This study focuses on student listening needs in the context of the English for Academic Purposes program taught by distance education at the University of the South Pacific. It explores the relationship between learners� awareness of the learning strategy they use for developing their listening skills and their teachers� knowledge of the strategy use and listening needs of learners. Using an ethnographic case study approach, the study was conducted at various campuses and centres of the University of the South Pacific. Interviews were conducted with five EAP/study skills teachers, five subject/course teachers, 19 past learners and 10 present learners of the EAP/study skills course. Questionnaire data was also obtained from 19 past learners and 153 present learners. In addition, a course material analysis was carried out. The study confirms and adds weight to the conclusions of earlier researchers such as Berne (1998), and Mendelsohn (2001) who explain that discrepancies exist between L2 listening research and practice. The findings of this research indicate that teachers differ from their learners in terms of learners� knowledge and understanding of listening skills and learning strategies in use. The findings also indicate that even though learning had taken place in this distance education context some face-to-face teaching would have been desirable. A combination of distance teaching with longer teacher-learner contact for distance teaching of listening skills is recommended, since regular contact between teachers and learners is seen by learners as very beneficial and more likely to lead to a better development of listening skills. It also helps create an awareness of learners� present and future listening needs. The nature of distance teaching at the University of the South Pacific, and the challenges faced by both teachers and learners are discussed in this study, and the requirement for further needs analysis in regard to distance EAP courses are noted. The study concludes with recommendations for strategy training for distance learners as well as for raising teacher awareness about the importance of strategy teaching. It is also recommended that similar studies be undertaken in other language skills courses offered by distance at universities like USP such as reading, writing and speaking courses.

THE PROFESSIONAL LIFE-CYCLES AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF ADULT TEACHERS OF ENGLISH TO SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES (TESOL) This thesis focuses on the findings of a research study conducted in Geneva and Sydney to examine the career cycles of TESOLs. It explores many of the issues investigated in Huberman???s study of 160 secondary school teachers in Geneva (1989, 1993). Seventy-three in-depth interviews were conducted with teachers and trainers / administrators in adult TESOL, and professional development issues were examined in greater detail than in the Huberman study. The central purpose of the study was to test the universality of the Huberman model of career phases. TESOLs were found to have far more variations during their career cycles than school teachers, who were in a more stable and predictable situation. The study focused on particular moments in the career cycle, exploring TESOLs??? levels of satisfaction. TESOLs in the present study were found to have similar intrinsic satisfactions and concerns about working conditions as the findings of other TESOL studies. Although the occupation was reportedly becoming increasingly more professional, its unpredictable nature made it stimulating and rewarding. In spite of the instability of the TESOL career, TESOLs appeared to have more positive career experiences overall than many school teachers with more stable career paths. The study also examined professional development issues by comparing the perceptions of TESOLs and their trainers / administrators. They had many divergent opinions as to the professional development requirements of TESOLs. While there was no conclusive evidence that professional development could be linked to stages, TESOLs in a phase of diversification were found to have different professional development requirements from other phases. Personal, professional and environmental factors also affect the professional development requirements of TESOLs at any stage. In summary, it appears that the traditional career phase model is inappropriate when applied to TESOLs, and perhaps for other similarly unstable careers. With the recent changes in people???s professional lives, requiring increasing mobility and adaptability in the changing job market, other career path models to guide counselling, professional development and other staff management programs will need to be explored.

This thesis investigates the equivalence of direct (live) and semi-direct (tape-mediated) versions of a test of oral proficiency which forms part of the access: test, a four-skill English language test for prospective skilled migrants to Australia sponsored by the Commonwealth Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs. This is essentially an equity issue since the two versions are used interchangeably in overseas test centres and candidates normally have no choice about the version to which they are assigned. It is important therefore that candidates’ final results should not be adversely affected by the particular method used to test their oral proficiency.

This thesis aims to investigate how the Certificate of General Education for Adults (CGEA) caters for non-language outcomes in ESL literacy classrooms. The research focuses specifically on ESL literacy learners with limited or no formal education who are characterised as having literacy needs. Non-language outcomes (NLO) such as improved self-esteem, cultural awareness and the development of learning-to-learn skills are seen by many teachers to be important gains from language and literacy courses. However, since the introduction of competency-based credentials like the CGEA, many practitioners are concerned that these do not acknowledge NLO. Using the theoretical framework of a previous study by Jackson (1994) into NLO categories, this thesis reported on the findings of a qualitative multi-case study of six teachers and their low-level ESL literacy learners. A range of data including teacher interviews, classroom observations and field notes was used to examine the informants’ conceptualisation of both ESL literacy learner characteristics and of NLO. The teachers were also asked to comment on whether NLO were documented in the CGEA. The data revealed that the informants’ characterisation of ESL literacy learners matches current definitions found in the literature. The teachers reported that these learners do make non-language gains, particularly in the affective and learning skills categories. This thesis also identified classroom metalanguage to be an additional NLO for the target learners which was not previously identified by Jackson (1994).

