Teaching Arabic as foreign language is a fairly new field of study, particularly in Western Universities. The aim of this thesis is to discuss one aspect of this field by concentrating on text-book analysis and evaluation. In carrying out this task we have formulated a set of questions to serve as parameters in the collection and analysis of data relevant to this task (appendix II). The subject of this practical study is vol. 1, entitled "Arabic for Beginners" of a series of books used for teaching Arabic to foreign adults at the Arabic Language Institute. Our study utilises a number of notions and considerations which are applicable to text-book analysis and evaluation generally. In Appendix I we deal with some of these points in an attempt to specify the theoretical dimension presupposed by our practical analysis. The thesis contains two main parts:- the theoretical part which deals with different aspects belonging to the teaching of Arabic as a foreign language, including the characteristics of the Arabic language and the teaching of sounds, vocabulary, constructions, and culture. The practical part, on the other hand, is concerned with the practical application and the outcome of the analysis of the text-book in terms of a set of criteria which may have applicability outside the immediate realm of Arabic foreign language teaching. The thesis contains four chapters. Chapter one deals with the characteristics of the Arabic language and its importance as a foreign language; it also concentrates on the objectives of Arabic language teaching as well as on the problem of syllabus design in relation to this language. Chapter two gives a general outline of the institutes and the materials of teaching Arabic as a foreign language in Saudi Arabia. Chapter three deals with the importance of sounds, vocabulary, constructions and culture, paying attention to their place in the text-book of teaching Arabic as a foreign Language. Chapter four sets out the results of applying the criteria of text-book evaluation to the book under investigation, pointing out its positive and negative features in the areas of sounds, vocabulary, constructions and culture.

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to determine the extent to which an Afrikaans language textbook series acted as a change agent in terms of racial representation on the eve of democracy in South Africa. Data sources for the content analysis are press reports, parliamentary records and interviews with the publisher, the authors and leading academics. The contextualisation includes an explanation of how the authors of the Ruimland series were the first to intentionally break away from the apartheid perspective. The literature study comprises an explication of the master symbol model which serves as theoretical framework for this study. Influential issues in the literature on textbooks, representation, language and identity are also described. The main focus is on the three master symbols relevant to the study, which are presented as indicators of racial stereotyping, viz. the exclusivity and isolation of the in-group, appropriation and generalising and simplifying. These indicators are utilised as measurable norms in the analysis of racial representation. Counter-indicators obtained from the data are used to increase the reliability of the analysis. Traces of stereotyping regarding all the indicators and counter-indicators were found in the data. The findings show that master symbols are evident in the data, but that the series also incorporates counter-symbols directed toward a post-apartheid society. The concluding chapters suggests that the series could have been an early signal of a paradigm shift in Afrikaner ranks toward democracy in South Africa. / Dissertation (MEd (Educational Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

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published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

The study aims to examine the extent to which considerations of syllabus design and materials development are employed in a grade 9 English textbook of Ethiopia- English for Ethiopia: Secondary English Course: Grade 9 Students Book with particular emphasis on Multiple Intelligence Theory (MIT).The study is an evaluation research which makes use of a mixed method approach. Data were collected using interviews, coding form and a teachers’ questionnaire. The study involved English language syllabus writers in the Ministry of Education in Ethiopia. Furthermore, 50% of the contents of the Grade 9 English Textbook (6 of 12) were used for content analysis. In addition, 218 Grade 9 English teachers from fifty high schools that were drawn from 6 Regional States of the country responded to the questionnaire. In line with this, I collected quantitative data using a coding form and a questionnaire, as well as other forms of qualitative data using interview. Data were analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The study revealed that the syllabus writers used the competency-based approach in developing the Grade 9 English language syllabus. However, this approach has some drawbacks. On the one hand, competency-based education is a manifestation of the behaviouristic approach that is excessively reductionist, narrow, rigid and atomized; many areas in which people need certain competencies are impossible to operationalise; the approach does not clearly show how the list of competencies could be realised, how they should be formatted and presented so as to address learner differences. Above all, describing an activity in terms of a set of different competencies is not enough in order to deal with the complexity of the learning process as a whole. Regardless of these drawbacks, CBL was used to identify and list down the contents as well as the learning outcomes to be incorporated in the textbook. Thus, the how aspect remain obscured in that a theory driven approach to developing teaching/learning materials that meet learners' differences was not markedly taken note of as a guiding framework in developing the Grade 9 English language syllabus. The study showed that the great majority of the language tasks are meant to nurture verbal/linguistic intelligence followed by interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligences respectively. As a language textbook, it is good that it gives more coverage to these two intelligence profiles. When it comes to intentional application of principles of task design and materials development, many of the listening, reading and speaking lessons are appropriate in terms of providing comprehensible input, engaging students cognitively and affectively, promoting emotional/affective involvement and facilitating better language use. Similarly, visual imaging is also well taken care of with exception of few of the vocabulary and the grammar lessons. The study also revealed that the syllabus writers were well aware of the need of integrating various language skills, and it was found that the issue of using the integrated approach to ELT materials development was also well addressed and most of the language tasks are designed in an integrated manner with the exception of few of the vocabulary and the grammar lessons. Some drawbacks were also identified with few of the vocabulary and the grammar lessons in terms of providing comprehensible input and enhancing language use. On the other hand, as implementers of the textbook, the target schools’ Grade 9 English language teachers have a good understanding of language learning theories and task design principles. This understanding could help them design supplementary language tasks for their English classes. At last, conclusions are drawn and recommendations are given. / English Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (English)

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

The effect of constituent division of reading texts on ESL students was examined to note possible benefits to reading comprehension. An experimental group in each of three ESL proficiency levels was tested on a reading passage divided at the ends of lines at major constituent boundaries. Within each level, the experimental group was compared to a control group in three areas: reading time, test time, and test results. Results of the study do not support the theory that constituent division of reading texts could be beneficial to ESL students. The differences in reading time, test time, and test results of the experimental group and the control group in each level were insignificant.

De acordo com os autores consultados, a gênese do livro didático de Português contemporâneo situa-se, historicamente, no encontro, nos anos 1950, de dois gêneros: a antologia e a gramática. A seleção de material textual e as propostas de atividades elaboradas a partir dos textos escolhidos é, ainda hoje, uma das principais características do livro didático de Português. Nesta pesquisa, investiguei alguns dos principais critérios implicados na seleção de textos que integraram as coleções didáticas de Português aprovadas no PNLD 2007, destinadas a alunos de escolas de 1ª a 4ª séries. Em uma primeira etapa, tomei como fonte dados sobre a natureza textual das coleções do PNLD 2007 levantados por pesquisadores do Projeto Integrado de Pesquisa O livro didático de Língua Portuguesa no ensino fundamental: produção, Perfil e Circulação, CNPq/Iel-Unicamp/Ceale-Ufmg. Nessa etapa, constatei que, mesmo com a variedade e diversidade de gêneros presentes nas coleções, o poema foi o gênero mais presente nos volumes referentes a todas as quatro séries do Ensino Fundamental. Na segunda etapa, tendo como corpus 12 volumes de diferentes coleções didáticas, escolhidos segundo critérios detalhados nesta pesquisa, investiguei o tratamento dado nesses volumes a quatro poemas, situados entre os mais frequentes no PNLD 2007. Contribuíram para esta pesquisa os pressupostos teóricos do ensino de língua materna fundamentados na perspectiva sócio-interacionista, apoiada sobretudo em Vygotsky e Bakhntin e transposta para o cenário educacional por trabalhos dos membros da chamada Escola de Genebra, entre os quais Joaquim Dolz, Bernard Schneuwly e Jean-Paul Bronckart. Das conclusões desta pesquisa, destaco que a significativa presença de poemas nas coleções didáticas deveu-se, entre outros fatores, ao atendimento às exigências do Edital do PNLD 2007, às orientações curriculares dos PCN, à adaptabilidade do gênero às características gráfico-editoriais das coleções, à exploração temática dos poemas nas coleções aprovadas e à concepção de leitor-modelo pressuposto nas coleções didáticas. / According to the studied authors, the genesis of contemporary Portuguese language textbooks is placed historically in the convergence in the 1950s of two genres: anthology books and grammars. The selection of textual material and the proposals of activities elaborated on the basis of chosen texts are, still today, one of the main characteristics of Portuguese language textbooks. In this research, I investigated some of the main criteria present in the selection of texts integrated to textbook Portuguese language collections approved by PNLD (National Program of Textbooks) 2007, for 1st to 4th grade schools. In a first stage, I examined data on the textual characteristics of PNLD 2007 collections gathered by researchers of Projeto Integrado de Pesquisa O livro didático de Língua Portuguesa no ensino fundamental: produção, Perfil e Circulação, CNPq/Iel-Unicamp/Ceale-Ufmg (Integrated Research Project Portuguese Language Textbooks for Elementary Education: Production, Profile and Circulation, CNPq/Iel-Unicamp/Ceale-Ufmg). At this stage, I observed that, despite the variety and diversity of genres present in the collections, poem were the most common genres in volumes for all the four grades of Elementary School. At the second stage, having as a corpus 12 volumes of different collections chosen according to criteria presented in detail in this research, I investigated the way these volumes explored four poems which are among the most used in PNLD 2007. This research was based on theoretical principles for mother language teaching of the social-interactionist perspective based in Vygotsky and Bakhtin and transposed to the educational sphere through works of the members of the so-called Geneva School, among them Joaquin Dolz, Bernard Schneuwly and Jean-Paul Bronckart. From the conclusions of this research, I emphasize, among other things, that the significant presence of poems in the collections was due, among other causes, to complying with the requirements of PNLD 2007 Announcement, to the curricular guidelines of PCNs (Brazils Curriculum Guidelines), to the adaptability of the genre to graphic-editorial characteristics of the collections, to the exploration of poems themes in the approved collections and the conception of model reader followed by the studied textbook collections.

