Title: The Positive Impact of the State School Leaving Exam on ELT Methodology. The Influence of Testing Writing on Teaching English at Czech Secondary Schools. Author: Eva Píšová Department: Department of English language and ELT Methodology, Faculty of Arts, Charles University Supervisor: doc. PhDr. Lucie Betáková, MA, Ph.D. Abstract This thesis deals with the topic of testing writing in the context of the state school-leaving exam in English language. The research assesses the impact of clearly specified standards on teaching English to Czech secondary school students, and thus focuses on the field which no systematic investigation has dealt with. The research concentrates on specific subskills assessed within distinctive criteria, analyses the relationships between them and estimates their complexity regarding both student success and teaching challenges. Three major research strategies were used: (1) a quantitative analysis of the large-scale data, (2) a small-scale pedagogical experiment and (3) a survey. To examine the relationship between various subskills of language ability we analysed test score data from the school- leaving exams in the years 2014-2017. Data from secondary vocational schools students were mainly used, as the level of these students' language skills should correspond the most...

This study examines the use of the Test of Written English (TWE), the essay portion of the TOEFL, as an indicator of academic readiness at Portland State University.

Studien är en jämförelsestudie av hur kursplanen för Engelska A tolkas i prestationsprov som fokuserar på skriftlig förmåga. Proven var hämtade från yrkesförberedande- och teoretiska program på gymnasiet. Jämförelsen mättes med en innehållsvaliditetsskala producerad med material från Brown (1983), Brown och Hudson (2002) och EN1201 - English A (2000) och analysen utfördes av två bedömare. Analysen visade ett flertal indexmedelvärden som skiljde sig åt mellan de två grupperna: yrkesförberedande och teoretiska. Proven tillhörande teoretiska program fick generellt ett högre indexmedelvärde än proven tillhörande yrkesförberedande program. Dock förekom det en skillnad mellan de två bedömarnas rankningar på de flesta frågorna i validitetsskalan, och några frågors medelvärden opponerade emot indexmedelvärdena, d.v.s. en av bedömarna rankade de yrkesförberedande programmens prov högre vid mer än ett tillfälle. Genom analysen upptäcktes två olika tillvägagångssätt av testning, där ett var av en mer preskriptiv natur och hade en anknytning till de yrkesförberedande programmen medan det andra tillvägagångssättet som var knytet till de teoretiska programmen var av en mer deskriptiv natur. Graden av innehållsvaliditet för respektive grupp (yrkesförberedande och teoretisk) uppvisar, enligt validitetsskalan i studiens analys, att proven tillhörande teoretiska program demonstrerar en högre grad av innehållsvaliditet (högre medelvärden) än de yrkesförberedande. Detta resultat tyder på en tolkningsskillnad av kursplanen mellan de två programmen vid konstruerandet av prestationsprov. Skillnaden mellan testen som upptäcktes kan bero på den vaga kursplanen. / This thesis sets out to do a comparative study of how the English A syllabus is interpreted in achievement tests focusing on writing ability. The tests were collected from vocational and theoretical programs at upper secondary schools. The measurement instrument employed in this study was a content validity scale produced with material originating from Brown (1983), Brown and Hudson (2002) and EN1201 - English A (2000) and was utilized by two judges in order to analyse the collected tests. The analysis displayed numerous noteworthy index mean differences between the two groups: vocational and theoretical. The theoretical programs’ tests received overall a higher index mean compared to the vocational programs’ tests. However, a variance existed between the two judges’ scorings on most of the questions in the validity scale, and some questions’ means contradicted the index means, i.e. one of the judges ranked the vocational programs’ tests higher on more than one occasion. The analysis also revealed two diverse testing approaches, where one had a more prescriptive nature and was closely connected to the vocational programs while the other one, having a close connection to the theoretical programs, was more descriptive in nature. The degree of content validity in each test group (vocational and theoretical), showed that according to the scale used in the analysis of this study, the theoretical programs’ tests display a higher degree of content validity (higher means) compared to the vocational programs’. This result implies a difference in interpretation of the syllabus depending on program (theoretical and vocational) when constructing achievement tests. The difference found could be due to the vagueness of the syllabus.

