REFLECTION AND STRATEGIES IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING.Jennifer Ridley. Frankfurt am Main: Lang, 1997. Pp. 260. $51.95 paper.

1999 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 499-500
Author(s):  
Linda Bender

Ridley addresses two developments in language teaching and SLA research. The first development is toward learner autonomy through self-reflection. None of her subjects reported learning a language in a classroom with a focus on learning strategies, though Ridley documents their individual preferred learning strategies with data from the beginning of the study. She then formulates her first hypothesis, “that individual learners have their own preferred lexical problem-solving strategies and patterns of reflective monitoring which are manifest when they speak and also write in the target language” (p. 20).

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 293-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirosław Pawlak ◽  
Magdalena Szyszka

Disparate goals that learners might have in learning second or foreign language pronunciation and the scant classroom time that can be dedicated to teaching this target language subsystem dictate that learner autonomy is of vital importance in this case and adept use of pronunciation learning strategies (PLS) can be viewed as key to the development of this attribute. Surprisingly, research on these strategies is scarce, mainly focusing on the identification and classification of PLS, diverse instruments are used for data collection and the findings are inconclusive. The paper provides an overview of the available research on PLS with respect to their identification, learners’ preferences concerning their use, factors mediating the application of PLS, and the effects of strategies-based instruction in this area. An attempt is also made to assess research of this kind and to suggest how it could be taken forward to provide insights that would be of value to practitioners.


Author(s):  
Amal Msimeer ◽  
Eman Elmejie ◽  
◽  

This paper presents an experimental research study in which the two researchers aim to promote learner autonomy in language learning by means of learner-produced learning materials. The study was conducted at the Department of English in the Faculty of Arts in Misurata, Libya during the academic term-spring 2018. The participants were 50 Libyan students who major in English and they were all enrolled in semester 2 and studied Grammar II course. The participants were required to produce their own learning material which was about a particular grammar item. Semi-structured interviews with the participants were undertaken to know about their reaction towards the experience of taking responsibility to create a learning material, what autonomous strategies they were able to develop while designing the learning materials, what type of learning materials they were able to produce. The findings of the current study revealed that learner autonomy can be fostered in EFL classes in Libya and that Libyan students can develop some autonomous learning strategies. It is concluded that learner-produced learning materials can be a successful and an effective tool to promote learner autonomy in EFL (English as a foreign language) classes.


2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taina M Wewer

This practice-oriented article, also applicable for general foreign and second language instruction, outlines experiences and classroom practices recognized as functional and effective in CLIL (content and language integrated learning) contexts. CLIL can be defined as a comprehensive approach to foreign language teaching because it aims at learning language through various content across the curriculum. Since one of the guidelines in the Finnish basic education is teacher autonomy, the fluctuation in materials, practices and methods is notable. Therefore, there is no sole authenticated model of CLIL implementation, but the practices rather vary significantly from one classroom to another. Furthermore, the extent of the target language (TL) exposure has an impact on the instructional choices as well as the pre-negotiated and defined learning objectives. In most cases, the primary aim is that the child learns to read and write in the mother tongue or the main language of instruction (most often Finnish in Finland), and the target language (in this case English) is gradually and increasingly incorporated into the everyday classroom practice. Hence, instruction is bilingual. Research on foreign language teaching and learning helps to formulate some of the recurring linguistic practices in CLIL classrooms which is important in shaping the language used for social purposes. The integration of language and content and academic language need special attention in CLIL. In a similar manner, assessment of the target language, has to be specifically addressed. I will touch upon all these issues in the three main sections drawing on CLIL instruction with approximately 25% English exposure of total instruction.  


10.47908/9/9 ◽  
2013 ◽  
pp. 170-178
Author(s):  
Gerhild Janser-Munro ◽  
Tanja Psonder

This article reports on two best practice examples which incorporate principles of learner autonomy into two different technical courses in tertiary education. These principles include encouraging active learner involvement, self-reflection and peer evaluation as well as target language use and a focus on individual learning styles. The approach applied has been developed based on real experiences from teaching the General English and Technical English courses as part of the Information Management and Construction Design and Economics Bachelor Degree programmes at the FH Joanneum University of Applied Sciences. The goal of this approach is to move away from frontal teaching and to let students develop their own learning materials, experience the social dimension of peer evaluation and become aware of the importance of addressing the needs of different learner types. Thus, students develop their individual autonomy and at the same time integrate their field-related knowledge with a foreign language.


