This diploma thesis aims at presenting principles and techniques of giving instructions during English lessons and their practical use. It stresses the awareness of the importance of delivering clear and understandable instructions and of their influence on students' comprehension. Theoretical part of this thesis describes general rules of giving instructions and focuses on instruction techniques suitable for students' learning styles. It also deals with the language of instruction appropriate for A1 - A2 level students. Practical part consists of applying the theoretical principals in practice through an action research. The aim of the practical part is the improvement of the author's instructions. The findings have shown that modifying the language of instruction as well as using various verbal and non- verbal instruction techniques promotes the students' comprehension of instructions. Key words: Language acquisition, comprehensible input, language of instruction, students' comprehension, learning styles, gestures, action research, instructions

The purpose of this research study was to explore the possibilities of using children's and adolescent literature with lower-level students of Spanish. The study investigated second-semester students' perceptions of their experiences reading children's and adolescent literature in Spanish and the relevance of reading this literature on their acquisition of Spanish and their understanding and appreciation of Latino culture. Seventy-eight students enrolled in three second-semester Spanish courses in a large Southwestern university read two children's books in Spanish as part of the course curriculum; sixty-eight of these students agreed to participate in the research study. Quantitative data concerning students' periodic self-ratings of their communicative abilities in Spanish were collected via questionnaires. Qualitative data concerning students' perceptions of their experiences reading the children's books were collected through journal entries, surveys, focus-group interviews, and compositions. Students indicated that their communicative skills in Spanish increased throughout the course of the semester. Students in Classes #1 and #2 believed that their reading abilities in Spanish increased from novice-mid to novice-high. Students in Class #3, however, concluded that their reading abilities in Spanish increased from novice-mid to the intermediate-low. Students affirmed that reading the children's books helped them see Spanish vocabulary and grammar in context and reinforced the vocabulary items and grammatical features of Spanish they previously learned in the course textbook. Many students indicated that reading and discussing the children's books contributed to the development of their reading ability as well as other communicative abilities in Spanish. Students' opinions varied concerning the extent to which curricular engagements supported or impeded their comprehension of the children's books. Additionally, students asserted that the children's books contributed to their understanding and appreciation of Latino culture and that the books supported the development of their intercultural competence. A number of research and pedagogical implications of the study are included along with avenues for further research.

Master of Arts / Department of Modern Languages / Douglas K. Benson / Students have opportunity to reach learner autonomy and achieve real world applications utilizing communicative competence, a learner centered environment and comprehensible input, incorporated into a unit for student success. The acquisition of language and culture is facilitated in the classroom environment with low affective filters and comprehensible input combining different learning strategies. The activities in this cultural thematic art unit engage student’s interest and activate his or her background knowledge, making meaningful connections with the unit content and their personal lives. Literature, paintings, grammar and vocabulary enable students to build communicative competence in L2. Language learners collaborate and engage in the target language while simultaneously learning about literature, history and culture and learning how artists and writers represent empathy for others as they process words by various Spanish speakers. Additionally, authentic texts and the use of technology enhance students’ linguistic performance. The unit begins with my teaching philosophy followed by a sequence of activities that allow students to process language while they study the consequences of war on those who are affected by it, and a brief section on potential learning outcomes for those who participate in the activities.

