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Language use in the EFL classroom : A literature review on the advantages and disadvantages of teachers’ choices of instructional language in the EFL classroomWeijnblad, Malin January 2017 (has links)
This literature review investigates what previous research has found regarding target language use in the Elementary EFL classroom, and what different views there might be on communicating in English during English lessons. The study is conducted with Stephen Krashen’s (1982) Second Language Acquisition Theory as theoretical perspective. Findings show that one important reason for target language use in the EFL classroom is increasing the target language exposure to provide opportunities for the pupils to develop their language proficiency, while first language is used to instruct, translate, scaffold, explain, and facilitate and confirm learning, to discipline and criticise, and to give feedback and positive reinforcement. The results from the five reviewed studies in this thesis imply that both target language and first language have their place in the EFL classroom, and that the teachers’ choice of which language to use is highly individual. They also indicate that vocabulary acquisition and communicative skills call for different language approaches, and that different language theories apply to different teaching situations. Another conclusion from this review is that further research on teachers’ choices of instructional language is needed, as are further investigations of pupils’ preferences and in what situations they benefit from target language and first language respectively.
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Codeswitching in Swedish ESL Teaching / Kodväxlingi Svenska Skolors EngelskaundervisningBerg, Niklas January 2013 (has links)
Many studies have shown that use of the target language second and/ or foreign language (in this case English) teaching has greatly improved students' learning, albeit, not all teachers use the target language exclusively but rather switch between the first and target language. This particular study has shown that the teacher in compulsory school does alternate between the target language and the first language for various reasons, while teachers in upper secondary school exclusively use the target language both within and outside the classroom and there are rarely any occurrences of codeswitching among students and teachers. The reasons for this are, because the content which has been taught has been too difficult for the students to understand, or the students have refused to interact in English with both their teacher and fellow students. The teachers' view on the matter tells us that even though they have tried to exclusively use the target language in the English classroom, it has not been working in the manner they wanted it to have. In order to gather data for this research, seven classroom observations have been carried out and to complement them interviews with three teachers have been conducted to get their view on the use of English in their own teaching and why they think codeswitching occurs among students and themselves.
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English as the target language : A literature study on teachers’ and L2 learners’ language use in the upper elementary classroomRosenquist, Carl January 2015 (has links)
Even though English is a subject where Swedish pupils do well compared to pupils in other countries, research indicates that pupils are not always motivated to learn in the English classroom. Therefore, the aim of this study is to find research relating to the use of the target language in classrooms for pupils at the upper elementary level, particularly language learners in Sweden. The focus of this thesis is to find out what benefits and challenges accompany the use of the target language during English lessons, as well as what pupils’ opinions are on the consistent use of the target language in the classroom. This literature review of five research articles shows that it is beneficial for pupils’ language development to have lessons where mainly the target language is used. It is for example beneficial for pupils’ ability to speak, their pronunciation, vocabulary and ability to use language strategies. The results show that there are challenges as well, especially for the teachers, since use of the target language presumes that the teacher has good language skills and is capable of scaffolding each pupil at their individual level and in their zone of proximal development. Furthermore, there are challenges like differences in pupils’ skill level, creating tasks that both motivate and stimulate, and creating a safe learning environment. Even though the results in this thesis are limited, it is still obvious that it is an important area, where more research is necessary in order to assist teachers in how to teach English as effectively as possible. / <p>Engelska</p>
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It's good to talk : an investigation into target language use in the modern languages classroomCrichton, Hazel January 2011 (has links)
