Music education and pronunciation teaching within second language education would seem to be two entirely separate fields. Yet, there are undeniable links between learning to play an instrument, such as the violin, and learning to speak in a second language. This Report attempts to bridge the divide between both disciplines by highlighting the similarities between musical features and pronunciation features, and by applying principles for practicing music to pronunciation practice. It is hoped that this comparison will motivate second language learners to practice pronunciation and increase the quality of their home practice, which has been found to play an important role in determining the degree of students’ pronunciation improvement (Sardegna, 2011). This Report begins with a review of pronunciation teaching trends and how they have shaped pronunciation teaching today. It then provides an overview of three important pronunciation learning models, followed by a discussion of a principled approach to teaching pronunciation. This principled approach may help bridge the gap between theory and classroom practice. Then, grounded on evidence suggesting strong links between teaching pronunciation and teaching violin, the Report concludes with a rationale for applying the proposed principles to a musical teaching context and suggests adopting a musical approach to practice in order to effect change in students’ English pronunciation. / text

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of participation in Read 180, a teacher-mediated, computer-mediated reading instruction program, on the reading proficiency of 4th and 5th grade English Language Learners. The students who participated in the Read 180 program scored below the 25th percentile on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). Cultural-historical activity theory guided the research. Research questions for the study were answered with quantitative and qualitative methods. The questions asked were: 1. What are the effects of participation in Read 180, a teacher-mediated computer-mediated-integrated learning system that provides reading instruction, on the growth in reading proficiency of a group of participating English Language Learners? 2. What are the effects of participation in Read 180, a teacher-mediated computer-mediated integrated learning system that provides reading instruction, on the reading achievement of a group of participating English Language Learners when compared with the reading achievement of a group of English Language Learners with similar characteristics receiving reading instruction supported by a reading basal program? 3. How does the mediated structure of Read 180, a teacher-mediated, computer-mediated integrated learning activity system that provides reading instruction and surrounding activity systems interact to affect learning? Data analysis revealed that the fourth and fifth grade experimental group significantly improved their proficiency on the Scholastic Reading Inventory. Analysis of pre- and post-test scores obtained with the Florida Comprehensive Assessment (FCAT) of fourth and fifth grade experimental and control groups were not statistically significant. Qualitative findings indicated that the organization of classroom instruction had a significant impact on the quality of instruction. A discussion of the findings presents several implications and recommendations for future research on teacher-mediated, computer-mediated reading instruction.

The Interface Hypothesis (Sorace and Filiaci, 2006) conjectures that adult second language learners (L2 learners) who have reached near-native levels of proficiency in their second language exhibit difficulties at the interface between syntax and other cognitive domains, most notably at the syntax-discourse interface. However, research in this area was limited, in that the data were offline, and thus unable to provide evidence for the nature of the deficit shown by L2 learners. This thesis presents online data which address the question of the underlying nature of the difficulties observed in L2 learners at the syntaxdiscourse interface. This thesis has extended work on the syntax-discourse interface in L2 learners by investigating the acquisition of two phenomena at the syntax-discourse interface in German: the role of word order and pronominalization with respect to information structure (Experiments 1-3), and the antecedent preferences of anaphoric demonstrative (the der, die, das series homophonous with the definite article) and personal pronouns (the er, sie, es series) (Experiments 4- 8). Crucially, this work has used an on-line methodology, the visual-world paradigm, which allows an insight into the incremental interpretation of interface phenomena in real-time processing. The data from these experiments show that L2 learners have difficulty integrating different sources of information in real-time comprehension efficiently, supporting the Interface Hypothesis. However, the nature of the processing difficulties which L2 learners demonstrate in on-line processing was not determined by these studies, resulting in the question: are L2 learners’ difficulties a result of a limitation of processing resources, or the inability to deploy those resources effectively? A novel dualtask experiment (Experiment 9), in which native speakers of German were placed under processing load simulated the results previously obtained for L2 learners. It is concluded that syntactic dependencies were constrained by resource limitation, whereas discourse based dependencies were constrained by processing resource allocation.

