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1
Cheng, Mo-yin Catherina. "Testing and re-testing in Hong Kong F.5 and F.6 English secondary classes." [Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong], 1993. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B13554372.
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Hamp-Lyons, E. M. "Testing second language writing in academic settings." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 1987. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.381167.
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Cheng, Mo-yin Catherina, and 鄭慕賢. "Testing and re-testing in Hong Kong F.5 and F.6 English secondary classes." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1993. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31956348.
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Perea-Hernandez, Jose Luis. "Teacher Evaluation of Item Formats for an English Language Proficiency Assessment." PDXScholar, 2010. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/436.
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An abstract of the thesis of José Luis Perea-Hernández for the Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages presented February 11, 2010. Title: Teacher Evaluation of Item Formats for an English Language Proficiency Assessment. Language testing plays a significant role in the collection of systematic information about English Language Learners' ability and progress in K-12 public schools in Oregon. Therefore, the following thesis reports on a process of the development of this assessment as I was at some point one of the members in the test development team and then drew upon teachers' opinions and judgments to compensate for a gap in this process. For instance, despite the fact that Oregon item-writers produced test items in summer 2004, they identified some deficiencies as they followed the process. Therefore, the need of more examples of item formats in order to develop better items, a proper identification of materials for reading and listening and mainly the lack of detailed item test specifications was imminent. Unfortunately, item writers did not posses a guiding document that would allow them to generate items. The item writing process was not `spec-driven'. Hence, these drawbacks in this test (larger project), provide the basis and rationale for this thesis. Thus, the aim of the present study was to identify what item formats worked best based on professional teacher judgment. Then, once identified these were used to detect what items could potentially be reverse-engineered into specifications for future studies or developmental stages of this assessment. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis was to analyze through professional teacher-judgment the suitability of item formats, test items and the construct in a way that would be helpful for future item-writing sessions, but most importantly to the better understanding of teachers devising items for this test. Teachers determined what items and item formats were more suitable in a testing situation for the diverse English language learners according to their relationship to the construct of the test, practicality, cognitive level, appropriateness, and similar tasks as used in classroom instruction. Finally, the outcomes based on teacher feedback allowed the required data to establish a process to reverse-engineer test items and item formats into item test specifications. Thus, based on this feedback a more systematic process was illustrated to demonstrate how item formats can be the basis to reverse-engineer item test specifications.
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Muroya, Akiko. "Testing theories of second language acquisition : evidence from Japanese learners' English." Thesis, University of Essex, 2015. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.701637.
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This study investigates five topics that have been at the heart of research into second language (L2) acquisition for over three decades: (1) the nature of early L2 grammars and whether they contain both lexical and functional categories; (2) the role that the native language (L 1) plays in L2 acquisition; (3) the source of variable production by L2 speakers of properties that are categorical for L1 speakers; (4) the relationship between the acquisition of morphological properties and syntactic operations; (S) the involvement of a putative Universal Grammar. These topics are investigated in the context of Japanese-speaking classroom learners of English. Data were collected through two production tasks, one written the other oral. While there have been many studies of the topics in question with naturalistic L2 learners of English, there have been fewer studies with classroom learners. The general view in generative studies ofL2 acquisition has been that linguistic development will be the same, whatever the context of learning. However, this is an empirical question and the present study provides evidence bearing on it. Findings suggest that early-stage learners have grammars for English that have both functional and lexical categories. The functional categories are specified for features that are syntactically relevant (for verb raising, for the determination of obligatory subjects, for appropriate case marking, for the obligatory fronting of wh-words). Properties that are transferred from the Ll are not predictable simply on the basis of comparing differences between the two languages. Variability in production appears to be explicable largely in terms of learners' (re)assembling features for English lexical items which differ from their Japanese counterparts, combined with the difficulty of accessing forms where processing load is heavy (the Missing Surface Inflection hypothesis). There was no evidence of participants needing to acquire the morphological paradigms of English before establishing syntactic rules. Finally, there was limited, but suggestive, evidence that the L2 grammars of+the classroom learners studied are guided by UG.
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Yanagawa, Kozo. "A partial validation of the contextual validity of the Centre Listening Test in Japan." Thesis, University of Bedfordshire, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10547/267493.
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The purpose of this study was to validate the listening comprehension component of the Centre Test in Japan (henceforth, JNCTL) in relation to contextual parameters and cognitive processing. For the purpose of this study, a comprehensive framework of contextual parameters and a L2 listening processing model was established. This provided a solid theoretical framework for this study, whereby empirical evidence was elicited in relation to contextual parameters and cognitive processing. The elicitation was made through document analysis, focus group interviews, and a large-scale questionnaire administered to stakeholders including 110 high school English teachers and 391 third year students of high schools. The elicited data was subjected to descriptive, quantitative and qualitative analysis. The results of Preliminary studies identified ten possible key parameters to help the JNCTL achieve greater validity. They included the number of opportunities to listen to the input, a lack of hesitations, a lack of overlapping turns, a lack of multi-participant discussions, a lack of variety in the English accents used, a lack of L2 speakers, a lack of inference questions, a lack of non-linear texts, a lack of sandhi-variations, and a lack of natural speech rate. The results of the questionnaire revealed that sandhi-variation was the key parameter to help the current JNCTL achieve greater validity in a direction that would be accepted by the stakeholders, and it was further explored in Main Study in attempt to investigate the effect of sandhi-variation on listening comprehension test performance and the level of cognitive load imposed on the test takers. A series of experiments was conducted involving the manipulation of sandhi-variation. The results revealed that although no statistical difference was found in item difficulty estimates between the sandhi-variation and non-sandhi-variation versions, sandhi-variation may involve double effects on listening comprehension for the test takers. The positive effects could involve providing more prominent phonological difference between accented and unaccented words in connected speech which are produced by sandhi-variation, and this difference may reduce the cognitive load imposed on the test takers. The negative effects may involve increasing the cognitive load imposed on the test takers by obscuring sounds through elision or unclear pronunciation, and disturbing speech perception or word recognition. Recommendations are provided for improving the validity of the current JNCTL and for the development of listening comprehension tests more generally. Implications are also suggested for the teaching of listening at secondary schools in Japan. Lastly, the limitations of the study are outlined and suggestions for further research are proposed.
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Kingen, Sharon A. "When middle school writers compose : exploring relationships of processes, products, and levels of cognitive development." Virtual Press, 1990. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/720404.
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This study was designed first to describe the writing processes and products of students in grades 7, 8, and 9 and second to explore patterns of differences related to cognitive development. From the 117 students enrolled at a midwestern university laboratory school who voluntarily completed the Arlin Test of Formal Reasoning, 12 subjects were chosen on the basis of sex, grade, and test score.Each subject individually wrote four letters. A talk-aloud procedure was employed during three sessions and stimulated recall was used during the last session. Finally, all subjects were interviewed.Audio tapes of interviews and videotapes of writing sessions were transcribed. Final copies of texts were typed. Interview responses were examined and summarized. The letters were rated holistically and scored for audience awareness. Counts of words, T-units, and clauses were conducted. Verbalizations in protocols were coded. Further, all data produced during stimulated recall were examined for information about time use, fluency, and pausing, as well as revising and editing.The data revealed that writers considered themselves capable, but the papers received mediocre ratings and scores. The analysis of products showed that subjects wrote more in response to an expressive/informative task, but syntax was more mature on information and persuasion.Overall, formal thinkers wrote more syntactically mature discourse and usually received higher ratings. The analysis of processes data failed to reveal consistent differences, but there were many similarities. The subjects prewrote mentally and focused on producing text quickly. They reread text and edited often, but they rarely revised. Descriptions of processes and rhetorical principles were vague. Although the writers employed many strategies, had some intuitive sense of purpose and audience, and made decisions on the basis of many factors, they lacked control over their composing activities and were unable to transfer strategies from one task to the next.The study concluded with a series of recommendations for composition instruction and further research, particularly a call for teaching the processes of composing at the middle school level and for measuring the effects of this instruction against the baseline of data provided in this study.<br>Department of Secondary, Higher, and Foundations of Education
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Saville, N. D. "Developing a model for investigating the impact of language assessment within educational contexts by a public examination provider." Thesis, University of Bedfordshire, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10547/134953.