Although there is a considerable body of research into various aspects of the teaching and learning of English as a foreign language, there appear to be few studies into the teaching of modern foreign languages (ML) to adolescents in the context of a secondary school setting. This thesis reports the findings of research aimed at identifying the strategies that ML teachers, considered examples of good practice, used to engage secondary school learners in interaction in the target language (TL) with the objective of developing their communicative competence. Four teachers’ lessons with their pupils aged 14-15, in their third year of learning a foreign language at secondary school, were observed and audio-recorded. Three of each of the teachers’ observed lessons were subjected to fine grained analysis with the aim of delineating their TL moves which appeared to influence pupils so that they used the TL themselves readily to communicate meaning ‘naturally’ as well as to practise structures in more controlled exercises. The teachers and a sample of their pupils were subsequently interviewed to provide confirmation or disconfirmation of initial patterns arising from examination of the observational data set. Although the data were analysed predominantly qualitatively, quantitative methods were also employed to provide a clear picture of the teachers’ TL use and the way it was deployed to assist learners in developing effective communicative skills. Goffman’s (1981) production and Wadensjö’s (1998) reception formats, not normally associated with the classroom, were considered appropriate to describe the participation frameworks within which the development of the learners’ communicative proficiency was supported. The findings display ways in which the TL used by the teachers helped to create a secure collaborative atmosphere where pupils were disposed to respond in the TL. The teachers’ use of different ‘types’ of TL, depending on the focus in the lesson, was viewed as supporting learners in preparation for communicating their own meaning in exchanges in ‘real world’ interaction outside the classroom. A particularly successful scaffolding strategy employed by the teachers was the provision of TL cues offered to the learners before they responded to initiations which enabled them to express their meaning in the TL. Revoicing of learners’ incomplete TL utterances also appeared successful in supporting learners to use their limited language resource effectively. Through its close analysis of classroom talk, this thesis offers an important contribution to the understanding of the complex nature of interaction in the ML classroom and the role that teachers’ use of TL plays in assisting adolescent learners to develop TL communication skills in interaction. Beginning teachers, as well as those more experienced practitioners, should benefit from the strategies identified, which appear to highlight the importance of establishing a collaborative classroom ethos which supports the learners, allowing them to contribute in the TL successfully.
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Language Maintenance and Proficiency of World Language TeachersRobison, Anna E. 18 January 2023 (has links) (PDF)
The aim of this study was to examine the current proficiency strengths and weaknesses of practicing K-12 non-native WL teachers in the states of Utah and Oklahoma. Data were gathered through a survey and the OPIc diagnostic grid. The results revealed what features of Function, Accuracy, Content, and Text Type were strengths and weaknesses for OPIc ratings Intermediate High, Advanced Low, Advanced Mid, and Advanced High. The self-reported OPI scores compared to the OPIc scores found an encouraging rate of TL maintenance and improvement. The language maintenance activities reported by the participants revealed the frequency with which they engage in those activities.
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The Role of Motivational Strategies in the Upper Elementary Classroom : A systematic literature review about teacher strategies that promote self-confidence, motivation and a conducive learning environmentFalk, Carolina January 2016 (has links)
The aim of this literature review is to investigate which strategies teachers use to motivate pupils to communicate orally in English. The literature review also investigates how these teacher strategies affect pupils. The methodology used for this investigation is a systematic literature review. Various databases have been used when searching for literature. Scientific articles and theses have been searched for. They have also been read and analyzed before they have become a part of this review. The results indicate that some teachers feel insecure when speaking English. Therefore Swedish is spoken in many language classrooms. Teachers speaking in front of the class is the traditional way of teaching, and it does not seem to be a strategy who influences pupils positively. If teachers speak the target language among pupils they often get more motivated and focused pupils who feel comfortable speaking English. Young pupils are fast learners. By exposing them to the English language in early ages they receive great opportunities to learn a foreign language and strengthen their self-confidence. Drama, songs and rhymes are preferable strategies to use when teaching young learners. What position teachers decide to take in the classroom is also a significant element when teaching foreign languages. / <p>Engelska</p>
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Target language use : An empirical study of the target language use in the Swedish 4-6 grade classroomRosenquist, Carl January 2016 (has links)