Due to the detrimental effects of apartheid on the South African learning environment the implementation of language policies aimed at fostering multilingual and multicultural education to attain educational equity are rendered impractical (DoE, 1995; de Wet, 2002; Pretorius, 2002b). As a result many L2 learners in English medium school are struggling to reach their academic potential due to their lack of cognitive academic English language proficiency. This study aimed to analyse the effects of L1 and L2 reading ability for high school learners’ who were exposed to a reading intervention over a two year period, compared with those who did not experience the intervention. The results indicated that although learners’ improved in their performance on measures of comprehension and vocabulary over time, those who were exposed to the additional experience of a reading intervention did not improve to a significantly greater extent than those who did not take part in the reading intervention. Furthermore, the reading intervention did not serve to significantly narrow the gap in reading ability between L1 and L2 learners. Reasons for the results, limitations to the study, recommendations for future research, and implications for the South African learning context are discussed.

Studiens syfte är att synliggöra hur andraspråkselever på högstadiet beskriver sin upplevelse och sin förståelse då de läser faktatexter i de praktisk-estetiska ämnena. För att undersöka detta, har följande frågeställningar valts: Vilka svårigheter beskriver andraspråkselever att de upplever i läsningen av och arbetet med faktatexter? Hur beskriver andraspråkselever att de går tillväga för att förstå faktatexter? Studien bygger på kvalitativa intervjuer med sju andraspråkselever i årskurserna 8 och 9. Intervjuerna har analyserats utifrån en sociokulturell ansats, vilken bl a poängterar vikten av social interaktion samt språkets betydelse för tänkande och lärande. Resultatet visar att informanternas erfarenheter av läsning av faktatexter främst kommer från de naturvetenskapliga och de samhällsvetenskapliga ämnena, samt matematik. Deras erfarenheter av läsning i de praktisk-estetiska ämnena förefaller begränsad, förutom i hem- och konsumentkunskap. Av resultatet framgår att ord- och begreppsförståelse, förförståelse samt explicit undervisning i hur man utvecklar och använder lässtrategier för att läsa och lära av faktatexter är områden som respektive ämneslärare behöver arbeta mer aktivt med. Studiens resultat stämmer i det avseendet väl med vad tidigare forskning har visat. Däremot sätter inte studiens informanter ord på vad olika textegenskaper kan ha för betydelse för deras läsförståelse. Denna studies viktigaste bidrag är dess fokus på andraspråkselevers läsning av faktatexter i de praktisk-estetiska ämnena. Såtillvida kan den utgöra en forskningsbaserad grund i arbetet med språkutvecklande ämnesundervisning på högstadiet. / The purpose of the study is to emphasize how senior level students with a second language are describing their experience and their understanding when they are reading expository texts in the aesthetic subjects. To examine this: following questions have been chosen: What difficulties do second language learners describe that they are experiencing when they are reading and working with expository texts? How do second language learners describe their procedure to understand expository texts? The study is based on qualitative interviews with seven second language learners who are between forteen and sixteen years old. The interviews have been analyzed based on a sociocultural perspective, which among other things are emphasizing the importance of social interaction and also the importance of the language for thinking and learning. The result is showing that the informants´experiences of reading expository texts are chiefly from the scientific and social science subjects and also mathematics. Their experiences of reading in connection with the aesthetic subjects seem to be limited, except in domestic science. From the result it is clear that understanding of words and concepts, background knowledge and also explicit teaching in how to develop and use reading strategies to read and learn from expository texts, are fields which each subject teacher need to work more active on. In this regard the study is corresponding well with what the earlier research has shown. The informants don´t mention whether they are able or not to benefit from the impact of connectives and lexical markers on their comprehension of expository texts. The most important contribution of this study is its focus on second language learners, and their reading of expository texts in the aesthetic subjects. In this respect it can form a researchbase for developing student´s language in subject teaching at the senior level of the nine year compulsory school.

