Relevant bibliographies by topics / Second language learning; Foreign languages / Dissertations / Theses
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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Second language learning; Foreign languages'

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Published: 4 June 2021
Last updated: 5 February 2022

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1

Johnson, Brianne J. McManness Linda M. "Foreign language learning : an exploratory study on the external and internal influences affecting success /." Waco, Tex. : Baylor University, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/2104/3959.

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2

Service, Elisabet. "Phonological coding in working memory and foreign-language learning." Helsinki : Dept. of Psychology, University of Helsinki, 1989. http://catalog.hathitrust.org/api/volumes/oclc/24617470.html.

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3

Mohammed-Ali, Ahmed Shakir. "Attitudes and motivation of Arabic-speaking students of science and technology in Wales towards English and their relationship to proficiency in English." Thesis, Cardiff University, 1988. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.260168.

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Kiziltepe, F. Zeynep. "Attitudes and motivation in second language learning." Thesis, University of Exeter, 1997. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.363374.

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5

Lyu, Yeonhwan. "Simulations and Second / Foreign Language Learning: Improving communication skills through simulations." See Full Text at OhioLINK ETD Center (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader for viewing), 2006. http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd/view.cgi?toledo1147363791.

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6

Knudsen, Lina. "Dyslexia and Foreign Language Learning." Thesis, Malmö högskola, Fakulteten för lärande och samhälle (LS), 2012. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-36456.

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This essay looks at the language based disorder dyslexia and how it affects students’ ability to learn a foreign language. It will look closer at the strategies and tools foreign language teachers use to tackle the problems a dyslexic student may have when learning a new language. This research draws upon the interviews of foreign language teachers as well as the existing research on dyslexia and language acquisition. The main research questions of this essay are: How do foreign language teachers describe the disorder dyslexia both from a theoretical perspective as well as from a practical perspective? What difficulties do foreign language teachers have when teaching dyslexicstudent? What strategies do foreign language teachers use when teaching a student with dyslexia? By using the qualitative research approach, interviews, it was found that while foreign language teachers are aware of dyslexia they need to be given more education about language based disorders so that they are more equipped to help their students. This research will highlight the importance of giving foreign language teachers the needed tools and strategies to better support dyslexic students as they learn a new language.
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Chen, Yih-Lan. "Motivation and language learning strategies in learning English as a foreign language /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/7593.

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Guillory, Helen E. (Helen Elizabeth). "Computer Applications to Second Language Acquisition." Thesis, University of North Texas, 1991. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc504628/.

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This thesis is intended to give a panorama of technology in foreign language pedagogy. Although my field of study is French, the computer applications under scrutiny do not relate solely to the teaching of French. This paper begins with a criticism of the rigid listen-and-repeat language laboratory concept while tracking the rise of communicative language learning theory; follows the microprocessor revolution in language consoles; documents the development of computer-assisted instruction; showcases software evaluations of computer-assisted language learning; explores telecommunications; discusses satellite dishes and other computer peripherals; presents the results of a survey of Texas universities; and concludes with the presentation of the evolving language media center.
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Freeman, Mike. "Time factors as predictors of success in language learning : a study of background variables and language learning activities." Thesis, University of Surrey, 1996. http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/843702/.

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The present research examines the importance of time factors as predictors of success in language learning. Time factors are periods of time which students spend on language learning. The research addresses four main questions: (1) what is the nature of the relationship between language learning and time; (2) what is the relative importance of time factors to language learning; (3) to what extent can time factors predict success in language learning; and (4) what do students spend most time on? A group of 118 students of French and EFL at the Universities of Sussex and Brighton completed a questionnaire during the period March to May 1995. This questionnaire collected data on the periods of time students spent on language learning and on student proficiency levels, using self-report instruments. This data was triangulated with similar data collected from 23 interviewees, and 6 case-study students. The results of a correlational analysis indicated that total hours of study and active residence was the best predictor of student proficiency, and that there seemed to be a logarithmic relationship between this predictor and proficiency. The best multiple regression model accounted for 67% of variance in proficiency levels. Students of French spent most time on classwork and homework, whereas the EFL students spent most time chatting to non-native speakers and listening to the radio.
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Ludke, Karen M. "Songs and singing in foreign language learning." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/5500.

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Educators have claimed that listening to music in a second or foreign language (L2) can provide fun and motivating educational material and that singing can enhance the L2 learning process by improving listening and speaking skills, pronunciation, intonation, and vocabulary. Experiments have shown that under certain conditions, a sung presentation of linguistic material can facilitate verbal learning in the native language. To date, however, there is very little research evidence that singing can increase L2 skills. This thesis begins to methodically evaluate whether listening to songs and singing in a new language can facilitate L2 learning, compared to practising L2 material through more traditional, speech-based instructional methods. The research studies also explore the extent to which individual di erences (IDs) between learners may mediate any observed benefits of using songs in L2 instruction. The first two studies examine under controlled experimental conditions whether singing can support adults’ beginning-level modern language learning compared to speech over a short time period. Results indicate that when no significant group di erences exist for the ID measures, an instructional method that incorporates L2 singing can facilitate short-term learning and memory. Results also showed that IDs between learners, in particular previous language learning experience, musical abilities, mood, and motivation, can mediate the benefits of L2 learning through a singing method. The third study describes a four-week, classroom-based arts intervention exploring the e ects of incorporating songs and dramatic dialogues into the L2 curriculum, both in terms of learning outcomes and the adolescents’ opinions. In addition to increases in French skills, many children reported that the dramatic and musical activities had increased their confidence to speak in French. There was also an overall preference for listening to songs and more children reported that the songs repeated in their heads after class. The thesis concludes by discussing practical implications for L2 instruction and proposes a framework to guide future research exploring how and why singing can support modern foreign language learning.
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11

Zhao, Huajing. "Gender construction and its negotiation in the course of second language learning : a case study of Chinese students learning English as a foreign language in a state secondary school." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 2010. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.609067.

