Multilingual interaction and minority languages: Proficiency and language practices in education and society

2013 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Durk Gorter
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Secondary School Students ◽  
Minority Language ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Minority Languages ◽  
European Regions ◽  
Language Practices ◽  
School Students ◽  
Education And Society

In this plenary speech I examine multilingual interaction in a number of European regions in which minority languages are being revitalized. Education is a crucial variable, but the wider society is equally significant. The context of revitalization is no longer bilingual but increasingly multilingual. I draw on the results of a long-running project on the ‘Added value of multilingualism and diversity in educational contexts’ among secondary school students, and show that there are interesting differences and similarities between the minority language (Basque or Frisian), the majority language (Spanish or Dutch) and English. The focus on multilingualism is applied inside and outside the school. The discussion demonstrates the complexity of everyday multilingual practices and the outcomes have implications for the gap between education and society and for further research into the linkages between language proficiency and actual language practices.

Ethnolinguistic Identity and Television Use in a Minority Language Setting

2012 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 135-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jake Harwood ◽  
Laszlo Vincze
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Secondary School Students ◽  
Minority Language ◽  
German Language ◽  
Tv Viewing ◽  
School Students ◽  
Ethnolinguistic Vitality ◽  
Ethnolinguistic Identity ◽  
Television Use

Based on the model of Reid, Giles and Abrams (2004 , Zeitschrift für Medienpsychologie, 16, 17–25), this paper describes and analyzes the relation between television use and ethnolinguistic-coping strategies among German speakers in South Tyrol, Italy. The data were collected among secondary school students (N = 415) in 2011. The results indicated that the television use of the students was dominated by the German language. A mediation analysis revealed that TV viewing contributed to the perception of ethnolinguistic vitality, the permeability of intergroup boundaries, and status stability, which in turn affected ethnolinguistic-coping strategies of mobility (moving toward the outgroup), creativity (maintaining identity without confrontation), and competition (fighting for ingroup rights and respect). Findings and theoretical implications are discussed.

scholarly journals Secondary School Students’ Reading Anxiety in a Second Language

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 28
Author(s):  
Sadiq Abdulwahed Ahmed Ismail
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Academic Success ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Secondary School Students ◽  
Second Language Reading ◽  
School Students ◽  
Reading Anxiety ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Group Interviews

<p>Developing an appropriate competence in reading in English as a second language is a key factor for subsequent academic success. This study investigated second language reading anxiety of secondary school students. A questionnaire was distributed to 72 female students and focus-group interviews were conducted with 19 volunteer students. Overall results reveal significant differences between the levels of reading anxiety reported by students relative to their general area of study (viz., science or arts). All the recorded differences were in favor of students in the science track. Most of the sources of reading anxiety that were identified by the students were related to language proficiency, specifically knowledge of vocabulary and grammatical rules.</p>

scholarly journals Factors Affecting Bhutanese Secondary School Students’ Ability in Solving Mathematical Word Problems: A Case Study

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Phuntsho Wangmo
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Word Problems ◽  
Secondary School Students ◽  
Solution Process ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
School Students ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Mathematical Word Problems

Mathematical word problems are part of the school curriculum and are taught at all levels of education in Bhutan. However, it poses difficulties for many students because of the complexity of the solution process. There are various factors that affect students’ ability to solve mathematical word problems. Hence, this study was conducted to investigate the factors affecting Bhutanese secondary school students' ability to solve mathematical word problems. This study employed a qualitative case study approach. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis. Four mathematics teachers and four students were selected as participants based on purposive sampling. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that factors such as language proficiency, reading skills, and contextual understanding affect students' ability in solving mathematical word problems. Moreover, the language proficiency of students, as well as teachers, was the most important factor for solving mathematical word problems. The study recommends the Ministry of Education places more importance on reading activities across schools in Bhutan to enhance language proficiency.

scholarly journals THE FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTS’ CHOICE IN STUDYING ENGLISH AT PRIVATE TUTORING SCHOOLS: A CASE OF THAI UPPER-SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Chan ◽  
Preechaya Mongkolhutthi
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Secondary School Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
Private Tutoring ◽  
Upper Secondary School ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
School Students ◽  
Upper Secondary ◽  
Mainstream School