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There is no comprehensive model of language test or examination impact and how it might be investigated within educational contexts by a provider of high-stakes examinations, such as an international examinations board. This thesis addresses the development of such a model from the perspective of Cambridge ESOL, a provider of English language tests and examinations in over 100 countries. The starting point for the thesis is a discussion of examinations within educational processes generally and the role that examinations board, such as Cambridge ESOL play within educational systems. The historical context and assessment tradition is an important part of this discussion. In the literature review, the effects and consequences of language tests and examinations are discussed with reference to the better known concept of washback and how impact can be defined as a broader notion operating at both micro and macro levels. This is contextualised within the assessment literature on validity theory and the application of innovation theories within educational systems. Methodologically, the research is based on a meta-analysis which is employed in order to describe and review three impact projects. These three projects were carried out by researchers based in Cambridge to implement an approach to test impact which had emerged during the 1990s as part of the test development and validation procedures adopted by Cambridge ESOL. Based on the analysis, the main outcome and contribution to knowledge is an expanded model of impact designed to provide examination providers with a more effective “theory of action”. When applied within Cambridge ESOL, this model will allow anticipated impacts of the English language examinations to be monitored more effectively and will inform on-going processes of innovation; this will lead to well-motivated improvements in the examinations and the related systems. Wider applications of the model in other assessment contexts are also suggested.
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Reynolds, Judith Marsha. "A description of the language experiences of English Second-Language students entering the academic discourse communities of Rhodes University." Thesis, Rhodes University, 1998. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002644.
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This study is a description of the language experiences of English Second Language students in their first year at Rhodes University. It took place in the context of the changes that are currently occurring in higher education in South Africa in terms of student populations. More and more students are entering tertiary education institutions, including HWESUs, such as Rhodes University, who are considered non-traditional. These students typically have English as their second, or additional, language, and have not been adequately prepared for university study by their secondary education. This study describes the experiences of three such students in their first year at Rhodes University. Entry into a university is seen not just as acquiring knowledge, but as entering, or attempting to enter, a new culture. It is recognised that all students enter universities with other cultures or literacies already in place. In the case of non-traditional students tbese other literacies are usually at some distance from those of the university. The work of James Gee (1990) is particularly useful in understanding this process of adjusting to the demands of university study and the effect that previous experiences have on this process. This study is an attempt to discover and describe the literacies that these three students brought with them to university and the effect these literacies had on their attempts to enter academic discourse communities of the university. An ethnographic research method was adopted in order to do this. The study is also an attempt to evaluate, from the perspective of the three students, the appropriacy of the various changes that Rhodes University has made since the numbers of non-traditional students has started to increase.
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鄭敏芝 and Man-chi Sammi Cheng. "Self assessment in the school-based assessment speaking component in aHong Kong secondary four classroom: a casestudy." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2009. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B4324080X.
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Chen, Grace Show-ying. "Diagnostic testing and teaching of oral communication in English as a foreign language." Thesis, University of Sunderland, 1995. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.260624.
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Gonzalez, Arturo. "An Examination of the Validity of State Standardized Testing of English Language Learners." Thesis, Northwest Nazarene University, 2016. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10240280.
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<p> The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of state standardized testing English Language Learners are required to participate in as part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Although policymakers continue to debate the minutia of the academic accountability for English Language Learners, the over-arching question of test validity has continued to be ignored. Current federal requirements identify participation in state standardized testing of all English Language Learners who have been in country more than one academic year. Data collected for analysis included English Language Learners’ level of English proficiency, and state standardized testing scores in reading, English language arts, and mathematics. The goal was to determine, using quantitative data, correlations between these variables. The study concludes by highlighting factors to be considered that influence accountability policy at the state and federal level and by making suggestions for future research in the area of assessing English Language Learners for the purpose of increased accuracy for accountability in academic growth and performance.</p><p> Through the use of ex-post-facto data, the results of the study identified three findings. The first finding identified that there is a correlation between ELL students’ English language proficiency level and performance on state standardized testing in the areas of reading, English language arts, and mathematics. The second finding in the study, using the Washington English Language Proficiency Assessment (WELPA) to identify student English proficiency levels, recognized that there is a threshold between WELPA levels and the ELL students who are passing state standardized tests. The third finding recognized that there was no significant distinction in state standardized testing between the number of reading/English language arts tests and mathematics tests.</p>
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Truong, Le Huy, and n/a. "Towards improving ESP testing in Vietnam." University of Canberra. Education, 1988. http://erl.canberra.edu.au./public/adt-AUC20061109.154636.
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That this field study report has been carried out
originates from the fact that urgent remedies are needed to
improve ESP testing in Vietnam. This field study report
consists of five chapters as follows.
Chapter one gives an overall picture of language
testing in Vietnam, as well as dealing with the reasons why
ESP testing should be improved.
Chapter two covers questions such as the
terminology in assessing (evaluation, assessment, and
testing), role of testing, types of language tests, and main
characteristics of a good test.
Chapter three considers the problems concerning
ESP, for example, a definition of ESP, ESP in the teaching
learning process, ESP in Vietnam as well as ESP
classification.
Chapter four takes into consideration such
questions as the theoretical background of ESP testing,
proficiency tests in ESP testing, problems in ESP testing,
ESP testing in Vietnam together with comments, and
suggestions for improvements.
Chapter five reconfirms the aim of this field
study report - to improve ESP testing in Vietnam.
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Lindholm, Lauralee. "The Development and Testing of a Three-Section Cloze Test of English Proficiency." Thesis, North Texas State University, 1985. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc504105/.
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The purpose of this research was to develop and test a three-section cloze test of English proficiency and to norm it for use as a means of level placement. The study sample consisted of ESL students at Brookhaven Community College and the Intensive English Language Institute of North Texas State University, as well as a group of native speakers. Four types of statistical analysis were used: analysis of variance, Pearson product-moment correlations, a t-Test, and a multiple comparison procedure, the Scheffé test. The cloze test was sensitive to significant differences between every level at both schools. Subsequently it was normed to a four-level system and score ranges for each level were suggested.
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Pryde, Susanne Mona Graham. "Low frequency vocabulary and ESL writing assessment." Thesis, Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1998. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B2012496X.
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Adolfsson, Helen. "Teaching, Testing and Assessment; an Interrelation of English as a Foreign Language - The Swedish National Test of English." Thesis, Högskolan i Halmstad, Sektionen för humaniora (HUM), 2012. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hh:diva-19353.
