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published_or_final_version / Applied English Studies / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

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This dissertation examines the methodology behind using literature to teach Russian as a foreign language to intermediate level students. Due to the unpredictable trends in Russian student enrollment throughout the twentieth century, the development of a method to match student needs and encourage retention will benefit the field of Russian studies. To this end, this dissertation explores some of the past research regarding the role of the reading skill in foreign language classes. In addition, an examination of previous use of literature as a teaching tool in foreign language classrooms prompted development of possible materials for the Russian language. Based on the investigation of this research, current Russian language textbooks were analyzed in light of their inclusion of literary texts and overall methodological tenor. Following the textbook evaluations, a suggested methodology is elaborated for a textbook that integrates literary texts from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries with exercises for Russian language development. Samples of proposed teaching materials and a proposed table of contents for a textbook of applied literature are presented. The proposed materials focus on twelve literary texts of five hundred words or less, chosen from among twentieth and twenty-first century works of Russian prose. The twelve texts span the length of the twentieth century with one text representing each decade and two for the first decade of the twenty-first century. Different Russian authors, some of whom intermediate students may recognize but most of whom will be unfamiliar, represent each decade. Several sample materials were then tested for their feasibility in a second-year, second-semester Russian language course. Student volunteers were solicited to comment on and work with the test materials, determining a baseline for the practicality and necessity of the materials. Suggestions for future research recognize the importance of expanding the study beyond a limited scope. Finally, the place of applied literature is examined in light of current global tendencies and academic developments. / text

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Recently, there has been growing interest in the status of functional projections (i.e. the determiner phrase (DP), the inflectional phrase (IP), and the complementizer phrase (CP)) in first language (L1) development. / The purpose of this study of child second language (L2) acquisition was to determine the status of functional projections in the first months of L2 development. Data from two child subjects (with English as their L1) acquiring French as an L2 were examined for evidence of DP, IP and CP. The results show that all functional projections are present in the grammar from the earliest months of child L2 development. The implications of this finding for L1 and L2 acquisition theories are discussed.

There is a strong perception among teachers, academics and researchers that English Second Language (L2) black matriculants and black pupils generally do not possess an aptitude for poetry appreciation in English; and therefore have a negative attitude to English poetry. Another perception is that the apparent lack of aptitude by L2 black matriculants / learners for English poetry arises from the wilful neglect by the previous education system to offer an appropriate poetry curriculum for L2 black matriculants and L2 black learners generally. This perception contends that the poetry curriculum of the previous education system ignored the basic principles of TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of other Languages) in formulating the English poetry curriculum. This dissertation tests these perceptions through a pupil questionnaire and teacher interviews. The L2 black pupils' responses are assessed against their literary background viz. the oral tradition and contemporary black writing, as well as the historical, sociopolitical and economic factors affecting their lives. The dissertation critiques the syllabus used by the Department of Education and Training (D.E.T.):·the prescribed poems, and classroom methodology to see whether it reflects an awareness of the L2 black learners' background, guided by the basic principles of TESOL. The contents of chapters 1-4 are arranged in a sequence that is aimed at testing the validity of the general perceptions of L2 black matriculants' attitudes to poetry mentioned earlier. The research revealed that the attitudes of L2 black matriculants to unjust education system and an inappropriate English poetry curriculum should not be confused with their attitudes to English poetry in general. The dissertation concludes that L2 black matriculants / learners appreciate appropriate English poetry and respond positively to English as a subject. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1998.

