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This study aims to investigate Turkish teachers&rsquo / opinions and beliefs on the place of target cultural information in English language teaching, as well as their related practices and applications in EFL classrooms in Turkish higher education context. Particularly, it tries to explore three research questions: (a) How do Turkish teachers of English define culture? (b) What are the EFL teachers&rsquo / attitudes towards incorporating cultural information into their teaching? and (c) What role do they allocate to the culture of the target language in their classrooms? Data was collected from 98 randomly selected EFL teachers in the Preparatory (Hazirlik) Programs of four universities (Hacettepe University, Middle East Technical University, Ankara University, and Baskent University) in Ankara. A written survey questionnaire, including structured items, a rating scale and a Likerttype attitude scale, together with a follow-up interview were used as the two data collection methods. The analyses were carried out by frequency counts of the predetermined choices in the items and the related responses that were given to questions of the interview. The study shows that teachers mostly define culture in the sociological sense, such as values and beliefs. Their definition of culture in the framework of ELT slightly shifts towards more visible culture, such as food and clothing. The study also reveals teachers&rsquo / positive attitudes towards incorporating cultural information in their instruction. Teachers incorporate cultural knowledge to increase the learners&rsquo / awareness of other cultures and people for intellectual development, and to improve learners&rsquo / communicative competence.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 284-301). / Also available by subscription via World Wide Web / xxiv, 301 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm

This thesis investigates corrective-feedback episodes and learners?? private speech in Japanese language classrooms at a university to examine both overt and covert speech of the adult learners in relation to their target language learning. Corrective-feedback episodes between teachers and learners in language classrooms have been focused on as typical interactions in the classrooms and a factor that contributes to learning of target languages. Ohta (2001) found that learners noticed their teachers?? corrective feedback to the other learners and responded to the feedback in their private speech, and that they also repeated others or manipulated sounds or forms by using their private speech. As learners notice a gap between what they actually can produce and what they want to say, when they produce target languages, even without feedback (Swain, 1985; Swain and Lapkin, 1995), learners?? private speech should be examined as well as their corrective-feedback episodes in classrooms. The data were collected from six learners and two teachers at a Level 2 (upper beginning) Japanese course for two semesters (throughout a year). The data are composed of classroom observations, audio and video-recordings of the classrooms, and stimulated recall interviews with both the teachers and the learners following the classroom recordings. All corrective-feedback episodes and the learners?? private speech were transcribed and coded according to error type, corrective-feedback type, types of response to the feedback, and types of the learners?? private speech. The teachers tended to use recasts often because of the time limitation of the classroom teaching and their teaching policy. However, all the learners preferred to be given opportunities to self-correct their own errors before being provided with correct answers by recasts. Private speech had functions of cognitive/metacognitive, affective/social, and self-regulation, which overlapped with each other. The learners were aware of their use of private speech in the classrooms. The teachers sometimes noticed their learners?? use of private speech in the classes. The learners used both Japanese and English as cognitive tools as well as communicative tools. The learners used every opportunity for their learning, by overtly and covertly participating, in the class.

This study focused on the teacher interpersonal behaviour in the teaching of Mathematics, compared to English. It investigated: differences between student perceptions of their Mathematics and English teachers' interaction styles using the actual and ideal QTI; investigate associations between students' attitudes to Mathematics and English and their perceptions of the teachers' interpersonal behaviour; investigate whether any factors exist that contribute to students' perceptions of teachers' interpersonal behaviour, determine what the typical Mathematics and English teacher in Singapore is like; and what makes an effective teacher from students' and teachers' viewpoints. The QTI, together with the Attitude to Mathematics and Attitude to English, was administered to 913 students and 37 mathematics and English teachers from an independent school in Singapore. Student and teacher interviews were conducted to further substantiate the quantitative results. Both QTI and attitudinal scales were found to be valid and reliable instruments with alpha coefficients ranging from 0.69 to 0.92. In terms of leadership, helping/friendly, understanding and student responsibility, teacher behaviour as perceived by students, fell short of the ideal. Positive associations were found between students' attitudes to Mathematics and English and their perceptions of the teachers' interpersonal behaviour. Teacher experience and students' grade level were factors that contributed to students' perceptions of teachers' interpersonal behaviour. The typical Singaporean Mathematics teacher is that of the directive and authoritative type and the English teacher is the tolerant-authoritative type. Finally, an effective teacher is one who, besides having the positive qualities of good leadership, helping/friendly, understanding, has a good sense of humour and a passion to make a difference.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Toronto, 2009. / Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 48-02, page: .

