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Two teachers with two classes each participated in the research, which used a modified Campbell and Stanley equivalent time series design. Each class was randomly assigned four of eight filmstrips. Both experimental and control classes heard lectures on a module, the experimental group viewed the filmstrip, and both were posttested. Independent variables controlling for student differences, module difficulty, student attitudes, and the critical independent variable, viewing of the filmstrip (View), were regressed on student cognition. In the analysis, significant at the .001 level, View exerted a significant positive influence on cognition scores. No relation was discovered between student attitudes toward filmstrips and increased cognition.

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This study examined how intermediate elementary students' mathematics and science background knowledge affected their interpretation of line graphs and how their interpretations were affected by graph question levels. A purposive sample of 14 6th-grade students engaged in think aloud interviews (Ericsson & Simon, 1993) while completing an excerpted Test of Graphing in Science (TOGS) (McKenzie & Padilla, 1986). Hand gestures were video recorded. Student performance on the TOGS was assessed using an assessment rubric created from previously cited factors affecting students' graphing ability. Factors were categorized using Bertin's (1983) three graph question levels. The assessment rubric was validated by Padilla and a veteran mathematics and science teacher. Observational notes were also collected. Data were analyzed using Roth and Bowen's semiotic process of reading graphs (2001). Key findings from this analysis included differences in the use of heuristics, self-generated questions, science knowledge, and self-motivation. Students with higher prior achievement used a greater number and variety of heuristics and more often chose appropriate heuristics. They also monitored their understanding of the question and the adequacy of their strategy and answer by asking themselves questions. Most used their science knowledge spontaneously to check their understanding of the question and the adequacy of their answers. Students with lower and moderate prior achievement favored one heuristic even when it was not useful for answering the question and rarely asked their own questions. In some cases, if students with lower prior achievement had thought about their answers in the context of their science knowledge, they would have been able to recognize their errors. One student with lower prior achievement motivated herself when she thought the questions were too difficult. In addition, students answered the TOGS in one of three ways: as if they were mathematics word problems, science data to be analyzed, or they were confused and had to guess. A second set of findings corroborated how science background knowledge affected graph interpretation: correct science knowledge supported students' reasoning, but it was not necessary to answer any question correctly; correct science knowledge could not compensate for incomplete mathematics knowledge; and incorrect science knowledge often distracted students when they tried to use it while answering a question. Finally, using Roth and Bowen's (2001) two-stage semiotic model of reading graphs, representative vignettes showed emerging patterns from the study. This study added to our understanding of the role of science content knowledge during line graph interpretation, highlighted the importance of heuristics and mathematics procedural knowledge, and documented the importance of perception attentions, motivation, and students' self-generated questions. Recommendations were made for future research in line graph interpretation in mathematics and science education and for improving instruction in this area.

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Pronunciation instruction in the TEFL classroom has long been a neglected area regardless of its importance for the students. The data in the literature shows that teachers are generally not ready to provide pronunciation instruction for a variety of reasons: lack of qualification and training, theoretical and practical knowledge, time and motivation. The present thesis explores the current situation of pronunciation instruction at a private language school in the Czech Republic using of classroom observations and teacher and student surveys. The results confirm the initial hypothesis that pronunciation instruction including pronunciation error correction is nearly non-existent or occurs sporadically in the classroom. Only one out of four teachers (T1) included explicit pronunciation information into his teaching. The only pronunciation error correction technique observed with the four teachers was a recast which proved to be ineffective in most cases. Even though the teachers and students are generally aware of the importance of pronunciation in foreign language acquisition, their individual beliefs and attitudes towards pronunciation learning and teaching greatly differ. Key words: pronunciation, TEFL, explicit instruction, segmental features, suprasegmental features, teacher and student cognition