Multilingualism at all Costs: Language Use and Language Needs in Business in Brussels

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurence Mettewie ◽  
Luk Van Mensel
Keyword(s):  
Language Use ◽  
Language Needs

scholarly journals Test de Français Laval-Montreal: Does It Measure What It Should Measure?

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 ◽  
pp. 87
Author(s):  
Romain Schmitt ◽  
Shahrzad Saif
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Target Language ◽  
French Language ◽  
Task Characteristics ◽  
Language Abilities ◽  
High Stakes ◽  
Formation Initiale ◽  
Teacher Training Programs ◽  
Language Needs

This article reports on a study conducted as part of a larger investigation of the predictive validity of the Test de Français Laval-Montreal (TFLM), a high-stakes French language test used for admission and placement purposes for Teacher- Training Programs (TTPs) in major francophone universities in Canada (Schmitt, 2015). The objective of this study is to examine the validity of TFLM tasks for measuring language abilities required by tasks common to the Target Language Use (TLU; Bachman & Palmer, 2010) domains in which preservice teachers are expected to function. Adopting Messick’s conception of construct validity (1989) and Bachman & Palmer’s Framework of Task Characteristics (2010), the study features a comprehensive task analysis detailing the characteristics of TFLM tasks in contrast to those of three major TLU academic and instructional contexts linked to the test. The results of the study are discussed in terms of the standards of validity (Messick, 1996) and qualities of usefulness (Bachman & Palmer, 1996). Findings suggest that TFLM tasks and constructs do not represent those of the TLU contexts and do not address the language needs of preservice teachers as identified by the Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport (MELS). The implications for the consequential aspect of TFLM validity and the potential nega- tive consequences of TFLM use as an admission test are discussed. Cet article présente une partie d’une étude plus complète sur la validité prédictive du Test de Français Laval-Montréal (TFLM), test de langue française à enjeux critiques utilisé comme test d’admission et de placement dans les programmes de formation initiale en enseignement d’importantes universités francophones au Canada (Schmitt, 2015). Le but de ce e étude est d’analyser la validité des tâches du TFLM à des fins d’évaluation des compétences linguistiques exigées dans les tâches communes aux domaines d’utilisation de la langue cible dans lesquels les enseignants en formation doivent fonctionner (Target Language Use (TLU); Bachman & Palmer, 2010). Basée sur la conception de la validité conceptuelle de Messick (1989) et le cadre d’analyse des caractéristiques des tâches de Bachman & Palmer (2010), l’étude compare de manière détaillée les tâches du TFLM à celles de trois contextes académiques et pédagogiques d’emploi de la langue cible. Les résultats de cette analyse sont évalués en termes de validité (Messick, 1996) et des qualités des tests (Bachman & Palmer, 1996). Les résultats indiquent que les tâches du TFLM et les construits qu’il est sensé évaluer ne correspondent pas à ceux des contextes d’emploi de la langue cible et ne répondent pas aux besoins des ensei- gnants en formation tels qu’identi és par le Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport (MELS). La validité du TFLM, les conséquences ainsi que les aspects potentiellement négatifs de son utilisation comme test d’admission sont discutés. 

scholarly journals Extracting Significant Words in Engineering Texts for Specialised Language Descriptions

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 5862-5868
Keyword(s):  
Language Use ◽  
Visual Representations ◽  
Academic Discourse ◽  
Multivariate Technique ◽  
Technical Vocabulary ◽  
Reference Corpus ◽  
Language Needs ◽  
British National Corpus ◽  
Potential Tool ◽  
National Corpus

The academic discourse of a specialised language is characterised by specialised and technical vocabulary, and lexicogrammar. Studies on language description suggest the need to explore and determine the specific characteristics of the academic discourse of each specialised language, to serve the language needs of the learners. This study demonstrates an exploration of this discipline specificity by looking at the nouns used in a specialised language - an Engineering English. It attempts to integrate a multivariate technique, i.e. the Correspondence Analysis (CA), as a tool to extract significant nouns in a specialised language for any further language use scrutiny. CA allows visual representations of the word interrelationships across different genres in a specialised language. To exemplify this, an Engineering English Corpus (E2C) was created. E2C is composed of two sub-corpora (genres): Engineering reference books (RBC) and online journals articles (EJC). The British National Corpus (BNC) was used as the reference corpus. 30 key-key-nouns were identified from the E2C, and the frequency lists of the words were retrieved from all the corpora to run the CA. The CA maps of the nouns display how these corpora are different from each other, as well as, which words characterise not only E2C from a general corpus (BNC), but also the different genres in E2C. Thus, CA proves to be a potential tool to display words which characterise not only a specialised corpus from a general corpus, but also the different genres in that specialised corpus. This study promises more informed descriptions of a specialised language can be made with the identification of specific and significant vocabulary for any academic discourse investigations.