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12

Thacker, Josie Eileen. "The Effect of Language Learning Experience on Motivation and Anxiety of Foreign Language Learning Students." BYU ScholarsArchive, 2020. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/8759.

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The purpose of this study was to examine how motivation and anxiety within learners studying a foreign language are affected by a participant's language requirement (whether a participant has a language requirement as part of their education), language class level, and language learning environment (those with traditional classroom verses significant in- country experience). The current study surveyed and analyzed the responses of 124 students currently enrolled in a language class at Brigham Young University. Self- reported survey results demonstrate the relationship between motivation and anxiety with relation to language class level, language learning experience, and language requirement fulfillment. Further analyses were done in order to explore the interaction of different types of motivation (instrumental, integrative, intrinsic and resultative) and different types of anxiety (classroom, text anxiety and fear of negative evaluation) on the three factors examined in this study. Results indicated that there was a significant difference in motivation for participants whose major required taking foreign language courses and those whose major did not require a foreign language. Specifically, the results of the sub types of motivation (integrative, intrinsic, instrumental, and resultative) indicated that those that were required to take the language as a requirement had higher instrumental motivation than those that were not required to take a foreign language. The second significant finding of this study is that there was no effect on motivation and anxiety levels of participants with regard to language class level with one exception. Students at the 200 level had greater language class anxiety and lower resultative motivation than the other levels did. The third significant finding was that significant in- country experience did not affect motivation or anxiety. These results demonstrate that several factors may influence students' motivation and anxiety levels when learning a foreign language.
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Wold, James B. "Difficulties in learning English as a second or foreign language." [Denver, Colo.] : Regis University, 2006. http://165.236.235.140/lib/JWold2006.pdf.

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Postica, Adina M. "Changing Focus: From Second / Foreign Language Teaching to Communication Learning." See Full Text at OhioLINK ETD Center (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader for viewing), 2006. http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd/view.cgi?toledo1147275010.

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Mbuye, Kanku Lisette. "Integrating Online Discussion Forums into the Foreign Language Curriculum: A Case Study of Advanced Learners of French." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2011. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc68012/.

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This exploratory case study aims to develop a set of best practices for integrating online discussion forums into the foreign language curriculum, focusing specifically on a group of learners in an advanced French grammar course at a large, public U.S. university. During a period of two months, 26 participants completed a series of tasks designed to provide three different types of data: 1) exploration and analysis of interactional, linguistic, and social features of Web forum discourse; 2) participation in Web forums; and 3) feedback from students. Since the feedback received from two questionnaires was ultimately the most consistent and reliable type of data collected, this study focuses on students' participation patterns and their perceptions of Web forums as a communication space having the potential to provide opportunities for learning French. Although some students indicated that they would neither consider visiting a French-language Web forum nor actually visit one, in both cases, more than half of the participants who completed these questionnaires indicated that they would both consider visiting a French-language Web forum and might actually visit one. Since encouraging students to use French beyond the classroom and to engage in the lifelong use of French for personal enrichment (following the Communities standard of the U.S. Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century), at least one goal of this study-the main goal-has been partially achieved.
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Klapwijk, Nanda Maria. "A blended-learning approach to strategy training for improving second-language reading comprehension in South Africa." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/2618.

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Thesis (MPhil (Modern Foreign Languages))--Stellenbosch University, 2008.
It is widely recognized that learning to read is one of the most crucial learning processes in which children are involved at primary school. However, becoming a proficient reader is not equally easy for all learners. When it comes to the development of reading comprehension many children appear to have persistent problems. In order to meet the reading needs of students in the 21st century, educators are pressed to develop effective instructional means for teaching strategies to improve reading comprehension. The ability to read academic texts is considered one of the most crucial skills that students of English as a Second Language need to acquire. Reading comprehension has become the “essence of reading” (Dreyer & Nel, 2003:349). Literacy, and more specifically reading, is one of many areas where research has provided evidence of the potential impact of technology such as multimedia and hypermedia. If one looks broadly at the issue of technology and literacy, one of the more rewarding issues for educators is the role of technology in literacy acquisition and instruction, especially for primary grade learners (Pearson et al, 2005:3). This study aims to support the growing trend of an increasingly “paired” literacy, namely that of general literacy and computer (or technological) literacy. The study proposes that through implementing an overall blended-learning methodology for teaching learners how to use reading strategies, it will be possible to improve learners’ general reading comprehension levels.
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金裕璟 and You-kyong Kim. "The learning experience of Koreans learning Cantonese as a second language." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1999. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31945041.

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Wistner, Brian. "Effects of metalinguistic knowledge and language aptitude on second language learning." Diss., Temple University Libraries, 2014. http://cdm16002.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p245801coll10/id/250126.

