This study investigated the linguistic, affective, and intercultural outcomes of a four-week study abroad program for Korean teachers of English offered through a U.S. southwestern university. In an effort to understand better what the 42 participants experienced during their study abroad, mixed methods including quantitative and qualitative data analysis, were used. To measure the participants‟ linguistic development, pretest and posttest measures of Listening, Reading, Structure, Speaking, and Writing were administered by the study abroad program. Also, participants responded to Self- Assessment questionnaires developed by the National Language Service Corps that asked them to assess the degree to which their reading, speaking, and listening had improved. The participants‟ daily journal entries were collected throughout the program, and some of the participants were interviewed at the beginning, at the middle, and at the end of the program on a volunteer basis. For the quantitative data analysis, the pretest and posttest scores of each measure were statistically compared by using MANOVA with follow-up ANOVA tests. Except for the reading scores, the other four measures showed significant improvement from pretest to posttest. For the Self-Assessment questionnaire, most participants checked only a few items as having improved. Interestingly, a few perceived that they had become less able to do some of the listening and speaking items over the program. These findings can be explained as resulting from overestimation before this program or as a result of increase in self-monitoring processes during the program. Through the constant comparison method (Strauss & Corbin, 1998), four themes emerged from analysis of the qualitative data. First, many participants were motivated to improve their English proficiency and increase authentic contacts with local people, with various sources shaping their motivation. Second, they increased their awareness of cultural and linguistic differences between the United States and Korea. Third, some participants showed a feeling of resistance to the dominant culture represented by native English-speaking instructors of the program. Fourth, at the end of the program, many showed improved intercultural competence. Results provide some theoretical, methodological, pedagogical, and policy implications for study abroad researchers, participants, and program instructors. / text

This thesis describes an investigation into the capacity of foreign language (FL) teachers in Scottish secondary schools to make the target foreign language the sole or main means of communication with their pupils in the formal setting of the FL lesson. In the first part of the thesis, the reasons why FL teachers should behave in this way are explored. Relevant sociolinguistic and psycholinguistic theories are first discussed, together with their implications for FL teaching methodology. Contextual factors thought likely to influence the extent to which British FL teachers would be either willing or able to make the target language the medium of classroom communication are then reviewed. These have to do with a) the nature of the classroom as a social and sociolinguistic setting, and b) FL teachers' linguistic competence and beliefs about the nature of teaching and learning. Existing research on FL classroom interaction, and in particular on structural and functional characteristics of teacher FL talk, is also reviewed. The second part of the thesis reports an empirical study of the classroom talk of a group of teachers committed to the 'communicative approach' to FL teaching. These teachers' classroom use of French (the target FL) and English is described at several levels of detail, notably that of the teaching! learning activity and of the pedagogic move. Structural characteristics of teacher talk are also studied. Special attention is given to teachers' classroom management talk, and it is argued that the choice of French for this purpose is critical for enhancing pupils' experience of message-oriented target language use. comparison is made between the language use patterns of teachers characterised as 'High' and 'Low FL Users'; and an account is given of the discourse strategies which appear necessary to sustain high levels of FL use.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

D.Phil. / With the demise of apartheid and the ushering in of a new political dispensation, many changes have taken place in South Africa. The field of education, which was one of the most volatile areas of concern for the apartheid regime and has been described by some academics at the University of Natal as being a miasmic morass marked by systemic crisis, has been quick to purge itself of some of its apartheid legacies. For instance, to offset the harmful effects of the 'Bantu Education Act', a new school curriculum - Curriculum 2005- has been introduced. It is hoped by the education authorities that Curriculum 2005, which has its roots in Outcomes-based Education (OBE) and an accompanying pedago91 based on a constructivist methodology, will help considerably in preparing students adequately for the challenges of adulthood. This is something that has hitherto been denied them by the obnoxious 'Bantu Education Act'. This study is undertaken on the premise that without being able to crawl, a child cannot walk, let alone run. Against this background, teachers should first of all undergo an intensive re-training programme to bring their knowledge and competency levels to acceptable standards. It is only after this, that they can be eased into the otherwise complex, contradictory and sometimes unintelligible concepts being branded as OBE. Without this, there would be a case of 'tissue rejection' or the proverbial 'the body is willing but the spirit is weak' as teachers would not be able to cope with the demands of Curriculum 2005. The focus of this study is particularly on the (English) language teacher, whose task has been made all the more difficult by the constitutional stipulation that eleven of the languages spoken in the Republic of South Africa should be considered as official languages - an unnecessary drain on the fragile economy. Besides, as there is no clear-cut directive from the national Department of Education, English language teachers are faced with a situation in which they do not know which variety of English to teach. The problem is further compounded by the obvious lack of training for the teachers in second language teaching techniques and their own communication competence. Teachers in rural areas are the worse hit, as they are not exposed to any of the advances in modern technology, which could easily compensate for their inadequacies. The study postulates that until serious attempts are made to remedy and solve such problems, the introduction of Curriculum 2005 and/or any other curriculum innovations will be an exercise in futility. The investigation conducted to examine this claim has delivered findings that support this claim. It has also shown that the sample of teachers drawn from a rural population have little linguistic awareness, limited competence in English and practise a pedagogy that borders on a fraudulent use of so-called 'OBE techniques', without sufficient knowledge and/or understanding.

