Thesis (M.A. in Communication) -- University of Dayton. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed 10/06/09). Advisor: Teresa L. Thompson. Includes bibliographical references (p. 82-92).

The Japanese imperfective aspect marker –teiru is one of the most widely researched tense/aspect markers because of its multiple semantic functions. It has been claimed that the –teiru form can describe two main aspectual meanings, progressive and resultative, depending on the lexical aspect of the attached verb. The present study aims to empirically investigate native speakers’ interpretations of the –teiru meaning with different verb and sentence types through a judgment test. It compares them with the predicted semantic categories from the previous studies, which based their conclusion upon introspective analysis, as well as perceptions of L2 Japanese learners. The results suggest that overall perceptional patterns are consistent with predicted descriptions but also that interpretations of the meaning are flexible to some extent. As for learners’ perceptions, the results indicate that L2 learners develop progressive semantic processing in Japanese faster than resultative semantic processing in Japanese.

M.Ed. / The main objective of the study was to determine the reading preferences of English Second Language children. The study looked into the arguments of the two groups of critics who, on the one hand, stressed the importance of the cultural schema and on the other hand stated that children should be allowed to explore avenues other then their own environment. Children from two different social environments were observed and interviewed with the hope of gaining more insight into the reading habits and preferences ofblack children. The aspects that were strongly considered were the multicultural society that the children in South Africa are a part of and the influence that this multiculturalism has on the reading of the children. Also looked at was whether the exposure to other cultures and the fact that the children go to integrated schools and stay in multicultural communities has any impact far as reading patterns are concerned. The preferences of children who live and school in the black area was also looked at and a comparison was made between the two groups of children. The children were interviewed and the results showed that how they articulate reading preferences and how they are not limited by their own cultural background as far as accessing material of other cultures is concerned. The results also showed that young readers are not inhibited by their social background in what they like reading and regarding what their needs are. In conclusion, the suggestion is that listening to the young readers talk and observing them, would make the people who are concerned with the education of the child, namely parents, teachers and librarians, as well as researchers more aware of how to guide the children appropriately through their reading and not prescribe material that the children do not identify with, notwithstanding their cultural background.

M.A. (Applied Linguistics) / This study seeks to understand the acquisition of English prepositions by second language (L2) speakers of English. Prepositions are notoriously difficult linguistic items to acquire, and the reasons for this are manifold. This study looks into the relationship between the linguistic similarities between prepositions in the first language (L1) and the English prepositions in, on, to and into. The study focuses on two particular groups of L1 speakers: (i) Northern Sotho speakers and (ii) Afrikaans speakers. A group of monolingual English speakers acts as a control group according to which comparisons between L2 and L1 speakers are made. These three groups have been selected based on the manifestations of the selected English prepositions in each language. In Afrikaans, the four prepositions have similar linguistic features to their English counterparts, whereas in Northern Sotho, prepositions have a vastly different linguistic manifestation to English ones. This study therefore seeks to establish whether linguistic similarity in the L1 helps or hinders the acquisition of English prepositions in English as an L2. In order to achieve this aim, 120 participants between the ages of 5;3 (year;month) and 8;11 were selected from 23 primary schools in Gauteng that use English as a language of learning and teaching (LoLT). These participants were then tested in two stages. First, an oral English proficiency test (the Diagnostic Evaluation of Language Variation) was performed. Second, the participants completed an elicited production procedure designed for the purposes of this research to test their understanding and ability to use the English prepositions under investigation. The process of development of this elicited production procedure involved a pilot study to which the Rasch measurement model was applied. The procedure was then adapted and improved. The Rasch measurement model was also applied to the English proficiency test in order to highlight areas or items within the test that may contain cultural bias in a South African context. The Rasch analysis identified various items within the test that were not appropriate within the South African context and these items were removed from the scoring procedure so as not to influence the results in a culturally-biased way. The results of the English proficiency test were then used to group the participants according to English ability (below average, average and above average). These ability groups form the basis upon which comparisons regarding the results of the preposition test are then made. The comparisons revealed some variance, but no significant differences between the Afrikaans and Northern Sotho speakers. There were, however, significant differences between the Afrikaans and Northern Sotho speakers in terms of their performance on the English proficiency test. The Northern Sotho speakers had more speakers in the below average group of English ability than the Afrikaans group, and fewer in the above average group. Another notable finding is the variation in difficulty when considering the type of preposition being acquired. Prepositions of motion (to and into) were more difficult to understand and produce for participants from both the Afrikaans and Northern Sotho groups. Although there was no significant difference between the groups, the Afrikaans speakers performed slightly better on the preposition test than the Northern Sotho group. Additionally, the errors made by the Afrikaans speakers were less varied than those made by the Northern Sotho speakers. The findings support the hypothesis that linguistic similarity between the L1 and L2 aids in learning English prepositions.

No description available.

Masters of Art / Since economic reform started in China in 1978, the educational objectives for English language teaching have undergone many changes. In secondary school, reading and writing abilities have become increasingly important, not only in assisting students to study and work in English language contexts, but also in setting up the foundation for further English learning at university level. Thus, new materials have been devised and new teaching methods have been used. However, in practice, the English reading skills of many learners do not seem to have improved and learners have difficulty in achieving the syllabus goals set for reading. This study investigated the factors which influence the development of reading skills by learners in one Grade 10 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) class in Taiyuan, a city in China. / South Africa