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Applied Linguistics
Ph.D.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of metalinguistic knowledge and language learning aptitude on second language (L2) procedural knowledge. Three lines of inquiry were undertaken: (a) confirming the factorial structure of metalinguistic knowledge and language learning aptitude; (b) testing the relative effects of metalinguistic knowledge and language learning aptitude on L2 procedural knowledge; and (c) assessing the relative contributions of receptive and productive metalinguistic knowledge and components of language learning aptitude to L2 procedural knowledge. Two-hundred-forty-nine Japanese university students participated. One receptive and two productive tests of metalinguistic knowledge related to metalinguistic terminology and English grammatical rules were administered. Learners' language learning aptitude was measured using the Lunic Language Marathon, which consisted of four scales: number learning, sound-symbol association, vocabulary learning, and language analytical ability. Participants' L2 procedural knowledge was assessed through performance on a timed writing task. The writing samples were scored for overall quality, L2 complexity, accuracy, and fluency. The scores from each test were subjected to Rasch analyses to investigate the construct validity and unidimensionality of the instruments. The results of the Rasch analyses indicated that the test items fit the Rasch model, supporting the construct validity of the instruments. The unidimensionality of each instrument was established through Rasch principal component analyses. Interval-level Rasch measures were used for the subsequent analyses. The results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses indicated that metalinguistic knowledge and language learning aptitude were distinct constructs. A two-factor model showed good model fit and explained the relationship between the two constructs. Structural equation modeling revealed that metalinguistic knowledge significantly predicted L2 procedural knowledge, complexity, accuracy, and fluency. Language learning aptitude, however, was not a statistically significant predictor of the L2 procedural knowledge variables. The results of a path model analysis indicated that productive metalinguistic knowledge was the strongest predictor of L2 procedural knowledge, language analytical ability predicted receptive metalinguistic knowledge, and number learning was negatively associated with L2 procedural knowledge. The findings point to the facilitative role of metalinguistic knowledge in L2 learning and the viability of L2 declarative knowledge becoming proceduralized through practice.
Temple University--Theses
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19

Godfrey, Kathleen Ann. "Global Learning Outcomes of a Domestic Foreign Language Immersion Program." PDXScholar, 2013. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/1034.

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There is a critical need for college students to receive an education that fosters global learning in preparation for life in an increasingly interdependent and interconnected world. Universities recognize this need and endeavor to provide a range of programs that target global knowledge and skills, and meet the needs of traditional and non-traditional students. Domestic foreign language immersion programs can contribute to student global learning and development by providing students with an opportunity to participate in a rich global learning experience in the U.S. While some researchers have investigated impacts of domestic foreign language immersion on language proficiency, few studies of other kinds of global learning outcomes are available, and research is needed to gain an understanding of program impacts and make improvements. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which participation in a domestic foreign language immersion program was perceived to influence global learning and development. The study used a mixed-methods design that incorporated as a key instrument a retrospective survey of former participants in a university-level domestic foreign language immersion program. Perspectives from short-term study abroad, foreign languages, transformative learning, and global citizenship informed the research. The study found that participants in a domestic foreign language immersion program perceived influence in all three domains of global development. The degree of perceived influence was similar in the three domains except in the area of social responsibility, which received a significantly lower rating. Finally, student characteristics, including age, language level, prior international or other intercultural experience, and on/off-campus residence were not associated with perceived program influence. A qualitative analysis helped explain these findings.
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Randolph, Gerda Ann Packard. "Building written language: A program for second language literacy in English." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 2000. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/1866.

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Kim, Joo-hae. "Foreign language listening anxiety : a study of Korean students learning English /." Full text (PDF) from UMI/Dissertation Abstracts International, 2000. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/utexas/fullcit?p3004305.

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Oxford, Raquel Malia Nitta. "Effects of Technology-Enhanced Language Learning on Second Language Composition of University-Level Intermediate Spanish Students." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2004. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc4688/.

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Today's global culture makes communication through writing in a foreign language a most desirable tool to expand personal and professional relations. However, teaching writing is a complex, time-consuming endeavor in any language. Foreign language teachers at every level struggle to fit writing into an already full curriculum and need the most effective methods and tools with which to teach. Technology may provide a viable scaffold to support writing instruction for teachers and students. The purpose of this research was to determine any benefits of weekly/structured, in-class, computer-assisted grammar drill and practice on the composition quality and quantity of intermediate university Spanish learners. A related purpose was to determine whether students who participated in such practice would access a computer-based writing assistant differently during writing than students without the treatment. The research design was a nonequivalent groups pretest-posttest design. Fifty-two subjects' compositions were graded with both holistic and analytic criteria to analyze composition quality and quantity, and statistical analyses assessed interactions of treatment and effects. The computer-based Atajo writing assistant, which could be accessed during composition, had a logging feature which provided unobtrusive observation of specific databases accessed by each student. There were no statistically significant differences found between the two groups in overall composition scores or in subscale scores. Improvements across time were observed in composition performance for both the experimental and control groups. The implementation of computer-based grammar and vocabulary practice did show a small to moderate positive effect; that is to say, students who received weekly, structured computer grammar and vocabulary practice had higher scores for composition quality and quantity on the posttest measure and accessed the databases less than the control group. The consistent positive trends in the composition data results intimate that over a more extended period of time, computer-based grammar instruction might enhance the quality and quantity of written composition in the foreign language classroom.
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Álvarez, Valencia José Aldemar. "Language, Learning, and Identity In Social Networking Sites for Language Learning: The Case of Busuu." Diss., The University of Arizona, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/316461.

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Recent progress in the discipline of computer applications such as the advent of web-based communication, afforded by the Web 2.0, has paved the way for novel applications in language learning, namely, social networking. Social networking has challenged the area of Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) to expand its research palette in order to account for the way individuals engage in processes of learning and socialization, the way they interact, and the way they construct and perform their identities. With this in mind, it is necessary to examine the new material conditions, social arrangements, and the communicational landscape of Social Networking Sites (SNS). This study focuses on SNSs for language learning (SNSLL) and examines the particular case of Busuu. Drawing on theoretical tenets of sociocultural and ecological approaches combined with multimodal social semiotics, this research aims to analyze the views of language and learning that are enacted through the semiotic design of Busuu. It also purports to examine the types of identities wherein users are positioned through the compositional elements of this participatory online environment. The research design is informed by the principles of a qualitative case study and autoethnographic research. The data collected for this study consist of documentary information obtained from Busuu and the autoethnographic accounts of the researcher, who participated as a member of the Busuu community for 10 weeks. Results indicate that overall Busuu is an ecological system composed of sub-systems of nested views about language, learning, and users in which multiple timescales, spatiotemporal, and discursive resonances of various theories work in synergy. Thus, the semiotic spaces of Busuu combine structural, interactional and ecological views of language. Similarly, Busuu crystalizes views of learning that echo behaviorist, cognitivist, and constructivist theories. The website enacts different identities, positioning users as learners and teachers/tutors who are members of an imagined community. The study draws implications about the need for theoretical coherence and pedagogical alignment among the different components of the language curriculum (e.g. language and learning views, instructional activities) of Social Networking Sites for Language Learning.
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Charbonneau-Gowdy, Paula. "Forbidden fruit : identity, power and investment issues in learning a second language through computer mediated communication." Thesis, McGill University, 2005. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=100334.

