There are various approaches to the explanation of humor in the field of humor research. Some of these theories, while providing interesting insight into the phenomenon known as humor, remain limited in their ability to account for how humor is recognized. Others do not even address the issue. This thesis compares five different theories in humor research by analyzing the humorous short story "My Watch" by Mark Twain. These theories are: 1. a typological approach to humor, 2. a social- functional model, 3. incongruity theory, 4. Grice's Cooperative Principle taken from linguistic pragmatics, and 5. the General Theory of Verbal Humor devised by V. Raskin and S. Attardo. The comparative analysis, following an extensive review of the literature, first interprets the humor in the short story in the light of each theoretical model. During the course of the analysis, the limitations inherent in each theories' treatment of humor are illustrated and these argue and provide evidence for the adoption of the General Theory of Verbal Humor because of its greater sophistication in building a model of humor recognition. Furthermore, in analyzing Twain's short story this thesis establishes the generalizability of this more sophisticated theory to at least some types of literary humor, specifically the tall tale. Finally, further research implications and general connections between the theoretical approaches discussed in this thesis and the teaching of the English language to non-native speakers highlight the practicality of applying insights from humor research to the field of teaching.

Recent research has found that the use of good language learning strategies can affect students' chances of gaining proficiency in a second language. The purpose of this study was to see if there is a relationship between strategy use and language learning proficiency. It sought to answer these questions: (1) Does a successful learner use different strategies on specific tasks than does a less successful learner? and (2) Will the successful learner use more metacognitive and affective strategies while doing tasks than will a less successful learner? For the first part of the study, 17 students in an ESL program at an urban university in the northwest were selected. Using the results from a self-report survey, the Strategy Inventory for Language Leaming (SILL), and the students' scores from standardized examinations, these students were divided into two groups, a proficient group and a less proficient group. For the second part of the study, two subjects from the first part (one proficient and one less proficient) were selected to participate in a Think-Aloud protocol as they completed three tasks. The objective was to see if these two students used different strategies as they completed specific tasks and if the proficient learner used more metacognitive and affective strategies that the less proficient learner. Mean scores were computed for the subjects on the first part of the study. Two-tailed probability tests were computed to determine if differences existed between the proficient and less proficient group. A significant difference was found between the two groups strategies from the memory strategy group. Analysis of the second part of the study revealed that the successful student used more of the appropriate strategies on two out of three of the tasks than did the less proficient learner and only slightly less of the appropriate strategy on the other task. The successful learner employed more metacognitive strategies on two out of three of the tasks and she used more of these strategies overall. The successful learner also used more affective strategies on all tasks. The practical benefit of the study is that student awareness of good strategy use, tailored to specific tasks could lead to improved second language acquisition.

The importance given to vocabulary in second language instruction and in theories of second language acquisition has increased greatly in the last fifteen years. It is thus important for second language teachers/researchers to have valid, useful methods of assessing the vocabulary needs and vocabulary knowledge of their students as well as valid and useful methods of assessing the efficacy of various methods and techniques of teaching and learning vocabulary. This study examines the usefulness and validity of a relatively new type of checklist vocabulary test method known as the 'YES/NO' method. In the YES/NO method, nonsense words are listed together with real test words. A subject's test score is calculated by applying both the percentage of real words checked and the percentage of nonsense words checked to a mathematical formula. Sixty-six students enrolled in a college-level Englishfor- academic-purposes (EAP) program took three vocabulary tests. Correlation was calculated between the participants' scores on the 'Structure' and 'Listening' subsections of the Comprehensive English Language Test (CELT) and the participants' scores on all three vocabulary tests scored both as YES/NO tests and as simple-checklist tests. The following three findings were noteworthy: (1) correlation between CELT subtest scores and vocabulary test scores was more consistent and stronger when the vocabulary tests were scored as simple-checklist tests compared to when they were scored as YES/NO tests, (2) few students scored above recommended exit-level scores on the CELT subtests but below 5,000 on the vocabulary tests, and (3) a 120-real-word vocabulary test correlated more consistently and strongly with the CELT subtests than either of two 60-real-word vocabulary tests. Three conclusions were made: (1) adult EAP students preparing to study at English-medium institutions of higher education need knowledge of the 5,000 most-frequent words [lemmas] of English, (2) the YES/NO method of testing the L2 vocabulary knowledge of adult EAP students is not better than the simple-checklist method, and (3) a good direction for work on the improvement of tests intended to measure the L2 vocabulary knowledge of adult EAP students may be to explore how to elicit valid responses on long simple-checklist tests.

Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, is estimated to occur in up to sixteen percent of people between the ages of 75 and 84. Deficits in linguistic skills that effect communication are a hallmark of the disease and have been the primary focus of past Alzheimer's research. Among other deficits, researchers have found that people with Alzheimer's often use indexical expressions without clear referents and convey less information that is relevant to the task they have been asked to perform than healthy subjects. Relatively little research has examined how Alzheimer's subjects use their linguistic knowledge to communicate with others in natural, open-ended interaction. The purpose of the present study was to identify what communication skills remain intact that enable an Alzheimer's subject to maintain conversational fluency despite lexical and pragmatic deficits. The study focused specifically on language skills that play a functional role in facilitating conversation. The data used in this study consisted of eight naturally occurring conversations between the subject and three interlocutors who had a close relationship with the subject. The interactions were recorded in the Alzheimer's wing of the subject's nursing home. The transcribed conversations were analyzed according to three types of functional language drawn from Nattinger and DeCarrico's (1992) work on lexical phrases: (1) conversational maintenance; (2) conversational purpose; and (3) familiar topics. The role played by lexical phrases in facilitating each of these functional categories was also examined. This study found that the subject had an intact knowledge of functional language skills that allowed her to successfully participate in conversation despite serious language deficits. Within the category of conversational maintenance, the subject retained skills necessary to share control in opening and closing conversations as well as nominating and shifting topics and requesting and offering clarification. In the category of conversational purpose, the subject used functional language to signal utterances intended to convey general politeness, gratitude and compliments as well as informing the interlocutor of her attitude in relation to the content of utterances. The study also found that lexical phrases played a central role in facilitating the subject's use of functional language.

Postsecondary English language education is a growing industry in the United States. While there has been considerable research on international student mobility in higher education, there is limited research on the population’s participation in U.S. English language programs (ELPs). The purpose of the study was to apply existing theories and data analysis to understand postsecondary English language program participation and create a foundation for future studies. This exploratory study examined the characteristics of international students enrolled in U.S. postsecondary ELPs. The researcher investigated the relationship between ELP enrollment with U.S. higher education enrollment as well as the relationship between ELP enrollment by destination location, ELP provider type, gender and country of origin. Finally, the researcher analyzed the completion rate of international students in U.S. postsecondary ELPs by gender and country of origin. Data from 2004-2014 were collected from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System and the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors Report. Data analysis was conducted through quantitative methods. Findings of this study may help educators reflect on the form and function of current English language programs to improve the quality of future ELPs.

In the United States, 79 million people are currently infected with Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and it is estimated that an additional 14 to 20 million people will be infected with HPV every year. Infection with HPV increased to 52.7 % of preventable infections within the United States in 2012, and 39.6% of the infected population are adolescents engaged in sexual activities. The practice-focused question that this project addressed was: To what extent can an educational program influence the HPV vaccination rate in a small family practice clinic located in Texas? The main purpose of this project was to increase education within the clinic community using a quality improvement approach and guided by Healthy People Goals 2020. Barriers to HPV vaccination were validated through focus group discussion held with clinic staff. Parental resistance was due to a misconception that the vaccine would lead to sexual promiscuity in the adolescent population, and that a single dose is adequate protection. A bilingual educational session was held with 15 clinic staff members with the purpose of enhancing knowledge, influencing parental attitudes and beliefs, providing patient educational tools, and thereby increasing vaccination acceptance by 37.8% within an underserved and vulnerable population. The results of the focus group and educational sessions were presented to an expert panel made up of five community leaders and the senior clinic leader who approved the approach and suggested additional ways to promote HPV vaccination. Clinic leadership agreed to adjust policy mandating use of the educational materials with clinic patients. Positive social change will result from the integration of this educational approach into clinic practice by increasing vaccination acceptance.