This study explores the factors leading Thai upper-secondary school students to study English at tutoring school. The students’ perceptions of their EFL private tutors and mainstream school teachers are also a focus of this research. Drawing on statistical data from 80 upper-secondary school students, it shows that these students perceive EFL private tutors to be more effective in the provision of examination support, particularly regarding the university admission examination, compared with mainstream school teachers. Overall, these students have more positive attitudes towards their English tutors than their mainstream school teachers. They agree that tutors have higher English language proficiency and can make them understand the lesson better than their school teachers. The characteristic of the tutors and teaching techniques is considered a significant factor leading students to study English at tutoring schools, particularly the teaching techniques that allow them to do better on university examinations. These findings not only highlight the impact of private tutoring schools on language education systems, but also caution Thai educational policy makers and practitioners to further explore the pressure of the university admission examination on upper-secondary school students in the country.Keywords: Examination support, English language proficiency, private tutoring schools, teaching technique, Thailand.Cite as: Chan, C. & Mongkolhutthi, P. (2017). The factors affecting students’ choice in studying English at private tutoring schools: A case of Thai upper-secondary school students. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 2(2), 44-52.

Socio-educational support and Arabic language practices among secondary school students

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 219-228
Author(s):  
Alfitri ◽  
Mohd Mahzan Awang ◽  
Abdul Razaq Ahmad ◽  
Mohd Khairi Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Secondary School Students ◽  
Arabic Language ◽  
Language Practices ◽  
School Students ◽  
Educational Support

scholarly journals English Learning Strategies and Their Relation to Self-Efficacy, Attitude and Language competence among Female Secondary School Students in Buraidah

2019 ◽  
pp. 127-158
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Secondary School Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
Cognitive Strategies ◽  
Social Strategies ◽  
School Students

This study aimed to explore the profile of Language Learning Strategies used among female secondary school students learning English as a foreign language in Buraidah and the relation between English language leaning strategies and self-efficacy, attitude and language proficiency. The participants were (1924) female students’ secondary schools in Buraidah. The result indicated that the Participants use strategies at a moderate level (2.98), metacognitive strategies were the most frequently used among the six strategies followed by compensatory strategies, social strategies, memory strategies, cognitive strategies and affective strategies respectively. There is statistically significant positive correlation between total scores of strategies and total scores of English self-efficacy, attitude towards English, English language proficiency.

Psychological and pedagogical conditions for the implementation of content and language integrated learning (CLIL) as a method of professional orientation of secondary school students of the humanities classes

2021 ◽  
pp. 164-172
Author(s):  
Arthur S. Belousov
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Secondary School Students ◽  
Current Trend ◽  
Integrated Learning ◽  
School Students ◽  
Language Teacher ◽  
Professional Orientation ◽  
Foreign Language Proficiency

The current trend of changing education has affected all stages of education. Innovations have affected the secondary school classes (grades 10–11) of an ordinary Russian school. Now we are dealing with a model of specialized classes, which consists in dividing students into classes according to main subjects. It should be noted that the current state of grades 10–11 is characterized by an increasing interest in the humanities profile of education, which encourages methodologists to search for new and optimal methods of teaching foreign languages. Recently, the content and language integrated learning (CLIL), which consists in studying a school subject through a foreign language, has become especially popular. The article considers the main psychological and pedagogical conditions for the use of content and language integrated learning for the purpose of professional orientation of students of the secondary school humanities classes. The analysis of the existing methodological literature allowed the author to identify certain psychological and pedagogical conditions that allow teaching secondary school students a foreign language on the basis of content and language integrated learning. These include: the use of tasks that reflect the specifics of the preparation of the corresponding profile of higher school education, which allows students of the humanities classes of secondary school to get acquainted with future activities in a foreign language by performing problem tasks; professional orientation of training; the required level of foreign language proficiency of secondary school students at the moment of graduating from school at the B2 level; the distribution of students by the level of foreign language proficiency; intra-profile diversity, which takes into account the development of various branches of the humanities; competences of a foreign language teacher; motivation of secondary school students to learn a foreign language through content and language integrated learning. Special emphasis in the paper is placed on the competence of a foreign language teacher who conducts his course on the basis of content and language integrated learning.

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