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In this inquiry, I use ethnographic research methods to uncover the tensions that a selected group of military officers and students from Central and Eastern Europe and Asia experienced learning English in Canada and in Europe. In both settings, I use a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach to the inquiry to critically explore with the participants their experiences using computers for second language learning. We negotiate changes to their current perceptions of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) through the use of computer-mediated communication (CMC). This communication involved writing-based exchanges at the Canadian site and using state-of-the-art audio video transferring technology, in a multi-site videoconferencing setting with Europe. The study took place between 2001 and 2004. During the four phases of the study, I collected data through observations of online interchanges, collaborative dialogic interviews and participants' written texts in the form of journals and e-mails. Other important data sources included videotapes and field notes taken at the Canadian site and during three field trips to the European sites. I draw on Vygotsky's socio-cultural approach to language, Bakhtin's concept of learning as dialogic and Weedon's notion of identity as dynamic, constructed and contested through Discourses. The work of these three theorists helps to frame my understanding of the historical, political, cultural, pedagogical and personal influences on this multicultural group of English language learners as they negotiated their learning in a unique setting. The participants' stories suggest that video-based computer technology not only supported some of their investment in using their second language orally but also enabled them to construct more powerful subjectivities. The identity construction that took place in English online is an important consideration for these individuals from evolving democracies that are struggling for international connection and recognition. I argue that more stories need to be told so that SL researchers can re-examine their understanding and theories of language learning and communicative practices to include computer technology. I suggest that stories such as these also have important implications for learners, educators and policy makers as they consider their teaching and learning practices with computers in their second language learning contexts.
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Kotze, Tanja. "Teaching and learning strategies to support isiXhosa learners who receive education in a second/third language." Thesis, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11838/2373.

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Thesis (MEd (Education))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016.
This research study was aimed at exploring and describing the teaching and learning strategies for language support to isiXhosa speaking learners in Grade One. There are a number of challenges related to teaching in a multi-linguistic classroom. This study highlights some of the current challenges experienced in the Metro East Education District of the Western Cape. In an attempt to resolve these problems, guidelines were given for effective dissemination strategies to support second/third language speaking learners. A gap in the literature on descriptions of current support provided to learners within the theoretical framework of the ecological systems theory was identified. This research therefore intends to fill this gap in the literature. Support to IsiXhosa learners who receive education in a second/third language in the South African context is especially unclear. A qualitative research approach supported by the exploratory, descriptive and contextual research designs was employed. The sample was selected from Grade One teachers from schools in different socio-economic areas in the Western Cape who provided education to IsiXhosa learners who receive education in a second/third language. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. The findings provide a clear description of the challenges experienced by the learner and the teacher, current strategies that are employed by teachers, as well as resources and support utilised by teachers. Conclusions were made in terms of the ecological systems theory. Based on the findings, a number of recommendations were made regarding teaching and learning strategies for language support to Grade One IsiXhosa learners who receive education in a second/third language.
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Yu, Xiao Ping (Amy). "CHINESE CHARACTER CHALLENGER 汉 字 挑 战 者 Supplementary courseware for assisting students learning Chinese characters." Thesis, Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/2680.

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Thesis (MPhil (Modern Foreign Languages))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005.
In this thesis, I pinpoint the challenge of character learning as my research problem, which is the subsequent motivation to explain the background and rationale of my research. I also discuss the theoretical concepts of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) in relation to cognitive psychology, the constructivist learning theory and Second Language Acquisition theories. This leads to the presentation of my considerations regarding design principles, strategic approach and other relevant decisions. The multimedia project I designed, named the “Chinese Character Challenger”, a “supplementary courseware for assisting students learning characters”, is an informational and educational-oriented website. It provides learners with the necessary knowledge, hints, tips and sources to cope with their specific learning problems and to achieve their learning potential. It also introduces external resources of learning if learners need further research. The purpose of the website is to assist, to motivate and to further guide students’ learning. To conclude, I have discussed some open issues with regards to adding value in the learning environment.
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Chen, Chun-Hsiu. "Constructivism and mediated learning in designing English-as-a foreign-language instruction." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 2005. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/2744.

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Social interaction is the foundation of knowledge construction in a constructivist classroom. This project proposes a mediated instruction that is based on the theory of constructivism and social interaction to help new adult immigrants successfully achieve English competence and adapt quickly to the culture of the United States.
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Yen, Alvin Charles. "The intelligences of creative English-as-a-foreign-language learning." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 2005. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/2737.

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This project provides a model for incorporating creativity in teaching English as a foreign language (EFL). It includes an instructional unit comprised of six lessons followed by accompanying assessments. Culture and language cannot be separated as students learn a foreign language.
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Cole, Jason. "Foreign language learning in the age of the internet : a comparison of informal acquirers and traditional classroom learners in central Brazil." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2015. https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:db80473a-2075-4e91-bb07-a706bb6a433f.