A consistent use of the target language during English lessons is beneficial for pupils’ linguistic development, but also challenging for both teachers and pupils. The main purpose for pupils to learn English is to be able to use it in communication, which requires that they develop the ability to comprehend input, produce output and use language strategies. Several researchers claim that a consistent use of the target language is necessary in order to develop these abilities. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the target language use during English lessons in Swedish grades 4-6, and what pupils’ opinions regarding target language use are. The methods used to collect data consisted of a pupil questionnaire with 42 respondents and an observation of two teachers’ English lessons during a week’s time. The results from the observations show that the teachers use plenty of target language during lessons, but the first language as well to explain things that pupils might experience difficult to understand otherwise. The results from the questionnaire mainly show that the pupils seem to enjoy English and like to both speak and hear the target language during lessons. The main input comes from listening to a CD with dialogues and exercises in the textbook and the workbook, and from the teacher speaking. The results also show that a majority of the pupils use the target language in their spare time. A conclusion that can be drawn from this study is that the TL should be used to a large extent in order to support pupils’ linguistic development. However, teachers may sometimes need to use L1 in order to facilitate understanding of the things that many pupils find difficult, for example grammar. Suggestions for further research in this area include similar studies conducted on a larger scale. / <p>Engelska</p>
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Translation and cultural adaptation with specific reference to Tshivenda and EnglishMashamba, Mabula January 2011 (has links)
Thesis (M.A.(African language))--University of Limpopo, 2011 / The aim of this study was to investigate the problems encountered by translators when translating medical terms from English into Tshivenda. It has been revealed in this study that the major problem that the translators are confronted with is lack of terminology in the specialized field such as Health. This problem is caused by the fact that different languages entail a variety of culture. The study revealed that most translators and lexicographers resort to transliteration and borrowing when confronted with zero-equivalence. They regard transliteration and borrowing as the quickest possible strategies. The study discovered that transliteration should not be opted as an alternative strategy to deal with zero-equivalence as users will be led to a state of confusion. The study revealed that communicative translation is regarded as the most fruitful method of translation as it conveys the exact message of the original in a best possible manner. Both the source and the target users get the same message.
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Translating Andrea Camilleri: Strategies for the translation ofRidonato, Giuseppe 25 October 2006 (has links)
STUDENT NO: 9811739R
MASTERS HUMANITIES / ABSTRACT
The objective of this paper is to investigate how linguistic variations in a literary text can
be translated by analysing and comparing the strategies employed by two different
French translators when dealing with the works of the Italian author, Andrea Camilleri.
Much has been written about the possibility/ impossibility of translation itself, with many
writers and critics taking opposing sides on the issue. The intention of this study is not to
fuel or further this, in our view, sterile discussion. The point is that translations do exist
and have existed for thousands of years: that is, texts in one (source) language have in
some way been recreated and rewritten into another (target) language1. By contrast, what
has been explored only superficially is how linguistic variations and dialects present in
literary texts have been reproduced in the target language. Textual analyses relative to
this study will be carried out on selected passages of two different novels (one for each
translator).
1 The abbreviations SL and TL will be used to indicate ‘source language’ and ‘target language’
respectively, while ST and TT will be used to indicate ‘target text’ and ‘source text’.
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English Teachers´Views on the Use of the Target Language in the ClassroomSjöberg, Helén January 2007 (has links)
<p>In our ever more international world, the English language plays an important role. This is</p><p>also reflected in its prominent position as a core subject in the Swedish school system. It is</p><p>therefore important that English teachers offer students an environment in which they have</p><p>the best possible opportunities to be successful in reaching the goals specified in the</p><p>syllabuses. One variable in a successful foreign language classroom is the teacher's usage</p><p>ofthe target language.</p><p>This study is about English teachers' views on the issue of target language usage in the</p><p>classroom, versus usage of the mother tongue. In this study, at Upper Secondary level, the</p><p>interviews show that the teachers are, more or less, in agreement that the target language</p><p>should be used all the time in the classroom. There are, however, occasions in which the</p><p>interviewed teachers do not work according to their own beliefs and methods and revert to</p><p>using Swedish. The main such occasions can briefly be said to be: explanation of grammar,</p><p>non-subject related "mentor's issues" and classroom management issues. In addition, this</p><p>study argues that the governing documents, previous research, as well as well-known</p><p>theories on the subject support a high usage of the target language by the teacher.</p>
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