M.A. (Linguistics) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.A. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Ed. (Linguistics and Literary Science) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Sin duda la lectura tiene un papel importante en el aula de segunda lengua. No solo es una manera efectiva de adquirir vocabulario y gramática sino también es un buen instrumento para presentar la cultura de la lengua meta. Por lo tanto, es necesario que los estudiantes puedan leer bien. No obstante, los problemas de comprensión surgen cuando a los estudiantes les falta competencia lingüística o conocimiento previo o, las diferencias en las aptitudes de leer, varían en cada estudiante. Entonces es importante que los maestros les den a los estudiantes los instrumentos que les permitan acceder a las estrategias de comprensión. La meta de este trabajo es probar que entre más conciencia metacognitiva tenga un estudiante de segunda lengua, mejor será su comprensión del texto. En general, los maestros de segunda lengua entienden la importancia del conocimiento de vocabulario y gramática en cuanto al éxito de lectura, pero quizás no se dan cuenta de que la conciencia metacognitiva tiene un papel igualmente importante. Por ello, este trabajo es tanto para los maestros que no están familiarizados con la instrucción de las estrategias de la comprensión de lectura como para los que dudan del valor en el currículo, ya lleno de lecciones y ejercicios comunicativos.

This research investigated the possible correlation between English proficiency and academic success in Internal Auditing 1 of learners registered at the Vaal Triangle Technikon. Acquisition of a Second language was investigated with reference to Additive and Subtractive bilingualism, Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills, and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency. Factors that influence the acquisition of a L2 were also discussed. Factors that influence learning through a Second language, problems experienced by learners learning through a Second language and the coping mechanisms they use were investigated. The specific language situation in South African education was explained starting with a short historical background of English in South African schools. General problems experienced at schools, language problems experienced at schools, the language proficiency of teachers and how they cope with the language problems were discussed. Language problems experienced by the learners and its effect on higher education were also investigated. A questionnaire was used to gather information regarding respondents' school history, First language, experiences with English as a subject at school, experiences of English as language of instruction, and their views on Internal Auditing 1 as a subject. Respondents' English proficiency was determined through three instruments, namely Grade 12 English Second language results, an English proficiency test and an English writing performance test. There is a discrepancy between tile respondents' own perception of their English proficiency and their English proficiency as reflected by their Grade 12 English Second language results, the proficiency test and the writing performance test. While respondents felt that their English proficiency is average or above average, the tests indicated that their English proficiency is very low. Despite the respondents' very tow levels of English proficiency they reported that they did not find the English used in different situations relating to Internal Auditing 1 difficult and no significant correlation could be determined between their English proficiency levels and their academic success in Internal Auditing 1. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

This research investigated the possible correlation between English proficiency and academic success in Internal Auditing 1 of learners registered at the Vaal Triangle Technikon. Acquisition of a Second language was investigated with reference to Additive and Subtractive bilingualism, Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills, and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency. Factors that influence the acquisition of a L2 were also discussed. Factors that influence learning through a Second language, problems experienced by learners learning through a Second language and the coping mechanisms they use were investigated. The specific language situation in South African education was explained starting with a short historical background of English in South African schools. General problems experienced at schools, language problems experienced at schools, the language proficiency of teachers and how they cope with the language problems were discussed. Language problems experienced by the learners and its effect on higher education were also investigated. A questionnaire was used to gather information regarding respondents' school history, First language, experiences with English as a subject at school, experiences of English as language of instruction, and their views on Internal Auditing 1 as a subject. Respondents' English proficiency was determined through three instruments, namely Grade 12 English Second language results, an English proficiency test and an English writing performance test. There is a discrepancy between tile respondents' own perception of their English proficiency and their English proficiency as reflected by their Grade 12 English Second language results, the proficiency test and the writing performance test. While respondents felt that their English proficiency is average or above average, the tests indicated that their English proficiency is very low. Despite the respondents' very tow levels of English proficiency they reported that they did not find the English used in different situations relating to Internal Auditing 1 difficult and no significant correlation could be determined between their English proficiency levels and their academic success in Internal Auditing 1. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