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The aim of this study was to investigate the interrelation between teaching, testing and assessment of English as a foreign language in the Swedish school system. The focus is on the Swedish National test of English, and teaching and assessment of English in Swedish schools. A comparison with the Cambridge testing system is part of the study which has given rise to questions regarding the validity and reliability of the Swedish National test of English. The study was carried out through qualitative questionnaires and interviews aimed at 5 English teachers working within the Swedish School system. The findings of the primary data suggest that the test is, with the exception of its marking procedures, regarded highly by the interviewees. The results of the interviews and questionnaires also suggest that the common factor between teaching, testing and assessment of EFL (English as a Foreign Language) in the Swedish school system appears to be the syllabus and, thus, indirectly, the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).
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Lu, Guangling. "Cloze tests and reading strategies in English language teaching in China." Thesis, University of the Western Cape, 2006. http://etd.uwc.ac.za/index.php?module=etd&.
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Cloze procedure involves the skills of thinking, understanding , reading and writing based on the learners underlying knowledge of reading comprehension and writing subskills such as grammar and sentence construction. It is regarded as a very efficient test for measuring students integrative competence in English, and has been used in most of the important English tests in China. It is also used as a teaching instrument to help students to improve their reading competence. However, a majority of students perform poorly in cloze tests and they regard it as the most difficult and most unpopular part of the English test. The aim of this study was to find out the problem that Chinese students have with cloze tests and to determine whether they are associated with the inefficient use of reading strategies.
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Chen, Shu Hua. "The oral performance of Chinese speakers on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS)." Thesis, University of Macau, 2002. http://umaclib3.umac.mo/record=b1636600.
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Al-Qudairy, Abdullah H. A. "Using Arabic (L1) in testing reading comprehension in English (L2) as a foreign language." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/5498.
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The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of using Arabic (L1) as a language of questions and answers in testing reading comprehension in English (L2), and to explore student and teacher opinions about this. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed. To collect the quantitative data, one hundred and forty-four students were given a reading comprehension test. Both multiple-choice and short-answer questions were used. The subjects were second-year English department undergraduate Saudi students and final-year secondary school Saudi students. Other factors including gender and five reading sub-skills were considered. Twelve students and four English-language teachers participated in semi-structured interviews, the source of the qualitative data. The findings of this study indicate that, for the population, test types and test levels investigated, there is no clear case for having reading comprehension questions and answers in L1. The use of Arabic in the English reading comprehension tests did not improve the performance of students. Interview responses were mixed, but with no consensus in favour of Arabic. Limitations of this study are discussed, and recommendations for further research in testing reading comprehension in English as a foreign language are presented.
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Jeong, Tae-Young. "Assessing and interpreting students' English oral proficiency using d-VOCI in an EFL context." Columbus, OH : Ohio State University, 2003. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=osu1045462461.
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Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2003.<br>Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xii, 151 pages : ill. (some col.) Includes abstract and vita. Advisor: Charles R. Hancock, College of Education. Includes bibliographical references (p. 115-125).
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Bailey, Isobel. "International students' expectations of a twelve week IELTS Preparation Course." AUT University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10292/832.
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The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) English proficiency test has been the focus of increasing research since its inception in 1989. While research has contributed to a better understanding of test construction and has highlighted the limitations of individual test scores for predicting academic success, few studies have focused on students’ perceptions of the academic module of IELTS. The present study attempts to address this gap in the research by investigating student expectations of an IELTS preparation course. The study, adopting a multi-method approach using surveys and interviews, investigated ten international students enrolled in a twelve-week academic IELTS preparation course in a language school affiliated to a university in Auckland, New Zealand. The study found that students have high expectations not only of an IELTS preparation course, but of the IELTS band score they will achieve. The study also found that student expectations of the course were met at least to some extent. Various factors contributed to the fulfilment of students’ expectations including a focus on speaking and listening activities and the use of formative practice tests. Although all four language skills were recognised by the students prior to the course as being important, speaking and listening were identified as those most expected to be improved. By the end of the course, however, reading and writing skills were acknowledged to be most important, suggesting a growing awareness of the importance of literacy skills, both for achieving an appropriate IELTS score and for further academic study. Although limited by the number of participants, the findings have significance for the development and delivery of academic IELTS preparation courses. Firstly, although there is value in focusing on listening and speaking skills, given the change in students’ perceptions, academic literacy skills perhaps need a predominant focus. Related to this focus, challenging reading activities and related vocabulary development should be an integral part of the course. Secondly, the inclusion of practice IELTS tests provides an important formative component of preparation courses. Finally, the study suggests that administration staff and teachers need to better prepare students to have realistic expectations of an achievable IELTS band score.
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Yau, Kwai Fong Rachel. "A think-aloud protocol analysis of the reading strategies of six non-native English learners reading in English." HKBU Institutional Repository, 1996. http://repository.hkbu.edu.hk/etd_ra/71.
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Barrows, Jacob Garlin. "The Effect of Prompt Accent on Elicited Imitation Assessments in English as a Second Language." BYU ScholarsArchive, 2016. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/5654.
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Elicited imitation (EI) assessment has been shown to have value as an inexpensive method for low-stakes tests (Cox & Davies, 2012), but little has been reported on the effect L2 accent has on test-takers' ability to understand and process the test items they hear. Furthermore, no study has investigated the effect of accent on EI test face validity. This study examined how the accent of input audio files affected EI test difficulty as well as test-takers' perceptions of such an effect. To investigate, self-reports of students' exposure to different varieties of English were obtained from a pre-assessment survey. A 63-item EI test was then administered in which English language learners in the United States listened to test items in three varieties of English: American English, Australian English, and British English. A post-assessment survey was then administered to gather information regarding perceived difficulty of accented prompts. A many facet Rasch analysis found that accent affected item difficulty in an EI test with a separation reliability coefficient of .98—British English being the most difficult and American English the easiest. Survey results indicated that students perceived this increase in difficulty, and ANOVAs between the survey and test results indicated that student perceptions of an increase in difficulty aligned with reality. Specifically, accents that students were “Not at all Familiar” with resulted in significantly lower EI test scores than accents with which the students were familiar. These findings suggest that prompt accent should be carefully considered in EI test development.
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Le, Duc Long, and n/a. "In search of appropriate language testing techniques for EFL tertiary teachers in Vietnam." University of Canberra. Liberal Studies, 1985. http://erl.canberra.edu.au./public/adt-AUC20060818.160812.
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This Field Study Report concentrates on the
appropriate language testing techniques for EFL tertiary
teachers in different foreign language institutions and
centres in Vietnam. It falls into five chapters.
The first chapter is a brief introduction and
an overview of the problems with EFL testing and assessment
in Vietnam. It describes the need for this study,
its general testing terminology. It also describes some
general problems, problems with specific testing techniques
and problems with testing assessment.
The second chapter discusses the role of classroom
language testing, the relationship between language
teaching and testing and the use of different kinds of
tests.
In the third chapter, four qualities of a good
test and instructions to the testee are considered.
After discussing the use of various kinds of
tests, the Study Report examines different EFL testing
and assessment techniques in chapter IV. This chapter
focuses on the pros and cons of major language testing
and assessment techniques such as translation, essay
writing, oral interviews, multiple-choice items, shortanswer
items, cloze tests, dictations, terminal assessment.
Critical comments on these techniques are also
given.
