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This longitudinal study used qualitative and quantitative methods to explore the development of aspects of the intercultural competence (ICC) of Saudi learners of English as a second language in a study abroad (SA) context based on Deardorff's (2004) ICC model. It also examined students' development of Saudis' perceptions of the home and host cultures at the beginning of SA and after four months. Moreover, this study explored the relationship between ICC and second language proficiency. This study found no substantial change in ICC-related attributes over four months of studying abroad. Results also showed an overall agreement in ICC assessment between the teachers and the students. As far as perceptions of members of the Saudi and US cultures are concerned in the second study, the findings suggested that the Saudi SA students continued to use their home frame of reference even after four months of study in the US and that the national stereotypes persisted. In these results, US Americans are perceived to be work-oriented, whereas Saudis are relationship-oriented. The findings of the third study demonstrated that SA students' perceived gains with regard to skills of speaking, listening, reading, grammar, and vocabulary were significantly lower than their expectations at the beginning of the program and that their expectations were relatively low for culture learning. Moreover, no significant relationship was found between SA students' L2 usage patterns and L2 learning, nor between L2 usage patterns and C2 learning. However, the level of L2 proficiency upon entry into the SA program indicated a strong correlation with perceived gains in L2 learning. Interestingly, no relationship was found between ICC and L2 learning, nor between ICC and C2 learning.

A fonética, estudo dos sons de uma língua, tem um papel fundamental na aprendizagem de línguas estrangeiras, principalmente na aquisição das competências orais. No entanto, a transposição didática desta disciplina não é sempre evidente para o professor de línguas estrangeiras. Por um lado, ele tem que enfrentar um assunto considerado excessivamente técnico e inacessível aos não-iniciados, e por outro, são poucas as obras escritas para este fim. Esta dissertação tem como objetivo discutir o lugar da fonética no ensino/aprendizagem de línguas estrangeiras e propor procedimentos metodológicos para o trabalho da fonética em sala de aula. Para isto apresentaremos no primeiro capítulo um percurso histórico das diferentes metodologias, mostrando como a pronúncia foi tratada em cada uma delas. Isto nos permitirá determinar, no capítulo II, os princípios a serem levados em conta na elaboração de um programa e das atividades de fonética. No último capítulo descreveremos as três experiências realizadas em duas instituições de ensino de francês língua estrangeira na Universidade de São Paulo. Graças a esta pesquisa poderemos não só avaliar a importância da fonética para o ensino/aprendizagem de línguas estrangeiras como também sugerir atividades lúdicas que ajudem o professor a motivar seus alunos no aprimoramento da pronúncia. / Phonetics is the study of speech sounds. Even though it plays an important role in the second language acquisition, specially of the oral skills, its didactic transposition is not always evident for the language teacher. On the one hand he has to face a discipline considered too technical and unavailable to the non-initiated, on the other hand, there are very few works on the subject. The objective of this paper is to discuss the place of phonetics in second language teaching and to propose methodological procedures for its learning. For that, we will present in the first chapter an historical view of second language methods, showing how pronunciation was treated in each one of them. In chapter II we will determine the principles that should be taken into account when elaborating a phonetics program or activities. In the last chapter we will describe three experiences achieved in two different language institute at São Paulo University. Due to this research we will be able to evaluate the importance of phonetics in the second language acquisition and suggest fun activities to help teachers to motivate their students in pronunciation classes.

