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An investigation of the English language needs of Vietnamese studying overseasVang, Nguyen Xuan, n/a January 1990 (has links)
Vietnam has been sending a lot of people overseas for study and training
but the results obtained from overseas study and training are not
satisfactory owing to language deficiency. This has prompted the present
study which aims to investigate the language problems and language
needs of Vietnamese going overseas for study and training.
Chapter 1 presents the justification and objectives of this Study Project
Report.
Chapter 2 gives some insight into the definition of English for Specific
Purposes (ESP), its development, and the situation of English language
teaching and ESP teaching in Vietnam.
Chapter 3 discusses the nature of analysis and its role in ESP course
design, types of needs of learners of English, and the methods of collecting
information for needs analysis.
Chapter 4 examines the noticeable problems of Vietnamese learners of
English in overseas settings in terms of difficulties in language, study skills,
and cultural differences by carrying out through a survey and a case study.
Chapter 5 specifies three kinds of English that Vietnamese in general will
needs for study and training in overseas settings: English for survival
needs, English for social needs, and English for descipline-specific needs.
Finally, some conclusions and recommendations are presented in the last
chapter.
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Experiencing English through poetry : an integrated approach for EFL in ChinaWang, Keping, n/a January 1983 (has links)
Like any other genre of literature, poetry straddles
two provinces. It can be considered to be one of the
arts or one of the humanities. When viewed as the
former, it consists essentially of a piece of verbal
art. When regarded as the latter, it is the expression
of human values and experiences.
Taking into account a real EFL situation in China, this
field study is intended to offer an integrated approach
for experiencing English through poetry.
This approach is actually a mixture, a combination of
two parental models - the linguistic and critical.
Since its key objective is to assist Chinese EFL
students to advance their target language performance,
it will inevitably focus on investigating the operation
of language in various literary communication components,
such as lexical choice, placement, polysemy, and association
in a poetic context. Nevertheless, it will also
attempt to help the students develop their literary
appreciation by reading poetry with critical scrutiny
of the message it aims to convey.
As a whole, through close examination of poetic diction
and function, it is supposed not only to heighten the
students' awareness of the "magic power" of words, but
also to increase their sensibility to the human
condition and aesthetic elements which are part of
the poets' artistry.
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Effective use of mother tongue in foreign language teaching in Chinese foreign language institutesWen-jian, Gao, n/a January 1984 (has links)
Whether or not the mother tongue is to be used in the
language classroom has long been a subject of heated
argument among language teachers in China. The great success
of the communicative approach in second language teaching
seems to have strengthened some peoples' belief that the
mother tongue should be completely avoided in language
teaching. It is, therefore, of great importance in China,
and perhaps of interest to foreign language teachers in
other countries as well, to analyse the situations of
foreign language teaching and learning, including the
difference between second language and foreign language
teaching, in order to see whether controlled use of the
mother tongue can in fact make teaching and learning
effective and efficient.
Chapter 1 reviews the major language teaching methods
and approaches now in use within and outside China. These
methods and approaches are categorized in accordance with
the ways of the learning they represent, and the advantages
and problems of these methods and approaches are analysed.
The differences between foreign language learning and
second language learning are examined in Chapter 2. Since
foreign language learners have different aims and objectives,
a different environment and possibly different motives,
their ways of learning are bound to be affected. Theories of
language learning compound and co-ordinate bilingualism,
independent and interdependent bilinguals, acquisition and
learning, are also discussed in relation to the
influence of these theories on language teaching as well
as the reasons why people use the mother tongue in foreign
language teaching. However, it is the teacher's
responsibility to select the appropriate techniques for
presenting and practising the target language. In the case
of foreign language learning the use of the mother tongue
is not only possible but can be effective and efficient.
Chapter 3 focuses on the foreign language teaching
situation in China. It includes a description of and
comments on the changes in methods in the last 50 years
as well as some important arguments in academic circles
associated with the issue of the use of the mother tongue
in foreign language teaching.
Chapter 4 describes the author's investigation in the
form of questionnaires sent to foreign language teachers and
observations of foreign language classrooms. Answers to
the questionnaires appear to confirm the existence of the
problems in the use of the mother tongue. Analysis of
the observations reveals possible solutions to the problems.
Practical suggestions about the actual use of the
mother tongue in the foreign language teaching are offered
in Chapter 5. For teaching, it seems possible to use the
mother tongue to teach/explain : 1) new concepts;
2) abstract ideas; 3) different points; 4) target
language grammar; 5) translation skills; and 6) target
language culture. Mother tongue is also very helpful
for teachers in their compiling of teaching materials.
On the other hand, students can use mother tongue in
their learning; it helps them practise as well as gather
historical and cultural background information.
