Thesis (M.Ed.)--Regis University, Denver, Colo., 2008. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on Feb. 02, 2009). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 83-88).

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 83-88). Also available in print.

<p> Learning to speak a foreign language can be a difficult and time-consuming endeavor, involving verbal exchanges in a target language. It is a process that includes learning about, understanding, and to some extent identifying with members of another culture who speak a different language. The inclusion of collaborative activities in the language classroom provides a natural setting for conversation and increases the learners' opportunity to use the target language. When working in small groups or in pairs, students are practically forced to communicate to accomplish a learning task. Students learn together so they are subsequently able to perform better individually. </p><p> The primary purpose of the current study was to examine if a collaborative assessment preparation strategy with immediate feedback used in an intensive adult English language program at the Defense Language Institute English Language Center (DLI) had an effect on achievement, confidence and satisfaction with the learning experience. A secondary purpose was to examine the relationships among students' entry proficiency level, language anxiety, confidence, satisfaction and achievement when DLI students used the collaborative strategy. DLI provides English language training to members of foreign militaries from over 100 countries. This quasi-experimental study included 76 participants from 21 different countries, enrolled in upper-intermediate General English courses at DLI. The instructional intervention used by participants in the experimental group included individual and pair completion of practice quizzes using immediate feedback assessment technique (IF AT) answer sheets. Participants in the control condition went through the same lesson plans as their experimental group peers but without completing any of the practice quizzes. Data were collected over the course of one week using test scores, survey instruments, interviews and classroom observations. </p><p> Results showed that there was no significant difference between control group and experimental group on the outcome measures. However, the relationship between confidence and achievement was significant. Analysis of learner perceptions of the instructional strategy revealed three overarching themes: (1) students valued collaborating and discussing with peers during quiz completion; (2) the feedback they received; and (3) learning from their mistakes. Students perceived making mistakes and disagreements with their partners as less enjoyable. Instructors mentioned the immediate feedback learners received, the active learner engagement, and learner confidence as the most beneficial attributes of the intervention. The overarching concern of instructors was the time it took to complete the quizzes, due to the already limited time available to cover course content. </p><p> Limitations of the study include the short data collection period resulting in limited exposure to the intervention, the uniqueness of the participants, and the inclusion of only upper-intermediate level books in the experiment. Future research should include all levels of the General English curriculum, participant scores from practice quizzes, and learner perceptions by culture group.</p>

No description available.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 2003. / Also available in print.

Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Queensland, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references.

<p> This quasi-experimental mixed-methods study investigated how integrating language arts and visual arts with history instruction affected high school English as a Second Language (ESL) student achievement and integrative thinking ability. This study had three objectives: (a) to collaboratively develop and implement a curriculum that integrated language arts and visual arts with history; (b) to measure that curriculum&rsquo;s impact on student achievement and integrative thinking ability; and, (c) to explain that impact. Two integrated units of instruction were developed by a team of four high school teachers representing three disciplines: history, English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), and visual arts. The integrated instruction, which in this study was the intervention, was then implemented in the ESOL teachers&rsquo; classes. The comparison group consisted of students in other sections of the same ESOL teachers&rsquo; classes. The researcher collected, processed, and analyzed work samples, focus group interviews, grade data, state standardized test (SST) scores, World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) scores, and participants&rsquo; scores on the Evaluation of the Potential for Creativity (EPoC) assessment for measuring integrative thinking. The null hypothesis of the primary question is: There is no significant difference in performance on the EPoC instrument between the comparison and intervention groups. In addition to EPoC, other student achievement data was analyzed. Students in the integration group performed better on the instruments measuring other achievement data in English and history, but not significantly. However, the entire sample performed much better than the rest of the district and state. Collaboration may have contributed to the participants&rsquo; relatively high achievement. This study may inform school leaders and guide curriculum design at the site, as well as lead to larger studies to determine the effects of implementation of integrated curricula on secondary students.</p><p>

The research described in this report was undertaken with four teachers of English as Home Language in two different secondary schools in Johannesburg. The researcher’s purpose was twofold: (i) to uncover the attitudes of selected grade nine teachers to the English Home Language curriculum statement for grade nine; (ii) to establish how, if at all, the Revised National Curriculum Statement featured in the teachers’ construction of the subject English as home language. The data for this case study consisted of individual teacher interviews, notes from observations in the classroom of each teacher and artefacts such as teachers’ term plans and examples of learners’ texts. Findings from an analysis of this data indicate varied understandings of and attitudes towards this curriculum statement. These have translated into equally varied implementation of the curriculum. Analysis of the teachers’ interviews gave little indication of the rich and varied learning activities that they planned and implemented. In this case study, the difference between how teachers talked about the new curriculum and how they enacted it in their classroom practice was marked.

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 109-113).