O principal objetivo desta dissertação é investigar, dos pontos de vista teórico e prático, o processo de didatização de textos autênticos no âmbito do ensino do italiano como língua estrangeira (LE). Quanto aos aspectos teóricos, procuramos apresentar as definições dos termos material didático, material autêntico e didatização. Procuramos, também, enfatizar a importância dos textos autênticos no processo de ensino-aprendizagem do italiano LE. Para alicerçar nosso trabalho, baseamo-nos na Teoria da Aprendizagem Significativa, de David Ausubel, na Teoria de Aquisição de Segunda Língua, de Stephen Krashen, e na Linguística Textual. A primeira consiste em uma teoria do âmbito da educação em geral e explica a importância dos conhecimentos prévios dos alunos no processo de ensino-aprendizagem. A segunda é uma teoria da área de aquisição/aprendizagem de línguas e interessa-nos, particularmente, pelo conceito de input compreensível. Já a terceira consiste em uma vertente da Linguística cujo objeto de estudo é o texto, que é considerado um instrumento resultante de processos cognitivos e de interações sociais. Essas três teorias têm bases cognitivistas e ofereceram-nos subsídios para a elaboração desta dissertação. Tentamos mostrar, com base em tais teorias, que a didatização de materiais autênticos pode ser uma maneira de oferecer insumo compreensível aos alunos e favorecer a aprendizagem significativa da língua-alvo por parte deles. No tocante aos aspectos práticos, por sua vez, realizamos uma pesquisa com os estudantes e com os professores do Italiano no Campus, curso de difusão cultural da Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas da Universidade de São Paulo, no qual demos aulas de 2009 a 2011. Ademais, descrevemos algumas atividades que construímos com base em materiais autênticos e que utilizamos em uma classe de nível elementar (A1 do Quadro Comum Europeu de Referência para as Línguas). Essa pesquisa consiste em dois questionários: o que elaboramos para os alunos contém dezenove perguntas, e o que fizemos para os professores possui apenas quatro questões. A análise das respostas dos discentes, bem como a análise das respostas dos docentes parece ter evidenciado que os materiais que mais interessam aos alunos são, geralmente, aqueles que o professor mais utiliza em suas aulas. Os comentários dos aprendizes corroboram o que postulam muitos teóricos da pedagogia de línguas, isto é, que é importante que o professor de LE não use apenas o livro didático (LD) e que, para os discentes, a variedade de materiais e atividades pode tornar as aulas mais motivantes. A análise das respostas dos docentes parece ter mostrado que, na opinião dos professores, faz-se necessário utilizar outros materiais além do manual didático, mas que este ocupa, ainda, um lugar central no processo de ensino-aprendizagem do italiano LE. Com base nos dados analisados, parece-nos que essa centralidade deva-se, sobretudo, a três motivos: a obrigatoriedade do uso do LD; o fato de este ser uma referência para os aprendizes; e a praticidade desse instrumento aliada à falta de tempo que o professor tem para selecionar outros materiais e elaborar suas próprias atividades. / The main purpose of this thesis is to investigate, from the theoretical and practical point of view, the process of didactization of authentic texts in the teaching of Italian as foreign language (FL). Regarding the theoretical aspects, we have attempted to present the definition of the terms didactic material, authentic material and didactization. We also have sought to emphasize the importance of authentic texts in the process of teaching-learning Italian as a foreign language. In order to establish a foundation for our work, we have based it on David Ausubels Theory of Meaningful Learning, on Stephen Krashens Theory of Second Language Acquisition, and on Textual Linguistics. The first consists of a theory of the scope of education in general and explains the importance of the students previous knowledge in the teaching-learning process. The second is a theory in acquisition/learning of languages and interests us especially because of the concept of comprehensible input. The latter consists of a branch in Linguistics whose purpose is the study of the text, which is considered an instrument that results from cognitive processes and social interactions. These three theories have cognitivist bases and provide us with tools for the development of this work. We have tried to show, based on such theories, that the didactization of authentic materials can be a way to provide comprehensible input to the students and to favor the meaningful learning of the target-language by them. Regarding the practical aspects, we have conducted a research with the students and teachers of Italian in the campus, the cultural dissemination course at the Faculty of Philosophy, Languages and Human Sciences at the University of São Paulo, in which we have taught from 2009 to 2011. Also, we have described some activities we developed that were based on authentic materials, which we used in an elementary level class (A1 from the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). This research comprises of two questionnaires: the one with the students includes nineteen questions and the one conducted with the teachers includes four questions. The analysis of the students answers and the analysis of the teachers answers show that the materials that most interest the students are the ones used the most by the teachers in classes. The apprentices comments corroborate what is postulated by many theoreticians in language teaching, i.e., it is important for the FL teacher not to be restricted to the textbook, and for the student, the variety of materials and activities might render the classes more captivating. The analysis of the teachers answers seems to show that in their opinion it is necessary to use other materials apart from the teaching manual, which still occupies a central position in the process of teaching-learning Italian as foreign language. Based on the analyzed data, it seems to us that this centrality has three reasons: the obligation to use the textbook; the fact that the textbook is a reference for the apprentices; and the practical aspect of this tool connected to the teachers lack of time to choose other materials and create their own activities.

O principal objetivo desta dissertação é investigar, dos pontos de vista teórico e prático, o processo de didatização de textos autênticos no âmbito do ensino do italiano como língua estrangeira (LE). Quanto aos aspectos teóricos, procuramos apresentar as definições dos termos material didático, material autêntico e didatização. Procuramos, também, enfatizar a importância dos textos autênticos no processo de ensino-aprendizagem do italiano LE. Para alicerçar nosso trabalho, baseamo-nos na Teoria da Aprendizagem Significativa, de David Ausubel, na Teoria de Aquisição de Segunda Língua, de Stephen Krashen, e na Linguística Textual. A primeira consiste em uma teoria do âmbito da educação em geral e explica a importância dos conhecimentos prévios dos alunos no processo de ensino-aprendizagem. A segunda é uma teoria da área de aquisição/aprendizagem de línguas e interessa-nos, particularmente, pelo conceito de input compreensível. Já a terceira consiste em uma vertente da Linguística cujo objeto de estudo é o texto, que é considerado um instrumento resultante de processos cognitivos e de interações sociais. Essas três teorias têm bases cognitivistas e ofereceram-nos subsídios para a elaboração desta dissertação. Tentamos mostrar, com base em tais teorias, que a didatização de materiais autênticos pode ser uma maneira de oferecer insumo compreensível aos alunos e favorecer a aprendizagem significativa da língua-alvo por parte deles. No tocante aos aspectos práticos, por sua vez, realizamos uma pesquisa com os estudantes e com os professores do Italiano no Campus, curso de difusão cultural da Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas da Universidade de São Paulo, no qual demos aulas de 2009 a 2011. Ademais, descrevemos algumas atividades que construímos com base em materiais autênticos e que utilizamos em uma classe de nível elementar (A1 do Quadro Comum Europeu de Referência para as Línguas). Essa pesquisa consiste em dois questionários: o que elaboramos para os alunos contém dezenove perguntas, e o que fizemos para os professores possui apenas quatro questões. A análise das respostas dos discentes, bem como a análise das respostas dos docentes parece ter evidenciado que os materiais que mais interessam aos alunos são, geralmente, aqueles que o professor mais utiliza em suas aulas. Os comentários dos aprendizes corroboram o que postulam muitos teóricos da pedagogia de línguas, isto é, que é importante que o professor de LE não use apenas o livro didático (LD) e que, para os discentes, a variedade de materiais e atividades pode tornar as aulas mais motivantes. A análise das respostas dos docentes parece ter mostrado que, na opinião dos professores, faz-se necessário utilizar outros materiais além do manual didático, mas que este ocupa, ainda, um lugar central no processo de ensino-aprendizagem do italiano LE. Com base nos dados analisados, parece-nos que essa centralidade deva-se, sobretudo, a três motivos: a obrigatoriedade do uso do LD; o fato de este ser uma referência para os aprendizes; e a praticidade desse instrumento aliada à falta de tempo que o professor tem para selecionar outros materiais e elaborar suas próprias atividades. / The main purpose of this thesis is to investigate, from the theoretical and practical point of view, the process of didactization of authentic texts in the teaching of Italian as foreign language (FL). Regarding the theoretical aspects, we have attempted to present the definition of the terms didactic material, authentic material and didactization. We also have sought to emphasize the importance of authentic texts in the process of teaching-learning Italian as a foreign language. In order to establish a foundation for our work, we have based it on David Ausubels Theory of Meaningful Learning, on Stephen Krashens Theory of Second Language Acquisition, and on Textual Linguistics. The first consists of a theory of the scope of education in general and explains the importance of the students previous knowledge in the teaching-learning process. The second is a theory in acquisition/learning of languages and interests us especially because of the concept of comprehensible input. The latter consists of a branch in Linguistics whose purpose is the study of the text, which is considered an instrument that results from cognitive processes and social interactions. These three theories have cognitivist bases and provide us with tools for the development of this work. We have tried to show, based on such theories, that the didactization of authentic materials can be a way to provide comprehensible input to the students and to favor the meaningful learning of the target-language by them. Regarding the practical aspects, we have conducted a research with the students and teachers of Italian in the campus, the cultural dissemination course at the Faculty of Philosophy, Languages and Human Sciences at the University of São Paulo, in which we have taught from 2009 to 2011. Also, we have described some activities we developed that were based on authentic materials, which we used in an elementary level class (A1 from the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). This research comprises of two questionnaires: the one with the students includes nineteen questions and the one conducted with the teachers includes four questions. The analysis of the students answers and the analysis of the teachers answers show that the materials that most interest the students are the ones used the most by the teachers in classes. The apprentices comments corroborate what is postulated by many theoreticians in language teaching, i.e., it is important for the FL teacher not to be restricted to the textbook, and for the student, the variety of materials and activities might render the classes more captivating. The analysis of the teachers answers seems to show that in their opinion it is necessary to use other materials apart from the teaching manual, which still occupies a central position in the process of teaching-learning Italian as foreign language. Based on the analyzed data, it seems to us that this centrality has three reasons: the obligation to use the textbook; the fact that the textbook is a reference for the apprentices; and the practical aspect of this tool connected to the teachers lack of time to choose other materials and create their own activities.

Considering teacher talk as the main input into the English as a foreign language classroom, this study aims to highlight and gain a deeper understanding of how target language use can look like in a foreign language classroom in Sweden. To investigate in this essay, the following research questions are addressed: • What is the teachers´ attitude towards the use of the target language in English teaching? • To what extent does the teacher communicate orally in English during English lessons? And on what occasions does the teacher choose to use the target language andthe first language during English lessons? The study was conducted in four different elementary schools, and four teachers were observed who taught in different grades. An interview was held after every observation, and through the interviews a deeper understanding was obtained. The material consists of notes through observation schedules and recordings of interviews and recording of observation. The study is based on Krashen's (1981) input hypothesis as well as Vygotskijs (2001) notion of Zone of proximal development. Research indicates that using the target language consistently can create learning opportunities for students, and a relaxing environment for them to use the target language themselves fluently during English lessons. Furthermore, studies has alsoshown using the first language can affect the students own language production and learning of the target language. However, other have shown that in some cases it can be an advantage to use the first language to include all students during English lessons, especially for the weak students in the class. Therefore, taking into consideration these different perspectives, I investigate four teachers´ use of English and Swedish in the Swedish EFL classroom.The findings show that three out of the four teachers observed used the target language in the beginning of the English lesson, while giving instructions, commanding the students to use the target language and asking them questions however, only one of them used the target language consistently during the English lesson. The findings also shows that the teachers used the first language to facilitate the students´ comprehension and to translate when they didn’t seem to understand what was said in English. Notably, some of the participating teachers indicated a desire to use the target language to a larger extent during English lessons, but they felt obligated to use Swedish in order to include all the students. The overall 3conclusion of this study is that it can be beneficial for both teachers and students if the teacher is aware of their approach toward the target language. They can thereby reflect on the impact this can have on their students´ language learning, their English lessons and their students´ use of the target language.

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