In the final chapter, some practical suggestions
and proposals for EFL testing and assessment in Vietnam
are made.
It is hoped that these suggestions and proposals
will help to improve the present language testing situation
in Vietnam.
25
Christiansen, Yvonne. "Pragmatic ability and proficiency in Japanese learners of English." Thesis, McGill University, 2003. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=79753.
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This study investigated the relationship between pragmatic ability and proficiency in 16 Japanese learners of English. Two measures of pragmatic ability were developed: a multiple-choice questionnaire designed to probe pragmatic awareness of various speech acts and a set of oral role-plays designed to elicit two requests, two apologies and one refusal. These measures were also administered to eight native speakers in order to establish a scoring system for the pragmatic awareness test and target norms for the role-plays. A background questionnaire was given to all participants while a proficiency test, Combined English Language Skills Assessment in a Reading Context, or CELSA was administered only to the Japanese participants.<br>The findings in this study demonstrated that there was not a strong relationship between proficiency and pragmatic ability, nor was there one between pragmatic awareness and production. The measures were moderately correlated but they also exhibited a great deal of variation from learner to learner.<br>Certain linguistic abilities were observed to be valuable regarding pragmatic ability, such as being able to make conventionally indirect requests. Learners were more direct in their speech acts than native speakers. They also used fewer and less varied strategies and lexical modification, with the exception of the politeness marker, please, which they over-used.<br>There was evidence both in terms of the pragmatic awareness measure and in the analysis of the production that over-directness decreased with increasing proficiency. The two assessment instruments produced different kinds of errors at different levels of proficiency, pointing to the possibility that they were tapping the abilities associated with pragmatic awareness and production at different stages of development.<br>This research has implications for both testing and teaching pragmatic ability.
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Nicholls, Kristine Dianne. "A correlational study of reading comprehension in Spanish and English." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 1999. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/1845.
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Wait, Tania Hanlie. "The relationship between the use of language learning strategies and performance on a standardised English proficiency test." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/19889.
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Thesis (MEd)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007.<br>ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This investigation was aimed at gaining an understanding of the learning processes in the
English Foreign Language programme at Stellenbosch University. The relationships between
students’ reported language learning strategy use and their language proficiency as
measured on a standardised English language proficiency test were recorded and the
influence of other learner factors such as age, gender, motivation, culture and educational
background, and teacher-centeredness versus learner/learning-centeredness in learning
situations and curricula were explored.
A literature review was done to provide some insight into similar research conducted
internationally and in South Africa and to provide a framework for this investigation.
Research contributions by Chamot & Kupper (1989), Mahlobo (1999), Oxford (1990) and
Van der Walt and Dreyer (1995a & 1995b) provided insight and a foundation for this
investigation.
The research is primarily qualitative and set in an interpretivist paradigm in an attempt to
firstly explore the relationship between reported language learning strategy use and English
language proficiency in the skills of reading and listening and secondly to explore other
factors which could impact on the development of English language proficiency in all four
language skills. The study was not concerned with a search for generalisible phenomena, but
was aimed at providing a descriptive analysis of the interpreted understanding of social
phenomena with regard to English Foreign language learning processes, where English
proficiency had to be used for academic purposes. Information was obtained through
observation, informal discussions, questionnaires, interviews, focus group interviews and
English language proficiency test results.
Results were interpreted for this particular situation at Stellenbosch University and
suggestions were made as to how language learning strategies could be incorporated into
the English Foreign Language curriculum to optimise the development of English language
proficiency. Suggestions for further related research were also made.<br>AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie ondersoek was daarop gemik om insig te verkry in die leerprosesse in die Engels as
Vreemde Taal (EFL) program by Stellenbosch Universiteit. Die verhoudings tussen leerders
se aangeduide taalleerstrategieë en hulle prestasie op ’n gestandardiseerde Engelse
taaltoets is ondersoek asook ander faktore wat moontlik ’n invloed sou kon hê op die
taalleerproses: ouderdom, geslag, motivering, kultuur en opvoedkundige agtergrond, asook
onderwyser-gefokusde versus leerder-gefokusde onderrig en kurrikula.
’n Literatuurstudie is gedoen om ’n insig te verkry oor soortgelyke navorsing wat gedoen is
op internasionale vlak en in Suid-Afrika, en ook om ’n raamwerk vir hierdie navorsing te
voorsien. Die navorsing van veral Chamot & Kupper (1989), Mahlobo (1999), Oxford (1990)
en Van der Walt en Dreyer (1995a & 1995b) het bygedra tot insig en ’n agtergrond vir hierdie
ondersoek.
Die navorsing is hoofsaaklik kwalitatief in ’n interpretiwistiese paradigma om eerstens die
verhouding te ondersoek tussen aangeduide taalleerstrategie gebruik en Engelse
taalvaardigheid in the lees- en luistervaardighede, en tweedens om ondersoek in te stel na
ander faktore wat moontlik ’n invloed kan hê op die taalleerproses in al vier die
taalvaardighede. Die studie is nie in die eerste plek onderneem om veralgemenings te kan
maak nie, maar was gemik op die verkryging van ’n beskrywende analise van die sosiale
invloede betrokke by die aanleer van Engels as ’n vreemde taal vir gebruik as ’n akademiese
taal. Inligting is verkry deur observasie, informele gesprekke, vraelyste, onderhoude,
fokusgroeponderhoude en Engelse taalvaardigheidstoetsuitslae.
Bevindinge is ontleed vir die spesifieke situasie by Stellenbosch Universiteit en aanbevelings
is gemaak oor die moonlike insluiting van taalleerstrategieë in die leerplan en kurrikula van
die Engels as Vreemde Taal (EFL) program. Aanbevelings vir verdere navorsing is ook
gemaak.
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Canas, Baena Daniela A. "No Child Left Behind Leaves Behind English Language Learners." Scholarship @ Claremont, 2016. http://scholarship.claremont.edu/scripps_theses/740.
Full textAbstract:
Goals 2000 and No Child Left behind have developed a new timeline for language acquisition, have promoted the practice of teaching to the test rather than the understanding of content, and High School Exit Exams have led to the widening of the achievement gap between ELL students and their Non-ELL counterparts. In additions, the policies’ narrow definition of success leads to federal sanctions that penalize schools with ELL student populations further contributing to the widening of the gap.
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Kung, Wai-yin, and 龔惠妍. "An analysis of the language proficiency assessment for teachers in Hong Kong." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2005. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B45012453.
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Marlow, Kimberly. "CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS:A COMPARISON OF LANGUAGE ARTS/ESOL AND ONE-WAY DEVELOPMENTAL BILINGUAL." Doctoral diss., University of Central Florida, 2008. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETD/id/2710.
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The present study was conducted to investigate two English Language Learner programs in one Florida county and their implications for student achievement. The literature review showed that, as students progress through the educational system, the academic content becomes more and more abstract, forcing students to rely more heavily on their oral and written communication skills in English. Significant achievement gaps, sometimes extremely large, were also identified between English-only students and English Language Learner students. One study highlighted a 46% gap on the 2005 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP). The present study was designed to investigate 23 middle schools in one Florida county. The focus of the study was on two English Language Learner programs: Language Arts/ESOL and One-Way Developmental Bilingual Education. A total of 13 schools were identified that had implemented the Language Arts/ESOL program, and 10 middle schools were identified that had implemented the One-Way Developmental Bilingual Education program. The 2007 FCAT reading mean scale scores for the schools' 7th-grade English Language Learners were compared to those of standard curriculum students. For both English Language Learner programs, a statistical significance was found using t-tests. In addition, FCAT reading Levels 1-5 were investigated. At FCAT Levels 1-3, the Language Arts/ESOL program out-performed the One-Way Developmental Bilingual Education program. At FCAT Levels 4 and 5, the One-Way Developmental Bilingual Education program out-performed the Language Arts/ESOL program.<br>Ed.D.<br>Department of Educational Research, Technology and Leadership<br>Education<br>Educational Leadership EdD
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Blunt, Sandra Viki. "The interpretation of ABET placement tests in the recognition of prior learning." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003464.
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This thesis analyses the way in which placement testing is being interpreted in Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET). The thesis examines whether the placement tests used in the case study were valid in terms of whether their contents were relevant and authentic with regard to what English second language speakers could reasonably be expected to know. Adult learners have differing English second language knowledge depending on the different contexts in which they have learned their second language. This thesis investigates the implications of the different contexts and different language needs of adult learners for the testing of English as a second language for placement purposes in ABET programmes. The thesis examined two placement tests to determine how the recognition of prior second language learning was being interpreted and how the interpretation affected the validity of the tests. Learners= perceptions of the assessment process and test content were elicited in order to determine whether a policy of transparency had been followed in the implementation of the assessment. It was also established what the goals of the organisation were in implementing an ABET programme. This research suggests that placement testing should be viewed holistically; in other words, the goals of the organisation and the level of transparency affect the validity of the placement test. The conclusions were that the placement tests were inauthentic since their contents excluded certain vital aspects of real life performance, namely, that related to the work context. The research revealed that if the placement testing process and the ABET programme are integrated into the culture of the organisation and if employees are remunerated when they have passed the different levels in the programme, the programme is likely to achieve a fair measure of success. Recommendations are that literacy should be viewed as based on a variety of contexts and uses and that therefore tests should be tailored to suit each particular organisation and should contain workrelated content. Furthermore, multiple methods of assessment should be considered.
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Xie, Qin, and 谢琴. "Test design and use, preparation, and performance: a structural equation modeling study of consequentialvalidity." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2010. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B44548692.
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Docken, Staci. "The effects of the No Child Left Behind Act on the practice of testing students with limited English proficiency." Menomonie, WI : University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2005. http://www.uwstout.edu/lib/thesis/2005/2005dockens.pdf.
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Mellor, Andrew. "Automatic essay scoring for low level learners of English as a second language." Thesis, Swansea University, 2010. https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa42247.
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This thesis investigates the automatic assessment of essays written by Japanese low level learners of English as a second language. A number of essay features are investigated for their ability to predict human assessments of quality. These features include unique lexical signatures (Meara. Jacobs & Rodgers, 2002), distinctiveness, essay length, various measures of lexical diversity, mean sentence length and some properties of word distributions. Findings suggest that no one feature is sufficient to account for essay quality but essay length is a strong predictor for low level learners in time constrained tasks. Combinations of several features are much more powerful in predicting quality than single features. Some simple systems incorporating some of these features are also considered. One is a two-dimensional 'quantity/content' model based on essay length and lexical diversity. Various measures of lexical diversity are used for the content dimension. Another system considered is a clustering algorithm based on various lexical features. A third system is a Bayesian algorithm which classifies essays according to semantic content. Finally, an alternative process based on capture-recapture analysis is also considered for special cases of assessment. One interesting finding is that although many essay features only have moderate associations with quality, extreme values at both ends of the scale are often very reliable indicators of high quality' or poor quality essays. These easily identifiable high quality or low quality essays can act as training samples for classification algorithms such as Bayesian classifiers. The clustering algorithm used in this study correlated particularly strongly with human essay ratings. This suggests that multivariate statistical methods may help realise more accurate essay prediction.
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Snyder, Delys Ann Waite. "A Corpus-based Approach to Determining Standard American English." Diss., CLICK HERE for online access, 2007. http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/ETD/image/etd2239.pdf.
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Allardice, Seamus Rory. "Student preparedness for academic writing : an evaluation of the perceptions of preparedness for academic writing of school leavers taking English 178 at Stellenbosch University." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/80193.
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Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.<br>ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Student Preparedness for Academic Writing examines perceptions of student preparedness
for academic writing in the first-year literary studies course, English 178, located in the
English Department at Stellenbosch University. The research was conducted during 2011 and
2012 making use of a survey which was completed by the 2011 first-year English 178 class,
and also utilising a series of interviews with students, tutors and lecturers in 2012.
Preparedness for English 178 is framed in terms of Pierre Bourdieu’s notion of socially
constructed habitus. In addition to the thought of Bourdieu the thesis draws on the writings of
Peter Elbow, Arlene Archer and Pamela Nichols, among others, to analyse and frame the
quantitative and qualitative information yielded by the study.
The dissertation assesses multiple interlocking elements that comprise student
preparedness and finds striking discrepancy between student perception of their preparedness
and that of the lecturers and tutors. While tutors, lecturers and the report of the National
Benchmark Test all suggest that at least half of all first-year students are poorly prepared for
academic writing, only about 21% of students perceive themselves to be poorly prepared.
Possible reasons for the difference in views between students and other sources are explored.
The thesis concludes by asking if the English 178 course at Stellenbosch University truly
tests the students’ academic writing abilities and if the course is balancing its “obligations to
students [with the]… obligation[s] to knowledge and society” (Elbow 327).<br>AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie verhandeling ondersoek persepsies van studentevoorbereidheid vir
akademiese skryf in die eerstejaars-letterkundekursus, Engels 178, gesetel in die Departement
Engels aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch. Die navorsing is gedurende 2011 en 2012 gedoen
deur gebruik te maak van ’n vraelys wat deur 2011 se Engels 178-eerstejaarsklas voltooi is,
asook van ’n reeks onderhoude met studente, tutors en lektore in 2012. In hierdie
verhandeling word voorbereidheid vir Engels 178 in terme van Pierre Bourdieu se konsep
van sosiaal gekonstrueerde habitus beskryf. Benewens Bourdieu se denke word daar ook na
die werke van onder andere Peter Elbow, Arlene Archer en Pamela Nichols verwys om die
kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe inligting wat uit die studie voortgekom het, te ontleed en te
situeer.
Die verhandeling assesseer die veelvuldige ineengeskakelde elemente wat
studentevoorbereidheid omvat, en bevind ’n opvallende teenstrydigheid tussen studente se
persepsie van hulle eie voorbereidheid en lektore en tutors se persepsie van studente se
voorbereidheid. Terwyl tutors en lektore se ervaring en die Nasionale Normtoetsverslag alles
daarop wys dat ten minste die helfte van alle eerstejaarstudente swak voorbereid is vir
akademiese skryf, beskou slegs ongeveer 21% van studente hulself as swak voorbereid.
Moontlike redes vir die verskil in beskouings tussen studente en ander bronne word
ondersoek. Die verhandeling sluit af met die vraag of die Engels 178-kursus aan die
Universiteit Stellenbosch werklik studente se akademiese skryfvaardighede toets, en of die
kursus wel ’n ewewig handhaaf tussen verpligtinge teenoor studente en ’n
verantwoordelikheid teenoor kennis en die samelewing (Elbow 327).