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Thai students' opinions on adding communicative tasks to grammar- based English classesWuttipornpong, Tikamporn, n/a January 2000 (has links)
This study explores opinions of university Thai EFL students, who have been subject to a
conventional teaching approach for years, on adding communicative tasks in grammarbased
classes drawing from relevant literature and previous studies. The results of the
study suggest that Thai students want to have communicative tasks in grammar learning,
but only with formal instruction prior to the tasks. The study also shows how
communicative tasks may be integrated into conventional language pedagogy from Thai
students in the study's perspectives and relevant literature.
As expected, the results indicated that Thai students were reluctant to complete tasks in
English because of shyness, particularly when conversing with peers, a lack of
competence in language skills, and fear over losing face. The interviews conducted with
students revealed instructional techniques that they themselves believed would be
beneficial in encouraging greater participation in tasks without inhibitions.
Finally, the study concludes that Thai EFL students are ready to be trained in
communicative tasks and that instruction in Thai EFL classes should shift from
substantially form-based to more communication-based instruction.
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Problems in EFL testing with particular reference to ChinaXiao-guang, Wang, n/a January 1983 (has links)
n/a
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Increasing student autonomy in the learning of English as a foreign language at university level in ChinaYan, Ling, n/a January 1984 (has links)
The present field study report comprises two major
components:
1. the theories of autonomy and self-directed
learning and the analysis of needs and
reasons for increasing student autonomy.
2. some practical issues concerning
acquisition of autonomy in E.F.L.
learning.
The modernization of China requires a high level of
education of the whole nation. But because of the large
population and limited educational facilities, the
formal educational institutions cannot meet the needs of
the country. To solve the problem, self-directed
learning (S.D.L.) is recommended and encouraged by the
government. Although S.D.L. is considered to be a
practical way to cope with the situation, the problem is
that most people do not know how to undertake
independent study. The reason is that the dominance of
traditional pedagogy in Chinese formal education leads
to passive and dependent school learning which
suppresses students' potential to become autonomous in
their learning. Therefore, after leaving school, they
are not capable of continuing their learning by
themselves.
In order to deal with the problems in traditional
Chinese teaching, the significance of increasing student
autonomy needs to be fully recognized in the Chinese
educational context, and self-directed learning should
be introduced to formal educational institutions.
Some practical issues must be considered in
undertaking S.D.L. in the E.F.L. context.
First, the role of the teacher needs to be
redefined. The teacher will primarily act as a
counsellor and facilitator who will guide the students
in their learning, and secondarily as a resource for
content information.
Secondly, S.D.L. materials need to be prepared.
These materials will not only help to improve the
students' language competence but also encourage them to
learn how to learn. This study discusses the types and
sources of materials and suggests certain criteria and
procedures for selecting and producing these materials.
Thirdly, self-assessment is a central and crucial
feature of S.D.L. In autonomous learning, it is the
learner's responsibility to assess his own progress. In
order to take this responsibility he needs to acquire
self-assessment skills. Some techniques of
self-assessment are introduced.
Finally, in considering how to provide the learners
with an effective learning environment, this study puts
forward suggestions for establishing a self-study
center. Some language skills and learning activities
which can be practised in the center are also described.
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Towards a curriculum in oral skills for training Chinese tour guidesYong-ming, Gao, n/a January 1984 (has links)
During the last seven years or so, China has adopted
an open-door policy, which has brought about an increase
in diplomatic intercourse, and cultural and technical
exchanges between China and other countries. And, above all,
the number of tourists coming to visit China has been
growing rapidly year by year. Together with this increase
comes the demand for tour guides, especially Englishspeaking
tour guides.
Since most Chinese tour guides who are presently
working in the travel service have not been able to receive
professional training, they encounter difficulties of
various kinds in their work. Such a situation demonstrates
an urgent need for designing a special curriculum for
training Chinese tour guides.
Problems with the current situation are analysed in
detail in Chapter 2. The analysis reveals that there are
problems with the existing arrangement for recruiting tour
guides and also tour guides' weakness in oral communication
with tourists which is a result of inadequate training.
In order to have an objective picture of Chinese tour
guides' oral English � both strengths and weaknesses � a
questionnaire was designed, and interviews were conducted
as part of the field study. The whole of Chapter 3 is
devoted to the analyses of the questionnaire and interviews,
which includes the designing and distribution of the
questionnaire and the data analysis.
Chapter 4 focuses on the discussion of the importance
of aims and objectives in the curriculum. It offers
guidelines for the other elements of the curriculum which
are stated in relation to students' future needs.
Students are expected to achieve the goals set for
them in the course through studying the course materials.
Therefore, teaching materials have to be selected in order
to be able to serve the basic aims and objectives of the
course. Considerations need to be given to both language
and content. Details of how to choose course content are
dealt with in Chapter 5.