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Several recent studies (e.g., Benson and Chik, 2010; Sockett, 2014) suggest that as a result of changes in technology and the concomitant emergence of a globalized culture, highly effective out-of-class, informal English acquisition is becoming more common. The present study compared high-level, well-motivated Central Brazilian classroom-trained learners (CTLs) with fully autonomous self-instructed learners (FASILs) of similar backgrounds. Using linguistic tests, a questionnaire and a structured interview, the study analysed group differences as well as individual differences in language proficiency, learner histories, behaviour, beliefs, and attitudes. The key research question asked whether there existed, in more than rare circumstances, FASILs who attained levels of proficiency at least as high as highly-motivated, well-trained CTLs? Furthermore, if the knowledge and skills of FASILs were, in some respects, superior to those of CTLs, what variables accounted for the advantage? FASILs significantly outperformed CTLs across a battery of linguistic tests measuring a range of knowledge and skills. Test results indicated that while CTLs tended to plateau at upper intermediate levels, FASILs generally improved through advanced levels, often achieving native-like levels of knowledge and use. The strongest contributing factor to proficiency was found to be self-determined motivation driven by a personalized relationship with English often marked by a transnational identity. The evidence suggests this type of motivation, significantly more associated with FASILs than CTLs, led users to engage deeply with the linguistic details of informal sources. The findings challenge dominant paradigms in several fields of SLA which prioritize expert regulation over independent discovery and controlled, collaborative environments over real-world contexts of use entered into for personal reasons. A hoped for consequence of this study is that SLA research and teaching practice will begin to recognize and promote rather than regulate or dismiss the unique learning arcs that more and more English learners experience in their everyday lives.
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Lemelin, Nathalie. "A study of eight culturally and linguistically diverse secondary students' perceptions of first and second language writing instruction and second language learning." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1997. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape11/PQDD_0002/MQ43902.pdf.

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Tsai, Tzu-Ru. "Innovative literacy content, methods, and assessment in English-as-a-foreign language primary instruction." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 2006. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/2878.

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The primary goal of this project is to offer Taiwanese teachers diverse innovative literacy instruction and assessments to motivate students' reading processes. Sample curriculum/lesson plans are included.
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Boswell, Paul Duane. "Acquisition versus long-term retention of Japanese words and syntax by children and adults: Implications for the critical period hypothesis in second language learning." Diss., The University of Arizona, 1993. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/186502.

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The critical period hypothesis for second language learning, which states that young children learn additional languages better than adults, lacks unambiguous empirical support as well as a coherent theoretical model. An experimental study was conducted which analyzed child-adult differences in difficulty of acquisition and long-term retention for rules of syntax and words in Japanese, a language unfamiliar to the subjects. The results of this study found no advantage for children over adults either in acquisition or long-term memory. However, relative to the difficulty of acquisition, the children had lower forgetting rates for words than for rules when both materials were learned completely. In the lexical study, the children's performance at retention was closer to the adults' than at acquisition, whereas in the syntax study, the opposite was the case. These results confirm the existence of developmental differences in the forgetting rates of different materials. Such results imply that, if there is an advantage for learning language at an early age, it might be localized in lexical retention.
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33

Robinson, Mark. "Imaginative challenge and discourse strategies in task-based language learning." Thesis, University of Leeds, 1997. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.342287.

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34

Chien, Ya Chi. "Effects of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) instruction on the acquisition of passive grammatical forms by post-secondary English as a second language (ESL) students." Doctoral diss., University of Central Florida, 2011. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETD/id/4869.

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The purpose of this study is to compare Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) grammar instruction with traditional classroom teacher-directed grammar instruction for post-secondary English as a Second Language (ESL) students enrolled in an Intensive English Program (IEP). Students' achievement was measured by their performance on the three measures (multiple-choice, cloze/fill-in-the-blank, and open-ended tests) of passive grammatical forms. This study gathered quantitative data on students' performance on the three measures for both teacher-directed and CALL instruction groups as well as qualitative data with respect to CALL participants' perception of the Azar Interactive online grammar instruction program. Results of the mixed design repeated measures factorial MANOVA (multivariate analysis of variance) showed that there was no statistically significant difference in acquisition of the passive grammatical forms for ESL students taught in a conventional classroom setting as compared to those taught solely by CALL. However, there was a statistically significant increase in scores on the open-ended tests for Level 4, the most advanced students at the IEP from pretest to delayed test as well as from posttest to delayed test. Students' level of proficiency affected the amount of increase in their scores over time regardless of the method of instruction. This study has offered a research-based indication that CALL instruction was as effective as traditional classroom teacher-directed instruction for teaching grammar to students of different levels of English proficiency. Recommendations for future research have also been discussed.
ID: 030422720; System requirements: World Wide Web browser and PDF reader.; Mode of access: World Wide Web.; Thesis (Ed.D.)--University of Central Florida, 2011.; Includes bibliographical references (p. 176-187).
Ed.D.
Doctorate
Teaching, Learning and Leadership
Education and Human Performance
Curriculum and Instruction
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35

Pen, Ibrahem Rotha. "Integrating technology into the English as a second language curriculum: Computer-assisted English language learning." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 2002. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/2136.

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The project integrates computer technology with English as a second language curriculum and instruction. It utilizes the World Wide Web to deliver computer-assisted instruction in English grammar, reading and conversation. Moreover, the project shows the impact of computer technology in helping students develop critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, and meaningful and applicable skills for employment.
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36

Benmansour, Naima. "Motivation and learning preferences of Moroccan high school learners of English as a foreign language." Thesis, University of York, 1996. http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/4270/.

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37

Zhu, Jia. "Weaving language and culture together : the process of culture learning in a chinese as a foreign language classroom." Diss., University of Iowa, 2012. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/3418.

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This dissertation is a qualitative case study exploring the process of culture learning in a Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) classroom. Guided by a socioculturally based theoretical perspective and adopting the stance of the National Standards, which says that language students "cannot truly master the language until they have also mastered the cultural contexts in which the language occurs" (1996, p. 27), this study describes how culture learning is tied to class practices aimed at developing students' language proficiency by exploring how culture and language are integrated in spoken discourse and interactions in the classroom. The research questions of the study focus on both the instructor's and the students' perspectives towards the interrelationship between language learning and culture learning and their actual practices in the dynamic, complex, and emerging speech community of classroom contexts. Through analysis of student questionnaires, classroom observations, instructor interview, and stimulated-recall sessions with students, this study examines the contexts of culture learning, illustrates how language classroom contexts shape and are shaped by all the class members, including both the instructor and the students, and describes how the classroom spoken discourse in the current advanced-level undergraduate CFL course provides opportunities for culture learning and how culture learning actually happens in this language classroom. The findings suggest that as the instructor and the students interact in the language classroom, it is not so much the particular pieces of cultural and linguistic information under discussion that delineate the actual culture learning process, but rather the active exchanges and sometimes disagreements between the instructor and the students that provide opportunities for interactive cultural dialogues and discussions. In other words, cultural knowledge and understanding are situated in actual contexts of language use. Language learning is also embedded in the same interactive and collaborative discussion of texts. By exploring the complexity of the culture learning process in the language classroom setting, this study adds theoretical and pedagogical support to the premise that culture learning should be an integral part of language instruction at different levels throughout the language curriculum.
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Deifell, Elizabeth Dryman. "Dynamic intertextuality and emergent second language microdevelopment in digital space." Diss., University of Iowa, 2018. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/6402.

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This naturalistic exploratory multiple case study of the academic writing activity of L2 writers enrolled in an introductory Spanish literature course reveals the complex dynamicity of intertextual activity and L2 development. The writing tasks, designed for communicative practice rather than for mastery of a genre, required students to upload Microsoft Word documents to the learning management software’s dropbox, thus necessitating their engagement with multiple digitally mediated resources. Participants completed the assignment outside of class in a computer lab, where data were collected, including observational field notes, screen recordings, and stimulated recall, and semi-structured interviews about the participants’ use and perception of digital resources. Findings show that these students employed many strategies with a variety of resources, including online dictionaries, translators, and original and translated texts, when experiencing a lexical gap while writing. A close examination of second language writers’ intertextual engagement with the affordances provided by these digitally mediated resources through an analytical frame informed by dynamic systems theory (Larsen-Freeman & Cameron, 2008a) reveals idiosyncratic use and evidence of emergent word and strategy learning. Pedagogical implications, including the need to start where students are, are discussed.
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Tabbara, Sajida. "A study of accuracy orders of nine English morphemes amongst learners of English as a foreign language." Thesis, University of Reading, 1988. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.294990.

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40

Poteau, Christine Elizabeth. "Effects of Interlocutor Familiarity on Second Language Learning in Group Work." Diss., Temple University Libraries, 2011. http://cdm16002.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p245801coll10/id/111460.

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Spanish
Ph.D.
Recent research in second language acquisition has focused on the effects of group work on learning by examining various factors (i.e., motivation, age, task, gender differences, etc.). One particular factor that has not been heavily investigated is interlocutor familiarity, which is at the forefront of the present study. Two separate classes (in both classes, n = 23) of introductory Spanish (Spanish 1002) at Temple University were used in the present study. Subjects in Class #1 worked with the same partner of their choosing throughout the semester. Subjects in Class #2 did not repeat partners and were assigned a different partner during each group task throughout the semester. All subjects received the same treatment. Part of this treatment consisted of two separate lessons on slang terms from Spain that included creative group work assignments. Learners' written group work assignments were collected for analyses. To examine and compare learners' retention in each of the classes, a total of three slang retention tests were administered. All three tests were individual assignments. The first slang test (Slang 1 Immediate Test) was administered on the second class session following Slang Lesson #1 and consisted of slang terms from Slang Lesson #1. The second slang test (Slang 2 Immediate Test) was administered on the second class session following Slang Lesson #2 and consisted of slang terms from Slang Lesson #2. At the end of the semester the third slang retention test (Final Slang Retention Test) was comprehensive, consisting of the slang terms from both lessons. Results suggested that learners' overall retention was higher in Class #1 than in Class #2. At the end of the semester, a Group Work Attitudes Questionnaire was administered and revealed that Class #1 viewed interlocutor familiarity and group work as positive, whereas Class #2 viewed group work as problematic. In addition, learners in Class #1 produced larger quantities of text in the group work assignments and engaged in more slang play than Class #2. The findings suggest the need to further investigate the effects of interlocutor familiarity on language acquisition.
Temple University--Theses
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Buregeya, Alfred. "Language production, grammaticality judgements, and rule verbalisations in second language acquisition : a study of the interlanguage knowledge of English wh-questions by EFL Rwandan learners." Thesis, University of Reading, 1994. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.239485.

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42

Pino, Daniela. "Learning Italian as a Second Language in an Italian/English Dual Language Program| Evidence from First to Fifth Grade." Thesis, California State University, Long Beach, 2018. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10751886.

