Discourse Worlds in the Classroom and in Foreign Language Learning

The paper begins to explore the nature of the cognitive processing involved in foreign language learning. The notion of a “discourse world” as a set of elements against the background of which a unit of talk makes sense is introduced, and the claim is made that several such “discourse worlds” may be seen to coexist in classroom discourse, in part because of participants' “awareness” (on some level) of why they are there. The notion of a discourse world is then given a psychological interpretation in terms of frame-theory, and the view is argued that the simultaneous activation of several such frames is central to the business of understanding language, and to language learning. The classroom, it is argued, offers rich opportunities for the training of such multi-level perception of foreign language input, with consequent gains in learning. From this perspective Krashen's Monitor Theory is found implausible.

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EXPLORING LANGUAGE INPUT OF THE READING TEXTS IN NORTHSTAR TEXTBOOKS FOR FIRST-YEAR ENGLISH-MAJOR STUDENTS AT UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES, HUE UNIVERSITY

HUE UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES ◽

10.26459/hueuni-jssh.v129i6b.5520 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 129 (6B) ◽

Author(s):

Phuong Ngoc Quynh Tran

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Language Learning ◽

Foreign Language Learning ◽

Difficulty Level ◽

First Year ◽

Text Input ◽

Language Difficulty ◽

English Major ◽

Language Input ◽

Reading Texts

There are many studies on English Language Teaching materials evaluation, but very few investigate the language input of reading materials though text input is considered a primary factor for successful foreign language learning. This research explored the language input of reading texts in a book series used in teaching reading for first-year English-major students at a foreign language university in central Vietnam. It aimed at investigating text topics, genres, length, language difficulty level and students’ as well as teachers’ perceptions of the studied texts in an attempt to facilitate students’ reading comprehension. Thirty-two reading texts were studied using a descriptive analytical approach. Individual and focus group interviews were implemented with 15 students and 7 lecturers. The findings showed the textbooks incorporated a wide variety of topics which are interesting and familiar to students. Article was the most popular text genre. The text length and language difficulty level proved to be appropriate to students’ levels. The lecturers’ and students’ perceptions of the texts also supported the textbook analysis findings. These findings implicated the selected textbooks should be kept in the curriculum but need further adaptation. Besides, some suggestions were made to help ELT lecturers modify the text input effectively.

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Chapter 6. CLASSROOM DISCOURSE AS A RE-MEDIATING RESOURCE FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING

Media in Foreign Language Teaching and Learning ◽

10.1515/9781614510208.109 ◽

2011 ◽

Author(s):

Amy B. M. Tsui

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Language Learning ◽

Classroom Discourse ◽

Foreign Language Learning

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Vocabulary Learning Strategies of Saudi English Major Students: Strategy Use and Gender

International Journal of Engineering & Technology ◽

10.14419/ijet.v7i3.25.17464 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 7 (3.25) ◽

pp. 21

Author(s):

Jamilah Al-Harbi ◽

Engku Haliza Engku Ibrahim

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Language Learning ◽

Learning Strategies ◽

Cognitive Processing ◽

Vocabulary Learning ◽

Foreign Language Learning ◽

Strategy Use ◽

Social Strategy ◽

Vocabulary Learning Strategies ◽

English Major

One of the major challenges that learners face during the process of foreign language learning is acquiring vocabulary. Thus, students need to employ various vocabulary learning strategies to acquire the vocabulary of a foreign language. The present study attempts to identify the vocabulary learning strategies employed by Saudi English major students. This study also aims to examine if there are differences between male and female students in the pattern and frequency of strategy use. Sixty-five first-year English major students of Majmaah University participated in the study. Their vocabulary learning strategies were measured using the Vocabulary Learning Strategy Survey. The results showed that students preferred cognitively less demanding strategies compared to the ones that required deeper cognitive processing. The most frequently used strategies were “I try to remember the word by repeating it for several times,” “I try to guess the meaning of the word from text/context” and “I learn new words when I interact with native speakers.” In general, social strategy is the most used strategy while memory strategy is the least used. The findings also showed that males preferred social strategy compared to females who preferred cognitive strategy and that two strategies (cognitive and memory strategies) showed significant differences between the two genders.

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Meaningful Learning and Its Implications for Language Education in Vietnam

Journal of language and Education ◽

10.17323/2411-7390-2019-5-1-98-102 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 98-102

Author(s):

Bui Phu Hung

Keyword(s):

Foreign Language ◽

Language Learning ◽

Cognitive Processing ◽

English Language ◽

Language Use ◽

Language Teaching ◽

Meaningful Learning ◽

Foreign Language Learning ◽

Language Education ◽

English Language Teaching

This paper attempts to make an argument for meaningful learning as an essential factor in the teaching of English as a foreign language. Meaningful learning rests its theories against cognitive processing. While contemporary literature shows knowledge of language in general is essential for second language use, this research is mainly concerned with ways of improving students’ language use. It has proved that meaningful learning facilitates the retention of knowledge as it makes learners organize their knowledge logically. In the classroom, the teacher should offer activities that relate the new input to learners’ existing knowledge, for which cognitive engagement is required. In English language teaching, it is important for teachers to know that learner-centeredness should be applied because they are the ones who process knowledge. This paper begins with an overview of different approaches of foreign language teaching, then presents theories in which meaningful learning is grounded and rooted. The discussion of how one’s knowledge of a first language is essential for foreign language learning is given prior to giving implications of meaningful learning in the Vietnamese context.

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