Taboo English is an area of inquiry that has been overlooked in the research literature. Little appears to be published on the phenomenon of taboo language and its teaching implications for adult ESL/EFL students learning conversational English. This study aimed to investigate the attitudes and opinions of 80 ESOL teachers from 10 language schools in Auckland, New Zealand, towards the use of Taboo English in society and their attitudes towards teaching about taboo language to adult learners of conversational English. The project used a questionnaire designed to elicit a combination of both qualitative and quantitative data. Results showed that Taboo English was a valuable aspect of ESOL teachers' linguistic repertoire and that both males and females used taboo words in complex and diverse ways to communicate ideas quickly and efficiently. One of the key findings of the study contradicted the typical stereotype that females are more conservative in their taboo use than males. Another major theme that emerged was the linguistic prejudice towards teaching about Taboo English in the second language classroom. The vast majority of ESOL teachers in the study displayed little, if any, enthusiasm for teaching about taboo words to adult learners of conversational English despite acknowledging that taboo words are frequently heard in society today. This study concludes that Taboo language is an undeniable reality of English language use and that ESOL teachers, preparing adult learners to understand everyday language they will be exposed to in the 'real' world, need to address Taboo English to some degree. By not addressing this controversial language, teachers are insufficiently preparing learners to become empowered communicators in English.

This study introduces themes and trends apparent from notable research and literature regarding the value and usefulness of bilingual teaching methods in the ESOL classroom, and the perceptions of ESOL managers and teachers regarding these, both from an international and a New Zealand perspective. From this, a shortage of awareness and research in the New Zealand context was identified, which created an opportunity for further research. The study aimed specifically to investigate the knowledge and perceptions of Auckland based ESOL-school professionals regarding the value of teacher bilingualism and the use of other languages in the ESOL classroom. The basic method employed was a survey involving the distribution of questionnaires to 60 Auckland language school teachers and 20 Auckland language school managers, and included both qualitative and quantitative type questions. The study probed the foreign language skills and overseas work experience of the managers and teachers, and investigated whether these factors had influenced their perceptions regarding the value of teacher bilingualism and the use of other languages as an ESOL teaching tool. The study identifies the perceptions of Auckland ESOL professionals regarding these issues and analyses further differentiating factors likely to have influenced these perceptions. It identifies differences of opinion between managers and teachers and investigates reasons for these. The study analyses the linguistic composition of the Auckland language school clientele and considers implications for the industry resulting from the identified perceptions of ESOL professionals. Finally, the study offers suggestions for further future research, in the interest of improvement and enhancement of the industry.

Form-focused instruction makes up an important part of the literature on second language acquisition research. Current approaches to second language instruction have called for an integration of message-focused and form-focused instruction in the L2 classroom. At the same time, a growing interest is the pedagogical applications of form-focused research, which proposes a means of addressing form in the classroom using various instructional options, some of which involve incidental and pre-planned focus on form.This study examined the nature and occurrence of pre-planned and incidental focus on form in two secondary school ESOL classrooms, and what thinking underlay the two teachers' practices in choosing a particular option. The study reports on the methods and approaches that two teachers employed in the context of their own ESOL classrooms, in which form-focused instruction occurred, and explored the extent to which different levels of experience influenced the instructional decisions of two ESOL teachers.The results showed that there was a considerable amount of attention to form in lessons that purported to be 'communicative' and certainly were so. It also became clear that in these classes, a focus-on-form was not just a reactive phenomenon, it was also proactive since the students played an important part in both initiating and responding focus on form episodes. Much of the focus on form that arose was triggered by a problem in using English accurately, not by a problem in communication. That means that, although the lessons were 'communicative', the students regularly paid attention to language for its own sake.It is suggested that both pedagogy and teacher education/development may benefit from a perspective in which both good and not-so-good practice is seen as cognitive and reflective activity.

Errata pasted on back end-papers. Bibliography: leaves 255-260. Aspects of teacher-student power relationship (TSPR) were studied in an Australian ESL (English as a second language) study centre and an Indonesian EFL (English as a foreign language) counterpart to investigate the relevance of the power sharing concept in different contexts of second language learning. The study employed non-experimental methodology in collecting data using interviews, questionnaires and classroom observation. The findings contribute insight into the contextual factors worthy of consideration in applying modern approaches to ELT in different settings of teaching and learning, and support the establishment of student autonomy as the central goal in learning and communicative competence in L2 pedagogy.

