Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Grammar competence'

The current master thesis is a study of the grammatical competence of Lulesami speakers. Lule Sami is a minority language in Norway and Sweden that suffers under the dominant languages of the aforementioned nation states. Lule Sami speakers today are bilinguals with varying degrees of proficiency in their mother tongue. Very little research has been done on this endangered language, especially when it comes to the field of language acquisition. Based on a battery of tests, the study is an investigation of the use of three grammatical features, which include grade alternation, the grammar of spatial expressions, and personal pronouns marked for dual. These are all grammar elements that differ significantly from Norwegian, and one of the objectives of this study was to investigate the influence of Norwegian on Lule Sami. Focal points of the study were therefore to compare and explore whether there were any differences between Lule Sami speakers of different proficiencies. Both L1 and L2 speakers of Lule Sami participated in this study. The results show that Lule Sami is subject to cross-linguistic influence when it comes to all of the aforementioned grammatical categories. Furthermore, the differences in performance may be attributed to both quality and quality of input.

Опыт работы в преподавании РКИ показывает, что многие неудачи в обучении иностранных студентов объясняются отсутствием у них элементарных лингвистических знаний и связаны с тем, что для учащихся большую трудность в изучении иностранного языка представляет грамматика. При цитировании документа, используйте ссылку http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/34698

This Study is concerned with the problems arising from the application of new ideas in communicative language teaching for EFL adult learners in Vietnam, and the solutions to these problems. The Study argues that to learn to communicate effectively in a foreign language does not mean merely to master the linguistic forms of the language, but also to be able to use them in an appropriate way: to acquire what is called communicative competence. The Study also suggests that in Vietnam, the structural system of the language cannot be neglected if teaching/learning is to be successful. Accordingly, the Study attempts to search for an appropriate approach to develop communicative competence in the EFL adult learners of Vietnam. In order to achieve this aim, the Study enters into consideration of the relevant literature with reference to the development of the concept of communicative competence, and communicative language teaching. Then the Study makes a survey of some communicative-approach-based textbooks pointing out the practical values of different syllabus design models and teaching strategies discussed in the literature. Finally the Study proposes a communicative-structural approach to syllabus design for the target group, the teaching strategies as well as some techniques and activities associated with the suggested approach.

ABSTRACT This essay aims to explain the Swedish pupils’ attitude towards grammar and to give a more specific picture of its teaching in modern languages. The underlying factor for this subject is the author’s own experiences with the pupils’ reactions to the word ”grammar”, which is a term often connected to something negative among Swedish students. This thesis presents the pupils’ thoughts regarding grammar and its pedagogy. Since the author participitates in the teachers education programme, the absence of the word ”grammar” in the syllabus for modern languages will also be discussed and questioned. The basis for this thesis is a survey made in an upper secondary school in the south of Sweden in autumn 2014. Several groups studying a foreign language at different levels participated: three groups studying French and two groups studying Spanish. The results reveal that the majority of the pupils find grammar very difficult and boring, although these students also think that the grammar is an important foundation of the language since its study is regarded as an essential part of their language studies. However, the survey also shows that a small group of students find grammar studies interesting. The results and conclusions given in this essay may be of some interest for other teachers and education researchers.

Esta tese versa sobre o tema do papel que a gramática desempenha na aquisição da competência linguística no processo de ensino e de aprendizagem do francês como língua estrangeira (FLE). A principal causa para sua realização se encontra no domínio do uso da gramática em sala de aula. Pesquisas realizadas nos últimos anos têm debatido sobre o estudo excessivo das regras gramaticais no ensino de línguas, tanto materna quanto estrangeira, provocando, assim, distúrbios no desenvolvimento da competência linguística e, por conseguinte, da competência comunicativa. A hipótese que norteou a pesquisa foi a de que, em princípio, a abordagem gramatical não deve ser dissociada do âmbito da sala de aula nem o ensino de FLE deve ser orientado de maneira excessiva na descrição gramatical com a aplicação de exercícios estruturais. O corpus foi coletado a partir da elaboração de um questionário destinado aos discentes e docentes. As questões abertas tiveram por finalidade obter informações que pudessem responder à problemática estabelecida no início do trabalho e foram elaboradas de maneira que os informantes expressassem suas impressões verdadeiras e peculiares, além de caracterizar o tratamento dado à gramática pelo professor. Além do questionário, foi elaborado um diário de classe que foi desenvolvido a fim de auxiliar e relacionar os dados e informações obtidas por meio dos questionários. O objetivo principal foi de identificar de que forma ela conduz o aprendiz à aquisição da tão visada competência linguística. Ao final do estudo, concluiu-se que a maior parte dos aprendizes de FLE concebe a gramática como elemento importante, senão indispensável, para a aquisição da competência linguística e que, diante disso, os professores devem reconhecê-la como importante ferramenta no ensino do francês. Nesse sentido, concernente ao papel que a gramática desempenha no curso da aprendizagem do FLE, ficou claro que o estudo das suas regras nos níveis morfológico e sintático, em meio institucional, se revela bastante importante para que os aprendizes possam interiorizar a gramática implícita e, assim, produzir enunciados pertinentes à língua.
This thesis is concerned with the role that grammar exerts upon the acquisition of linguistic competence in the teaching and learning process of French as a foreign language (FFL). The main justification to its carrying out lies on the domain of grammar use in the language classroom. Researches undertaken in the last few years have debated upon the heavy study of grammar rules in the teaching of languages, both mother tongue and foreign ones, resulting in disturbance in the development of linguistic competence, as well as in the communicative competence. The hypothesis here is that, at first, the grammar approach must not be dissociated from the classroom environment, and neither the teaching of FFL must be oriented in an excessive way in the grammar description with de applying of structural exercises. The corpus was collected by means of a questionnaire applied to students and teachers. The open questions aimed at gathering information which could answer the question established in the beginning of this work, and they were made in a way that informants could express their true and peculiar impressions. The questionnaire also aimed at featuring the treatment given to grammar by the teacher. Besides the questionnaire, it was also created a classroom diary developed in order to help and relate data and information obtained through questionnaires. The principal objective was to identify which way grammar conducts the learner to the acquisition of the so called linguistic competence. At the end of the study it was concluded that most of the FFL learners conceive the grammar as an important element to the acquisition of linguistic competence, and as a result teachers must recognize it as being an important tool in the teaching of French. In this sense, concerned for the role that grammar exerts in the process of FFL learning, it was clear that the study of its rules at the levels of morphology and syntax, at institutional means, is of great importance to the learners, in order for them to internalize the implicit grammar, and thou produce speech relevant to the language.