M.Ed. / This study is concerned with the experiences of Grade Eight African learners attending a school in Lenasia where English is the medium of instruction. Multilingualism is prevalent in the multiracial society in which we live. Since the adoption of the language policy by the new democratic government, South African schools now have the right to choose their language of instruction. The experiences of the Grade Eight African learners and the choice of English as the medium of instruction and the rationale behind this choice was investigated. The increasing number of functions that English plays in our lives, as well as, the role played by, and the importance of, home languages in our lives, were explored. The role that English and home languages play when, or if, used simultaneously to bring about positive changes, was researched. This study was an attempt to ensure that all languages are appreciated for the part they play in our lives., as well as the empowerment they bring about in our culturally different communities. This research design used has its origin in the nature of the research problem "What are the experiences of grade eight African second language learners attending an English medium school in Lenasia?" The research methods chosen for this study emerged from both the research orientation and the aim of the study. This research study discusses the experiences experienced by learners, being taught through the medium of English. Problems which are partially caused by the use of the vernacular is further explored. Insight into how these negative experiences of learners and their low self-esteem could be minimised was investigated, and recommendations were suggested. Learners' perceptions on activities and curriculum, which will assist in the improvement of English, were also determined. The use of home languages and their values in the learners' lives was researched. The role of home languages in the community as well as at school, together with English spoken at home and at school was determined. The programmes and methods, which can be utilised to ensure the proximal use the vernacular and English, were reflected through the approaches suggested by different scholars, and by the literature review. These approaches are explained and discussed to ensure a clear understanding of the research study being investigated.

While translation in L2 learning/teaching has been viewed negatively since the 1950s in North America, in the late 1980s a re-evaluation of translation has begun (Duff, 1989). The purpose of this research is to explore text-level translation from the learner’s perspective, as this kind of research, at present, remains quite scarce (Krings, 1987). This study focuses on text-level translation as a useful component of second language (L2) learning/teaching. Adult L2 learners’ translation processes and performance are examined and contrasted with the same group’s Li and L2 writing performance. Twenty-two Japanese ESL students studying at a Canadian college performed three tasks individually (translation from Li into L2, Li writing, L2 writing), thinking aloud. Their writing samples were evaluated, and think-aloud protocols were analyzed, supplemented by interviews and text analyses. The data were analyzed with attention given to four recent cognitive theories of language learning: Cummins’ theories (1986) of cross-linguistic interdependence of cognitive academic skills; Schmidt’s “conscious attention” (1990); Swain’s “i+1 output” hypothesis (1985); and McLaughlin’s “restructuring” (1 990b). Findings: 1) The correlations of the quality of translation, Li writing, and L2 writing of L2 learners (whose Li writing skills are still developing) were not significant. 2) The learners’ conscious attention to language use was high in the translation task, but unexpectedly low in the L2 writing. Their language use was more sophisticated in the translation than in the L2 writing. 3) Some students preferred translation tasks to L2 writing tasks, expressing their views which were consistent with the “i+1 output” hypothesis. 4) Contrary to general expectation about student translations, the students did not translate word for word; they often restructured Li/L2 correspondences, and examples of “restructuring” were not limited to the word level. General conclusions: Cross-linguistic interdependence among translation, Li writing, and L2 writing was not confirmed clearly. However, there was evidence that translation processes prompted conscious attention, “i+1 output”, and restructuring, which some consider to be necessary for second language learning. Thus translation in L2 learning deserves a closer look as it provides potential opportunities for learners to learn a second language. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

The purpose of this study was to examine how motivation and anxiety within learners studying a foreign language are affected by a participant's language requirement (whether a participant has a language requirement as part of their education), language class level, and language learning environment (those with traditional classroom verses significant in- country experience). The current study surveyed and analyzed the responses of 124 students currently enrolled in a language class at Brigham Young University. Self- reported survey results demonstrate the relationship between motivation and anxiety with relation to language class level, language learning experience, and language requirement fulfillment. Further analyses were done in order to explore the interaction of different types of motivation (instrumental, integrative, intrinsic and resultative) and different types of anxiety (classroom, text anxiety and fear of negative evaluation) on the three factors examined in this study. Results indicated that there was a significant difference in motivation for participants whose major required taking foreign language courses and those whose major did not require a foreign language. Specifically, the results of the sub types of motivation (integrative, intrinsic, instrumental, and resultative) indicated that those that were required to take the language as a requirement had higher instrumental motivation than those that were not required to take a foreign language. The second significant finding of this study is that there was no effect on motivation and anxiety levels of participants with regard to language class level with one exception. Students at the 200 level had greater language class anxiety and lower resultative motivation than the other levels did. The third significant finding was that significant in- country experience did not affect motivation or anxiety. These results demonstrate that several factors may influence students' motivation and anxiety levels when learning a foreign language.

The purpose of this study was to examine how motivation and anxiety within learners studying a foreign language are affected by a participant's language requirement (whether a participant has a language requirement as part of their education), language class level, and language learning environment (those with traditional classroom verses significant in- country experience). The current study surveyed and analyzed the responses of 124 students currently enrolled in a language class at Brigham Young University. Self- reported survey results demonstrate the relationship between motivation and anxiety with relation to language class level, language learning experience, and language requirement fulfillment. Further analyses were done in order to explore the interaction of different types of motivation (instrumental, integrative, intrinsic and resultative) and different types of anxiety (classroom, text anxiety and fear of negative evaluation) on the three factors examined in this study. Results indicated that there was a significant difference in motivation for participants whose major required taking foreign language courses and those whose major did not require a foreign language. Specifically, the results of the sub types of motivation (integrative, intrinsic, instrumental, and resultative) indicated that those that were required to take the language as a requirement had higher instrumental motivation than those that were not required to take a foreign language. The second significant finding of this study is that there was no effect on motivation and anxiety levels of participants with regard to language class level with one exception. Students at the 200 level had greater language class anxiety and lower resultative motivation than the other levels did. The third significant finding was that significant in- country experience did not affect motivation or anxiety. These results demonstrate that several factors may influence students' motivation and anxiety levels when learning a foreign language.