Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 2004. / Title from title page screen, viewed May 23, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Bruce Hawkins (chair), Lee Brasseur, Jim Meyer. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 124-129) and abstract. Also available in print.

<p> In an effort to help alleviate low achievement and motivation in Turkish university preparatory English programs (Education First, 2015), an English teacher at Mihrimah Sultan University (pseudonym) in Istanbul, Turkey, conducted a study in which ten university English preparatory program students used a mobile language learning application, English Quickly (EQ pseudonym). The aim of the study was to ascertain whether or not the eight-week application usage period would help students to improve their English language skills as well as their motivation to practice English. The mobile application EQ was downloaded by the students in February 2017, and was used for eight weeks, terminating in April 2017. Students used the different functions of the application including watching videos, speaking, and learning new vocabulary. The conceptual framework used for the study consisted of an analysis of knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences based on the work by Clark and Estes (2008). Recommendations were generated and an evaluation plan was designed using the New World Kirkpatrick's Four Level Model (Kirkpatrick &amp; Kirkpatrick, 2016).</p><p>

Boston University. University Professors Program Senior theses. / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / 2031-01-02

<p> For nearly four decades, research has documented positive correlations between metacognitive abilities and student growth. Teachers who wish to cultivate metacognitive thinking should encourage their students to plan, investigate, and expand on the concepts they learn in class (Fisher, Frey, &amp; Hattie, 2016; Flavell, 1979). This mixed-methods study sought to investigate the effects of the Drive My Brain Model ([DMB], Gomez, 2016) on English language learners&rsquo; (ELLs) metacognition. The sample for the quantitative portion of this study was comprised of 54 fifth-grade ELLs from a public elementary school located in Orange County, California. The qualitative sample consisted of 12 students that represented a proportional sample of the students at the school, and two teachers. A quasi-experimental design was used for this study. The treatment group received roughly 30 minutes of Drive My Brain (DMB) Model activities each day over eight weeks, receiving a total of 1,155 minutes of intervention. Two pre-developed, validated surveys were used as pre-test/post-test for both groups. Survey scores for both groups were compared using a Chi-square test. Results indicated that statistically significant growth was achieved by the treatment group. Additional quantitative measures included an observation checklist, student task rubrics, and a student Likert survey questionnaire. Results indicated that students, who felt the DMB Model was easy to use, performed better on content tasks. Qualitative analysis supported quantitative findings. Student task artifacts revealed that students in the treatment group used more metacognitive and cognitive strategies. Additionally, student and teacher interviews found the DMB Model to be easy to use. </p><p>

Technology has changed the way we communicate, teach, and learn. Today’s generation of college students has never known what it is like to be without a cell phone or a computer. Social media is an integral part of their lives. As technology evolves, so do students’ expectations for a learning experience. This experience goes beyond the traditional classroom boundaries’ constrains. Understanding how to take advantage of the pedagogical potential of new technologies is therefore essential for language educators. Broadly speaking, there is much discussion about the integration of social media in language education. However, little is known about how these technologies may work in the language classroom. While many studies focus on the pedagogical benefits, few studies have explored the experiences of language educators who use social media to enhance and transform the traditional learning environment. Thus, the purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore language educators’ perspectives on their use of social media for pedagogical purposes. To gain a better understanding of language educators’ experiences in the use of social media, I interviewed a language educator at a large, public, research university, located in the Southeast of the United States. The primary data sources for this qualitative study consists of a semi-structured survey questionnaire, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews, and a researcher reflective journal. Throughout the study, I analyzed the data to build on the respondents’ comments. To ensure the trustworthiness of the study, I employed several techniques, including data triangulation, peer debriefing, member checking, reflexive journaling, and creating an audit trail. Study findings reveal that participants perceived social media as an instructional medium to blend informal learning into formal learning online, face-to-face, and blended environments, to facilitate a participatory culture, and to provide opportunities for students’ self-expression, self-reflection, and social interaction. Based on the findings, I offer recommendations for instructors, instructional designers, and policy developers. Finally, I address possible future research directions.