Problems and SignificanceWhen a foreign student is asked to demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language he is asked to demonstrate some knowledge of that language. But the question is "What does it mean to know a language?".Some people say that knowing a language is knowing facts about the language. They deal with different aspects of language at different levels of analysis. Thus, a student who knows a foreign language has to have some knowledge of its morphology, syntax, and lexicon. In other words, in a language there are a number of specific things or facts, the knowledge of which constitutes a particular language.Some of the most widely used tests given to measure proficiency in English are "Test of English as a Foreign Language" (T0EFL), and the "Michigan Examination of Proficiency in English." Both of them use discrete-point items; that is, items which are intended to measure particular facts about the language. These examinations only test what degree of knowledge about the facts of the language the student has.There is growing concern among certain language test designers over the actual validity of this discrete-point approach because of the very difficult problem of identifying precisely many of the complex variables which define the competence of a speaker or listener in any act of communication.PurposeThe purpose of this research is to investigate performance tests which have been designed to date, and then develop a test where the student is asked to perform in the foreign language rather than give isolated facts about it.Method and MaterialFor this purpose, I worked under the guidance of Dr. Janet Ross and also with those students enrolled in the course "English for Foreign Students" offered in the English Department at Ball State University. The performance test was administered to these students during the Fall Quarter and results were compared with those on Composite Scores on the Michigan Test of English Language Proficiency and the Michigan Test of Aural Comprehension.

The purpose of this dissertation is to develop materials for a skill training unit for teachers of English as a foreign or second language. This development was an attempt to meet the need for short-term, self-instructional materials, based on sound psycholinguistic theory, and designed to give trainees the opportunity to practice isolated skills of foreign language teaching.First of all, a review of related literature was conducted for a fourfold purpose: to assess the success of the skill training approach as used heretofore in education, to discover those aspects of the skill training approach which research studies have proven to be most effective, to determine a rationale for application of the skill training approach to foreign language teacher education and to review the successful components off the major approaches to foreign language teaching. From this review of the literature and research, basic principles are drawn, to serve as the criteria for the development of the skill training unit. The design of- the skill training unit is based on the pattern of the teacher education minicourses developed by the Far West Laboratory for Research and Development. In other words, the training unit is divided into three packets for the isolated practice of three different skills or teaching activities in the teaching of English as a foreign language: 1) Introducing and Presenting Language Material, 2) Directing Practice Activities and 3) Providing for Communication Activities. Each of the three packets contains six items to be used systematically by the trainee: 1) A Self-Instructional and Check-Off Sheet, 2) A Description and Rationale of the teaching activity in that packet (i.e. language learning theory simplified to a one-page explanation), 3) A Checklist of Objective Teaching Behaviors for that packet, 4) A Model Lesson on Videotape (including a written outline of the model lesson), 5) A Lesson Plan for the trainee to follow in the preparation of his own 5-8 minute lesson segment for videotaping and evaluation and, 6) An Outline for the Trainee's Plan to Reteach the lesson based on self and other evaluations from the first practice lesson.The emphasis of this dissertation is on the development of the product rather than on a statistical analysis of its effectiveness. However, following the development of the materials, a small scale evaluation is conducted to obtain feedback on the content validity. Through a process of rational, judgmental analysis, a panel of five experts and a group of teacher trainees decide whether each criterion has been met. The succeeding revision of the unit refines any of the problem areas indicated by the panel, as well as three additional areas indicated by the trainees.The completed skill training materials are available and recommended for use by preservice or inservice trainees in any area of the world who need the opportunity to practice basic skills of teaching English as a foreign or second language. The unit can be used by those who are unable to research theory and need demonstration and practice, or by those who are studying theory and need application opportunities. It can serve as a supplemental unit in a regular methods class or as an entire program for a workshop or self-instructional study, and does not require the presence of an informed leader. While it is definitely preferable that videotaping facilities be available for feedback purposes, the course could be conducted without this provision as long as a VTR monitor is available for showing the model lessons. The skill training unit is available by order through contacting: Tara E. Davis Secondary Education Ball State University Muncie, Indiana 47303

This creative project details a series of ESL conversational materials for in-class usage. Emphasizing relevance, communicative need, and social register, the series of taped dialogues, readings, and activities provides authentic language experiences for ESL students at any proficiency level. Each of the seven functional units centers on communicative needs which the students share as newcomers to the U.S. This format affords students a pertinent context in which they can begin to communicate immediately in the target language.Throughout the tapes, the students come to learn that the more one listens to a person and watches that person communicate, the more one will understand that person's responses to life. Thus the students can improve their ability to communicate effectively--to express themselves as well as understand others in an English-speaking environment.