M.Ed. (Teaching Language) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Previous research indicates that former schooling is an important factor to shape teachers' beliefs about teaching; teachers change the way they teach when their beliefs about foreign language teaching change. However, little research has discovered direct evidence concerning the processes that effect change in teacher beliefs. This study investigated the relationship between teachers' pedagogical paradigms and practices in Chinese language classrooms. Specifically, a qualitative analysis of educated teachers born in China examined how early pedagogical frames were formed, and then transformed in the context of American classrooms. Results of this study indicate that early schooling, language learning, and initial teaching experiences have a powerful effect on Chinese teachers' epistemological beliefs and pedagogical practices. Indeed, embedded and unexamined beliefs can inhibit effective teaching of Chinese language and lead to traditional behaviorist-centered learning approaches. However, these data indicate that critical reflection on preconceptions, beliefs, values, principles, and practices can become a precursor for constructivist and transformational Chinese language teaching and learning. The Lin Transformational Teaching and Professional Development Model demonstrates how traditional Chinese language approaches can be transformed into more effective epistemological and pedagogical strategies through assessment and reframing, consideration of cultural contexts, incorporation of diversity, and inclusion of continual professional reflection. Implications of the Lin Model to increase teacher competence and learner proficiency are recommended in four areas (individual professional development, collaborative professional development, teacher training programs, and students of Chinese) and are applicable to three different types of departments: foreign languages and literatures, applied linguistics, and education.