<p> This quantitative, quasi-experimental, <i>ex post facto</i> analysis examined the relationship between the English proficiency level (ELP) attained by English Learners in the state of Georgia in 2016 and 2017 and their performance on standardized core content assessments administered entirely in English. From the theoretical perspective of validity theory, the researcher investigated the alternative hypothesis that the results of standardized content assessments administered in English to English Learner students yield little meaningful data that can be interpreted and used with validity in and of themselves. To investigate this interpretation, the researcher analyzed 176,941 individual 2016 and 2017 Georgia Milestones Assessment System (GMAS) assessment records (N = 102,312 for 2016; 74,649 for 2017) matched to the corresponding ACCESS for ELLs scores (N = 34,420 for 2016; 35,805 for 2017), employing linear regression to quantify the degree to which ELP influenced English Learner students&rsquo; performance on standardized assessments in English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies and to define the threshold proficiency level at which the preponderance of English Learners were able to score at the Developing and Proficient levels on the content assessments. </p><p>

Master of Arts / Department of Modern Languages / Mary T. Copple / Though the subject of recent national attention and various in-depth investigations, the most effective approach to teacher evaluation in the United States is still an issue of debate. The latest research focuses on evaluation of teachers of core content areas like math, science and reading, but evaluation of foreign language teachers and programs receives comparatively little attention in the literature. This study examines issues related to observational feedback particular to the foreign language teaching context using data collected from teachers and administrators in large public school districts in Kansas. Survey data reveals that while public school foreign language teachers are generally satisfied with observational feedback concerning classroom behaviors, such as teacher-student interaction and behavior management, they often report receiving no feedback in the areas of curriculum planning or instructional techniques particular to their content area. Administrators report focusing on preparedness and classroom management during observations. Gaps identified in observational feedback are discussed and changes to observation practices are suggested.

abstract: Adult second-language learners of Spanish struggle with the acquisition of preterite and imperfect selection due to the overtly morphological representation of grammatical aspect. Prior studies have documented the effect of a default encoding without influence of the lexical aspect in the emergence of aspectual morphology, and have proposed the Default Past Tense Hypothesis (DPTH). This study investigates the emergence of aspectual morphology by testing the DPTH and the effect of adverbials at interpreting grammatical aspect in this process of acquisition. Twenty-eight English-speaking learners of Spanish (beginning, intermediate and advanced) and twenty native-Spanish speakers are tested with two written comprehension tasks that assess the interpretation of habitual/imperfect and episodic/preterite readings of eventive verbs. The truth-value judgment task incorporates forty short stories with two summary sentences, from which participants must choose one as true. The grammaticality judgment task presents sixty-four sentences with temporal adverbials of position and duration, thirty-two are grammatical and thirty-two are ungrammatical. Participants must accept or reject them using a 5-point likert scale. The findings indicate that the DPTH is partially supported by the statistical data showing a default marker, imperfect for beginning learners, and preterite for intermediate learners. This provides support to the argument of unsteady aspectual checking of [-bounded] in the spec of AspP and not necessarily by only checking [+past] in the TP for intermediate learners. The influence of the lexical aspect value of the verb is partially evident with advanced learners. Temporal adverbials play an important role at interpreting grammatical aspect with intermediate and advanced learners. Results show that beginning learners are not influenced by the presence of adverbials due to their inexperience with the Spanish aspectual morphology. The findings also allow the confirmation of prior results about factors that influence the interpretation of preterite and imperfect. First, the instruction of aspectual morphology co-indexed with specific temporal adverbials, and second, that learners rely on lexical cues at the sentential level, while native speakers rely on discursive ones. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Applied Linguistics 2016

Language and music share key features such as melody and rhythm and do also develop simultaneously in the childhood. The idea that music and language learning could benefit from each other has been around for a long time and some of the research and studies on the effects of music on language learning and language education are presented in this essay. A survey on the subject was made for modern languages teachers in Sweden to answer, asking about their opinions and experiences of music in the modern languages classroom. It was clear from the results that almost all participants were positive to the use of music in the language education and had experienced positive learning outcomes among students from the use of music. According to the teachers, modern language learning could above all benefit from the motivational properties of music and music can be a help by vocabulary acquisition.

<p> American classrooms are becoming increasingly diverse as students enter with native language knowledge (other than English). Addressing the needs of all students is more difficult given most teachers are native English speakers, have little experience with multiple language knowledge, and can be apprehensive about teaching ELs. </p><p> With this in mind, this study was undertaken to look at the feasibility of teaching kindergarten students strategies (e.g., use of picture dictionary, word wall, anchor chart use, partnering with peers), thus allowing the student to create their own understanding of English vocabulary rather than having an adult simply give the meaning to them or impart knowledge. </p><p> Kindergarten ELs were taught strategies, given time to practice, and encouraged to use strategies. Students were then observed using the presented strategies. Use of technology (ELs used iPhones to photograph resources they used) showed to what extent each EL understood and used the presented strategies. </p><p> Promising results showed ELs were able to understand, use, and adapt strategies, creating meaning for themselves as they acquired English vocabulary. PPVT and MLU testing showed increases and identified additional English words spoken. While this study included a small population, the findings point to strategy use for young ELs as promising. The potential application in classrooms could offer support for classroom teachers as they plan for more classroom diversity.</p><p>