De acordo com os autores consultados, a gênese do livro didático de Português contemporâneo situa-se, historicamente, no encontro, nos anos 1950, de dois gêneros: a antologia e a gramática. A seleção de material textual e as propostas de atividades elaboradas a partir dos textos escolhidos é, ainda hoje, uma das principais características do livro didático de Português. Nesta pesquisa, investiguei alguns dos principais critérios implicados na seleção de textos que integraram as coleções didáticas de Português aprovadas no PNLD 2007, destinadas a alunos de escolas de 1ª a 4ª séries. Em uma primeira etapa, tomei como fonte dados sobre a natureza textual das coleções do PNLD 2007 levantados por pesquisadores do Projeto Integrado de Pesquisa O livro didático de Língua Portuguesa no ensino fundamental: produção, Perfil e Circulação, CNPq/Iel-Unicamp/Ceale-Ufmg. Nessa etapa, constatei que, mesmo com a variedade e diversidade de gêneros presentes nas coleções, o poema foi o gênero mais presente nos volumes referentes a todas as quatro séries do Ensino Fundamental. Na segunda etapa, tendo como corpus 12 volumes de diferentes coleções didáticas, escolhidos segundo critérios detalhados nesta pesquisa, investiguei o tratamento dado nesses volumes a quatro poemas, situados entre os mais frequentes no PNLD 2007. Contribuíram para esta pesquisa os pressupostos teóricos do ensino de língua materna fundamentados na perspectiva sócio-interacionista, apoiada sobretudo em Vygotsky e Bakhntin e transposta para o cenário educacional por trabalhos dos membros da chamada Escola de Genebra, entre os quais Joaquim Dolz, Bernard Schneuwly e Jean-Paul Bronckart. Das conclusões desta pesquisa, destaco que a significativa presença de poemas nas coleções didáticas deveu-se, entre outros fatores, ao atendimento às exigências do Edital do PNLD 2007, às orientações curriculares dos PCN, à adaptabilidade do gênero às características gráfico-editoriais das coleções, à exploração temática dos poemas nas coleções aprovadas e à concepção de leitor-modelo pressuposto nas coleções didáticas. / According to the studied authors, the genesis of contemporary Portuguese language textbooks is placed historically in the convergence in the 1950s of two genres: anthology books and grammars. The selection of textual material and the proposals of activities elaborated on the basis of chosen texts are, still today, one of the main characteristics of Portuguese language textbooks. In this research, I investigated some of the main criteria present in the selection of texts integrated to textbook Portuguese language collections approved by PNLD (National Program of Textbooks) 2007, for 1st to 4th grade schools. In a first stage, I examined data on the textual characteristics of PNLD 2007 collections gathered by researchers of Projeto Integrado de Pesquisa O livro didático de Língua Portuguesa no ensino fundamental: produção, Perfil e Circulação, CNPq/Iel-Unicamp/Ceale-Ufmg (Integrated Research Project Portuguese Language Textbooks for Elementary Education: Production, Profile and Circulation, CNPq/Iel-Unicamp/Ceale-Ufmg). At this stage, I observed that, despite the variety and diversity of genres present in the collections, poem were the most common genres in volumes for all the four grades of Elementary School. At the second stage, having as a corpus 12 volumes of different collections chosen according to criteria presented in detail in this research, I investigated the way these volumes explored four poems which are among the most used in PNLD 2007. This research was based on theoretical principles for mother language teaching of the social-interactionist perspective based in Vygotsky and Bakhtin and transposed to the educational sphere through works of the members of the so-called Geneva School, among them Joaquin Dolz, Bernard Schneuwly and Jean-Paul Bronckart. From the conclusions of this research, I emphasize, among other things, that the significant presence of poems in the collections was due, among other causes, to complying with the requirements of PNLD 2007 Announcement, to the curricular guidelines of PCNs (Brazils Curriculum Guidelines), to the adaptability of the genre to graphic-editorial characteristics of the collections, to the exploration of poems themes in the approved collections and the conception of model reader followed by the studied textbook collections.