Orientador: Marilda do Couto Cavalcanti / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Estudos da Linguagem / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-20T05:14:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Patel_SamimaAmade_D.pdf: 1971313 bytes, checksum: 6760c5646819060d63bbbf79037ec703 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Resumo: O presente estudo é o resultado de uma pesquisa qualitativa, com um viés etnográfico interpretativo (ERICKSON, 1982; MASON, 1997), situada na Linguística Aplicada em sua vertente INdisciplinar (MOITA LOPES, 2006) e transgressiva (PENNYCOOK, 2006), com atenção particular em contextos de minorias (MAHER 1997, 2006) ou minoritarizados (CAVALCANTI, 1999, 2006), bem como no contexto sociolinguístico moçambicano (LOPES 2004). A pesquisa focaliza os posicionamentos dos formandos do II Curso da Licenciatura em "Ensino de Línguas Bantu" da Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, em Moçambique e nos Institutos de Formação de Professores, com base nas disciplinas de "Didáctica de Ensino de Línguas Bantu e Metodologias de Educação bilingue" e "Estágio". O trabalho busca sustentação teórica nos Estudos Culturais (BHABHA, 1994; CAVALCANTI, 2007, 2011; HALL, 1992, 1999; MAHER, 1998, 2007; WOODWARD, 2009; SILVA, 2009) e Estudos Poscoloniais (APIAH, 1997; BHABHA, 1994; CAVALCANTI, 2007, 2011; LOOMBA, 1998; MENEZES DE SOUZA, 2004; SOUSA SANTOS, 2004). No concernente ao posicionamento, a tese sustenta-se em teorias sobre o posicionamento interaccional (MOITA LOPES, 2009; WORTHAM, 2001) e posicionamentos marcados como ideológicos (BORBA, 2011; MOITA LOPES, 2009). Neste estudo opero numa visão de linguagem dialógica e discursiva e no reconhecimento do bilinguismo e educação bilingue (CAVALCANTI, 1999, 2011; GARCIA, 2009; MAHER, 1998, 2006; ROMAINE, 1995) e, ainda, do letramento/literacia e e-letramento/e-literacia como práticas sociais específicas (BARTON, 2006; CAVALCANTI, 2001; FREIRE, 2002; HORNBERGER, 2003; MARTIN-JONES, 2010; STREET, 1984, 2003). Tendo os Fóruns de Discussão em ambiente virtual como foco principal da análise procedi à investigação dos posicionamentos dos participantes em seu processo de formação, visando responder a questão norteadora do estudo: "Como os participantes da pesquisa se posicionam interaccionalmente no processo pedagógico de sua formação como formadores de professores de educação bilingue?" Para isso foram escolhidos, para a análise, os seguintes temas vistos como importantes na sua formação: (a) bilinguismo e educação bilingue, (b) cultura, identidade, diferença e (c) pragmatismo profissional. Os resultados mostram que, na transição entre as aulas presenciais, o ambiente virtual e o estágio pedagógico, os participantes da pesquisa, especialmente os alunos, transitam entre posicionamentos críticos ou de aceitação, ideologicamente marcados como étnicos/linguísticos/culturais ou marcados como unidade nacional, na maioria das vezes, relacionados ao contexto moçambicano e indo além do contexto educacional. Assim, no que se refere a bilinguismo e educação bilingue há questionamento sobre hipóteses de ensino em contexto bilingue, principalmente, em relação a conceitos tais como bilinguismo equilibrado e semilinguismo, políticas linguísticas e direitos linguísticos. Quanto a cultura, identidade e diferença há tensões críticas pessoais, interétnicas e institucionais fortemente colocadas. No concernente a profissionalização há uma busca de espaço de trabalho legitimado por políticas linguísticas favoráveis às línguas Bantu e à educação bilingue / Abstract: This study is the result of a qualitative research, under an ethnographic interpretative perspective (ERICKSON; 1982; MASON, 1997) set on INdisciplinary (MOITA LOPES, 2006), and transgressive Applied Linguistics (PENNYCOOK, 2006), with especial attention to minority (MAHER, 1997; 2006), or minoritisized contexts (CAVALCANTI, 1999; 2006), as well as Mozambican sociolinguistic context (LOPES, 2004). The research focuses on positioning of those graduating in the II Teaching Course on Bantu Languages, offered by the University Eduardo Mondlane in Mozambique and the Teachers' Training Institutes, based on data collected at the subjects: Bantu Languages Teaching Didactics and Bilingual Education Methodology, and Supervised Internship. This study designs its theoretical basis on Cultural Studies (BHABHA, 1994; CAVALCANTI, 2007; 2011; HALL, 1992; 1999; MAHER, 1998, 2007; WOODWARD, 2009, SILVA, 2009), and postcolonial studies (APIAH, 1997; BHABHA, 1994; CAVALCANTI; 2007, 2011; LOOMBA; 1998; MENEZES DE SOUZA, 2004; SOUSA SANTOS, 2004). Concerning its point of view, the dissertation is based on theories about interactional positioning (MOITA LOPES, 2009; WORTHAM, 2001), and those positioning marked as ideological (BORBA, 2011; MOITA LOPES, 2009). I carry out this study under a dialogical and discursive view of language, and the recognition of Bilingualism and bilingual education (CAVALCANTI, 1999, 2011; GARCIA, 2009; MAHER, 1998; 2006; ROMAINE; 1995), as well as literacy and e-literacy as specific social practices (BARTON, 2006; CAVALCANTI, 2001; FREIRE, 2002; HORNBERGER, 2003; MARTIN-JONES, 2010; STREET, 1984, 2003). Virtual Discussion Forums were the main target for analysis, and the investigation of participants on training process was carried out in order to answer the study's guiding question: How do the study participants set their positioning, in interactional terms, on pedagogical process of their own apprenticeship as Bilingual Education Teacher Trainers? The topics chosen for analysis, regarded as important to their training process were (a) bilingualism and bilingual education; (b) culture, identity, difference; and (c)professional pragmatism. Results showed that participants, on the transition between classes, virtual environment, and pedagogical internship, especially those ones finishing the course, ranged from critical positioning to those of acceptation, ideologically marked as ethnic/linguistic/cultural, or marked as national unity, mostly related to Mozambican context and going beyond educational context, Thus, concerning bilingualism and bilingual education, there is questioning about teaching in bilingual context hypotheses, mainly about concepts such as balanced bilingualism and semilingualism, linguistic politics and linguistic rights. Regarding culture, identity, and difference, there are strongly set personal, interethnic, and institutional conflicts. Concerning professional perspectives, there is a pursuit for working opportunities legitimated by language policies favorable to Bantu languages and bilingual education / Doutorado / Multiculturalismo, Plurilinguismo e Educação Bilingue / Doutor em Linguística Aplicada

