The main purpose of this study was to investigate empirically the impacts of dictionary strategy instruction and exposure on the dictionary performance, perceptions of and attitudes towards dictionary use, and knowledge of dictionary strategy and use by tertiary students of English in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected by means of questionnaires, interviews, observation and students interview feedback. The study was carried out in two phases; phase I, in which 14 participants were chosen to carry out the interviews, and in which the questionnaire was conducted on 77 male students in the preparatory year at the College of Applied Health Science of Qassim University in Saudi Arabia; and phase II where four participants were chosen to carry out the training in dictionary use through a one-to-one tutorial mode. The data in the second phase were collected through observation and students interview feedback. The findings from phase I of the study indicated that the Saudi students did not have appropriate knowledge of their own dictionary. It revealed some instances of failing to take advantage of the potential of dictionary use for language learning and identified factors behind this ineffective use. It demonstrated how the teacher’s role was essential in this respect and could directly influence the process of dictionary implementation inside the classroom The results of phase II demonstrated that strategy training was effective in disseminating the knowledge and skills required of students in using their dictionaries to solve linguistic problems. More importantly, the results showed that the strategy training approach holds great potential for developing students' independence and that it moves them towards greater autonomy. Thus, it is recommended that training be provided to English language learners to optimise their use of this important tool. Finally, specific implications for both teaching and future research are identified.

The purpose of this investigation was to research vocabulary strategies that could help improve student art vocabulary retention. The subjects were five intact 3rd grade classes at a culturally diverse elementary school outside of Washington, DC. The vocabulary strategies, concept wheel and semantic mapping, were modified and incorporated into a string printmaking unit for two of the five classes. The remaining three classes were taught the same printmaking unit, with the exclusion of the modified vocabulary activities. The results of a labeling assessment given to each class on three separate occasions indicate that the incorporation of vocabulary activities does help students retain art vocabulary. Possible modifications of multiple proven vocabulary strategies for use in an art classroom setting are discussed.

Vocabulary learning strategies and word knowledge are two central factors in learning a foreign language. Researchers have acknowledged the vital role of vocabulary in second language acquisition. This particular study is trying to fill a void by looking at high-school aged learners, by looking at beginning learners of German and by looking at the expression of word knowledge and strategy use qualitatively. The research methodology for this study is qualitative and exploratory in nature. The participants of this study are 29 high-school students, who participated in a vocabulary review game and filled out exit slips following the game. Of these students, 13 participated in a follow-up interview in which the prompts from the review game were discussed and analyzed. The study revealed beginning learners of German use a variety of learning strategies. Students preferred semantic context over linguistic and social context. They were also able to describe vocabulary items in the target language German, without major breakdowns in communication. Students tried to avoid the use of the German articles and confused grammatical terminology at times. Overall, students knew high frequency vocabulary and how to use it.

xii, 79 p. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / Results of the 2007 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reported the need for improving reading comprehension, especially in the upper elementary and middle school grades. Because the field of vocabulary research evidenced the strong relationship between vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension, the National Reading Panel (2000) recommended the inclusion of direct vocabulary instruction as a necessary component in a comprehensive reading program. The field of vocabulary research, however, lacks consensus on which strategies result in the most gains in vocabulary development and reading comprehension. In this study, vocabulary development of students who learned word meanings through socially mediated strategies was contrasted with students who learned word meanings using contextually driven strategies. A total of 14 teachers of fifth grade students were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups. The intervention group taught the socially mediated strategies of semantic mapping and the Frayer model. The teachers in the comparison group taught contextual and morphemic analysis, both contextually driven strategies. The effects of these two types of vocabulary instruction were measured using three tests, two proximal researcher developed vocabulary assessments and the more distal Gates MacGinitie vocabulary assessment. Results of this study revealed that while students in both groups made significant gains as measured by the more proximal measures, students taught through contextually driven strategies gained the most. On the distal measure only the students taught socially mediated strategies improved their performance. This study adds to the field by confirming three prior findings. Direct vocabulary instruction improved students' vocabulary development. Instruction in contextually driven strategies improved students' vocabulary learning when the dependent measure assessed knowledge of taught words. Instruction in socially mediated strategies improved students' vocabulary development when the dependent measure assessed unknown words. / Adviser: Gerald Tindal

Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Reading is considered to be a vital skill for academic success, yet it is seldom taught to or practised with students. Students begin to `read to learn' during primary and secondary schooling. However, at tertiary level the academic demands are much greater than before and involve more extensive reading of conceptually more complex texts. This study investigates the implementation of an intensive reading programme for post-matric English Second Language Science students, based on the assumption that reading improves reading. In addition, this study investigates the effect that reading ability has on academic performance in Science, which relies inter alia, on the ability to read, comprehend and interpret word problems. An intervention group and a control group were used to ascertain the effects of an intensive reading programme and the findings suggest that any reading (intensive or extensive) improves reading and language skills. This in turn impacts on academic performance in Science, if students have an ability in Science to begin with. / Linguistics / MA - SP APPLIED LINGUISTICS

Reading is considered to be a vital skill for academic success, yet it is seldom taught to or practised with students. Students begin to `read to learn' during primary and secondary schooling. However, at tertiary level the academic demands are much greater than before and involve more extensive reading of conceptually more complex texts. This study investigates the implementation of an intensive reading programme for post-matric English Second Language Science students, based on the assumption that reading improves reading. In addition, this study investigates the effect that reading ability has on academic performance in Science, which relies inter alia, on the ability to read, comprehend and interpret word problems. An intervention group and a control group were used to ascertain the effects of an intensive reading programme and the findings suggest that any reading (intensive or extensive) improves reading and language skills. This in turn impacts on academic performance in Science, if students have an ability in Science to begin with. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / MA - SP APPLIED LINGUISTICS