ANALYSIS OF ENGLISH FOR BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION STUDENTS

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 131
Author(s):  
Lucia Septiana
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Business Administration ◽  
Needs Analysis ◽  
Education Management ◽  
Business Administration Students ◽  
Language Needs ◽  
Vocational Student ◽  
Collection Methods ◽  
Administration Students

The importance of needs analysis is fundamental in vocational student learning. Therefore this study aims to identify English language needs for business administration students at Amik. The focus of this study is to find out whether students need to learn English in business administration, lecturer teaching materials for students whether it is in accordance with their skills (majors), references to students' English books are relevant to their needs. To find answers a qualitative approach was mixed with a quantitative approach in mixed methods. Data was collected through questionnaires, interviews, and documentary studies to check data trust. Data collection methods that refer to language skills, language use, teaching methods and other related issues for needs analysis. The informants of this study were students, lecturers and Amik Dapernas LP3I Padang education management. The results of this study indicate that 1), AMIK students in Dapernas need English skills that will be used in business administration is the ability to read and write. 2), English material used by lecturers does not suit the needs of business administration students, 3) materials and handbooks for business administration students do not fully complement the students' English needs. Based on these findings, it is recommended that an analysis of the English language needs of students to find out the interests, needs and shortcomings of business administration students in English. Then, lecturers and education staff need to conduct evaluations of English language needs of students based on their chosen majors.

scholarly journals Vertical and horizontal language needs

2021 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-36
Author(s):  
Juraj Dolník
Keyword(s):  
Language Use ◽  
Proper Names ◽  
Special Regard ◽  
Objective Truth ◽  
Horizontal Orientation ◽  
Governing Factor ◽  
Language Communication ◽  
Language Needs ◽  
Language Modality

Abstract The author asked the question of how the vertical and horizontal orientation of man manifests itself in his linguistic world. He follows the interpretations of the philosopher P. Sloterdijk and accepts the thesis that man’s activities are governed by his vertical and horizontal needs. He emphasizes that one experiences a vertical need as a need to have access to objective truth as well as a paradigmatic need, that is, the need to discover a pattern for one’s own behavior and action. In contrast, horizontal needs motivate him to concentrate on his own self-realization potential. He then develops the idea that a person also in the language modality has both horizontal and vertical needs and demonstrates how these needs manifest themselves in language communication and then in naming units with special regard to proper names. The interpretation of language communication and naming units from the perspective of these needs led the author to conclude that the fundamental governing factor of language use is the truth.

scholarly journals Examining Undergraduate Students’ and In-Service Graduates’ Perceptions of Their Professionally Oriented Foreign Language Needs

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-84
Author(s):  
Irina Yakusheva ◽  
Olga Marina ◽  
Oksana Demchenkova
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Foreign Language Education ◽  
University Graduates ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Language Needs ◽  
The University

Increasing workplace demands on foreign languages skills in professional settings call for a number of considerable changes in the university learning context regarding foreign language teaching. The present study aimed to assess the language needs within and across employed university graduates, first, third, and fourth-year students of non-language majors to further inform such changes. All four language skills, the context of both current foreign language education programs and the use of a foreign language at the workplace were considered. Questionnaires including Likert scale, multiple choice, and open-ended items were distributed among 110 students and 35 currently employed graduates. Descriptive statistics and one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey HSD and Holm-Bonferroni tests were used to analyze the data. The results indicated several areas of agreement among the participants: A clear need for all four language skills to be developed as high as C2 level and the consistent need to improve speaking. However, several noticeable discrepancies between the perceptions of the target groups regarding the context of workplace language use, such as how often, where, and with whom they expect to communicate, and need for professionally oriented foreign language were revealed. Overall, students may need to be more informed about the challenges regarding the workplace context for language use.

scholarly journals THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE STUDENT AS AN ETHNOGRAPHER: LANGUAGE GAMES AND ETHNOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUES FOR ENHANCING THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE THROUGH STUDYING FOREIGN LANGUAGE CULTURE

Neofilolog ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 265-286
Author(s):  
Dorota Owczarek
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Language Games ◽  
Intercultural Communicative Competence ◽  
Cultural Behavior ◽  
Linguistic Ethnography ◽  
Language Needs