English language learners (ELLs) in a Midwestern urban elementary school have not been meeting the local school's adequate yearly progress (AYP) in reading in 3 consecutive years on statewide test scores. Meeting school standards is important because failing to meet AYP for 6 consecutive years can result in the restructuring or closing of any public school in the nation. The rationale for this qualitative case study was to examine the perceptions of stakeholders, 7 parents, teachers, and school administrators, all of whom have demonstrated knowledge of and proximity to the school's AYP decisions, to develop vocabulary strategies that may increase students' state test scores in reading. The conceptual framework was based on Gardner's multiple intelligences. The research questions focused on understanding stakeholders' perceptions of the proficiency of ELLs in reading, professional development for reading teachers of ELLs, recommendations for helping ELLs improve reading proficiency, and the challenges reading teachers face in ELL classes. Semi-structured interviews with each participant were transcribed, color-coded, and analyzed using holistic and typological analysis techniques to search for and develop themes and patterns. Findings revealed a need for teachers to receive professional development training related to improving ELLs' vocabulary to improve their reading proficiency. A 3-day professional development curriculum project was developed to focus on teaching effective vocabulary strategies. This study has implications for social change focused on improving teachers' capacity to work with ELLs and to improve their reading scores which have lasting impact on students' lives.

English language learners (ELLs) spend a majority of their instructional time in mainstream classrooms with mainstream teachers. Reading is an area with which many ELLs are challenged when placed within mainstream classrooms. Scaffolding has been identified as one of the best teaching practices for helping students read. ELL students in a local elementary school were struggling, and school personnel implemented scaffolding in an effort to address student needs. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine how personnel in one diversely populated school employed scaffolding to accommodate ELLs. Vygotsky's social constructivist theory informed the study. Research questions were designed to elicit the teachers' perceptions related to the use of scaffolding for ELLs and to examine the impact scaffolding had on ELLs reading performance. The perceptions of 14 out of 15 participating teachers were investigated via focus group interviews that were transcribed. Observation data were gathered to determine teachers' use of particular strategies. Hatch's method for coding and categorical analysis was used. Emerging themes included background knowledge, comprehension and evaluation. Participating teachers felt scaffolding strategies were crucial for building a solid foundation for ELL academic success. Pre and posttest scores in reading of 105 ELLs were analyzed using a paired samples t test. There were statistically significant gains in 13 of 15 performance indicators over the 3-month cycle of instruction. Implications for social change include strategies for classroom teachers and their administrators concerning scaffolding reading instruction with ELLs in order to help these students increase their reading performance levels.

The importance of multicultural counseling training received much attention for decades, however, studies on effective training focused on multicultural counseling training in a face-to-face environment with minimal focus on online training environments. These studies found that face-to-face interactions had the most impact on multicultural training. Therefore, the current study was an evaluation of online master's counseling students' and graduates' multicultural attitudes to determine the effectiveness of online multicultural training using Banks' transformative approach. The research questions focused on the significant difference in participants' recalled multicultural attitude scores (know, care, and act) before an online multicultural counseling course as compared to recalled multicultural attitude scores after an online multicultural counseling course as measured by the Multicultural Attitude Scale Questionnaire (MASQUE). A quantitative survey design was used with a convenience sample of 129 students enrolled in online counselor education programs to measure their multicultural attitude changes before and after a multicultural counseling course. Results were analyzed using MANCOVA with group designs and interpreted using a one-tailed F-test to determine if there were statistically significant differences in the multicultural attitude scores of students before and after completing an online multicultural counseling course. The results indicated a statistically significant difference in Knowledge scores (F(1, 112) = 59.23, p < .001) and Care scores (F(1, 112) = 73.57, p < .001) from before as compared to after taking the course. Ultimately, the results established the effectiveness and reputation of online counselor education programs and multicultural counseling training.

Faculty at a public school in Georgia have been unable to explain how and why English language learner (ELL) students improved their performance on English and writing standardized tests. Leadership at this school desired an evidence-based ELL teaching model, which required exploration of this improved performance. The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological, and heuristic project study was to understand the roots of this ELL achievement. Guided by teacher effectiveness theory, which suggests that examining the role of teachers is a valid way of understanding student achievement, this theory provided a specific construct of effectiveness consisting of distinct behaviors and characteristics. Thirteen teachers of ELLs were purposively sampled and participated in semi-structured interviews in which they described possible connections between instructional practices, student success, and consistent expectations of themselves and their students. Through analytic strategies of horizontalization, thematic clustering and synthesis, the data revealed that teachers favored the push-in approach, despite the established practice in the school to use a hybrid model, because of various pedagogical advantages. The findings established a professional development plan to guide future ELL pedagogy and support activities. This study generated knowledge to help educators in the target school in selecting the most appropriate instructional strategy to ensure the academic, economic, and social success of ELL students, which is of increasing importance given their growing percentage among students in the United States.