The research presented in this thesis examined whether incidental recasts provided by a teacher in a small-group outside a classroom were beneficial to adult ESL learners. The 26 ESL learners who participated in the study were divided into seven small groups (3-5 students per group) and each group participated in an oral activity with a teacher. During the activity, which was videotaped, the teacher provided incidental and extensive recasts to half of each student’s errors; the other half of the errors received no feedback. One day after the small-group activity, students were tested on their ability to detect and correct errors in their own speech. From the videotape, three types of episodes were identified for testing: episodes that involved an error by the student and a recast (error+recast) (n = 111), episodes that involved an error but no recast (error-recast) (n = 111), and episodes that involved no error in the student’s speech (correct) (n = 111). Students’ ability to detect and correct their errors in the three types of episodes was assessed using two types of tests: a stimulated correction test (a video-based computer test) and a written test. Students’ reaction time on the error detection portion of the stimulated correction task was also measured. The results of the study showed that the students benefited from the recasts. It was found that students were able to detect more errors in error+recast episodes than in error-recast episodes (though this difference did not reach statistical significance). They were also able to successfully and partially successfully correct more errors from error+recast episodes than from error-recast episodes, and this difference was statistically significant on the written test. The reaction time results also point towards a benefit from recasts, as students were able to complete the task (slightly) more quickly for error+recast episodes than for error-recast episodes. It was concluded from the results that recasts, even when provided extensively and in a non-dyadic context, can be of benefit to ESL students.

Thesis (M.A.)--Miami University, Dept. of Spanish and Portuguese, 2009. / Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 66-68).

abstract: ABSTRACT This study focuses on second language acquisition process amongst East Asian adult learners at an English and Culture Acquisition Program (ECAP) classroom. To understand their English learning experience, this study employs classroom observation, participant interview and document collection as research methods. The findings of this work suggest that ECAP does intend to help learners acquire English language proficiency in ways that were responsive to both the sociocultural backgrounds and individual needs of participants. ECAP also respects and promotes the learners' autonomy in the learning process. However, the program administrators and teachers still need to deepen their understanding of East Asian learners' sociocultural heritage and individual needs and improve facilitation accordingly. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.A. Educational Leadership and Policy Studies 2011

This study investigates error fossilisation in the written English of Xhosa - speaking students. It is hypothesised that there is no statistically significant difference in the language errors of two groups of Grade 10 and Grade 12 students. Two randomly selected groups of 30 Grade 10 and 30 Grade 12 students in a rural senior secondary school in the Eastern Cape province were required to write two essays, of which the first two hundred words of each essay were marked. A frequency count of errors was done and comparisons were made. The findings indicate that the Grade 12s consistently made fewer errors. However, the difference is only statistically significant in the case of prepositions and concord, and is insignificant in tenses, pronouns and articles. The findings also show evidence of fossilisation given the persistence of some of the errors. Certain features in the student's language were not eradicated by the additional two years exposure to English. / English Studies / M.A. (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)

The submitted M.A. thesis builds on the B.A. thesis entitled On general questions of psycholinguistics and develops factual points of departure related to the topic of adoption of a foreign language by a child. A part of the theoretical section is the definition of basic concepts in the field of psycholinguistics, in particular developmental psycholinguistics, and the design of the notion of adoption of a foreign language by a child. The primary goal of the study is to provide a comparative listing of the individual theories of adoption of a foreign language by a child, not only at the level of the mother tongue, but at the level of a second language as well. The basic theoretical concepts of adoption of a foreign language are based on linguistic, psychological and especially psycholinguistic scientific research. The other goals of the thesis include the definition of extensive variable determinants which participate in the process of adoption of a foreign language by a child and also influence the resultant level of adoption of a non-native language. In the concluding part of the theoretical compilation, space is provided for the psycholinguistic aspects of adoption, such as enunciative, speech and written displays of a foreign language. The empirical part is built up in a way so that it highlights the applicability of the process of adoption of a foreign language by a child in a natural environment, i.e. in a bilingual family environment where the resultant process is the most effective and verifiable. For this reason, it is not possible to talk about learning a foreign language but rather about the adoption of a second language.