Since 2003, the Canadian government has repeatedly called for research into innovative ways to teach Core French (CF) – a non-immersion program, where French as a Second Language (FSL) is taught on a daily basis, or a few times per week. This exploratory study investigates the driving forces behind the widespread popularity of a CF method called the Accelerative Integrated Method (AIM), which combines target language use with gestures, high-frequency vocabulary, and drama to accelerate the development of fluency from the onset of classroom instruction. In order to learn more about the “meaningfulness” of this growing trend (Fullan, 2007), this mixed-method inquiry attempts to shift the focus from product to process, comparing educator perspectives and AIM implementation within two Ontario contexts: (a) where AIM was mandated for elementary (Grades 4-6) FSL instruction, and (b) where AIM was an optional method for FSL teachers to use (or not). Survey and interview data were collected from and triangulated across a variety of educators from both contexts, including FSL consultants (n = 18), principals (n = 8), CF teachers (n = 9), and one Ontario Ministry of Education representative. Four semi-structured interviews and multiple observations were also conducted with those CF teachers who were using AIM (n = 8). An additional CF teacher who had attempted to use AIM, and had subsequently rejected it, was also interviewed. Findings showed that AIM implementation and educator perspectives did not vary significantly based on whether AIM was mandated or optional for CF instruction. A clear preference emerged towards using AIM and the accompanying resources during the beginning stages of CF instruction. Discussion about the growing popularity of AIM was positive; however, it also exposed a range of emotions about when and how AIM should be used. In terms of implementation, while some AIM routines, activities, and strategies were used by all, each AIM teacher exercised their agency while using the method, supplementing and adapting for different reasons. Implications include the need to reexamine the objectives of micro-level AIM policies, recognize the adaptability of AIM, and consider including detailed observations in future research linking AIM to student achievement.

Since 2003, the Canadian government has repeatedly called for research into innovative ways to teach Core French (CF) – a non-immersion program, where French as a Second Language (FSL) is taught on a daily basis, or a few times per week. This exploratory study investigates the driving forces behind the widespread popularity of a CF method called the Accelerative Integrated Method (AIM), which combines target language use with gestures, high-frequency vocabulary, and drama to accelerate the development of fluency from the onset of classroom instruction. In order to learn more about the “meaningfulness” of this growing trend (Fullan, 2007), this mixed-method inquiry attempts to shift the focus from product to process, comparing educator perspectives and AIM implementation within two Ontario contexts: (a) where AIM was mandated for elementary (Grades 4-6) FSL instruction, and (b) where AIM was an optional method for FSL teachers to use (or not). Survey and interview data were collected from and triangulated across a variety of educators from both contexts, including FSL consultants (n = 18), principals (n = 8), CF teachers (n = 9), and one Ontario Ministry of Education representative. Four semi-structured interviews and multiple observations were also conducted with those CF teachers who were using AIM (n = 8). An additional CF teacher who had attempted to use AIM, and had subsequently rejected it, was also interviewed. Findings showed that AIM implementation and educator perspectives did not vary significantly based on whether AIM was mandated or optional for CF instruction. A clear preference emerged towards using AIM and the accompanying resources during the beginning stages of CF instruction. Discussion about the growing popularity of AIM was positive; however, it also exposed a range of emotions about when and how AIM should be used. In terms of implementation, while some AIM routines, activities, and strategies were used by all, each AIM teacher exercised their agency while using the method, supplementing and adapting for different reasons. Implications include the need to reexamine the objectives of micro-level AIM policies, recognize the adaptability of AIM, and consider including detailed observations in future research linking AIM to student achievement.

The purpose of the study is to investigate the working methods and teaching methods used by Swedish teachers in grade 5 at two different schools in Västerort, and how these six swedish teachers argue about fiction and their influence on the development of word understanding by second language speakers. During this study, qualitative methods are used, in the form of observations and interviews.  To fulfill the purpose of my survey, I have formulated the following two questions: 1.      How do the six different Swedish teachers work in the classroom to promote the wording of second language speakers in reading fictional texts? 2.      How do the six Swedish teachers reason about their work on the understanding of words and fiction, as well as the connection between them? The result of the study shows that the six participating Swedish teachers in two different schools mention and use different successful teaching methods and practices that promote the development of word understanding by second language speakers. The survey also shows that fictional texts are used with the purpose of developing the vocabulary of second language speakers, word learning and word understanding. The study shows that all participating Swedish teachers argue, and work based on a multimodal approach, where images, own experiences, student prerequisites and illustrations are used as teaching methods. Furthermore, the study shows that all teachers agree on what they regard as successful working methods. Explicit and implicit teaching, reading, discussion, conversation, full-class work, small groups and in pairs are what the teachers mention and choose to work with in conjunction with fictional texts. Conversation and discussion about the reading fiction and the unknown word together make it possible for interaction and support.