Notre étude porte sur l’observation de connaissances linguistiques et métalinguistiques chez les adultes francophones apprenant l’Espagnol Langue Étrangère (ELE). Ces connaissances constituent la compétence grammaticale que les apprenants construisent au fur et à mesure qu’ils s’approprient la L2.Dans le but d’observer ces connaissances au stade intermédiaire d’apprentissage — c’est-à-dire au niveau seuil (B1) établi par le Cadre Commun de Référence pour les Langues (Conseil de l’Europe, 2001) —, nous avons procédé à une étude expérimentale auprès de 30 adultes francophones. Notre démarche comporte 2 tâches d’expérimentation : une tâche de décision et une tâche de production orale. La tâche de décision repose sur un test de jugement de grammaticalité : on demande aux participants d’évaluer, dans un temps limité, un corpus des phrases (exposées les unes après les autres, à la fois à l’écrit et à l’oral) dont certaines contenaient une erreur. Le corpus de phrases présenté à nouveau sur papier, on demande ensuite aux participants de donner un jugement définitif (sans mesure de temps de réponse), à partir duquel, s’ils jugent une phrase incorrecte, ils doivent indiquer où se situe l’erreur et l’expliquer. Quant à la tâche de production orale, il a été demandé aux participants de produire un discours descriptif et narratif en L2 espagnol à l’aide d’un stimulus visuel (bande dessinée). Les résultats de nos tâches expérimentales nous ont permis de recueillir des données sur le temps de réponse, sur la capacité de jugement de phrases, sur le type de discours employé pour expliquer l’erreur et sur les structures syntaxiques utilisées spontanément en production orale.Ces données sont analysées et discutées en vue de fournir des pistes sur la capacité des adultes francophones apprenant l’ELE à détecter des erreurs en langue cible et à en expliciter les règles transgressées ; sur les problèmes qu’ils retrouvent dans leur appropriation du système grammatical de l’espagnol ; et sur les connaissances dont ils se servent pour analyser et produire les structures de la langue objet. En outre, les résultats obtenus nous permettent à notre tour d’envisager autrement l’apprentissage de la grammaire de l’espagnol et d’avancer la perspective d’un modèle d’enseignement adapté aux capacités métacognitives et métalinguistiques de l’apprenant francophone
The framework of our study is focused on the assessment of linguistic and metalinguistic knowledge of francophone adults learning Spanish as a foreign language. This knowledge constitutes the basis of grammatical competence built by learners as they develop skills in the target language.Our aim is the observation of linguistic and metalinguistic knowledge used by francophone adult learners of Spanish as a second language (L2). Thus, we designed and directed an experimental study to 30 French-speakers with a threshold-level in Spanish, based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (Council of Europe, 2001). Our approach consisted of two experimental tasks: A decision making task and a task of oral production. The first task was conducted with a grammaticality judgement test in which participants had to evaluate, in a limited response time, a corpus of 36 sentences (presented one after the other, at both written and oral). The second task was conducted with the definitive confirmation of judgments about the corpus. Participants were thus asked to give a final judgement about the correctness of sentences (without measuring response time). If they judged a sentence as incorrect, they have to specify the error and explain it. As for the oral production task, the participants were asked to produce a descriptive and narrative speech in Spanish by using visual stimuli (a comic strip). The results achieved allowed us to collect data on the response time, on the sentences judgment ability, on the type of speech used to explain the error and on syntactical structures used spontaneously in oral speech. Those data were analyzed and discussed with the aim of providing insights on the capacity of francophone adults learning Spanish as a foreign language for detecting and explaining errors in the target language; on their difficulties in acquiring the Spanish grammatical system; and on their knowledge to analyze and produce structures in target language.The results enabled us to reconsider the learning of Spanish grammar otherwise with a view to teaching models adapted to the metacognitive and metalinguistic skills of francophone learners

Cette thèse s’intéresse aux problématiques d’écrit(ure) universitaire que rencontrent les étudiants étrangers de niveau avancé, et en particulier aux phénomènes d’erreurs grammaticales non-conformes au niveau linguistique des apprenants liés à l’adaptation de leur compétence scripturale. Elle s’inscrit dans une perspective plurielle fondée sur le principe des Systèmes Dynamiques Complexes. La thématique est donc abordée par trois volets d’études (1) sociopsychologiques, (2) cognitives et (3) psychosociales permettant d’appréhender de manière holiste les processus en jeu dans l’appropriation des pratiques scripturales académiques. Cette thèse compte, d’une part, contribuer à la compréhension des difficultés linguistiques des étudiants en les considérant comme corrélatives des contraintes particulières des discours universitaires à produire dans le but, d’autre part, d’engager des réflexions sur la formation et l’accompagnement des apprenants
This thesis focuses on the academic writing problems encountered by advanced-level foreign students, and in particular the phenomena of grammatical errors that are not consistent with the linguistic level of learners related to the adaptation of their scriptural competence. This work is part of a plural perspective based on the principle of Complex Dynamic Systems. The theme is therefore addressed by three sociopsychological, (2) cognitive and (3) psychosocial studies that allow us to comprehend holistically the processes involved in the appropriation of academic scriptural practices. On the one hand, this thesis intends to contribute to the comprehension of the linguistic difficulties of the students by considering them as correlative of the particular constraints of the university discourses to produce with the aim, on the other hand, to engage reflections on the formation and the accompaniment of learners

This thesis presents an investigation of the interpretation and application of the concept "communicative competence" in a lower secondary school in the south of Sweden. The reason for this investigation is that the author is in the teacher training programme and seeks to learn more about this important feature of language teaching. The aim is to investigate how the teachers interpret and apply, i.e. teach this oral and written competence, and what exercises the teachers estimate help the development of the communicative competence. The primary material and method of this case study consist of interviews with four teachers of modern languages.The results reveal that the teachers are well acquainted with the concept of communicative competence and that the methods applied help the students develop their oral and written competence. However, the teachers do not use the target language sufficiently, which has also been confirmed in previous research in the field. The results further reveal that the teachers find it somewhat difficult to interpret the course syllabus, especially concerning the teaching of grammar. The conclusion of this study is hence that there is a need for clearer instructions in the course syllabus, as well as more team-work between colleagues in interpreting it. Furthermore, the teachers need to use the target language more efficiently and better adapted to the students’ linguistic level in order for the students to be able to develop their ability to understand the spoken language. The results and the conclusions of this study may be of significance and interest for other teachers and education researchers.

The aim of this thesis is to determine how English-language teaching in Sweden influences the subject-based communicative competence and language development in Swedish of upper secondary students. The focus is thus on the students’ mother tongue, i.e. the language which gets limited in the teaching practice within so-called content- and language-integrated learning (CLIL). Data was primarily collected by participatory observation in two science program classes, one taught in English and one in Swedish, during their three years in upper secondary school. Additional data was collected through interviews, questionnaires, audio taping of classroom interaction and writing tasks. This created conditions for a comprehensive and nuanced description and interpretation of the linguistic behaviour of teachers and students in the CLIL practice, as well as of the experiences and perceptions they report. Studies were carried out on classroom practice, student texts, and teacher and student experiences of CLIL instruction. These were linked to activity analysis, systemic-functional linguistics and ethnography of communication, i.e. research areas that emphasise the interplay between language, communication and social situation. The general conclusions are: (1) CLIL students use less relevant subject-based language in speech and writing than do control students. This holds for all subjects except Swedish, where both CLIL and control students share linguistic conditions; (2) Swedish is a prerequisite for the students’ own active, subject-based participation in classroom interaction. There is almost no interaction when the language of instruction is English; (3) English is an obstacle, and is also considered as such. The students avoid using English, and the teachers consistently use code-switching strategies in response to the policy that “language should not be an obstacle”. The results suggest that the CLIL environment is less conducive to learning, given current learning theories that focus on active participation. In the already teacher-dominated classroom, the linguistic and interactional demands that come with CLIL teaching seem to add to the challenge of assimilating advanced subject instruction.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The study investigates text properties of the consumer-advice magazine article in Xhosa within the framework of the genre-based approach to literacy and writing. The view of writing as component of the communication competence component in Grabe and Kaplan's (1996) theory of writing is assumed. It is argued that the analysis of (non-fictional) genres is a core ability in terms of the specifications of Curriculum 2005 for outcomes-based language teaching for writing skills. The term genre as it is used within genre theory refers to a (non-fictional) text which has an identifiable social (or cultural) purpose, an identifiable form (including beginning, middle and end) and specific constrains on the possible deviations allowed in its form. This study will examine seven BONA magazine articles to establish what identifiable generic properties can be attributed to these genretexts. The cognitive move structure of these magazine articles on consumer advice will be analysed to determine whether a typical move structure occurs for this genre. The text-linguistic properties of the various magazine articles will be investigated invoking Grabe and Kaplan's model of text-structure. In particular, properties like pronominal reference conjunctive devices, which contribute to text coherence and cohesion will be considered as well as lexical choices as a reflection of communicative purpose. Finally, the study will briefly address the issue of the significance of the genre-text knowledge underlying writing skills as the relevant kind of knowledge to be developed in terms of the specifications of outcomes-based language teaching in Curriculum 2005. The kind of analytic skills exemplified in the examination of the Xhosa magazine articles are therefore necessitated for accomplishing the outcomes for writing. The nationale for developing such analytic abilities with respect to writing skills is to empower learners to be competent writers in their future career lives.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die teks-struktuur eienskappe van die verbruikers-advies tydskrifartikel in Xhosa binne die raamwerk van die genre-gebaseerde benadering tot geletterdheid en skryfvaardigheid. Die beskouing van skryfvaardigheid as 'n komponent van die kommunikasievaardigheid komponent in Grabe en Kaplan (1996) se teorie van skryfvaardigheid word aanvaar. Daar word geargumenteer dat die analise van nie-fiksie (of nie-literêre) genres 'n kemvermoë is in terme van die spesifikasies van Kurrikulum 2005 vir uitkoms-gebaseerde taalonderrig van skryfvaardigheid. Die terme genre, soos dit gebruik word in genre-teorie verwys na 'n (nie-fiksie) teks met 'n identifiseerbare sosiale, kommunikatiewe of kulturele doelstelling, 'n identifiseerbare vorm (insluitende 'n begin, middel en einde) en spesifieke beperkings rakende die toelaatbare afwykings in vorm. Die studie sal sewe BONA tydskrifartikels ondersoek om te bepaal watter identifiseerbare eienskappe toegeskryf kan word aan hierdié genre-tekste. Die kognitiewe skuif-struktuur van hierdie tydskrifartikels oor verbruikersadvies salontleed word om te bepaal watter tipiese skuif-struktuur voorkom vir hierdie genre. Die teks-linguistiese eienskappe van die verskillende tydskrifartikels salondersoek word deur die model van Grabe en Kaplan te gebruik. In die besonder, eienskappe soos voornaamwoordelike verwysing, voegwoord-meganismes wat bydra tot tekskoherensie en kohesie salondersoek word, asook leksikale (woord) keuses as 'n refleksie van die skrywer se kommunikatiewe doelstelling. Laastens, sal die studie kortliks vraagstukke ondersoek rakende die belang van die genreteks kennis wat onderliggend is aan skryfvaardigheid as die relevante soort kennis wat ontwikkel moet word in terme van die spesifikasies van uitkoms-gebaseerde taalonderrig in Kurrikulum 2005. Die soort analitiese vaardighede wat na vore kom in die ondersoek van die Xhosa tydskrifartikels word genoodsaak ten einde die uitkomste vir skryfvaardigheid te bereik. Die motivering vir die ontwikkeling van sodanige analitiese vermoëns ten opsigte van skryfvaardigheid is om leerders te bemagtig om 'n goeie skryfvaardigheid te hê in hulle toekomstige beroepe.
ISICATSHULWA ISIXHOSA: Esi sifundo sinika sikwabonisa ngokupheleleyo ukuba nabani na obhalayo rnakacacelwe ukuba ubhalela isizwe, ngoko ke rnakabe neenjonge. Makaqiqe akucingisise oko akukhethele ukutyebisela uluntu ngako. Ibonisiwe imigaqo elandelwa ziingcali zaphesheya nezimvo zazo ngobhalo lwesicatshulwa kwaneengxaki abathe bahlangana nazo. Esi sicatshulwa sigxininise kwirnigaqo ernayi landelwe yikharikyularn equlunqwe yalungiselelwa izikolo. Kwikharikyulam kuboniswa ukuba xa kufundiswa ukubhala urnfundi obhalayo, utitshala obhalayo, isikolo, izixhobo zokufundisa kwaneendlela zokufundisa zibaluleke ngokufanayo nangokulinganayo. Kaloku olu hlobo lwesilabhasi lujolise kwiziqhamo. Indlela zokubhala zinikiwe kubekwa umnwe kwindlela apho urnbhali abhalela ukuxela into ethile phofu ezarna ukuqweqwedisela iingqondo zabantu kurnba othile. Iintlobo zokubhaliweyo nazo ziphononongiwe kwaze kwaqononondiswa kuleyo urnntu abhalela ukugqithisa ulwazi ngento ethile. Okubalulekileyo kokokuba lowo ubhalayornakakhethe okunorndla yaye kube serngangathweni. Izicatshulwa ezichongiweyo apha kwesi sifundo zihlonyulwe kwirnagazini yesiXhosa iBona. Zonke zichazwe gabalala phaya kwisahluko sesine, izizicatshulwa ezingeso labathengi. Kweli liso labathengi kucetyiswa kufundiswa abathengi ngeendlela zokuqoqosha ngernpurnelelo njengoko arnaxabiso enyuka umhla nezolo. Incwadi ebhalwe nguGrabe noKaplan isibonisa indlela erna ilandelwe xa ufundisa umntwana ukubhala. Bagxininise kwiiphararnitha: ngubani obhala ntoni, ebhalela bani, enayiphi injongo, ngoba, nini, phi, njani. Ezi phararnitha zisetyenzisiwe ukuphengulula nokuhlalutya ezi ziqwengana zikhethwe kwirnagazini iBona. Esi sifundo sigxininisa kwicala losetyenziso - lwirni kulo rnzekelo. Esi sifundo siphinde saxoxa nzulu ngonxulumano olukhoyo phakathi kwezi ziqwengana zichongwe kwiBona ezingeso labathengi kunye neziqhamo ezisixhenxe ezidweliswe zacaciswa kuxwebhu lwe-OBE (Outcome-based Education) olulungiselelwe izikolo. Olu xwebhu lwe-OBE luzama lusikhanyisela ukuba umntwana xa ebhala isicatshulwa makazicwangcise ngokukuko izimvo zakhe. Ingaba uyakuqonda ekuva na oko kuqulathwe koko akubhalileyo. Umzekelo esiwunikwe ngokaBathia we 'moves' ezisixhenxe athi zinokuchongwa kokubhaliwe yo, nawo usetyenzisiwe ukuxovula isicatshulwa ngasinye. Kolo xovulo kufumaniseke ukuba zintandathu kuphela i'moves' ezichongeka nezifumaneka kwezi zicatshulwa zeBona.

Pelo presente trabalho, busca-se analisar as razões pelas quais as crianças das séries iniciais do Ensino Fundamental, apesar de escolarizadas, não alcançam o letramento, termo entendido como competências e habilidades para o uso da linguagem escrita no entorno social. Ao comparar-se o fazer pedagógico de professores e a bibliografia que defende o processo ensino-aprendizagem da língua materna, no contexto social, nota-se uma dicotomia entre prática e teoria. Enquanto esta aponta para um ensino baseado no trinômio uso → reflexão → uso, de modo que a variedade lingüística do aluno seja, não só respeitada, mas tomada como ponto de partida para as reflexões epilingüísticas, rumo à variedade culta, a prática revela um fazer pedagógico que não leva em conta a linguagem do aluno, e que elege, como ponto de partida e de chegada, a gramática normativa, prática que pode estar referendada pela concepção de que é, pela via da mesma, que se aprende língua ou porque os professores aprenderam assim ou, ainda, porque eles não sabem como romper com a prática tradicional. A análise revela uma escola preocupada com a decodificação, na leitura, responsável por entravar a compreensão do texto, já que trabalhado com vistas à leitura oral (como prova de que o aluno sabe ler) ou com vistas a uma pretensa interpretação, através de questões que privilegiam o conteúdo, o explícito ou, ainda, com vistas ao trabalho com questões subjetivas que não conduzem à leitura do implícito. No que diz respeito à escrita, a escola revela preocupar-se com a codificação, entendida como reprodução, de modo que, ao aluno, não resta outra saída que não a de realizar exercícios de língua, pela via da metalinguagem, ou na forma esporádica de redação, sem que se assuma como sujeito de suas idéias, tendo em vista um interlocutor de fato. Portanto, a escola, que deveria ser a instituição social responsável pelo ensino da linguagem escrita, falha nessa responsabilidade, por valorizar a gramaticalização em detrimento do letrar – passaporte para o exercício da cidadania.
In this work we intend to analyze the reasons why childen in initial levels of elementary school, despite being regular students, are not able to achieve literacy (which is understood as a set of competences and skills for using writen language in social context). When teaching practices and the bibliography concerning mother language teaching and learning are compared, we perceive a dicotomy between practice and theory: while the last one points to the trinomial use → reflection → use, making the learner's linguistic variety not only respected, but taken as a starting point for epilinguistical reflections towards standard language, practice reveals pedagogical procedures which do not consider learner's language, choosing normative grammar as a start and and end. This occurs due to the conception that this is how one learns language, or this was the way teachers learnt it, or because teachers cannot break with traditional practices. This analysis reveals that schools are concerned with decoding in reading, and this is responsible for restraining text comprehension, as the work with texts usually involves aloud reading (as a proof that students can read), or false text interpretation, which occurs through questions that privilege explicit content, or subjective questions that do not lead to implicit content. Concerning to writing, schools are worried with the encoding - term understood as reproduction. As a result, the learner makes language exercises through metalanguage, or in sporadic essay writing exercises, without considering him/herself as a real subject of his/her ideas, or adressing him/herself to a real interlocutor. Therefore, school, which should be the social institution responsible for teaching writen language, fails in this responsability, because it values grammar rather than literacy - which is a passport for an effective exercise of citizenship. Key-words: literacy;

Analisi approfondita corredata da tabella correttiva dei casi di errori frequenti dal punto di vista morfosintattico al livello B2, causati dalle interferenze linguistiche tra italiano e francese e osservati durante le sessioni orali degli esami per le certificazioni DELF scolaire / tout public (15 ore totali).

У роботі розглянуто теоретичні засади формування в учнів 10-11 класів англомовної граматичної компетентності із застосуванням інформаційно-комунікаційних технологій. Розроблено методику формування англомовної граматичної компетентності учнів 10-11 класів з використанням інформаційно-комунікаційних технологій. Здійснено експериментальну перевірку ефективності методики формування англомовної граматичної компетентності учнів 10-11 класів з використанням інформаційно-комунікаційних технологій.
The qualification project considers the theoretical foundations of the formation of English language grammar competence of 10-11 form students in a secondary school with the use of information and communication technologies. The methodics of formation of English language grammar competence of 10-11 form students with the use of information and communication technologies is worked out. An experimental verification of the effectiveness of the methodics of English language grammar competence formation of 10-11 form students with the use of information and communication technologies is conducted.

Relatório de estágio de mestrado em Ensino de Português no 3º Ciclo do Ensino Básico e Ensino Secundário e de Espanhol nos Ensinos Básico e Secundário
O presente relatório de estágio, enquadrado no âmbito do Estágio Profissional do Mestrado em Ensino de Português no 3º Ciclo do Ensino Básico e Ensino Secundário e de Espanhol nos Ensinos Básico e Secundário, tem como objetivo descrever e refletir sobre as diferentes etapas da elaboração e implementação do meu projeto de investigação-ação, relativo à abordagem comunicativa da competência gramatical no processo de ensino/aprendizagem do espanhol como língua estrangeira, no contexto específico de uma turma de 9ºano. Numa primeira fase, far-se-á o enquadramento teórico do tema deste trabalho, apresentando as diferentes metodologias de aprendizagem e ensino das línguas estrangeiras ao longo da história, dando particular relevo à abordagem comunicativa e ao papel que a gramática foi ocupando nas diferentes correntes metodológicas. Em seguida, procederei à contextualização da minha intervenção, expondo os elementos que estão na base do meu projeto de intervenção, nomeadamente a caracterização da escola e da turma e os documentos orientadores do processo de ensino/aprendizagem da língua espanhola. Por fim, apresentarei o meu plano de intervenção pedagógica supervisionada, destacando os objetivos inicialmente traçados, as estratégias e atividades desenvolvidas e os instrumentos de investigação utilizados. Numa segunda fase, descreverei a minha intervenção pedagógica, destacando as atividades diretamente relacionadas com o tema do meu trabalho. O objetivo deste trabalho consistiu em verificar até que ponto se desenvolve o domínio da competência gramatical no âmbito do ensino/aprendizagem do espanhol, à luz das mais recentes tendências metodológicas. Para tal, foi posta em prática a abordagem comunicativa da gramática na aprendizagem do espanhol como língua estrangeira.
The present internship report, within the scope of the Professional Internship of the Master's Degree in Portuguese Teaching in the 3rd Cycle of Basic Education and Secondary Education and of Spanish in Basic and Secondary Education, aims to describe and reflect on the different stages of the elaboration and implementation of my action research project on the communicative approach of grammatical competence in the teaching / learning process of Spanish as a foreign language in the specific context of a 9th grade class. In a first phase, the theoretical framework of the theme of this work will be presented, presenting the different methodologies of learning and teaching of foreign languages throughout history, with particular emphasis on the communicative approach and the role that grammar has been occupying in the different currents methods. Then, I will contextualize my intervention, exposing the elements that are the basis of my intervention project, namely the characterization of the school and the class and the guiding documents of the teaching / learning process of the Spanish language. Finally, I will present my supervised pedagogical intervention plan, highlighting the objectives initially set, the strategies and activities developed and the research instruments used. In the second phase, I will describe my pedagogical intervention, highlighting the activities directly related to the theme of my work. The objective of this work was to verify the extent to which the domain of grammar competence in the field of teaching / learning of Spanish is developed, in the light of the most recent methodological tendencies. For this, the communicative approach of grammar in the learning of Spanish as a foreign language was put into practice.

PhD (English)
Department of English
Learning English as a second language by the South African learners studying English First Additional language (EFAL) presents many challenges, such as poor competence in the use of tenses, because of the differences between the learners’ first and second languages. In Grade 11, which is the closest point with regard to the exit point to institutions of higher learning or to the workplace, learners still display certain discrepancies in the mastery of the English tenses. These discrepancies occur despite the fact that in many South African schools, English is used as a medium of instruction and is learnt as a First Additional Language. The study used pragmatist research paradigm to collect data from the sampled respondents. The study answered four questions based on the types of errors committed in the use of tenses, the description and evaluation of errors, establishment of the causes of errors; and remedial measures for the errors committed by the Grade 11 EFAL learners in the use of tenses. Thus, Error Analysis Approaches were applied to find learners’ errors committed in written tasks. The types of errors identified include the inter-lingual transfer, overgeneralisation, false concept hypothesised, inadequate learning, fossilisation and ignorance of rule restrictions. Learners’ errors occurred in the domains of the simple present, the simple past, the present perfect and the past perfect tenses, regular and irregular verb inflectional morphemes, third person singular and plural subjects; and subject-verb agreement. In essence, this study reveals that some learners still face challenges in the use of tenses. Thus, remedial measures were suggested for the errors committed.
NRF

Η διδακτορική αυτή διατριβή πραγματεύεται έναν επικοινωνιακό-κειμενοκεντρικό τρόπο διδασκαλίας της γραμματικής στο Δημοτικό Σχολείο της Κύπρου και, κατ’ επέκταση, της Ελλάδας. Περιλαμβάνει λεπτομερή περιγραφή μίας πρότασης πειραματικής εφαρμογής της επικοινωνιακής-κειμενοκεντρικής προσέγγισης στην Γ΄ Δημοτικού, στην Κύπρο, βασισμένης στο παιδαγωγικό μοντέλο συστημικής-λειτουργικής γραμματικής της Αυστραλιανής Σχολής (του Halliday και των συνεργατών του), το οποίο εστιάζει στο κείμενο, ως προϊόν και κοινωνική διαδικασία, στο συγκείμενο, στη γραμματική των κειμενικών ειδών, στη γλωσσική επάρκεια και, ευρύτερα, στο γραμματισμό. Στο πλαίσιο της συγκεκριμένης πειραματικής εφαρμογής διεξήχθη ημιπειραματική έρευνα με προπειραματικό και μεταπειραματικό έλεγχο, με δύο φυσικώς ισοδύναμες ομάδες. Σκοπός της έρευνας ήταν να εξετάσει την αποτελεσματικότητα ερευνητικού προγράμματος επικοινωνιακής-κειμενοκεντρικής προσέγγισης της διδασκαλίας της γραμματικής ως προς τη γλωσσική επάρκεια (και τις δύο συνιστώσες της, τη γλωσσική ικανότητα και την επικοινωνιακή ικανότητα) των παιδιών που συμμετείχαν σε αυτή και ως προς το επίπεδο γραμματισμού τους, εν γένει. Η έρευνα ήταν ποσοτική. Μέσω ενός ειδικά καταρτισμένου δοκιμίου, που περιλάμβανε ποικιλία έργων και σχετικών ασκήσεων, μετρήθηκαν τόσο οι γλωσσικές όσο και οι επικοινωνιακές επιδόσεις των παιδιών των δύο ομάδων. Οι υποθέσεις της έρευνας εστίασαν σε ορισμένα γλωσσικής και επικοινωνιακής φύσεως εννοιακά υποεπίπεδα, συναρτήσει του ευρύτερου εννοιακού επιπέδου «γλωσσική επάρκεια», και σχετίζονται με τα ακόλουθα ερωτήματα: 1. Ποια είναι η επίδραση της επικοινωνιακής-κειμενοκεντρικής διδασκαλίας της γραμματικής στη γλωσσική ικανότητα που αντιστοιχεί στην ορθογραφική γνώση του διδασκομένου; 2. Ποια είναι η επίδραση της επικοινωνιακής-κειμενοκεντρικής διδασκαλίας της γραμματικής στη γλωσσική ικανότητα που αντιστοιχεί στην «αμιγώς γραμματική» (μορφοσυντακτική) γνώση (ή γνώση γραμματικών κανόνων παραδοσιακού τύπου) του διδασκομένου; 3. Ποια είναι η επίδραση της επικοινωνιακής-κειμενοκεντρικής διδασκαλίας της γραμματικής στη γλωσσική ικανότητα που αντιστοιχεί στη γνώση του διδασκομένου σε σχέση με τη μεταγλώσσα (βασική γραμματική ορολογία); 4. Ποια είναι η επίδραση της επικοινωνιακής-κειμενοκεντρικής διδασκαλίας της γραμματικής στο γενικό επίπεδο της γλωσσικής ικανότητας (γλωσσικές επιδόσεις) του διδασκομένου; 5. Ποια είναι η επίδραση της επικοινωνιακής-κειμενοκεντρικής διδασκαλίας της γραμματικής στην επικοινωνιακή ικανότητα του διδασκόμενου που αντιστοιχεί στη γνώση δόμησης γραπτού λόγου (άρα και παραγωγής γραπτών κειμένων) εντός επικοινωνιακού πλαισίου (και αναλύεται βάσει επιμέρους σχετικών δεικτών]; 6. Ποια είναι η επίδραση της επικοινωνιακής-κειμενοκεντρικής διδασκαλίας της γραμματικής στο γενικό επίπεδο της επικοινωνιακής ικανότητας (επικοινωνιακές επιδόσεις) του διδασκομένου; 7. Ποια είναι, εν τέλει, η επίδραση της επικοινωνιακής-κειμενοκεντρικής διδασκαλίας της γραμματικής στην καλλιέργεια της γλωσσικής επάρκειας του διδασκομένου; Τα ευρήματα της έρευνας, αναφορικά με τα παραπάνω ερωτήματα και στη βάση των υποθέσεών της, ειδικότερα, κατέδειξαν ότι υπήρξε στατιστικά σημαντική διαφορά ως προς: α. τις «γλωσσικές» και τις «επικοινωνιακές επιδόσεις» των παιδιών της Πειραματικής Ομάδας έναντι των αντίστοιχων επιδόσεων της Ομάδας Ελέγχου, κατά την τελική αξιολόγηση της γλωσσικής επάρκειάς τους (της γλωσσικής ικανότητας και της επικοινωνιακής ικανότητάς τους, αντίστοιχα) β. τις «γλωσσικές επιδόσεις» και τις «επικοινωνιακές» επιδόσεις των παιδιών της Πειραματικής Ομάδας, ανάμεσα στην αρχική και την τελική αξιολόγηση της γλωσσικής επάρκειάς τους (της γλωσσικής ικανότητας και της επικοινωνιακής ικανότητά τους, αντίστοιχα) γ. το τελικό γενικό επίπεδο γλωσσικής επάρκειας των παιδιών της Πειραματικής Ομάδας έναντι του αντίστοιχου επιπέδου της Ομάδας Ελέγχου δ. το αρχικό και το τελικό γενικό επίπεδο της γλωσσικής επάρκειας των παιδιών της Πειραματικής Ομάδας. Τα παραπάνω ευρήματα, όπως φαίνεται και από τη θεματική ανάλυση περιεχομένου των ποιοτικών δεδομένων που συλλέχθηκαν μέσω, κυρίως, της συμμετοχικής παρατήρησης και της συνέντευξης, η οποία ενισχύει σε μεγάλο βαθμό την εσωτερική εγκυρότητα της έρευνας, σχετίζονται, δυνητικά, με το όλο ερευνητικό πρόγραμμα και την πειραματική παρέμβαση καθαυτή. Γενικά, τα ποσοτικά και ποιοτικά ευρήματα της έρευνας επικυρώνουν την ανάγκη για στροφή από την επικοινωνιακή προσέγγιση στην κειμενοκεντρική προσέγγιση, με έμφαση στη ρητή διδασκαλία των κειμενικών ειδών και της γραμματικής τους, γεγονός το οποίο μπορεί να συμβάλει θετικά στην καλλιέργεια της γλωσσικής επάρκειας, και εν γένει του γραμματισμού. Μία τέτοια αλλαγή αναμένεται ότι θα επιτρέψει τον απεγκλωβισμό από το "πώς" της γραμματικής διδασκαλίας και θα δώσει απαντήσεις σε ερωτήματα όπως: "ποια είδη κειμένου πρέπει να διδάσκονται, σε ποια τάξη και με ποια σειρά". Η διατριβή εστιάζει συστηματικά στον προβληματισμό αυτό και καταθέτει τη δική της ολοκληρωμένη πρόταση για κειμενοκεντρική προσέγγιση της γραμματικής στην Γ΄ Δημοτικού, τάξη η οποία συνιστά ένα κομβικό σημείο στη γλωσσική αγωγή, αναγνωρίζοντας το ρόλο της γραμματικής διδασκαλίας στο γραμματισμό των παιδιών του δημοτικού σχολείου.Στην τελική αυτή πρόταση κυρίαρχη θέση έχει όχι απλώς η "παιδαγωγική του γραμματισμού" αλλά η "παιδαγωγική της γραμματικής του γραμματισμού", η οποία και θεμελιώνεται σε συγκεκριμένα κειμενολογικά κριτήρια.
This PhD thesis deals with a communicative-genre based way of grammar teaching in the Primary School of Cyprus and, additionally, of Greece. It describes in detail an experimental programme, which is based on the Hallidayian systemic-functional model of grammar and the relative Sydney School Theory, from a pedagogic perspective. For the application of the particular programme, which took place in Grade 3, a quasi experimental research was carried out. The design for this research was a pre test - post test, control group-experimental group design. The aim of the research was to examine the effectiveness of the particular experimental programme, regarding the student’s linguistic adequacy (and its two components, the linguistic competence and the communicative competence) and their literacy, in general. The research was quantitative. Via an appropriate test, that included various linguistic and communicative exercises, the linguistic competence and the communicative competence of all the students, who participated in the programme, were tested at the outset of the research. After the Experimental Group received an instruction which placed a strong emphasis on text, as a product and as a social process, context and grammar, for a three month period, both experimental and control group students were re-tested, in order to examine their literacy outcomes in various linguistic and communicative areas and subjects of linguistic adequacy, such as the orthographic knowledge, the grammatical knowledge, the metalinguistic knowledge and the knowledge for effective written text production. The main null hypothesis for the research stated that no change would take place, between the Experimental Group and the Control Group, in the competencies related to “knowledge about language” and “knowledge of the language use”, as a result of the Experimental Group's exposure to explicit grammar teaching and, specifically, to communicative and genre based strategies and activities. After the data were analysed, the main null hypothesis was rejected and the alternative hypothesis, positing that a significant positive change would take place in the Experimental Group’s literacy outcomes was affirmed. The results of the quantitative research were accompanied by the results of a parallel qualitative research. The thematic content analysis of the qualitative data, which were collected via a series of participative observations and interviews, increased the internal validity of the research and strengthened the possible relationship between the instruction, being described above, and the quantitative research results. Generally speaking, the quantitative and qualitative results of the research underline the possible effectiveness of the communicative and, especially, of the genre based grammar approach, regarding the linguistic adequacy of primary school students and their literacy. So, the most important conclusion of this PhD thesis is that, within the frame of a genre based grammar education, students can acquire the knowledge and skills to both write effectively and to deal knowingly with grammatical as well as textual forms. As genre based grammar education is related to a new way of grammar teaching, which aims to the social construction of language, it becomes equal to literacy based education. This new way allows the movement from the “how” of grammar teaching to the “how” of genres' teaching, during the primary years of schooling. The final proposal of the thesis refers to the “how” of genres' teaching in Grade 3, which is supposed to be a crucial point regarding language education and, obviously, regarding literacy itself.

Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) has been adopted in various countries in the world. This is especially true in an EFL context in Ethiopia where it has received considerable attention both at policy and classroom levels. This study aimed to investigate English as Foreign Language (EFL) instructors' conceptions and applications of CLT in teaching grammar lessons in private universities in Ethiopia. Due to the nature of the issues addressed in the study, the mixed-methods approach was employed. The data for the study were collected from 25 EFL instructors teaching in four private universities through semi-structured interviews, quantitative questionnaire, and classroom observation. The qualitative data collected from the semi-structured interviews and classroom observation were analysed thematically, using deductive thematic analysis. The quantitative data garnered through the questionnaire were analysed using the latest version of SPPS (Version 20) available at the time of data analysis. While the study highlighted four major EFL instructors' misconceptions stemming from the discrepancies in understanding the term communicative, it revealed that the majority of the EFL instructors' conceptions of CLT were consistent with the CLT literature. To that effect, the study illuminated the EFL instructors' conceptions of grammar and CLT concerning the teacher’s role, the learners’ role, the types of teaching materials, the place for grammar in CLT as well as the methods of teaching grammar lessons and assessing the learners’ performance in grammar lessons. Nevertheless, the classroom practices of the majority of the EFL instructors were inconsistent with their conceptions of CLT because they predominantly employed the lecture method to teach grammar lessons. The study also found various socio-cultural and economic variables practically affecting the application of CLT in teaching grammar lessons in private universities in Ethiopia. Consequently, the study identified teacher-related factors, student-related factors, institutional factors, curriculum-related factors, and system-related factors as the main difficulties of implementing CLT in teaching grammar lessons. The study recommends that measures that align policy with practice should be taken to ensure that the instructors' conceptions are realised in classroom situations, thereby minimising the discrepancies between their conceptions and their classroom practices.
English Studies

Este Relatório baseia-se na metodologia do uso articulado do elemento lúdico-didático e das quatro habilidades linguísticas no processo de ensino-aprendizagem de Português como Língua Estrangeira/Língua Segunda. Nesse sentido, esta investigação foi levada a cabo no âmbito do estágio supervisionado no curso de português para estrangeiros aos alunos PALOP. Por um lado, este trabalho procurou dar resposta a duas questões fundamentais: como é que se podem fomentar as motivações, o prazer e o interesse dos alunos através da atividade lúdica? Poderá o reconhecimento da importância de elemento lúdico no ensino de Português Língua Estrangeira provocar uma mudança de estratégias pedagógicas no contexto social de Portugal e de Macau atualmente? Considerando que o ensino de Língua Portuguesa como LE/LS deve ter como objetivos fundamentais o desenvolvimento global da competência comunicativa dos alunos, e implica, por isso, as quatro competências linguísticas, a serem trabalhadas na sala de aula de forma adequada e integrada, através de metodologias lúdicas. Neste relatório procurou sempre privilegiar nas preparações das minhas unidades didáticas o ensino articulado de temas de gramática, língua-cultura, língua-história e valores éticos e culturais. Nas seleções temáticas e nas opções de estratégias, esta experiência, também priorizou uma metodologia que promovesse o desenvolvimento articulado e equilibrado das quatro competências linguísticas, por meio de uma prática diária que respeitasse esta ordem: ouvir, falar, ler, escrever.
This Report is based on the methodology of the playful and usage of the didactic element and the four language skills, for teaching-learning process of the Portuguese as a foreign/second language. In this sense, this research carried out under the supervised internship in the preparation course in Portuguese language as a second language to PALOP students. On one hand, this work tried to answer two fundamental questions: through the technique of play activities which can foment the motivations, pleasure, and interest of the students? Will the recognition of the importance and advantages of using the play element provoke a change in pedagogical strategies to foment a greater efficacy of teaching the Portuguese as a foreign/second language in the social context of the Portugal and the Macau nowadays? Considering that teaching of the Portuguese as foreign/second language should have fundamental objectives overall development of the communicative competence of the students, and this implies the four linguistic competences to be worked in an appropriate and articulated way through methodology of the play activity, in an integrated way in the classroom. In this report, always, tried to focus on the preparation of didactic units, the articulated teaching of grammar, language-culture, language-history, and the ethical and cultural values. In thematic selections and strategy options, this experiment, also prioritized a methodology that promotes the articulated and balanced development of the four language skills, through a daily practice listening, speaking, reading, and writing, respectively.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
La competencia pragmática es un componente de la competencia comunicativa. Para que un hablante sea competente en una lengua, no sólo debe tener el conocimiento lingüístico, sino que, además, debe entender las normas, valores y estructuras sociales de la comunidad de habla. Al aplicar estos conceptos al campo de adquisición de segunda lengua (L2) o de lengua extranjera (LE), nos damos cuenta de que la enseñanza de pragmática de L2 es fundamental para ayudar a que el aprendiz establezca las similitudes y diferencias entre las normas, valores y estructuras sociales de su L1 y las de la lengua en estudio. Como no hay un modelo único a seguir en la enseñanza de pragmática para alcanzar los mejores resultados en cuanto a la adquisición de esta competencia, este estudio describe algunos modelos eficaces de enseñanza de la pragmática en el aula de español como lengua extranjera (ELE), y analiza la manera como los libros de texto examinados incluyen y tratan los temas de la pragmática. Este estudio sobre la adquisición de pragmática en segunda lengua aportará al campo de la enseñanza de pragmática, mediante una unidad didáctica que implementa los hallazgos de varios investigadores en el área de adquisición de segunda lengua, con énfasis en la adquisición de interlengua pragmática, es decir, de pragmática en segunda lengua (L2) o lengua extranjera (LE).

This study falls under the broad area of child language acquisition with specific focus on Shona morphosyntax. The understanding that knowledge of the nature of child language contributes to the sustainability of language acquisition matters forms the basis of the investigation. A qualitative approach is followed in the study, specifically focusing on the constraints on the development of inflectional morphemes (IMs) in the acquisition of nouns and verbs in child Shona. The study investigates the development of child Shona inflectional morphology and how morphology interacts with syntax. The constraints that operate in the acquisition of Shona are identified. The study refers to linguistic theories for an account of the development of child Shona morphosyntax. The study is based on the understanding that knowledge of the nature of child language contributes to the sustainability of language acquisition matters. The data used in this study is collected from four Shona speaking children. The ages of the children range from two years (2; 0) to three years and two months (3; 2). Two female and two male children participated in this study. The primary method of data collection used in this study is the naturalistic method, while elicitation is used to elicit plural formation. The results indicate that child Shona morphosyntax is characterized by omission of the various inflectional morphemes on nouns and verbs, while the lexical morphemes are retained. The child Shona IM is phonologically different from the adult Shona IM. This is because the children are constrained and hence use simplification strategies in order to try to be faithful to the input grammar. The noun and verb IMs are produced in the form of a reduced syllable, because the children dropped the consonant in the IM syllable and retained the vowel. The study reveals that the development of child Shona morphosyntax is based on pivotal constituencies of the sentence. These pivots are the nouns and verbs that are used by the children. The study identifies constraints that operate on the process of child Shona development as phonological, morphological, semantic, visibility and frequency constraints. The finding that is arrived at through this study is that syntax is in place before morphology.
African Languages
D. Litt. et Phil.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
Sin duda la lectura tiene un papel importante en el aula de segunda lengua. No solo es una manera efectiva de adquirir vocabulario y gramática sino también es un buen instrumento para presentar la cultura de la lengua meta. Por lo tanto, es necesario que los estudiantes puedan leer bien. No obstante, los problemas de comprensión surgen cuando a los estudiantes les falta competencia lingüística o conocimiento previo o, las diferencias en las aptitudes de leer, varían en cada estudiante. Entonces es importante que los maestros les den a los estudiantes los instrumentos que les permitan acceder a las estrategias de comprensión. La meta de este trabajo es probar que entre más conciencia metacognitiva tenga un estudiante de segunda lengua, mejor será su comprensión del texto. En general, los maestros de segunda lengua entienden la importancia del conocimiento de vocabulario y gramática en cuanto al éxito de lectura, pero quizás no se dan cuenta de que la conciencia metacognitiva tiene un papel igualmente importante. Por ello, este trabajo es tanto para los maestros que no están familiarizados con la instrucción de las estrategias de la comprensión de lectura como para los que dudan del valor en el currículo, ya lleno de lecciones y ejercicios comunicativos.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
Este estudio analiza las percepciones de mejoría en el español y de conocimiento cultural de los participantes en un programa de ayudantes de inglés, Auxiliares de Conversación, mientras trabajaron en escuelas primarias y secundarias en varias regiones de España. Los participantes provenían de varios países anglófonos, entre ellos los Estados Unidos, el Reino Unido, Canadá, Nueva Zelanda, Australia. Varios participantes rellenaron encuestas a través de internet para evaluar su crecimiento lingüístico y cultural durante el programa, experiencia en los centros educativos y alojamiento. Además, plantearon varias sugerencias para el programa para futuros auxiliares y profesores. Seis auxiliares fueron entrevistados sobre los mismos temas en mayor profundidad.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
Cotidianamente los profesores se hacen esta pregunta: ¿cómo pueden relacionarse mis estudiantes con la lección? Saben que si los estudiantes pudieran acoplarse con el contenido de la lección, entenderían y aprenderían con gran eficacia. En la mayoría de los distritos escolares urbanos de Indianapolis, Estados Unidos hay muchos estudiantes afroamericanos que están en clases de lengua extranjera que piensan que no existen atributos de conexión --como tradiciones y costumbres-- que tienen aspectos en común con sus propias culturas. Por otro lado, hay estudiantes afrolatinos que son nativos de esas lenguas pero a quienes no se les expone a elementos que pertenecen a su cultura o herencia. Esta investigación se enfocará en cómo los profesores pueden utilizar la poesía para enseñar una lengua extranjera; específicamente, cómo se puede utilizar la poesía afrocubana para vincular la lección a los estudiantes minoritarios y su cultura.

The aim of this diploma thesis is to map the importance of media education in general education and also to find out the way how pupils of the 2nd stage of elementary school and pupils of lower grade of multi-years grammar schools reflect the media education and at the same time to find out its benefit and usage in their real life. The theoretical part describes the basic knowledge that are connected with the theme of this work. The greatest emphasis is placed on the concept of media education in the Czech educational system. The practical part is focus on the results of the research which was made with the mentioned pupils. With the use of the interview with these pupils should be find out what is their opinion on the media education. Through their answers the author of this diploma thesis will try to outline if there is any difference in concept of media education between pupils of the elementary school and pupils of lower grade of multi-year grammar school. At the end of this work the author gives some suggestions for improvement and diversification of teaching media education that reacts on results found out in the research.

In many international schools where English is the language of learning and teaching there are large percentages of students whose first language is not English. Many of these students may have low vocabulary levels which inhibits their chances of taking full advantage of their education. Low vocabulary levels can be a particular problem for students in mainstream classes where fluent English speaking teachers are using English to teach content areas of Mathematics, Science and History. Not only do students have to comprehend the low-frequency, academic and technical vocabulary pertaining to the subject, but they also need to know the higher frequency vocabulary that makes up general English usage. If students’ vocabulary levels fall too far below the vocabulary levels with which their teachers are speaking, then their chance of comprehending the topic is small, as is their chance of succeeding in their subjects. This study has two broad aims. Firstly, I have set out to assess the English vocabulary levels of students at an international school where English is the language of learning and teaching. The majority of students at this school do not have English as their first language. The second aim of this study is to explore the vocabulary profile of the teachers’ spoken discourse at the research school. By gaining a better understanding of the nature of teacher discourse – specifically the percentage of high, mid and low-frequency vocabulary, as well as academic vocabulary that they use – English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers will be in a stronger position to identify what the vocabulary learning task is and be able to assist students in reaching the vocabulary levels necessary to make sense of their lessons. This study revealed a large gap between the generally low vocabulary levels of ESL students and the vocabulary levels spoken by their teachers. As a result the need for explicit vocabulary instruction and learning is shown to be very important in English medium (international) schools, where there are large numbers of students whose first language is not English.
Linguistics and Modern Languages
M.A. (Applied Linguistics)

The submitted work constitutes an elaboration of a thematic unit "Development of nature" designed for grammar schools in both expert and methodical aspect. Resulting outputs are a web presentation, two short educational films and two elaborated tutorial programmes based on E - U - R model of teaching in the theoretical framework of constructivism. For better understanding and orientation in the curriculum, the look into the past is divided into four zooms: 1) in the scale of milliards, it includes the period from the origin of the Earth until the present; 2) in the scale of millions, it brings closer the Fanerozoicum; 3) in the scale of hundreds of thousands years, it covers the Qarternary era; 4) in the scale of thousands, it corresponds to the Holocene. Elaboration of this thematic unit is tied together with the ongoing school reform. It takes into account the incorporation of Geology educational field into the Framework Education Programme for Grammar Schools and works with key competencies.