Antalet andraspråkselever i den svenska skolan har idag ökat, vilket innebär att undervisningen behöver anpassas till de nya förutsättningarna. Den här litteraturstudiens syfte är att undersöka andraspråkselevers läs- och skrivutveckling och hur lärare genom multimodala arbetssätt kan stötta denna i ämnet svenska i årskurs 1 – 3. Resultatet i den här studien visar att lärarens stöttning har en avgörande betydelse vid andraspråkselevers utveckling och att det är viktigt att lärare har kunskaper om hur andraspråkselever lär. I studien redovisas även framgångsrika exempel på hur lärare kan stötta andraspråkselever genom att arbeta multimodalt. / <p>Svenska</p>

This study explores whether and how the deliberate use of multiple languages can support or constrain the development of learners’ mathematics proficiency in a multilingual mathematics classroom. The study is an action research in which I transform my teaching, by exploring a new teaching strategy. In the study, learners’ home languages, in addition to English (LoLT), are used in a planned and proactive manner, where a well-selected high cognitive demand task set in multiple languages is used for teaching and learning. The study is done in a grade 11 multilingual mathematics class, at a school where I teach. Findings of the study indicate that Kilpatrick et al’s (2001) five strands of mathematical proficiency prevail across all lessons, that the use of English by both learners and I dominates, and that utterances are mostly conceptual. It is also shown by the findings of the study that using the learners’ home languages in presentation of the mathematical task, and the nature of the task used, supports the learners in the comprehension of the mathematical task, and encourages them to participate more effectively during lessons.

Since South Africa’s democratic government was elected to power in 1994, much attention has been given to restructuring the country’s education system. Peer-mentoring is one approach to meet current challenges in education given high teacher:learner ratios, greater diversity in student population and majority of learners being taught in English, their second and even third language. This research examined the impact of a peermentoring reading intervention with second language Grade 9 learners. The study utilized a sample of Grade 9 learners (N = 173) from a school in Gauteng. Biographical information was obtained and these learners were pre-tested in Grade 8 and post-tested in Grade 9 2007, using the Stanford Diagnostic Reading Test (SDRT). The entire Grade 9 group received the reading intervention for three months and their results were compared to a comparison group from the previous year who received no intervention. Results of learners’ vocabulary, comprehension and academic achievement scores were compared. Although both the comparison and the experimental groups showed an improvement on their vocabulary and comprehension scores, the experimental group’s gains were significantly higher. Of the Grade 9 experimental group, 30 learners (mentees) received individual paired reading mentoring and their scores were examined to determine the extent of improvement. The mentees group showed similar significant gains in their vocabulary and comprehension scores, and showed an overall improvement in their academic marks. Challenges faced, limitations and recommendations for future study are discussed.

The purpose of this study was two fold: (1) to examine how the distribution of resources within and outside an Enhanced Language Training Program (ELT) affected a group of newcomers’ access to Internet literacy development; and (2) to discuss ensuing pedagogical and curricular implications for the ELT Program. The relationship between the distribution of resources and a group of newcomers’ access to Internet literacy development was studied through a hybrid of two frameworks: van Dijk’s (2005) digital divide and Warschauer’s (2004) social inclusion. The key findings were that the distribution of resources affected access four ways: (1) resources affected multiple types of access, (2) the effect of resource distribution on access was both cumulative and successive, (3) distribution of resources could either facilitate or impede access, and (4) Internet literacy development could potentially increase or decrease the resources. The findings resulted in implications for the ELT program and teaching.

The purpose of this study was two fold: (1) to examine how the distribution of resources within and outside an Enhanced Language Training Program (ELT) affected a group of newcomers’ access to Internet literacy development; and (2) to discuss ensuing pedagogical and curricular implications for the ELT Program. The relationship between the distribution of resources and a group of newcomers’ access to Internet literacy development was studied through a hybrid of two frameworks: van Dijk’s (2005) digital divide and Warschauer’s (2004) social inclusion. The key findings were that the distribution of resources affected access four ways: (1) resources affected multiple types of access, (2) the effect of resource distribution on access was both cumulative and successive, (3) distribution of resources could either facilitate or impede access, and (4) Internet literacy development could potentially increase or decrease the resources. The findings resulted in implications for the ELT program and teaching.