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This research study was conducted with the intention of determining the most common errors that occur in the development of Italian oral language skills among 102 students participating in a 90/10 (90% in Italian/10% in English) dual language program offered at a California public elementary school. The 90/10 program breaks down instruction as follows: Kfirst grade 90% instruction in the target language/10% in English; in second grade 80/20; in third grade, 70/30; in fourth, 60/40, and in fifth, 50/50. Although the ratios change, the program is officially known as 90/10. The students in this study, a mixed group ranging from first to fifth grade, observed a series of pictures representing a story, which they then had to orally tell in their own words. The oral presentations were recorded and then transcribed word by word, including pauses and hesitations. The productions were then analyzed in depth, with special attention given to hesitations, the insertion of phrases and/or words in English, errors with lexical choice and grammatical errors (auxiliary verb choice, as well as the usage of subjects, verbs, and pronouns). The results from this study demonstrate that the age of the student influences second language oral fluency. In general, students with more schooling tended to commit fewer errors in their oral production. However, some categories of errors did not seem to be affected by the length of time students had been enrolled in the program. It is hypothesized that some errors persist due to the decreased amount of Italian instruction that characterizes the upper years in the program.

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Jenison, Priscilla Beth. "The role of motivation within an activity system for adults learning English as a second language." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 2003. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/46.

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This project attempts to conceptualize the relationship between the language learner and the social world, developing a comprehensive theory of identity that integrates the language learner and the language learning context, while trying to keep motivation high.
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Chung, Yu-Chiao. "Schools at home : parental support for learning Mandarin as a second or foreign language." Thesis, Goldsmiths College (University of London), 2012. http://research.gold.ac.uk/7152/.

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This study examined how parents of various backgrounds supported their children learning Mandarin as a second or foreign language. It addresses two questions which have previously rarely been addressed in the literature. 1. Whether and if so in what ways do parents of different backgrounds support their children in learning Mandarin as a second or a foreign language? 2. How is this affected by social, cultural as well as the parents’ own educational experience? Here the most relevant socio-cultural theories of learning: prolepsis; guided participation; syncretism; synergy and funds of knowledge have been studied. Ethnographic research was conducted on six families chosen from three categories: families in which both parents had Chinese heritage; one parent had Chinese heritage and those in which neither parent had a Chinese background. Data were collected through participant observation and interviews. The method of multi-layering was applied to analyze these data: the outer layer- social and cultural background, the middle layer- supporting strategies and the inner layer- the pedagogic methods used by the parents. The results reveal that these parents were determined to assist their children’s learning and employed different methods: both direct (teaching) and indirect (providing access to resources, cultural activities and events). All parents set aside time for formal, serious, regular (school-like) learning sessions. The support they provided was affected significantly by their social, cultural and educational background. All enhanced their children’s motivation and learning achievement.
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Kojima, Makiko. "Promoting listening strategies use in elementary English as a foreign language computer-assisted learning environment." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 2001. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/1904.

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In Japan, English education in elementary schools is still in the process of innovation. The purpose of this project is to seek the most appropriate and effective way for elementary-level students to acquire listening skills in a computer-assisted language learning (CALL) environment.
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Williams, George Edward. "The effects of computer assisted language learning and specially designed academic instruction in English on second language acquisition." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 2002. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/2954.

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The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of two methods of instruction for second language acquisition. The first method used a computer based software program known as English Language Learning Instructional System (ELLIS). The second method used Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE).
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47

Ahmed, Hussein Ali. "The role of attitudes and motivation in teaching and learning foreign languages : a theoretical and empirical investigation into the teaching and learning of English in Iraqi preparatory schools." Thesis, University of Stirling, 1989. http://hdl.handle.net/1893/2133.

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Attitude and motivation, two central concepts in the domain of educational psychology, have not been attended to as required in the literature on English language teaching and learning in Iraq. Consequently, the current study aims at launching a theoretical and empirical investigation into the role of both concepts in bringing about the current discouraging situation of teaching and learning English as a foreign language in Iraq. The theoretical part of the work subsumes the first four chapters. Chapter One is the introduction where the problem to be investigated, the hypotheses, the aims of the research, and the reasons behind the choice of this topic for research have been stated. Chapter Two describes the educational system and the current situation of English language teaching and learning in Iraq. Worth mentioning in this respect are the different pre- and in-service training establishments, English textbooks and tests, and the supervision of teachers of English. Chapter Three is on attitude. The concept has been initially considered from a purely psychological viewpoint with focus on the historical review of attitude development, definition, basic components, main characteristics, formation, and change. Attitude in education forms a second point of departure with emphasis being laid on the role of the concept in teaching and learning foreign languages. Chapter Three ends with attitude measurement. Motivation, the topic of study of Chapter Four, is tackled in terms of its historical development, definition, and different theories. Reference is also made to the role of motivation in education in general, and in foreign language teaching and learning in particular. Accordingly, types of motivation, factors affecting pupils' and teachers' motivation, and teachers' role in motivating pupils form main subjects of discussion. Chapter Four ends with two sections; the first of which tackles the facets of difference between attitude and motivation, while the second deals with the differences between interest on the one hand, and attitude and motivation on the other. Chapter Five is on the method of research adopted to gather the data for the current study. It also contains the analysis of the Pupils' and Teachers' Attitudes and Motivation Questionnaires. Finally, some general remarks about the empirical part of the work are also made. Chapter Six presents the statistical analysis and survey results. It also contains some hypotheses on pupils' and teachers' attitudes and motivation. There is further analysis of some responses made by pupils and teachers which could not be hypothesized. This chapter ends with the analysis of headteachers' and supervisors' perceptions of English language teaching and learning in Iraq. The final chapter titled 'conclusion' contains the general conclusions arrived at by the researcher, followed by some implications for future work.
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48

Ericsson, Jessica. "Reading Strategies : Multilingual students learning English in a Swedish context." Thesis, Högskolan Dalarna, Engelska, 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:du-33806.

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This thesis aims at exploring what linguistic challenges and opportunities multilingual students experience when reading in English. This paper has a qualitative approach and consists of focus group interviews as the method for collecting data. The participants were students in compulsory school, ninth grade, studying English as a foreign language. A total of nine multilingual were divided into three groups. Firstly they received a piece of informative text to read, containing a picture and a heading, and secondly they answered and discussed questions about their use of reading strategies. The results from the present study show that they tended to use top-down strategies when reading. The picture was not regarded as important as the heading; yet it was clear that they transferred already developed strategies from other languages. Previous research has shown that a reading ability developed in a student´s first language will be transferred to other languages, through an underlying proficency. Likewise it was expected in this study that the students would use their first language in order to understand English as a foreign language, but unpredictably findings show that Swedish was the preferred language when translating. In conclusion, one can therefore argue for Swedish as the strongest academic language and therefore important in scaffolding multilingual students.
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Martin, Ron Reuel. "The Foreign Language Learning Value Beliefs of Japanese Elementary School Students." Diss., Temple University Libraries, 2013. http://cdm16002.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p245801coll10/id/232554.

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CITE/Language Arts
Ph.D.
This study was an investigation of student beliefs about their EFL education, and it was based upon the subjective task value component of the expectancy-value theory, a prominent theory of achievement motivation. The participants were three cohorts of Japanese public elementary school students (Cohort 1 from 2008; Cohort 2 from 2009; and Cohort 3 from 2010); each cohort consisted of third through sixth graders (N = 1,478; N = 3,693; and N = 1,336, respectively). Three research questions with associated hypotheses were posited in order to determine: (a) if students of all age groups could differentiate the three value components of Enjoyment, Importance, and Use; (b) the degree to which grade levels and genders were different with regard to each value; and (c) if grade level and gender differences were consistent between cohorts. The Young Learners Value Scale (YLVS) was an 11-item, 4-point Likert self report scale created in order to investigate elementary school students' values concerning their EFL education. Prior to conducting inferential analyses on the collected data, the dimensionality, validity, and reliability of the YLVS were established through the use of the Rasch rating-scale model. In addition, the raw scores were converted into interval Rasch measures. Results of the principal components analyses showed that each grade level was able to differentiate the three values of Enjoyment, Importance, and Use. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that the instrument measures as well as the factorial structure of the theoretical model were both invariant across grade level. Results of the two-way ANOVAs indicated that the third grade students valued the Enjoyment, Importance, and Use of English to a statistically significant higher degree than the higher grade levels. Descriptive statistics showed that all grade levels valued the Enjoyment and Importance of English, yet all grade levels responded neutrally to the Use of English. With regard to gender, female students held statistically significant greater values of Enjoyment, Importance, and Use of English and their EFL class than boys, yet these differences were found for only Cohorts 2 and 3. This study was the first, to the best of my knowledge, to use the expectancy-value theory of achievement motivation as a basis for an investigation of public school EFL students. The results indicated that the elementary school students valued the Enjoyment and Importance of English, but were neutral to the Use of English. The integration of more skill-based activities that focus on listening to English and speaking in English to communicate to others and a reduction in fun-focused activities such as songs and games might provide a greater opportunity to enhance the students' value of Use.
Temple University--Theses
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Yang, Li. "A web-based approach to learning expressions of gratitude in Chinese as a foreign language." Diss., University of Iowa, 2013. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/2425.

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This study investigates the effects of instruction delivered via a learner-centered, self-access website on the learning of expressions of gratitude by L2 Chinese learners across proficiency levels. Three research questions are addressed: (1) whether the web-based instruction facilitates students' learning of Chinese expressions of gratitude, (2) whether the effects of instruction vary across proficiency levels, and (3) how L2 learners regard the use of the website as a learning tool. Based on the noticing hypothesis and the pragmatic consciousness-raising approach, a pragmatics website was developed that provided explicit instruction on how to appropriately express gratitude in Chinese and offered awareness-raising exercises and activities for practice. It was structured in eight instructional units and two review sessions. To address the three research questions, this study adopted a pretest-posttest design to include two groups of learners who differed in their proficiency in the Chinese language. The two groups of learners received pragmatics instruction delivered via the self-access website over five weeks. Two weeks prior to the instruction, all learners were asked to complete (1) the language contact profile (LCP) for eliciting their demographic information and their contact with Chinese outside the classroom, (2) a local standardized Chinese proficiency test (CPT) for assessing their proficiency in Chinese, (3) discourse completion tasks/tests (DCT) for soliciting their production of Chinese expressions of gratitude, (4) metapragmatic assessment tasks (MAT) for eliciting their metapragmatic assessment of thanking responses provided, and (5) retrospective interviews for soliciting learners' explanations of their assessments in the MAT. On a weekly basis during the treatment period, learners wrote reflective e-journals in response to prompt questions provided by the researcher, which helped track learners' self-access study progress and their on-going perceptions of the website. One week after the online instruction, all learners were also asked to complete the same types of questionnaires (i.e., the DCT and the MAT) and retrospective interviews for assessing their pragmatic development. Results showed that after receiving the web-based instruction, all learners produced more appropriate expressions of gratitude and used more varied thanking strategies in their responses, regardless of their proficiency. Learners' assessments of Chinese expressions of gratitude became more target-like and their metapragmatic awareness was also promoted. However, higher-level learners seemed to have benefited more from the instruction in their production of Chinese expressions of gratitude than lower-level participants, and the higher-level group demonstrated an overall higher level of pragmatic awareness than the lower-level group after the online instruction. But no significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of learners' metapragmatic assessments. In addition, participants responded positively to the website and put forward constructive suggestions to improve it. Finally, this study interpreted the findings based on cognitive processing theories, proposed both theoretical and pedagogical implications, and discussed the limitations of this study and directions for future research.
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