Orientador: Maria Helena Vieira-Abrahão / Banca: Maximina Maria Freire / Banca: Adriana de Carvalho Kuerten Dellagnelo / Banca: Marta Lúcia Kfouri-Kaneoya / Banca: Araguaia Solange de Souza Roque / Resumo: Baseando-se na necessidade de compreender a formação inicial de professores de línguas no e para o contexto virtual a partir da constituição de uma comunidade de prática (CdP), a presente pesquisa objetivou investigar os recursos humanos, metodológicos e tecnológicos que foram utilizados por uma professora-mediadora e por professores em formação inicial na configuração de uma CdP e se e como estes recursos possibilitaram o desenvolvimento de uma prática reflexiva por parte dos envolvidos. O referencial teórico que fundamentou este trabalho foram as pesquisas sobre formação pré-serviço de professores na contemporaneidade sob uma perspectiva sociocultural, CdP e formação tecnológica do professor. Para realizar essa pesquisa qualitativa de cunho etnográfico, contamos com a participação de seis brasileiros professores-aprendizes de italiano como LE e uma professora-mediadora formadora de professores de uma universidade pública do interior paulista. O contexto de investigação foram as sessões de mediação realizadas por meio do chat do Windows Live Messenger, de encontros presenciais, do uso de videoconferência do aplicativo Oovoo e por meio do ambiente wikispaces (wiki). Essas sessões configuraram-se como uma prática coletiva e um ambiente propício para o desenvolvimento de uma CdP, em que se buscava abordar questões vinculadas à experiência prática dos professores-aprendizes enquanto professores de sua língua materna e aprendizes de língua estrangeira. Os resultados obtidos, a partir da triangulação dos dados e das perspectivas, mostraram que o uso de instrumentos e ambientes tecnológicos e dos recursos humanos, metodológicos e tecnológicos constituíram um verdadeiro habitat tecnológico que serviu de base para o desenvolvimento da CdP, em que se buscava instigar o desenvolvimento... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Based on the need to understand the initial education of language teachers in and for virtual context through the settlement of a community of practice (CoP), the present study aimed to investigate the human, technological and methodological resources that were used by a mediator and teachers in initial education in the setting of a CoP and whether and how these resources enabled the development of reflective practice on the part of those involved. The theoretical basis that underpinned this work was contemporary research on pre-service education of teachers from a sociocultural perspective, CoP and teacher technology training. To accomplish this qualitative ethnographic research, we had the participation of six Brazilian teachers-learners of Italian as a foreign language and one mediator teacher educator at a public university in São Paulo. The research context were the mediation sessions conducted through chat on Windows Live Messenger, face to face meetings, use of videoconferencing at Oovoo and through wikispaces (wiki). These sessions represented a collective practice and an environment conducive to the development of a CoP, as they sought to address issues related to the practical experience of teachers-learners as teachers of their mother tongue and foreign language learners. The results obtained from the triangulation of data and perspectives showed that the use of technological tools and environments and human, methodological and technological resources represented a real technological habitat that served as the basis for the development of the CoP, which sought to encourage the development of reflective practice. The characteristics of the tools and environments used to perform the mediations were instrumental in determining their use or the continuity of use by community members, as well... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

An intrinsic case study was conducted to understand what helps Early Care and Education (ECE) English as a Second Language (ESL) students to enroll in a customized ECE ESL course at a local state college and what barriers may hinder their success in the course. This research examined whether the following were either motivators or barriers or both in ECE ESL participants enrolling in an ECE ESL customized course: course design and delivery, student support systems, student self-motivation, student self- efficacy, time and schedule commitment, instructor and student relationship, availability of resources, and level of classroom involvement. The results revealed that the students were highly motivated to enroll and complete the course successfully. Across the board, there was (1) a sense of gratitude from the participants for being afforded an opportunity to learn the English language, (2) evidence of knowledge of their future goals, and (3) their knowledge that learning English was their first step in achieving their goals. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

The purpose of this study was to examine preservice teachers' (PSTs) perceptions regarding their knowledge of the English as a Second Language (ESOL) domains as suggested in the Florida Teacher Standards for English as a Second Language Endorsement (FTSEE), their beliefs regarding the types of assessments and assignments that provided them with the best method of understanding the ESOL domains, and other factors they perceived as influencing their understanding. This mixed methods study collected both quantitative (survey) and qualitative (interview) data. Study participants were elementary education majors enrolled in an ESOL infused program model. Findings from the study indicated that PSTs had an overall understanding of the ESOL domains and were prepared to incorporate a wide variety of instructional strategies and methods into their lesson plans. While culturally competent, they had not yet developed the understanding of how to take an advocacy approach to empower their students in both the school and community. While some PSTs demonstrated a basic understanding of the components of oral language and literacy development in ELLs, many had not yet obtained an in-depth understanding of the specific language thresholds at each language proficiency level nor understanding of the grammatical and linguistic complexities of spoken and written English. These findings imply that further development is needed so that PSTs are better prepared in the following competencies: the ability to write language objectives across the content areas based on the output of oral and written language; the ability to select the appropriate instructional strategies, curriculum, and materials based on language proficiency levels; and the ability to interpret and make informed decisions based on ELLs' assessment results. PSTs valued assignments and activities that allowed them to integrate their own knowledge base into scenarios that might actually occur when they become teachers, or reflected scenarios encountered in teaching situations. They valued opportunities to observe and work with ELLs in the field and desired more opportunities to work with a larger variety of language proficiency levels and ages. Outside influences such as jobs, own school experiences, knowledge of another language, and societal interactions also contributed to their ESOL knowledge. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection