Master of Arts / Department of Modern Languages / Abby Franchitti / The role of first language (L1) has been controversial in foreign language (FL) learning and teaching. This study examines the relationship between L1 use and gender and level of education of EFL teachers as well as gender and EFL proficiency level of learners in an Afghan university setting. It also investigates the relationship between FL use and learner anxiety by learner gender and EFL proficiency level. The study hypothesized that female FL teachers use the L1 more than male teachers in FL classrooms. Second, low FL proficiency learners consider L1 use as necessary in FL classrooms. Third, low FL proficiency students experience more anxiety with the exclusive use of FL than higher level learners. Fourth, female learners experience more anxiety than male students with the exclusive use of FL by learners and teachers. Twenty EFL teachers participated in the study by completing a 19-item questionnaire and sixty EFL learners by completing a 27-item questionnaire about their views towards L1/FL use and learner anxiety. The data, analyzed through SPSS software, included calculating frequencies and percentages, computing correlations, and conducting independent-samples t-tests to compare the mean difference between the variables. The first hypothesis was not supported as male teachers reported using the L1 more than female teachers. The study also revealed that male teachers with BA and MA degrees used the L1 more than female teachers with BA degrees. In contrast, female teachers with MA degrees used the L1 more than male teachers with BA and MA degrees and also more than female teachers with BA degrees. The results supported hypothesis two. More elementary learners considered the use of L1 as necessary than intermediate and advanced students. The findings also supported hypotheses three and four. Elementary learners as well as female students experienced more anxiety with the exclusive use of FL than intermediate and advanced level students and male learners. The principal conclusion indicated a significant positive correlation between the exclusive use of FL and learner anxiety.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Psychological Sciences / Richard Jackson Harris / In recent years, Baddeley (2010) has added a new component, the episodic buffer, to his Working Memory (WM) model. The episodic buffer binds information from long-term memory (LTM) to the central executive but has been researched very little, especially with respect to its use with a second language. In fact, Juffs and Harrington (2011) stated, “To date there has been no research on the possible role of the episodic buffer in L2 learning and use” (p. 140). One goal of this study was to do just that. Domain knowledge (DK) in baseball (Experiment 1) and English proficiency levels (Experiment 2) were used as proxies for difficulty level to study how inference processing under different conditions of domain knowledge and cognitive load in native (L1) and non-native (L2) English readers contribute to understanding the episodic buffer. In Experiment 1, 67 participants varying in domain knowledge about baseball read stories related to baseball with or without a concurrent cognitive load task of responding to tones while reading; they then answered comprehension questions of varying degrees of inferential difficulty. In Experiment 2, three groups varying in English reading proficiency, split into groups based on their lexical decision task scores (72 native, 40 intermediate, 40 beginner readers) read general stories with or without cognitive load and answered comprehension questions requiring varying degrees of inferential difficulty. Accuracy and Reaction Time (RT) were differentially affected by working memory (OSpan), cognitive load, and inferential complexity. In Experiment 1, greater DK explained variance in effectiveness (accuracy) and efficiency (RT) as inferential complexity increased. In Experiment 2 OSpan was needed even at lower levels of inferential complexity for beginning readers. Surprisingly, for both experiments, participants responded faster under cognitive load conditions, although not at the expense of accuracy. This suggests that the episodic buffer is important for different levels of DK and proficiency, especially as the task becomes more difficult. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Being able to read and write different kinds of texts in English is more important than ever, and previous research has shown that the latter of those two skills benefits from the former. The importance of reading is stressed in the curriculum for upper secondary education. The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of English literature at upper secondary school. Similarities and differences in attitudes towards literature among students in vocational and academic programs in the first year will be looked into. I wish to get an idea of how students experience literary studies in their English education. Further, I want to investigate the students’ own ideas on how to best make literary studies interesting and a good tool for learning. The results show that the academic program students read more often in their spare time, and also that they enjoy reading to a higher degree than the vocational program students. When it comes to practicing reading literature in English lessons in school, both groups think that they do this seldom and a slight majority of both groups are satisfied with this. However, nearly half of the academic program students and nearly a quarter of the vocational program students would like to read more in school. Moreover, it seems that academic program students see more advantages in literary studies for acquiring a second language, whereas the vocational program students do not know if literary studies are a good way of learning English or gaining knowledge of the English culture. Previous research has shown that students are not likely to find a task, such as reading literature, worth doing if they are not motivated in ways that make them understand the advantages that the task will provide. My conclusion is therefore that it is important that teachers strive to motivate their students in such a way. Further, it is important that teachers consider that even though students do not read a great deal in their spare time, they might still want to do so in school.

