The main objective of this study was to investigate patterns of language use in a bilingual dual-taught classroom, and the impact of bilingual dual teaching on language development and language choice in young children (ages 7-8). The study was conducted in an immersion English/Putonghua classroom at an international primary school that adopts the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program. English and Putonghua are the mediums of instruction although most students in the school come from Cantonese speaking Hong Kong-native families. The school is unique in this way because most students are learning two second languages simultaneously, in a classroom where there are two language (English and Putonghua) teachers, and both languages can be used at the same time. The study takes a qualitative approach with methods of data collection including a filmed observation of a bilingual lesson, a discourse analysis of the lesson transcription, and semi-structured post-lesson interviews with four members of the class. Results from the study found that English emerged as the dominating language. Transcript analysis also revealed that code-mixing and code-switching emerged as consistent patterns with purposeful functions. Furthermore, it was found that students tended to respond to speakers in the language that was used to initiate the talk, and that even during bilingual lessons, students tended to speak in English when nominated by their English teacher, and in Putonghua when nominated by their Chinese teacher. All students agreed that their language proficiency in English had improved due to more practice at school and regular use in the home. / published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

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published_or_final_version / Language Studies / Master / Master of Arts

The purpose of the investigation was to examine the effect of training on the use of morphology and syntax of language delayed children. Performance with no instruction was compared to performance with two methods: (1) a Standard Remedial Instruction Approach and (2) the Individualized Instruction Approach. The intent was to determine if a standard method would be superior to no instruction; and then, if individualization of training procedures, based on a functional analysis of the child's approach to learning tasks, would facilitate progress over what might be achieved with the standard method. Finally, a follow-up test was done to check if skills were maintained. Three language delayed children in a Primary Resource Classroom served as the subjects. A multiple baseline across subjects design was employed, with a sequential multiple intervention component added. Using each subject as his own control, his performance was compared across adjacent phases. Instructional phases were introduced to subjects in a staggered fashion rather than at the same time to test the power of each intervention. The method chosen as the Standard Remedial Instruction approach was the Interactive Language Development Teaching method. The Individualized Instruction approach was devised from a functional analysis. Diagnostic teaching provided the means for doing the functional analysis, during which the child's responsiveness to varied stimulus, response, affective and cognitive dimensions of tasks was observed. Performance under the different phases of the study was measured by experimenter-made criterion referenced tests on the specific language forms being taught. Each test required a degree of generalization since novel stimulus materials were used. Visual analysis of the data was facilitated by use of trend lines made by the method of least squares, to determine changes between phases. Trend lines of adjacent phases were compared in terms of level and slope. The procedures described above yielded the following results: (1) All three subjects showed notable improvement in performance with Standard Remedial Instruction as compared to Baseline performance; (2) All three subjects displayed some improvement with Individualized Instruction over Standard Remedial Instruction, but by trend analysis, only one exhibited marked improvement; and (3) The performance of two subjects on follow-up testing was commensurate with the level of performance obtained during Individualized Instruction. The findings of the study indicate that, within the context of the public schools, improvement in morphology and syntax of language delayed children is dependent upon the use of systematic language instruction. Provision of such instruction, and the establishment of more efficient screening procedures for identifying expressive syntax problems, therefore seem warranted. If a standard remedial instruction program does not seem to be effective, an individualized program may be needed. A functional analysis of the child's learning characteristics appears to provide a sound basis from which to develop an individualized program. Speech and language clinicians, thereby, could increase their effectiveness by learning to conduct a functional analysis. The study further documents the promise of time-series research for use with a handicapped population. A public school system could use such a design to evaluate methods or programs. It would be relatively easy and inexpensive to conduct. A limitation of the particular design used for this study was that the effect of method two could not be separated from the effect of method one since it was always preceded by method one. An alternation of methods could alleviate the problem. A study of this type has minimal significance by itself but in a series can make a contribution.

No description available.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

This study explores the relationships among technology, language literacy and instruction in University Continuing Education Institutions. Adult second language education strives to update media resources in an information era in which literacy encompasses the abilities to communicate both in different languages and in a variety of media across disciplines. / The main assumption underlying this study is that teaching adults to use language in an era in which networks and multimedia are major components, is a challenging task and responsibility. Instructional implications of literature regarding the implementation of new technologies in language learning suggest a persistent disagreement on the merits of new technologies as learning tools and a mismatch between expectations and applications of new media. I interview four teachers of second or foreign languages to adults to explore the challenges embedded in mediating adults' literacy in using multiple representations of second language knowledge within technology enhanced classroom environments. / Teachers are shown to integrate digital technologies into traditional print and audiovisual tools to advance three main literacies: Cultural literacy relates to the ability to make socioculturally appropriate links of language and media. Disciplinary literacy denotes the ability to effectively identify, analyze, evaluate and apply language resources in various contexts. Media literacy denotes the ability to make informed choices among the various language representations. Integrated media applications are challenging for teachers who need to be aware of media benefits and constraints. The ongoing development of teachers' media literacy is a prerequisite for meaningful and constructive uses of the instructional resources available that will enable adults to apply second language knowledge within and beyond linguistic, cultural, and disciplinary contexts.