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Memon, Natasha. ""If I just get one IELTS certificate, I can get anything" : an impact study of IELTS in Pakistan." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/21122.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis examines the impact of the high-stakes International English Language Testing System (IELTS) across different stakeholders in Pakistan, and on Pakistani education, society and economy more broadly. The global profile of IELTS means that washback and impact studies (both comparative and country-specific) are now increasingly carried out by Cambridge ESOL (Hawkey, 2006; Moore et al., 2012). These are undertaken not simply with a view to improving the test, but with a view to investigating how it is used and perceived. In Pakistan, as elsewhere, IELTS has assumed great significance on account of its gate-keeping function in emigration, higher education abroad and professional registration. Demand and candidature grow daily. However, specific conditions that pertain in Pakistan, mainly political instability, and major disparities in wealth and development, have a particular effect on the role of IELTS in the country. The current impact study employs a sequential exploratory concurrent embedded mixed methods design to assess the impact. Phase 1 is a preliminary survey of 20 IELTS preparation institutes, followed by an in-depth qualitative study of two IELTS preparation centres. The qualitative study employs classroom observations, semistructured interviews with teachers (N=2), informal conversational interviews with test-preparers (N=20), and pre- and post-study testing to assess the efficacy of IELTS preparation. Phase 2 analyses questionnaires from a further ten preparation centres. Respondents comprised 200 IELTS test-preparers, 100 IELTS test-takers and 10 IELTS preparation teachers. The survey was supplemented by a focus group with four test-preparers and semi-structured interviews with five employers and five parents. The initial survey of the private English Language Teaching industry in Pakistan showed a radical expansion of IELTS preparation courses. Yet the in-depth study of two specific centres showed that the courses are not effective in improving the scores of students. Courses, although relatively expensive, are very short and most testpreparers enter them with lower English proficiency than is appropriate for IELTS. Questionnaires and interviews showed that IELTS test-preparers and test-takers are primarily motivated to take the test for emigration and study abroad. The test preparers have high expectations from the course regarding improvement of their English proficiency which are generally not met. Disappointed test-takers hold some beliefs that their IELTS course and test will be of benefit to them in Pakistan. Although English ability is always considered as part of recruitment, employers interviewed for this project confirmed that an IELTS certificate is never explicitly required. It is likely that the local uses of IELTS that are emerging in Pakistan are much more indirect. I argue that because public education is not meeting the demand for English, IELTS is now perceived as a route of English education and general certification, and a badge of middle class status if not actual material gain. These findings have implications for both providers of state education in Pakistan, and providers of the IELTS test (Cambridge ESOL). The former needs to address the lack of publicly funded English education and English qualifications; and the latter needs to consider whether IELTS is appropriate for large numbers of low proficiency candidates, and for purposes other than admission to universities abroad and immigration.
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Arcuino, Cathy Lee T. "The relationship between the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores and academic success of international Master's students." Thesis, Colorado State University, 2013. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3565474.
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<p> The purpose of this study was to examine if the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) are related to academic success defined by final cumulative grade point average (GPA). The data sample, from three Midwestern universities, was comprised of international graduate students who graduated within 2006-2011. The total number of students records utilized were 793 (35.7% were female and 65.3% were male). </p><p> The study did not find a significant difference between TOEFL (paper-based, computer-based, and internet-based) and IELTS scores in relation to academic success. Students tended to score higher on TOEFL iBT followed by TOEFL PBT. Indian and Taiwanese students performed better on TOEFL iBT and Chinese and Indian students performed better on the TOEFL PBT. A statistical significance was found among final cumulative GPA and college program of study in relation to TOEFL and IELTS scores. </p><p> Knowing more about the reasons behind international graduate students' academic success is a benefit to institutions. The findings of this study may help graduate offices in comprehensive Midwestern institutions, with the recruitment and retention of international students. The research may also assist in the evaluation of admission requirements.</p>
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Thoma, Dieter [Verfasser]. "Strategic Attention in Language Testing : Metacognition in a Yes/No Business English Vocabulary Test / Dieter Thoma." Frankfurt : Peter Lang GmbH, Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften, 2012. http://d-nb.info/1042404771/34.
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Kim, Youn-Hee 1979. "An investigation into variability of tasks and teacher-judges in second language oral performance assessment /." Thesis, McGill University, 2005. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=111931.
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Lee, Siu-fan, and 李少芬. "An investigation of teacher's interpretations of target oriented assessment in English language." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1999. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31945090.
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Aspeling, Lara Lee. "The influence of gratitude journalling on the motivation and English language proficiency of young adult isiXhosa speakers." Thesis, Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/6788.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (MPhil (General Linguistics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011.<br>Bibliography<br>ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The scientific study of gratitude is one of the topics currently researched by the emergent positive psychology movement, which seeks to understand more about the very best in human beings. Studies in psychology have found that gratitude and other positive emotions in the workplace seem to be linked to motivation, which in turn results in increased productivity. Much research in second language (L2) acquisition has shown a link between increased motivation and improved levels of L2 proficiency. My thesis aims to link these two types of research, by investigating the effect of gratitude journalling on isiXhosa-speaking students at a South African university of technology, in respect of their motivation to improve their English, their attitude towards English, and their English language proficiency. I also attempt to determine whether the language in which the journalling is done has any impact.
I developed several tasks for my participants, in order to ascertain their attitudes towards English, their motivation to improve their English, and their English proficiency. These tasks took the form of surveys and questionnaires, which were completed before and after a journalling intervention. The intervention was in the form of journalling online, using the university's e-Learning Centre's WebCT application. The participants were divided into four groups: factual journalling in English; factual journalling in isiXhosa; gratitude journalling in English; gratitude journalling in isiXhosa. They were asked to write two to three sentences in their online journals on five out of every seven days for the period of one month. In line with the findings of previous research conducted with isiXhosa learners, the results of my investigations showed that these isiXhosa students had a fairly positive attitude towards English to begin with. No significant changes in attitudes towards English, motivation to improve English, or English proficiency, were noted among any of the four groups of journallers pre- versus post-intervention.
It makes sense intuitively that gratitude journalling should increase the motivation and thus the proficiency of isiXhosa learners in English. However, in retrospect, I realise that it was somewhat ambitious to expect to see a change in English language proficiency over the period of just one month. If my participants had experienced enhanced levels of motivation as a result of the gratitude journalling (in English and/or in isiXhosa), their proficiency in English might have increased over time. However, the gratitude journalling seems not to have had an impact on the attitude towards English/motivation to improve English of these third-year isiXhosa university students. Whatever the effect might have been of the gratitude journalling in these young adults' lives, it is not reflected directly in the results of my study. Perhaps future research on the impact of gratitude journalling in the lives of university students could be conducted, using larger samples of participants, and extending the intervention over a longer period of time.<br>AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die wetenskaplike bestudering van dankbaarheid is een van die onderwerpe wat deesdae nagevors word deur die opkomende positiewe sielkunde beweging, wat daarna streef om meer te wete te kom oor die heel beste eienskappe van die mens. Ondersoeke in sielkunde het gevind dat dankbaarheid en ander positiewe emosies in die werksituasie gekoppel skyn te wees aan motivering, wat weer op sy beurt lei tot verhoogde produktiwiteit. Baie navorsing in tweedetaal(T2-)verwerwing het 'n verband gevind tussen verhoogde motivering en verhoogde vlakke van T2-vaardigheid. Hierdie tesis poog om hierdie twee tipes navorsing te verbind, deur ondersoek in te stel na die invloed van die hou van 'n dankbaarheidsjoernaal op die motivering en houding teenoor Engels en die Engelse vaardigheidsvlakke van isiXhosa-sprekende studente aan 'n Suid-Afrikaanse universiteit van tegnologie. My doel was om vas te stel of die hou van 'n dankbaarheidsjoernaal hierdie leerders sou kon help om hul motiveringsvlakke te verhoog en daarom indirek hulle vaardigheid in Engels, en om vas te stel of die taal waarin die joernaal gehou word enige impak sou hê.