The final chapter gives suggestions for teaching
and evaluation.
This field study report is not intended to present a
proper curriculum. Instead, it is hoped to suggest some
aspects worthy of consideration when the training in oral
English for tour guides is being planned.
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Teaching English newswriting skills to Chinese students : a comparative study of news writing in Chinese and English and some suggestions on teachingYueming, Yu, n/a January 1984 (has links)
Journalism education in China began early this century.
However, the drastic changes in the Chinese society since the First
World War have greatly hindered the development of journalism
education. With the fall of the "gang of four" in 1976, China entered
a new period in its history which is marked by a strong desire of the
CPC and the people to modernize their country in the shortest possible
time. This situation has produced an ever-increasing need for better
journalists, especially international journalists who are able to use
foreign language to promote mutual understanding and exchange between
China and other countries. To meet this demand, the speciality of
international journalism, a combination of journalism training and
foreign language learning, has come into existence in many
institutions.
However, to teach Chinese students English journalism,
particularly the skill of news writing in English, is not easy.
Students constantly encounter difficulties in writing English news
articles. They have problems in both language use and organisations.
Their writing is very often unnatural and sometimes hard to comprehend
for English-speaking readers. The reasons are mainly as follows.
First, news writing, unlike any other form of writing,
involves particular requirements which need to be carefully studied
and analysed, such as the criteria for news value, the special
structure of the article and the special choice of words.
Secondly, as China's policy towards journalism is very
different from that of the west, its approach towards news is also
different. Therefore, what is included in a Chinese news article is
not always of news value to western readers.
Thirdly, Chinese and English are two very different
languages. Many dissimilarities exist in all aspects of the two
languages, linguistic and rhetorical. Chinese students often find it
difficult to free themselves of mother tongue interference.
To solve these problems, a comparative study of the news
writing styles in both languages should be made by the teachers and
students so that they can realise the similarities and dissimilarities
between the two languages and their relative strengths and weaknesses
in news writing.
In addition, practice is also essential in the training of
journalists. Extensive exposure to good English news writing styles
and practices in producing them will surely benefit the students in
their study of journalism.
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Developing the communicative competence of Chinese EFL studentsZhi-Ling, Zhang, n/a January 1983 (has links)
Increasing contact between China and English-speaking countries
in recent years calls for competent language workers to fulfil
various communication tasks. To meet this need, it is of great
importance and urgency for the Chinese EFL teaching profession to be
conscious of the existing problem of communicative incompetence of
Chinese EFL learners and to strive for ways and means of reducing it.
This study was undertaken as an exploratory study of this problem.
As recognised by many now, linguistic competence alone is not sufficient
for a successful foreign language learner, one needs to acquire
communicative competence as well. In this study, a historical overview
of the theory of communicative competence is provided. Following it
is a detailed description of a survey which aimed to measure several
areas of communicative competence of Chinese learners of English and to
find out existing problems. Possible causal factors of those problems
are also discussed and are categorised into two groups: communicative
interference and weaknesses in the present curriculum, teaching
methodology and teaching materials. Finally, implications of this
study are examined and tentative suggestions are made in the hope that
more and more Chinese EFL teachers will respond to the problem and
search for ways to bring about effective learning.
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Some aspects of social competence and EFL teaching in ChinaZheng, Zhong, n/a January 1983 (has links)
Linguistic competence is a person's knowledge of the
forms of a language. This knowledge is not sufficient
for communication because communication involves a
knowledge of appropriate ways to use the language, that
is, when to say what to whom. A part of this total
capacity which may be termed 'social competence' is the
knowledge and ability to create and maintain a harmonious
atmosphere in social interaction.
� Social competence is acquired as a person grows up
in a given society, learning to play different roles. In
social interaction, social competence enables a person to
live up to the expectations of these roles, and to act in
such a way as to satisfy the interests of others in
exchange for satisfaction of his own. One of the
individual's interests in interaction is 'face': a desire
for freedom from imposition and for appreciation. The
preservation of a harmonious atmosphere in social
interaction largely depends on how well the interactants
preserve their own and each other's face. Certain speech
acts are intrinsically face threatening, so mitigating
strategies must be used to redress these acts.
Owing to the differences in social values and
personal relations in different societies, Chinese speakers
of English may not perceive the threat to face involved in
doing certain acts in the same way that English native
speakers would perceive it. As a result, they may
unwittingly threaten native speakers' face. Moreover,
Chinese speakers may not be able to use mitigating
strategies appropriately and may therefore be unable to
maintain the desired harmonious atmosphere in
interaction with native speakers of English.
Therefore, in addition to learning the forms of
English language, Chinese speakers should be encouraged
to develop social competence, by learning the target
language culture and by practising the appropriate
polite strategies in social interaction.
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