This dissertation considers the factors affecting the acquisition of a second language and those factors thought to be the most important in the acquisition of English as a second language. An examination of the theories of language acquisition is followed by a literature study and discussion of the factors appearing to be of importance in second language acquisition. The account of the empirical investigation, conducted in an English medium school in Botswana, includes the formulation of hypothesis, discussion of the sample, a description of the measuring instruments used and a summary of the general procedure followed. The results of the empirical investigation suggest that the most important factors in the acquisition of English as a second language are age, intelligence, the amount of English spoken at home, pupil perception of parental support and first language acquisition. In conclusion, some of the educational implications of this investigation are considered. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Esta dissertação tem por objetivo propor princípios enunciativos para o tratamento da aquisição de segunda língua (L2) em contexto escolar. Para isso, realizou-se, em primeiro lugar, um estudo acerca de diferentes perspectivas teóricas que abordam o fenômeno de aquisição de L2 em busca de um ponto de vista enunciativo. A partir dessa pesquisa, observou-se a falta de uma perspectiva enunciativa no campo da Aquisição de Segunda Língua. Em segundo lugar, é apresentada uma concepção de linguagem constituída a partir da leitura da Teoria da Enunciação de Émile Benveniste (1966/2005; 1974/2006). Dessa forma, a aquisição de L2 é vista como um “fenômeno geral da enunciação” (BENVENISTE, op.cit.). Em terceiro lugar, com apoio do estudo de Silva (2007; 2009) são apresentados os princípios para uma abordagem enunciativa na aquisição de L2, a qual funciona na estrutura enunciativa (eu – tu – ele) – ELE. Essa estrutura comporta o locutor-aluno de L2 (“eu”), o alocutário - professor (“tu”), as referências (“ele”) produzidas por “eu” e “tu”, todos inscritos na cultura (“ELE”). Com a formulação dos princípios, pretende-se contribuir para o ensino de L2 e para os campos da Aquisição de Segunda Língua e da Linguística da Enunciação. / This work aims at proposing enunciative principles to study of second language acquisition in in a formal educational setting. In order to achieve that, in first place, we present a study about different approaches which deal with second language acquisition in search of an enunciative point of view. Based on this research, we observed the lack of such approach on studies in Second Language Acquisition. In second place, we present a conception of language derived from the reading of Émile Benveniste’s enunciative theory (1966/2005; 1974/2006).Based on this, second language acquisition is considered as a “phénomène général de l’énonciation” (BENVENISTE, op.cit.). In third place, with the support of the study developed by Silva (2007; 2009), we present principles for an enunciative approach in second language acquisition, which operates according to the enunciative structure (je – tu – il) – IL. This structure contains: the speaker-L2 learner (“je”), the interlocutor-teacher (“tu”), the references (“il”) produced by “je” and “tu”, all of which are included in culture (“IL”). By proposing the principles, we intend to contribute to second language teaching and to the fields of Second Language Acquisition and Linguistique de l’Énonciation.

Esta dissertação tem por objetivo propor princípios enunciativos para o tratamento da aquisição de segunda língua (L2) em contexto escolar. Para isso, realizou-se, em primeiro lugar, um estudo acerca de diferentes perspectivas teóricas que abordam o fenômeno de aquisição de L2 em busca de um ponto de vista enunciativo. A partir dessa pesquisa, observou-se a falta de uma perspectiva enunciativa no campo da Aquisição de Segunda Língua. Em segundo lugar, é apresentada uma concepção de linguagem constituída a partir da leitura da Teoria da Enunciação de Émile Benveniste (1966/2005; 1974/2006). Dessa forma, a aquisição de L2 é vista como um “fenômeno geral da enunciação” (BENVENISTE, op.cit.). Em terceiro lugar, com apoio do estudo de Silva (2007; 2009) são apresentados os princípios para uma abordagem enunciativa na aquisição de L2, a qual funciona na estrutura enunciativa (eu – tu – ele) – ELE. Essa estrutura comporta o locutor-aluno de L2 (“eu”), o alocutário - professor (“tu”), as referências (“ele”) produzidas por “eu” e “tu”, todos inscritos na cultura (“ELE”). Com a formulação dos princípios, pretende-se contribuir para o ensino de L2 e para os campos da Aquisição de Segunda Língua e da Linguística da Enunciação. / This work aims at proposing enunciative principles to study of second language acquisition in in a formal educational setting. In order to achieve that, in first place, we present a study about different approaches which deal with second language acquisition in search of an enunciative point of view. Based on this research, we observed the lack of such approach on studies in Second Language Acquisition. In second place, we present a conception of language derived from the reading of Émile Benveniste’s enunciative theory (1966/2005; 1974/2006).Based on this, second language acquisition is considered as a “phénomène général de l’énonciation” (BENVENISTE, op.cit.). In third place, with the support of the study developed by Silva (2007; 2009), we present principles for an enunciative approach in second language acquisition, which operates according to the enunciative structure (je – tu – il) – IL. This structure contains: the speaker-L2 learner (“je”), the interlocutor-teacher (“tu”), the references (“il”) produced by “je” and “tu”, all of which are included in culture (“IL”). By proposing the principles, we intend to contribute to second language teaching and to the fields of Second Language Acquisition and Linguistique de l’Énonciation.

Esta dissertação tem por objetivo propor princípios enunciativos para o tratamento da aquisição de segunda língua (L2) em contexto escolar. Para isso, realizou-se, em primeiro lugar, um estudo acerca de diferentes perspectivas teóricas que abordam o fenômeno de aquisição de L2 em busca de um ponto de vista enunciativo. A partir dessa pesquisa, observou-se a falta de uma perspectiva enunciativa no campo da Aquisição de Segunda Língua. Em segundo lugar, é apresentada uma concepção de linguagem constituída a partir da leitura da Teoria da Enunciação de Émile Benveniste (1966/2005; 1974/2006). Dessa forma, a aquisição de L2 é vista como um “fenômeno geral da enunciação” (BENVENISTE, op.cit.). Em terceiro lugar, com apoio do estudo de Silva (2007; 2009) são apresentados os princípios para uma abordagem enunciativa na aquisição de L2, a qual funciona na estrutura enunciativa (eu – tu – ele) – ELE. Essa estrutura comporta o locutor-aluno de L2 (“eu”), o alocutário - professor (“tu”), as referências (“ele”) produzidas por “eu” e “tu”, todos inscritos na cultura (“ELE”). Com a formulação dos princípios, pretende-se contribuir para o ensino de L2 e para os campos da Aquisição de Segunda Língua e da Linguística da Enunciação. / This work aims at proposing enunciative principles to study of second language acquisition in in a formal educational setting. In order to achieve that, in first place, we present a study about different approaches which deal with second language acquisition in search of an enunciative point of view. Based on this research, we observed the lack of such approach on studies in Second Language Acquisition. In second place, we present a conception of language derived from the reading of Émile Benveniste’s enunciative theory (1966/2005; 1974/2006).Based on this, second language acquisition is considered as a “phénomène général de l’énonciation” (BENVENISTE, op.cit.). In third place, with the support of the study developed by Silva (2007; 2009), we present principles for an enunciative approach in second language acquisition, which operates according to the enunciative structure (je – tu – il) – IL. This structure contains: the speaker-L2 learner (“je”), the interlocutor-teacher (“tu”), the references (“il”) produced by “je” and “tu”, all of which are included in culture (“IL”). By proposing the principles, we intend to contribute to second language teaching and to the fields of Second Language Acquisition and Linguistique de l’Énonciation.

Since no teacher can learn all the languages of the world there is a need to find strategies to deal with students with different linguistic competences and conditions. In this essay, which I write under the Swedish teacher program at Örebro Univiersity, I will follow four teachers into their practice and search for tools they use to increase their chances to reach through to students in the Swedish middle school with Swedish as their second language. Using ethnographic and qualitative research methods I will present data from a video recorded material followed by an analysis based on a second language perspective. The material consists of video recordings from four different occasions where the teachers' initial and instructional monologues get caught. By using a multimodal approach my hope is to identify commonly occurring phenomena and describe how the differences in the use of these take place. I ask the following questions: • Are there any strategies that teachers use to clarify or strengthen their language teaching Swedish as a second language? •    If there are, how do the teachers use them? Observation Schedule and categories are designed through the findings the film has provided and have come together in four main categories that are: body language, reformulations, repetitions and visual aids. From these categories data is gathered and the data shows how frequently these phenomena occur and how they are combined. In the result I discuss different sequences from the films that show examples that I find interesting with a descriptive purpose. In this essay I want to describe how a few Swedish teacher works through the linguistic barrier that the differences in competence in the same language cause.