This essay looks at the discourses on lgbtq topics in English language teaching aimed at upper secondary schools in Sweden. The purpose is to find out how the discourses are created by analyzing a set of textbooks as well as interviewing teachers. The method employed in this study is critical discourse analysis supported by queer theoretical perspectives. Together these frameworks help to show how the social relationships that affect lgbtq people are affecting the educational setting in English. The study finds that a separate set of discourses appear to affect textbooks and teachers. The textbooks in this study appear to be affected by discourses that favor non-lgbtq people while the teachers in this study appear to be affected by discourses that favor lgbtq people.

From the 1960s to the present, the Swedish school has undergone quite a few major reforms, including three new national curricula. The aim of this literature review is to investigate what previous research says about curriculum reform regarding second language teaching and learning in general, and English as a second language in particular. Through analysis of the chosen seven sources, there is some evidence that curriculum reform has affected second language learning and teaching. Especially when it comes to the implementation of curriculum, a subject syllabus plays an essential role in the process of transmitting knowledge, and the dynamic of the classroom is changing, which entails that both teachers’ role and students’ roles are shifting. The teacher is not the only source of knowledge any more, and students do not just sit in the classroom and listen to the teacher. Students’ influence is highlighted both in the curriculum and in the classroom. Communicative competence has become the focus of the teaching and learning of a second language.

The purpose of this essay is to investigate what different ways there are to teach English grammar at upper secondary level and what guidance experienced teachers have to offer. This is done by studying different theorists’ ideas on language acquisition as well as what researchers’ opinions are on how to teach grammar. I have also interviewed seven experienced teachers who work at upper secondary level. The results of this investigation show that explicit grammar teaching has decreased over the years and been replaced by implicit grammar teaching and communication exercises. Grammar teaching has become integrated with activities focusing on meaning and is taught more through examples than by using grammatical terminology. Since students frequently come into contact with English they are not thought to need grammar rules as much, since they learn the language in a native-like way almost. However, they repeatedly make some mistakes. Each teacher had different methods for dealing with these mistakes, but they seemed to be keeping in mind the students’ needs and the curriculum. In this study, I will highlight some methods for teaching grammar, factors that can influence learning and provide information on some existing theories about how students learn their second language.

This study aims at generating an understanding of today's teaching in English. The study  seeks to find out in what extent teachers in grade 4-6 speak English during the lessons in English and on what occasions the teacher chooses to use the English language. The work empiricism consists of two different methods, classroom observations and qualitative interviews. In order to get such a broad picture of teacher's English teaching as possible, classroom observations were conducted first and then supplemented with an interview. Respondents participating in this study work in the municipal sector at four different schools in central Sweden.          The study shows that English as an teaching language is used at all times during the lesson, and that English is the most used teaching language. The teaching language fluctuates a lot, and the teachers who participated in this study mainly choose languages according to the group and the pupils in the group. All participating teachers used Swedish as a tool to answer the students' questions and guide them. The teachers primarily want to create a safe place for the students and to make sure everyone understands what´s being said on the lessons. / Denna studie syftar till att generera förståelse för dagens undervisning i engelska. Jag undersöker i denna studie i vilken utsträckning lärare i 4-6 talar engelska under lektionerna i engelska och vid vilka tillfällen läraren väljer att använda det engelska språket. Arbetets empiri utgörs av två olika metoder, klassrumsobservationer och kvalitativa intervjuer. För att få en sådan bred bild av lärares engelskundervisning som möjligt så genomfördes klassrumsobservationerna först och kompletterades sedan med en intervju. Respondenterna som deltar i denna studie arbetar inom den kommunala sektorn på fyra olika skolor i Mellansverige.          Studien visar att engelska som undervisningsspråk används under alla tillfällena under lektionens gång och att engelska är också det undervisningsspråk som används mest. Undervisningsspråket växlar väldigt mycket och lärarna som deltog i denna studie väljer främst att välja språk utefter vilken grupp och vilka elever som finns i gruppen. Alla deltagande lärare använder svenska som ett verktyg för att besvara elevernas frågor och vägleda dem. Lärarna vill i första hand skapa trygghet för eleverna och vill säkerställa att alla ska känna att de förstår vad som sägs.