The study of a foreign language can never be seen in isolation, but forms part of the social and cultural setting in which it functions. Therefore, teaching English to multicultural groups of adults in Qatar, cannot be done effectively and efficiently, without taking the influence of cultural diversities and values, as well as the requirements of the adult learner, into account. This research deals with how native English speaking lecturers at one specific language centre in Qatar acknowledge these cultural diversities and values and how they accommodate adult learners in the multicultural classroom environment, by means of a literature study and an empirical investigation. Qualitative data collection was done by open-ended questionnaires to lecturers and learners, focus group interviews with lecturers and learners, individual interviews with lecturers, classroom observations and keeping of field notes. Findings revealed that lecturers are aware of the cultural diversities and values of learners who come into the classroom from different nationalities, and accommodated these learners without bias. These differences however, did not necessarily influence their teaching styles and lecturers remained focussed on teaching English as effectively as possible. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Adult Education)

The evolution of computer networks and the Internet has transformed the world. Digital communication technologies offer exciting options and new challenges for Open and Distance Learning (ODL). This dissertation presents a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) training pilot* in order to investigate and critique the use of Learning Management Systems distance-driven teacher development programmes. Globally, English language learning is in high demand. Conventional contact training is unable to reach sufficient numbers of aspirant teachers to ensure quality and to promote access. The study uses design-based research as a means of unravelling the complex relationships between theory, best practice, and implementation in both ODL and TEFL. It concludes by recommending foundational institutional changes as the most appropriate means to effective distance and computer-assisted education. / English Studies / (M.A. (English))

English is a widely used language, and its standing as a tool for communication among people who do not share a common first language is ever increasing. Young students all over the globe therefore learn English in school. This study aims to investigate what some recent research says regarding what methods to use when teaching young learners a second language. It then aims to compare the research findings to the methods English teachers of young learners in four elementary schools in the southern Norrland area of Sweden employ in their instruction. The study was conducted through observations and interviews with participating teachers.        It was found that research advocates that teachers should use English frequently and in great quantities during lessons with young learners. Teachers should also vary their instruction and use different avenues to make the language accessible to students (for example through course-books and through active learning situations such as stories, songs, physical activities, and drama). The results of the study show that teachers attempt to employ the methods that research advocates, but that difficulties arise in regards to the teachers’ familiarity with the language, their self-confidence as teachers, and a lack of space, time, and material.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

The purpose of this paper is to examine in depth and to synthesize the literature on foreign language anxiety, with specific focus on speaking anxiety. This paper reviews the development of the foreign language anxiety construct and extensive research on its relationship with other domains of second language acquisition, including specific language skills and language learning processes. Review of the literature has confirmed that foreign language anxiety plays a significant role in learners’ performance and achievement. However, there are still many areas that need further research and clarification. Variables such as individual differences still cloud the relationship between anxiety and achievement, thus suggesting that further research should be conducted in order to clarify the effects of foreign language anxiety and should strive to alleviate learners’ anxiety in the language classroom. / text

The issue of identity has generated a significant amount of research in recent years. In this literature review, the relationship between learner identity and accent is explored, specifically the learner’s cultural affiliation and identity and the link to his/her accent acquisition in a second or foreign language. Social networks, motivation, L1 use, socio-cultural knowledge, discrimination and power relations, and anxiety are all shown to affect parts of the learner’s cultural identity, which, in turn, may influence his/her accent in the L2. / text

Many French EFL (English as a foreign language) learners may be aware of the origin of anglicisms (loanwords from English) and may thus attempt to use these words in English. However, changes in meaning, phonology, and syntax, etc., during the integration of a loanword into the borrowing language create the potential for error in such efforts. This report reviews relevant research and theory on language transfer, vocabulary knowledge, metacognition, and lexical borrowing as factors that bear light on this type of transfer. It then presents two studies, one with French EFL learners and one with EFL teachers in France. Results suggest that anglicisms do cause errors in the English of French learners, that learners are generally aware of anglicisms and of the possible difference in meaning between the French and the English words, and, finally, that this awareness does not necessarily lead to correct usage of such words. / text