This study centered on the expectations of a non-native English-speaking undergraduate student and her teacher in a general education course at Portland State University during winter term 2012. This was a qualitative case study, where I collected data throughout the duration of the course by means of interviews, classroom observations, and written assignment sheet data. I triangulated verbal data from interview transcripts from the two participants, along with data from the observation notes and the assignment sheets in order to gain a better understanding of the expectations each participant had about writing assignments. Data from four sources were collected and analyzed: interview transcripts, assignment sheets, the course syllabus, and classroom observation notes. Interview transcripts were the primary source of data, and were triangulated with the other abovementioned data sources. The themes that emerged from verbal interview data were categorized and then subcategorized according to theme. The first category that emerged was Assignment Expectations. This was subcategorized into: Summarize, Examples, Reflect, Critical Thinking, and Theory Application. The second category was Evaluation, which was comprised of the themes Grading and Rubric. The third category that emerged was Student Interaction With Assignment, in which six subcategories emerged: Process, Experience, Time, Reading, Preparation, Understanding, and ESL. Lastly, the category background emerged, which contained the subcategories History and Background. The findings of this study showed that due to the student's extensive background with various academic writing assignments prior to entering the course, she had similar expectations of specific assignment sheet attributes as the teacher. However, there were more salient differences in expectations between the teacher and the student in terms of how the student interacted with the assignment at the individual level. Likewise, expectations of assessment illustrated the murky nature of evaluation, even in a situation where the student had had extensive experience with academic writing assessment in the past.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / El propósito del presente estudio es cultivar un entendimiento avanzado de este proceso de construcción identitaria por medio del análisis de un cuestionario diseñado para explorar las relaciones complicadas entre el estudio de lenguas extranjeras, la cultura y la identidad. Específicamente, examinaré los efectos del componente cultural en sus diversas manifestaciones durante el estudio de una lengua extranjera para acertar cómo interactúan varias experiencias culturales en la creación de una identidad L2, qué efectos tienen ciertas experiencias en esta construcción o renegociación identitaria y cuáles son las experiencias culturales que más influyen y contribuyen a la creación de una identidad L2. Además, exploraré las varias combinaciones de tales experiencias culturales para relacionarlas con la fuerza y la profundidad de la identidad L2 construida, estableciendo así patrones preestablecidos si los resultados del cuestionario revelan correlaciones claras. Este proceso de crear, reconstruir y renegociar una identidad L2 por medio de un conjunto de experiencias de exposición cultural es un fenómeno válido con importantes implicaciones pedagógicas tanto para la enseñanza de lenguas extranjeras como para el campo de la adquisición de segundas lenguas. Es mi creencia que las conclusiones del presente estudio serán imprescindibles para la enseñanza de lenguas extranjeras, puesto que los patrones revelados por el cuestionario podrían influir la formación de nuevos currículos y programas de estudio orientados más a la enseñanza—y exposición—de la cultura de la lengua meta. Con el propósito de ayudar con el proceso de renegociación identitaria ya establecido en la metodología de enseñanza, estos nuevos currículos podrían incorporar los componentes culturales más efectivos en la construcción de una identidad L2. Por extensión, la implementación de estos nuevos programas de estudio quizá cambiará la manera en la que los estudiantes se acerquen al estudio lingüístico y facilitará el aprendizaje de lenguas extranjeras tanto en el aula como en el extranjero, logrando de este modo mejores resultados y la creación exitosa de más hablantes proficientes.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / El propósito de esta investigación es ahondar más en las expectativas que forman los estudiantes de un programa Máster de la enseñanza de segunda lengua para su experiencia de estudio en el extranjero (EE). El investigador intenta observar la formación y la evolución de estas expectativas y, después del programa, la realización percibida de estas expectativas y sus posibles explicaciones. También espera ver la conexión entre la formación y realización de sus expectativas y estar en programa de enseñanza de segunda lengua. Además, se considera que esta investigación valdrá para evaluar informalmente la experiencia de EE provista por el programa de Másters en la enseñanza de segunda lengua y para arrojar más luz sobre qué expectativas son realistas para un programa de este tipo.