ReCALL ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
TUIJA LEHTONEN ◽  
SIRPA TUOMAINEN

This article discusses the applications of the theory of Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) to teaching and learning a foreign language, in this case, one of the ‘Less Commonly Taught Languages’, Finnish. The ‘Virtually Finnish’ project was based on the idea of creating a larger, virtual Finnish learning community among the second-year Finnish language students in five US universities during the fall semester, 2001. CSCL was chosen as a base, as its principal goal is to aid the learners in sharing and distributing their knowledge to the whole learning community. In addition to discussing the set up and the content of the project, the students’ feedback about their language learning experience in the CSCL-environment will be examined. Furthermore, the conclusions, and the realization of our goals from the perspective of CSCL, as well as the students’ feedback on the collaborative process will be discussed. Based on the knowledge gained from limited feedback, a discussion of tools to aid language students in becoming a part of motivating and authentic collaboration projects on-line will be discussed. Looking at the students’ work on-line, as well as the feedback received, it was realized that certain skills crucial for communication have been neglected in teaching. Furthermore, it was realized that teaching on-line learning strategies in addition to teaching the target language is crucial. Future plans, and ideas for research in the area of CSCL will be shared in anticipation of inspiring others to undertake further research.


Author(s):  
Angelo Magno De Jesus ◽  
Ismar Frango Silveira

Computational Thinking (CT) can amplify learners’ skill sets so that they become excellent problem-solvers. Game-Based Learning and Collaborative Learning are two approaches that may aid in the development of CT skills. This paper describes a framework based on Game and Problem-Based Learning Strategies which aims to enhance the CT teaching and improves students’ social skills, considering aspects of fun. The framework stands out for including collaborative learning features defined in the main literature. Also, the strategy was developed specifically to fit the games’ dynamics. The approach was evaluated via metacognitive and transactive analysis and by a survey. The results showed evidence that the method is able to stimulate interaction among students to apply problem-solving strategies.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (XXII) ◽  
pp. 171-186
Author(s):  
Anna Godzich

This paper discusses the presence of food-related phraseology in Italian football language and Italian football chronicles and its Polish functional equivalents. The study demonstrates the significance of the relation between contrastive linguistics and applied phraseology as brodino and mozzarella have more than one functional equivalent in Polish. Brodino can be translated as strzał tylko do statystyk, zbyt lekki strzał, zbyt lekki strzał w sam środek bramki and mozzarella as niesatysfakcjonujący remis, niedosyt, ciężkostrawny podział punktów, zwycięstwo potrzebne z uwagi na trudną sytuację w tabeli, trzy cenne punkty. As the author indicates, the presence of food-related phraseological units in Italian football terminology proves that culture-related aspects are crucial to master the target language. Hence, the role of such terminology in transla-tion of specialist and journalistic texts and the role of phraseological competences in the process of foreign language teaching should be highly important in educational processes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 31-36
Author(s):  
Dung Nguyen Tri Tran

The global language teaching community has largely spotlighted students’ autonomous learning for the last few decades. Through the thorough review of the existing literature on learner autonomy, this article aims to theoretically investigate this concept as well as clearly specify the roles played by teachers and students in an autonomy-oriented classroom. Autonomous learning is not at all synonymous with the absolute elimination of teacher’s role and learner-learner relationships. In fact, language instructors need to comprehend their roles in a multidimensional way, and students are supposed to be responsibly active for their own learning process as well as positively interdependent for academic cooperation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Zuzana Straková

Abstract Teaching foreign languages has adopted various approaches over the history. The last decades of dominance of the Communicative language teaching brought the tendency to insist on the target language use in the classroom in order to allow the immersion into the language. The European Union, however, started to support linguistic diversity more than two decades ago and it has left an imprint on the way foreign language teaching is approached today. Inclusion of plurilingualism in traditional school context requires the readiness of language teachers to use other languages as well as encourage learners to use their prior language experience. The present study presents the results of a questionnaire survey among student teachers measuring their attitudes and readiness to implement more than one additional language in their practice. The participants of the study (n = 118) are all future teachers of English language at both undergraduate and graduate level. The results of the survey indicate a generally positive attitude towards plurilingualism and at the same time ability of the students to rely on more than one language while teaching. The results, however, raise quite a few questions and imperatives for the content of teacher training programmes as well as for the organisation of language education in general.


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