Concerned to comprehend the teaching efficacy of English teachers in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, this thesis investigated contentions by principals, retired teachers and resource personnel that Sri Lankan teachers’ lack of teaching effectiveness (teaching behaviours that influence student learning) accounted for students’ low English attainment; and counter claims by English teachers that their teaching efficacy (beliefs in their abilities to affect student learning) was undermined by classroom and other-related problems. This mixed-method research comprised two stages. In a preliminary study, 298 students and twenty-four teachers from twelve secondary schools participated in a survey designed to understand challenges encountered in the teaching and learning of English. With a similar purpose, thirty-four English lessons involving 320 students and ten teachers were observed. Interviews concerning the aspects underpinning effective English teaching were conducted with five principals, three English resource personnel and three retired teachers. In the main study, sixty-two teachers from thirty-five secondary schools were surveyed and twenty interviewed to identify factors which affected the teaching efficacy of English teachers. Participating schools were categorized vis-à-vis their students’ performance: low-performing and high-performing. Findings support English teachers’ views concerning their teaching efficacy. Teacher perception revealed associations between the lack of teaching efficacy of English teachers in low and high-performing schools, and teacher background/parental duties/self-development, classroom problems and inadequate educational resources. No explicit evidence was found that students’ poor English attainment in low-performing schools was due to their teachers’ lack of teaching effectiveness. Observations showed that students were deprived of external resources which assisted students in high-performing schools to become proficient in English. New insights about Jaffna teachers’ efficacy indicate the need for a more context-specific English language curriculum in Sri Lanka, informed by teachers’ knowledge of their students’ English learning needs at a local level if teaching efficacy and English attainment are to be enhanced.

This diploma thesis deals with didactic aids and their use in English classes at the first grade of elementary school. At the beginning of the thesis I will characterize the specifics of teaching English at the first grade of elementary school, I will also clarify the term "didactic aid". I will divide types of aids and the possibilities of their use so as the teaching could be heterogeneous, pleasant, effective and primarily easy for pupils to understand. In the practical part of the work there are presented aids which are used by teachers. It is described there how the particular aids are implemented into teaching English and how teachers and pupils think about them in terms of popularity of their use. There are also presented different types of aids which become popular among pupils. By the level of their attractivity there were chosen a few of the most favourite aids.

This diploma thesis focuses on the Basic study centers in the Czech Republic. It maps its foundation, goals, roles and study technology. Also, it is concerned with the parent´s reactions on the results of the educational program. It deals with the evaluation of the cooperation between teachers and Basic teachers. This diploma thesis also contains a student evaluation of the program.

My Diploma Thesis deals with developing communicative skills through drama techniques. In the theoretical part I concern myself with the use of drama techniques at school in general and also in English lessons. I am trying to demonstrate the greatest advantages and disadvantages of using the drama techniques. I also deal with role play as a basic drama method and with correcting mistakes during drama techniques in the class. This is followed by the definition of the term communicative skill and explanation of how communicative skills are defined in the Framework Educational Program and in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. The practical part deals with the characteristics of the school and the class in which I did my research. This is followed by the description of four activities that are based on the drama techniques and are also suitable for developing communicative skills. I was trying to fit these activities into the English syllabus of the particular class. The aim of the Diploma Thesis is to show the theoretical basis and practical use of the drama techniques and to decide whether the drama techniques are really suitable for developing communicative skills of the students.