Thesis (M. A. (Language Education)) -- University of Limpopo, 2023 / This study investigated the challenges experienced by Grade 10 learners in the usage of English as the first additional language in classroom academic writing. Qualitative methodology was used to conduct this study where responses from a sample of 10 learners and 2 EFAL teachers were obtained. The participants were purposefully sampled from a secondary school in Tweefontein. The researcher collected data using the semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Selected teachers were interviewed and learners were given an essay writing task. The data was analysed using the inductive thematic data analysis method. The study‟s findings point to social media as the major factor that contributes to the learners‟ usage of social language in academic essay writing. Contraction was found to be the most common language issue in the learners‟ academic writing. The study recommends that stakeholders such as the Department of Education, teachers, parents and learners should work together in order to improve the learners‟ usage of language in academic writing.

No description available.

悅讀是指讀者自己挑選有趣的書籍，自發性地廣泛閱讀。本研究是要探討悅讀對國中生的閱讀動機，閱讀能力，和寫作能力的影響。本實驗邀請台北市某所國中61位的八年級生參加，分為實驗組(悅讀組)和對照組(傳統閱讀組)。本實驗共為期23週，在學生的英文閱讀課進行，每週一次，每次45分鐘。實驗期間， 實驗組在上閱讀課時只專心於閱讀自己所選的圖畫故事書，而對照組則繼續原來由老師所主導的傳統閱讀課程。實驗進行前後二組學生都接受全民英檢的閱讀和寫作能力測驗及閱讀動機評量。這些測驗資料由電腦進行量化處理與分析，個別訪談結果則用來輔助說明結果與討論。 結果顯示，經過悅讀的實驗，學生的整體閱讀動機提升了。此外，多面向的動機顯示，參與者的閱讀自信和閱讀成就與目地深受悅讀課程所影響，尤其是參與者從悅讀中產生很強的愉悅感，也增強了自信心。此結果證明了悅讀的最大功能—增進愉悅感。但是此研究並未發現悅讀能有效地改進參與者的閱讀和寫作能力。 因為小樣本及有限的資料，本實驗結果只能提供建議性而非決地性的結果，不過本實驗還是能提供一些教育性的建議。如悅讀能納入學校課程當作正規英文課的輔助。學校每天的早自習是讓學生悅讀的最佳時間。另外，賦予不同程度的學生不同的閱讀目標與配合適當的閱讀活動能增進他們的英語能力。爲了更深刻了解悅讀對國中生的效益，最好從校內全體的七年級生開始進行為期三年的悅讀課程，最後以高中入學的基本學力測驗英文科成績來檢驗其成效。期待面對繁重課業壓力的國中生能透過悅讀快樂地並有效地學習英文。 / Pleasure reading refers to any reading in which self-motivated readers pick up books they are interested in and engage themselves in those books. Pleasure reading has long been recognized as a powerful tool for fostering reading interest and enhancing literacy development. This study aimed to investigate the impacts of pleasure reading on EFL junior high school students’ reading motivation, reading comprehension, and writing ability. Sixty-one eighth graders in a junior high school in Taipei were divided into the experimental group (pleasure reading group) and the control group (traditional reading group). This program was carried out during the English Reading class, once a week with 45 minutes for each period. During the 23-week reading program, the experimental group only focused on reading self-selected picture books without any instructions while the control group still received the skill-based reading approach. Before and after the program, their reading and writing ability were examined by the reading and writing tests of General English Proficiency Test (GEPT) and their reading motivation was measured by the Motivation for Reading Questionnaire (MRQ). The data collected were analyzed quantitatively and the interview data were utilized to interpret and support the findings. The results revealed that the experimental group participants’ overall reading motivation was enhanced significantly after the program. As for the multifaceted motivation, the results showed that the participants’ “reading self-efficacy” and “reading achievement values and goals” were influenced strongly by pleasure reading. Among the 12 reading dimensions, “enjoyment” was the most significant factor. All the findings confirmed the main value of pleasure reading-- reading for enjoyment, and such enjoyment promoted students’ reading motivation very positively. With respect to the participants’ reading and writing ability, the results did not show significant improvement. Pleasure reading did not influence the participants’ language proficiency positively. However, both groups made some progress in the posttest in the gain score. Therefore, pleasure reading appeared to be at least as effective as the traditional reading approach. Pleasure reading was more interesting and enjoyable for junior high students. Although the results may not be taken as conclusive because of limited data and small samples, this study still provides some pedagogical implications and suggestions. Pleasure reading can be implemented into school curriculum as a counterpart of regular English class, a kind of skill-based English class. The school’s morning session is a good time for students to read self-chosen materials. Moderate tasks should be set for students with different language levels to conquer. Appropriate reading activities can be integrated to help stimulate students’ reading. To get a clear picture of its effect on junior high level students, it is necessary to conduct the program for a longer duration and with larger samples. Therefore, it is suggested that further study can start with all the seventh graders in junior high schools and the study should last for three years. The entrance exam of senior high school, the Basic Competence Test can be adopted as the measurement of language proficiency. It is expected that junior high students under academic pressure can learn English happily and effectively.