Ek het verskeie take ontwerp vir my deelnemers, om sodoende vas te stel wat hulle houding teenoor Engels was, sowel as hulle motivering om hul Engels te verbeter, en hulle Engelse vaardigheidsvlak. Hierdie take het opnames en vraelyste behels wat voltooi is voor en na 'n joernaal-hou intervensie. Die intervensie het behels dat die deelnemers aanlyn 'n joernaal moes hou en ek het gebruik gemaak van die universiteit se e-leer sentrum se WebCT. Die deelnemers is in vier groepe verdeel: feitelike joernaal in Engels; feitelike joernaal in isiXhosa; dankbaarheidsjoernaal in Engels; dankbaarheidsjoernaal in isiXhosa. Hulle is gevra om vir een maand lank twee of drie sinne in hulle aanlynjoernale te skryf op vyf uit elke sewe dae. In aansluiting by die bevindinge van vorige navorsing op isiXhosa-sprekende leerders, het die resultate van my ondersoek daarop gedui dat hierdie isiXhosa studente 'n relatief positiewe houding teenoor Engels gehad het, nog voor die intervensie. Geen beduidende verskille in houdings teenoor Engels, motivering om Engels te verbeter, of Engelse vaardigheid is gevind vir enige van die vier groepe toe pre-intervensie en post-intervensie prestasie met mekaar vergelyk is nie.
Dit maak intuïtief sin dat die hou van 'n dankbaarheidsjoernaal deur T2-leerders sou lei tot verhoogde motivering en daarom tot verhoogde vaardigheidsvlakke in Engels. Agterna beskou, besef ek egter dat dit effens ambisieus van my was om te verwag om 'n verandering in Engelse
vaardigheidsvlakke te sien binne een maand. Miskien sou my deelnemers se vaardigheidsvlakke in Engels met verloop van tyd verbeter het indien hulle wel verhoogde motivering ervaar het as gevolg van die hou van 'n dankbaarheidsjoernaal (in Engels en/of isiXhosa). Die dankbaarheidsjoernale skyn egter geen impak te gehad het op die houding teenoor Engels / motivering om Engels te verbeter by hierdie derde-jaar isiXhosa universiteitstudente nie. Watter effek die hou van 'n dankbaarheidsjoernaal ookal gehad het in die lewens van hierdie jong volwassenes, dit word nie gereflekteer in die resultate van my studie nie. Miskien sou verdere navorsing gedoen kon word oor die impak van dankbaarheidsjoernale in die lewens van universiteitstudente, met groter steekproewe en 'n langer intervensietydperk.
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Vawser, Juliet Rosemarie. "An experiment testing the Bolinger principle to teach gerunds and infinitives." PDXScholar, 1988. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/3853.
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A group of 101 ESL learners ranging in the mid to upper intermediate level was randomly distributed among two groups--experimental and control. They were given three tests prior to the experiment and three tests after treatment. Both groups were given the same contextualized materials. However, the experimental group was taught gerunds and infinitives using the Bolinger principle whereas the control group was taught gerunds and infinitives by list memorization.
Two hypotheses were posed:
1. Teaching ESL learners gerunds and infinitives using the Bolinger principle will result in significant improvement in discrete point tests.
2. Teaching ESL learners gerunds and infinitives using the Bolinger principle will result in significant improvement in the use of gerunds and infinitives in writing.
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Balizet, S. "Sha" G. "A dynamic simulation assessment of english as a second language students' academic readiness." Scholar Commons, 2005. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/2970.
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AR is hypothesized to comprise above-threshold academic language proficiency, personal characteristics, topical knowledge, academic skills, and academic auxiliaries (motivation, study skills, engagement, work drive, emotional stability, affective schemata, and metacognitive strategies).The participants were 36 international adults, studying pre-university academic English at intensive institutes in Florida who volunteered to take the CLEAR during the summer of 2004. Data were collected via the CLEAR multiple-choice knowledge test and essay test, teacher ratings, examinee feedback, and external measures.Results showed the CLEAR knowledge test functions well at the item level although overall scores are only moderately consistent.
The essay scoring consistency was satisfactory, perhaps partly due to the purpose-built scoring tool Good support for content-related validity claims was found for the dynamic simulation overall, for the stimulus materials, for the knowledge test items, for the essay prompt, and for the essay scoring tool. The concurrent measure of teacher ratings correlated with the knowledge test, but not with the content-based essay. Concerning construct-related claims of validity, support was evinced through the literature review as well as through inter-subtest correlation. External measures suggested some discriminant evidentiary support. Examinees perceived that the CLEAR closely resembled the target environment, they judged the CLEAR quality to be a key feature, and they would recommend the CLEAR to a friend for the growth experience.
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Boone, Johanna. "What Matters Most? The Everyday Priorities of Teachers of English Language Learners." BYU ScholarsArchive, 2014. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/4214.
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Teachers work within a context of competing stories, including pressures regarding English language learners (ELLs), a deficit view of teachers, and high-stakes testing and accountability, all of which impact teachers' emotions. Within this context, teachers prioritize what is most important to them. This self-study using narrative inquiry methods lays the author's stories of teaching alongside those of two other teachers of ELLs. The author conducted a series of interviews with the participants, analyzed the interviews for themes and tensions, negotiated meaning with participants, and created interim texts to represent the participants' priorities in teaching ELLs. Three teachers' priorities, as indicated by their stories of teaching, are relationships with students, and helping students continue to progress. Implications include the importance of teachers' understanding of their own priorities, which helps alleviate some of the pressure that teachers are under, positively impacting students as well. Recommended research includes future research on teachers' priorities regarding their ELL students, and further self-studies with narrative inquiry methods.
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Yu, Yuqing, and 余玉青. "A study on Chinese learners' IELTS preparation efforts." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10722/209680.
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In recent decades, autonomous learning has been a hot issue in the field of second language teaching and learning and the previous studies on autonomous learning have made great progress. However, the researches on the individual efforts affecting achievements of major English language proficiency tests from the cognitive perspectives of autonomous learning are still relatively rare. On the basis of the review of literature on learner autonomy at home and abroad, the present study aims to investigate Chinese learners’ IELTS preparation efforts under the guidance of the cognitive theory with the participants of English-medium tertiary institutions for graduate or undergraduate degrees who got high score(at least 7 or above) in IELTS within 2 years and answer what these Chinese learners have done to maximize their IELTS scores to apply for postgraduate programmes in English medium universities autonomously and why they could undertake these efforts to maximize their IELTS scores. Semi-structure interviews on autonomous learning were conducted to find out IELTS preparation experiences. In terms of the data analysis results, the dissertation tries to provide the present or future graduate degree applicants during their IELTS preparation with some suggestions and implications for enhancing recognition on IELTS taking and help language educators better advise these students on undertaking proper preparations for the language challenge in their overseas studies.<br>published_or_final_version<br>Education<br>Master<br>Master of Education
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Jones, Neil. "An item bank for testing English language proficiency : using the Rasch model to construct an objective measure." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 1992. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/19880.