The end of the apartheid era in the history of South Africa resulted in many black pupils being admitted to schools which were previously used exclusively by either coloureds, Indians or white pupils. However, the newly admitted black pupils spoke English as a second language in schools where the medium of instruction was English. Consequently, the black pupils' inability to cope with English as a first language meant that they were at risk of failing at school. In an attempt to reduce the risk of the black pupils failing, Eastwood Secondary School introduced the Language Integration Programme. The school hoped that the programme would accelerate the black pupils acquisition of the English while simultaneously making academic progress in their other subjects. The aim of this study was to gain insights into the results of the Language Integration Programme. The research questions focused on the views of the parents of the pupils who were in the programme, the teachers at the school, the pupils who were in the Language Integration Programme, as well as the principal and deputy principal of the school. Both closed and open-ended types of questions were used in the questionnaires that were administered to the parents, teachers and pupils, as well as in the interviews that were conducted with the principal and deputy principal. The findings from the questionnaires and interviews were supplemented by information that was obtained from the school's VRE-52 academic records. The findings of the study revealed that there was an improvement in the Language Integration Programme pupils' English language and communication skills. The findings also showed that there was a positive relationship between the pupils' performance in English and their performance in their other subjects while they were in the Language Integration Programme. Recommendations that arose from the study of the Language Integration Programme were that there is a need for placement tests to identify the background knowledge of the pupils so that the material in future programmes is not too easy for the pupils in the programme. The study also revealed that the class size in programmes similar to the Language Integration Programme should be kept as small as possible if the programme was to achieve maximum effectiveness because weaker pupils generally need more attention. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1996.

Language teachers have multiple responsibilities in that they teach a subject which fits into the framework of the school curriculum as well as being the medium through which the majority of that school curriculum is taught. Literacy is also a requirement for the citizenry of the country to function effectively in our society. A further responsibility which is not always perceived is that language has power in that it is often the medium through which social, political and economic discourse occurs. Critical theory contends that competing ideologies seek to make their discourses dominant and in this way have control over relations of power in society. Consequently, language education is the means by which we can educate young people about these ‘discourses of domination’. The focus of this study is teachers and the language assessments which they produce. Are these language assessments simple testing devices intended to gauge learners recall and understanding of the content of the text or can they go deeper than that? Can teachers engage with their learners on a Critical level to understand where texts come from and who created them and what was their purpose in creating them? These questions are in line with Critical literacy, so as to understand power relations in society and to mitigate against the domination of a particular ideology. To merely analyse assessments would be insufficient thus this study goes further to try to understand how teachers’ personal paradigms impact on the assessments which they produce. The purpose here is to gain some understanding of whether or not teachers want to and are able to educate learners about more than just the content of the texts which are taught in the language classroom. This is achieved through the analysis of language assessments and then by semi-structured interviews with the producers of these assessments. The data achieved from this mixed method research is analysed through the lens of Critical Language Testing with the intention of trying to determine if the assessments produced, come from individuals who are concerned with social justice and equality; individuals who are aware of social, political and economic discourses in society among other. The study also sought to determine if these are reflexive individuals who are also ethical in their approach to language teaching and assessment. The thesis attempts to achieve these aims whilst always maintaining a self critical view point. This is done by engaging with the premises which underpin this research and trying to understand the motivations for this research. By attempting to deconstruct my own personal bias and ideological underpinnings the hope is to achieve a study which fairly represents how teachers assess language in the classroom. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.

Teaching and learning foreign languages has always been a source of debate. This research begins by tracing the evolution of teaching methods and approaches. It proceeds to describe how the teaching and learning of Standard Italian at the post-secondary level and in adult education in Montreal is affected by the multicultural nature of the community. The analysis of individual textbooks used in post-secondary and adult instruction in Montreal and the surrounding area follows. This study should provide an impetus for further investigation regarding the relationship between foreign language acquisition and the choice of textbooks for classroom use and it could provide solutions for some of the pedagogical problems arising from Montreal's linguistic plurality.