because the subjects were accustomed to the task of learning vocabulary words through exercises, and because the task (learning words) was obvious. The subjects were probably not accustomed to learning words simply through reading stories, nor was the task of learning words obvious in that case. Thus, given the special parameters of this study and its subjects, score gains were lowest on the treatment that was expected to produce the highest gains.

Thesis (M.ED.) --University of Limpopo, 2010 / This study was intended to investigate how teacher discourse moves influence comprehensibility of language content by the English First Additional Language (EFAL) learner and promote active participation by the learner in classroom interaction. The research is a Case Study which was conducted at a primary school in the Greater Sekhukhune District in Limpopo Province The Qualitative research approach was applied in the Case Study since the research is concerned with experience as it is lived ‘or felt’ or ‘undergone’ by participants. the key concern of this research is understanding the phenomenon of interest, from the participants’ perspectives, not the researcher’s. The situation in most Black schools is that first of all, teachers who teach English First Additional Language (EFAL) are not first speakers of English themselves. Secondly, learners have a problem of acquiring information through English as an additional language hence the question of comprehensibility of English language content. Teachers and especially learners are de-motivated as they lose interest in what goes on in Englishclassroom interaction due to the comprehensibility of English First Additional Language content As participant observer the researcher in this study concludes that the use of discourse moves by the teacher in classroom interaction enables the learner to comprehend the language content. Also that the teacher’s code-switching and code-mixing into the learners’ home language develops not only comprehensibility of EFAL language content but most of all promotes active learner participation in classroom interaction. This in turn helps the teacher to achieve the desired learning outcomes.

Thesis (MA. (Translation Studies and Linguistics)) --University of Limpopo, 2014 / This research looks at the perceptions of parents and teachers about the learning and teaching of Setswana. It looks at Setswana not only as a subject but also as a first language that learners speak at home. It is said that learners have a negative attitude about learning their mother tongue, so this study aims at looking whether parents and teachers are indeed aware of this attitude o if there is an attitude at all. It also intend to indicate whether parents and teacher have a way of discouraging these learners about learning their mother tongues. Since English is seen as the most prestigious language parents may feel that their learners have to be competent in English or they will not achieve much or anything. As teachers teach the language that learners do not appreciate, how do they deal with discouraged learners? Most of all it plans to demonstrate and/or advice learners, parents and teachers about the importance of learning mother tongue in school especially now that they are in high school where by they are capable of making decision about what future path do they want to take. The research tools that are used are questionnaires and interviews. There is a selected number of parents and teachers that will participate. The teachers will answer questionnaires while parents will be interviewed. The data will be analyzed textually also with the help of the SPSS software. The data will be analyzed and interpreted as what they mean for the research and how they have helped that study as a whole and also how they can help further studies if there are any. This study aims to reach the department of education so that maybe they can be able to revise the curriculum of Setswana or maybe change the content. Most importantly it intends to show learners that mother tongue is not a dead end as they make it out to be. They may be as successful with language as they can be with other professions.

Thesis (M.A. (Translation and Linguistics Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2013 / This research looks at the perceptions of parents and teachers about the learning and teaching of Setswana. It looks at Setswana not only as a subject but also as a first language that learners speak at home. It is said that learners have a negative attitude about learning their mother tongue, so this study aims at looking whether parents and teachers are indeed aware of this attitude o if there is an attitude at all. It also intend to indicate whether parents and teacher have a way of discouraging these learners about learning their mother tongues. Since English is seen as the most prestigious language parents may feel that their learners have to be competent in English or they will not achieve much or anything. As teachers teach the language that learners do not appreciate, how do they deal with discouraged learners? Most of all it plans to demonstrate and/or advice learners, parents and teachers about the importance of learning mother tongue in school especially now that they are in high school where by they are capable of making decision about what future path do they want to take. The research tools that are used are questionnaires and interviews. There is a selected number of parents and teachers that will participate. The teachers will answer questionnaires while parents will be interviewed. The data will be analyzed textually also with the help of the SPSS software. The data will be analyzed and interpreted as what they mean for the research and how they have helped that study as a whole and also how they can help further studies if there are any. This study aims to reach the department of education so that maybe they can be able to revise the curriculum of Setswana or maybe change the content. Most importantly it intends to show learners that mother tongue is not a dead end as they make it out to be. They may be as successful with language as they can be with other professions.