No description available.

‘A critical review of language errors in the writing of distance education students’ examines linguistic competence and investigates the language errors made by a heterogeneous group of 100 entry-level distance education university students with a view to improving their academic writing skills. The research follows a process of error identification and statistical analysis, and reviews intervention strategies based on the findings. Despite the continuing debates on the value of error correction, especially in relation to ‘World Englishes’, language accuracy remains a key factor in determining academic success. This is of particular concern in the South African multi-lingual context and in the light of the under-performance of South African students as evidenced in international comparative studies. The implications of the bimodal pattern of distribution in the review findings are discussed and pedagogically appropriate approaches and intervention strategies are suggested. / English Studies / M.A. (TESOL (Teaching English to speakers of other languages))

‘A critical review of language errors in the writing of distance education students’ examines linguistic competence and investigates the language errors made by a heterogeneous group of 100 entry-level distance education university students with a view to improving their academic writing skills. The research follows a process of error identification and statistical analysis, and reviews intervention strategies based on the findings. Despite the continuing debates on the value of error correction, especially in relation to ‘World Englishes’, language accuracy remains a key factor in determining academic success. This is of particular concern in the South African multi-lingual context and in the light of the under-performance of South African students as evidenced in international comparative studies. The implications of the bimodal pattern of distribution in the review findings are discussed and pedagogically appropriate approaches and intervention strategies are suggested. / English Studies / M.A. (TESOL (Teaching English to speakers of other languages))

This thesis reports on the findings of a study to validate an assessment scale for writing in an Open Distance Learning (ODL) context by first-year students in their responses to English literary texts. The study involved the interrogation of an existing scale, adapted from Jacobs et al. (1981), which was being used for the Foundations in English Literary Studies (ENG1501) module at the University of South Africa. Despite the credibility of the original scale, the modified version had been used in language- and literature-based courses in the English Studies Department since 1998 and had not been updated or empirically tested in the context of the target group. Thus, the gap that this current study addressed was the need for a valid rating scale that takes into account the complexities of literature teaching and ODL in the current South African university environment. This thesis includes a review of the debate on validity and the validation of rating scales both internationally and in South Africa, the ODL environment, and the assessment of assignments based on literary texts, particularly in the multicultural South African context. The methodology included research of both a quantitative and a qualitative nature. The outcome was an empirically-validated scale that should contribute to the quest for accuracy in assessing academic writing and meet the formative and summative assessment needs of the target group / English Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (English)