The present paper aims at finding ways to solve the problem of how to teach culture, showing the connections between culture and language, while at the same time striving to develop intercultural competence. In the author’s opinion, the ethnography of speaking is the answer. Starting with an overview of what ethnography offers to intercultural communicative competence, this paper supports the idea of implementing an approach close to the ethnography of speaking and shows how linguistic ethnography might be implemented into the study of culture in order to show the relationships between language use, cultural behavior and values. This approach rests upon the belief that the implicit knowledge applied in use of a language needs deeper analysis in order to enhance students’ symbolic competence, which in turn enhances their intercultural competence. Examples used in the analysis to justify this claim derive from material used during a course in General English, or courses of British and American Studies. The concept of language-games as proposed by Wittgenstein, who pays attention to the context of language use at the micro level, is applied. The suggestion is to position this analysis in the field of the ethnography of speaking, or linguistic ethnography, and extend the role of a student to one of a linguistic ethnographer. Ethnographic techniques implemented in the analysis of language use and its context might contribute to the development of symbolic competence as complementary to intercultural communicative competence.

English for university admin staff: it’s all in the mix

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 235-243
Author(s):  
Pete Westbrook
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Course Evaluations ◽  
Administrative Staff ◽  
Specific Group ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Language Courses ◽  
Language Needs ◽  
The University ◽  
Activity Report

Abstract As a result of increasing internationalisation, the University of Copenhagen established the Centre for Internationalisation and Parallel Language Use (CIP) in 2008 as a research, competence development and resource centre. Part of CIP’s remit is to provide language training (mainly in Danish and English) for students and staff at the University. While there has been a lot of focus on teaching and learning through the medium of English, the language needs of administrative staff seem to have been neglected. They are expected to communicate with international students, teachers and researchers who do not necessarily speak the local language. This activity report looks at how CIP has set about meeting these needs by developing specific terminology-based language courses in English for university administrative staff, including HR, finance and study administrative staff. The terminology taught on the courses is tailored to the specific group of participants; however, a basic framework of activities is used as the starting point for all the terminology courses. As participants’ course evaluations have been overwhelmingly positive about the blend of activities, this paper reports on the design of the framework and how it is applied to the courses in practice.

Word Prompt Programs

1997 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 57-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa A. Wood ◽  
Joan L. Rankin ◽  
David R. Beukelman
Keyword(s):  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Current Literature ◽  
Word Processing ◽  
Computer Software ◽  
Written Language ◽  
Written Communication ◽  
Speech Language Pathologists ◽  
Basic Word ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Language Needs

Word prompt programs are computer software programs or program features that are used in addition to basic word processing. These programs provide word lists from which a user selects a desired word and inserts it into a line of text. This software is used to support individuals with severe speech, physical, and learning disabilities. This tutorial describes the features of a variety of word prompt programs and reviews the current literature on the use of these programs by people with oral and written language needs. In addition, a matrix that identifies the features contained in eight sample word prompt programs is provided. The descriptions of features and the matrix are designed to assist speech-language pathologists and teachers in evaluating and selecting word prompt programs to support their clients' oral and written communication.

Linguistic Competence in Aphasia

2008 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 87-92
Author(s):  
Leonard L. LaPointe
Keyword(s):  
Language Use ◽  
Linguistic Competence ◽  
Careful Study ◽  
Feral Children ◽  
Performance Factors ◽  
Performance Loss ◽  
Linguistic Rules ◽  
Communication Goals ◽  
Aphasia Treatment ◽  
And Performance

Abstract Loss of implicit linguistic competence assumes a loss of linguistic rules, necessary linguistic computations, or representations. In aphasia, the inherent neurological damage is frequently assumed by some to be a loss of implicit linguistic competence that has damaged or wiped out neural centers or pathways that are necessary for maintenance of the language rules and representations needed to communicate. Not everyone agrees with this view of language use in aphasia. The measurement of implicit language competence, although apparently necessary and satisfying for theoretic linguistics, is complexly interwoven with performance factors. Transience, stimulability, and variability in aphasia language use provide evidence for an access deficit model that supports performance loss. Advances in understanding linguistic competence and performance may be informed by careful study of bilingual language acquisition and loss, the language of savants, the language of feral children, and advances in neuroimaging. Social models of aphasia treatment, coupled with an access deficit view of aphasia, can salve our restless minds and allow pursuit of maximum interactive communication goals even without a comfortable explanation of implicit linguistic competence in aphasia.

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