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This study describes the construction of an instrument for testing English language proficiency: a bank of about a thousand quite heterogeneous items, covering a range from beginner level to advanced. The software is specially written, to enable teachers to make tests easily, choosing level and content areas; it also supports computer-adaptive testing, with more task variety than has been usual. The Rasch item response model is used to locate the items on a single difficulty scale. Rasch analysis makes possible the <i>objective measurement</i> of psychological traits, which means essentially that constructs having no physical counterpart, like language proficiency, can be treated analogously to physical objects, quantities of which can be measured in conventional fixed units. The question is asked whether language proficiency <i>can</i> be conceived of in simple enough terms to make objective measurement feasible. A review of the fields of second-language acquisition studies, language testing and teaching concludes that language proficiency (in some aspect) is a reasonable candidate for the construction of a unidimensional trait. Analysis of the items in the bank confirms that they fit to a unidimensional trait, and that the Rasch model performs satisfactorily, although calibrations of badly-targetted items are distorted. A multiple regression analysis is used to investigate item difficulty, and thus what it is that the bank really measures. A causal model in which an item's <i>content</i> (the language problem tested) is placed first finds <i>method facts</i> (e.g. the form of response) to be weak predictors of difficulty. What makes language test items difficult, it is concluded, is mostly the difficulty of the language problems tested. Qualitative analysis of items grouped by content is also informative. It appears that item difficulty is largely (though not entirely) explicable in terms of factors that should be included in a theory of language learning.
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Sokolova, Natalia. "Investigation of final language assessment for pre-service teachers of English in the Russian educational context : a case study." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/25486.
Full textAbstract:
This research explores the final assessment of language competence of future foreign language (FL) teachers (university graduates) in the Russian educational context. Foreign Language teacher training has always been an essential part of Russian education and its importance increased in the 1990s. Later however, with significant educational reforms at primary and secondary school level, teacher training became an area of least attention and interest from the Ministry of Education of Russia and local education authorities. This research is based on the belief that no school reforms are possible without investing in teachers and, therefore, in initial and in-service teacher education, with assessment being one of its key dimensions. The study aims to describe optimal methods of assessing language competence of novice teachers of English as a FL in Russia. For this purpose, the following objectives have been achieved: - a description of current notions of FL teacher language competence, based on analyses of previous theoretical and empirical research; - design of exam evaluation tools – 3 questionnaires and an interview framework, and their use in data collection from various stakeholders in a Russian state pedagogical university; - identification of strengths and weaknesses of the current Final language assessment; - description of possible alternative options for the Final Language Examination and discussion of their impact on different stakeholders. The research follows a mixed-methods design with both qualitative and quantitative data collected and discussed. The study involves various stakeholders at different levels and from different backgrounds – university students, Final Exam takers; Exam designers and administrators, and also teachers of English who provided their valuable vision of the current Final Language Examination and its possible alternatives. The data obtained through surveys and interviews allows for tentative conclusions on the current Language Examination’s appropriacy and relevance, and provides ground for a multi-faceted analysis of the Exam’s strong points and weaknesses, and for development of alternative assessment tasks. The research concludes by viewing possible changes in the Exam as likely and less likely to happen in the near future, based on analysis of the Russian higher education context.
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Corrigan, Michael. "Construct representation of First Certificate in English (FCE) reading." Thesis, University of Bedfordshire, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10547/576442.
Full textAbstract:
The current study investigates the construct representation of the reading component of a B2 level general English test: First Certificate in English (FCE). Construct representation is the relationship between cognitive processes elicited by the test and item difficulty. To facilitate this research, a model of the cognitive process involved in responding to reading test items was defined, drawing together aspects of different models (Embretson & Wetzel, 1987; Khalifa & Weir, 2009; Rouet, 2012). The resulting composite contained four components: the formation of an understanding of item requirements (OP), the location of relevant text in the reading passage (SEARCH), the retrieval of meaning from the relevant text (READ) and the selection of an option for the response (RD). Following this, contextual features predicted by theory to influence the cognitive processes, and hence the difficulty of items, were determined. Over 50 such variables were identified and mapped to each of the cognitive processes in the model. Examples are word frequency in the item stem and options for OP; word frequency in the reading passage for READ; semantic match between stem/option and relevant text in the passage for SEARCH; and dispersal of relevant information in the reading passage for RD. Response data from approximately 10,000 live test candidates were modelled using the Linear Logistic Test Model (LLTM) within a Generalised Linear Mixed Model framework (De Boeck & Wilson, 2004b). The LLTM is based on the Rasch model, for which the probability of success on an item is a function of item difficulty and candidate ability. The holds for LLTM except that item difficulty is decomposed so that the contribution of each source of difficulty (the contextual features mentioned above) is estimated. The main findings of the study included the identification of 26 contextual features which either increased or decreased item difficulty. Of these features, 20 were retained in a final model which explained 75.79% of the variance accounted for by a Rasch model. Among the components specified by the composite model, OP and READ were found to have the most influence, with RD exhibiting a moderate influence and SEARCH a low influence. Implications for developers of FCE include the need to consider and balance test method effects, and for other developers the additional need to determine whether their tests test features found to be criterial to the target level (such as non-standard word order at B2 level). Researchers wishing to use Khalifa and Weir’s (2009) model of reading should modify the stage termed named inferencing and consider adding further stages which define the way in which the goal setter and monitor work and the way in which item responses are selected. Finally, for those researchers interested in adopting a similar approach to that of the current study, careful consideration should be given to the way in which attributes are selected. The aims and scope of the study are of prime importance here.
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Gardener, Malinda. "Support strategies used by foundation phase teachers to develop cognitive academic language proficiency." Thesis, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11838/2492.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (MEd (Education)--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016.<br>The study explores how teachers, in English medium Foundation Phase classrooms, use
support strategies to improve Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) in learners
whose home language is not English. The research design adopted for this study was an
ethnographic case study that was analysed through qualitative methods at one primary
school in the Western Cape. The participants were three teachers in their Foundation Phase
classes, chosen on the basis of the phenomenon studied.
The focus was to evaluate how successful the language support strategies are and to
determine any gaps in the strategies used. Validity was assessed by means of lesson
observations, supported by interviews and analysis of the teaching documents. Further, to
increase the trustworthiness of the study, findings were compared across these data sources
and methods to triangulate the results. Findings illuminated: (i) Factors impacting language
teaching; (ii) Strategies used by teachers; (iii) Teachers’ understanding of support strategies;
(iv) Teachers’ understanding of CALP; (v) Effectiveness of the support strategies; and (vi)
Gaps in the strategies teachers used in improving CALP. Data were intentionally analysed to
identify pervasive patterns and main themes in the data and a thematic report foreground the
voices of the research participants.
The study raised questions about the teachers’ practice in teaching CALP. Teachers taught
using familiar methods, taught to a task and lacked linguistic structures in their lessons.
Finally, the study report ended with a list of limitations and recommendations for future
research in strategies that the Foundation Phase teacher can use to improve the CALP in
South Africa’s schools.