Thesis (MEd)--University of Stellenbosch, 1994. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In 1986 a new English Second Language syllabus for the Junior and Senior Secondary Course was introduced in the Cape· Province. The overall aim of the syllabus is communicative competence and it advocates a communicative approach (CA) to teaching English Second Language. At the inception of the communicative approach most teachers were i~rnorant of what it comprised and this study undertook to determine whether teachers understood what Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) was and if they applied it in their teaching. At first the demands of society and how this had influenced language teaching through the ages was investigated. Communicative competence was demanded at different stages in history and it is at these different stages where the CA has its roots. Many of the principles of the CA, it was discovered, had been applied by teachers and theorists many centuries ago. Teachers and theorists who teach language for communication see language in a different light. Language and its unique properties are investigated, and with an emphasis · on language as communication. Different ways of using language to communicate are investigated and questions like ''Where does meaning reside? What are the kinds of meaning?" and "How can we control meaning?" are discussed. Prior to the introduction of the CA, second language teaching had been devoted to mastery of structures. However, with the new insights gained about language and meaning, the focus shifted to meaning in coherent discourse rather than on discrete forms. With the shift in focus teachers also had to adjust their teaching to meet the demands. At this stage a brief discussion of the CA and the essentials of a communicative curriculum is provided. The comparison between traditional and communicative approaches is made. An account of CLT methodology is given, including exploration of communicative competence. Many practical examples of CLT are explained. In the empirical study a questionnaire was distributed to the ESL teachers at thirty schools in the Boland and Northern Suburbs of Cape Town. The aim of the research was to determine whether ESL teachers teach communicatively. The findings of the study were that teachers who were trained before 1986 and those trained subsequently have a limited view of the CA. Consequently they cannot apply it to their teaching and seem to revert to a structural interpretation of the syllabus. This study then, confirms that teachers do not have a full understanding of what the CA comprises and consequently teachers do not teach "communicatively". / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In 1986 is 'n nuwe Engels Tweede Taal sillabus vir die Junior en Senior Sekondere Kursus ingestel vir die Kaapprovinsie. Die oorhoofse doelstelling was kommunikatiewe bevoegdheid en dit stel voor 'n kommunikatiewe benadering (KB) in die onderrig van Engels Tweede Taal. Met die bekendstelling van die benadering was die meeste onderwysers onbewus daarvan studie onderneem om te bepaal of die kommunikatiewe taalonderrig behels en onderrig toegepas het. en is daar met hierdie onderwysers verstaan wat of hulle dit in hulle Eerstens is die eise van die gemeenskap en hoe van taal deur die eeue beinvloed het, bestudeer. bevoegdheid is op verskillende tye deur die dit die onderrig Kommunikatiewe loop van die geskiedenis vereis en dit is juis aan hierdie verskillende tye wat die kommunikatiewe benadering sy ontstaan te danke het. Dit is ontdek dat van die beginsels van die kommunikatiewe benadering al van vroee tye toegepas is deur onderwysers en teoriste. Onderwysers en teoriste wat taal onderrig vir kommunikasie sien taal in 'n ander lig. Taal en die unieke eienskappe daarvan word ondersoek en taal as kommunikasie word beklemtoon. Verskillende wyses waarop taal gebruik kan word om te kommunikeer word ondersoek en vrae soos: "Waar is betekenis gesetel? Wat is die soorte betekenis?" en "Hoe kan betekenis beheer word?" word bespreek. Voor die bekendstelling van die KB is taalonderrig beperk tot die bemeestering van taal strukture. Helaas, met die nuwe insigte wat verkry is van taal en betekenis het die klem verskuif na verb~ndhoudende diskoers eerder as op sinsontleding. Met die klemverskuiwing moes onderwysers ook hul onderrig aanpas om aan die eise te voldoen. 'n Bondige bespreking van die kommunikatiewe benadering en die voorvereistes van 'n kommunikatiewe kurrikulum word gegee. Daar word ook onderskeid getref tussen tradisionele en kommunikatiewe benaderings. 'n Kommunikatiewe taalonderrig-metodologie word voorsien en kommunikatiewe bevoegdheid word ook bespreek. praktiese voorbeelde verduidelik. van kommunikatiewe taalonderrig Baie word In die empiriese studie Engels Tweede Taal in is 'n vraelys aan die onderwysers van dertig hoer skole van die Boland en Noordelike voorstede van Kaapstad gestuur. Die doel van die studie was om te bepaal of Engels tweede taal onderwysers kommunikatief onderrig. Die bevindinge van die studie was dat be ide onderwysers wat voor 1986 opgelei is en daarna, 'n beperkte siening van die kommunikatiewe benadering het. Gevolglik kan hulle nie die benadering toepas nie en wil dit voorkom of hulle 'n strukturele vertolking van die sillabus volg. Die studie bevestig dus dat onderwysers nie die kommunikatiewe benadering ten volle verstaan nie en gevolglik kan die onderwysers nie kommunikatief onderrig nie.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Research into the variables which affect second language (L2) learning has shown varying results. The relationship between one of these factors, language learning strategies (LLSs), and language proficiency has been studied extensively in the English as a second language (ESL) setting, often with inconclusive results. Other variables which have been shown to influence the type and frequency of LLS use include gender and length of exposure to the L2. There has however been a dearth of studies focusing on the relationship between LLSs and these variables, including language proficiency, in the English as a foreign language (EFL) context, and especially in East-Asian and South-East Asian tertiary settings. Against this backdrop, this study sets out to investigate the relationship between the LLSs and language proficiency of Vietnamese-speaking EFL learners in Vietnam in an attempt to add to the body of literature in this field. This study begins by discussing various prominent classification systems of LLSs and provides a definition which will be used in this investigation. This is followed by a discussion of the existing LLS literature, focusing on the variables to be tested, and LLS research in the Asian setting. To test whether there is a significant relationship between the participants’ LLS use and their language proficiency, and also whether gender and length and type of exposure to the L2 influenced their LLS use, data was collected quantitatively. Firstly, data was gathered on the students’ type and frequency of LLS use by means of a commonly implemented self-report questionnaire, the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) and on their language proficiency by means of their course assessment results. A background questionnaire was used to collect information on the other variables to be tested. The participants were found to be medium to high frequency LLS users overall, with their reported use of certain LLS categories contradicting the general stereotype that Asian students are passive and rote learners. No significant correlations were found between frequency of LLS use and language proficiency. Furthermore, no significant difference was found between the reported frequency and type of LLS use of female and male participants, nor any correlation between additional exposure to English outside of high school and LLS use. These results are then discussed in the socio-cultural context of Vietnamese-speaking learners in a tertiary EFL setting, followed by conclusions drawn from these results, and suggestions for future research. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Navorsing rakende die faktore wat die verwerwing van ’n tweede taal (T2) beïnvloed, het verskillende resultate opgelewer oor die afgelope paar dekades. Die verhouding tussen een van hierdie faktore, naamlik taalleerstrategieë (TLSe), en taalvaardigheid is reeds uitvoerig ondersoek in die konteks van Engels as tweedetaal (ET2), dikwels met onbesliste resultate. Ander faktore wat volgens navorsing ook ’n invloed blyk te hê op die tipe en gereeldheid van TLS-gebruik, sluit in geslag, sowel as lengte van blootstelling aan die T2. Daar is egter ’n tekort aan studies wat fokus op die verhouding tussen TLSe en hierdie veranderlikes, insluitend taalvaardigheid, in die konteks van Engels as vreemdetaal (EVT), spesifiek in Oos-Asiese en Suid-Oos-Asiese tersiêre instansies. Teen hierdie agtergrond het hierdie studie ten doel om die verhouding tussen die TLS-gebruik en taalvaardigheid van Viëtnameessprekende EVT-leerders in Viëtnam te ondersoek, ten einde by te dra tot die literatuur in hierdie veld. Hierdie studie begin met ‘n bespreking van verskeie prominente TLS-klassifikasiesisteme en die uiteensetting van die definisie van “TLS” wat in hierdie ondersoek gebruik sal word. Daarna volg ’n bespreking van die bestaande TLS-literatuur. Ten einde te toets of daar ’n beduidende verhouding is tussen die deelnemers se TLS-gebruik en hulle taalvaardigheid, en ook of geslag en die lengte en tipe blootstelling aan die T2 die deelnemers se TLS-gebruik beïnvloed, is kwantitatiewe data ingesamel. Data rakende die tipe en gereeldheid van die deelnemers se TLS-gebruik is deur middel van ’n wyd geïmplementeerde self-rapporteringsvraelys, naamlik die sogenaamde “Strategy Inventory for Language Learning” (SILL), ingesamel. Die deelnemers se kursusassesseringsresultate is geïnterpreteer as ‘n aanduiding van hulle taalvaardigheid. Die gerapporteerde gebruik van sekere TLS-kategorieë weerspreek die algemene stereotipe dat Asiese studente passiewe leerders is wat staatmaak op blote memorisering. Geen beduidende korrelasies is gevind tussen taalvaardigheid en die gereeldheid waarmee TLSe gebruik word nie. Verder is geen beduidende verskille gevind tussen die gerapporteerde gereeldheid of tipe TLS-gebruik van manlike teenoor vroulike deelnemers nie. Daar is ook geen beduidende korrelasie gevind tussen TLS-gebruik en addisionele blootstelling aan Engels wat deelnemers gedurende hulle hoërskooljare buite skoolverband ontvang het nie. Hierdie resultate word geïnterpreteer en bespreek met inagname van die sosiokulturele konteks van Viëtnamees-sprekende leerders in ’n tersiêre EVT-omgewing. Daarna word gevolgtrekkings gemaak op grond van die resultate, en voorstelle vir verdere navorsing gebied.