Peer assistance among mixed-age pairs in mixed-age EFL secondary school classrooms in Germany

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomas Kos
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Peer Interactions ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Language Classrooms ◽  
Peer Assistance ◽  
Major Factors ◽  
Mixed Age

AbstractDrawing from a sociocultural framework, this paper reports a study which investigated peer assistance among 10 mixed-age pairs (n=20) in mixed-age English as a foreign language (EFL) secondary school classrooms in Germany which are simultaneously mixed-ability classrooms. Mixed-age is increasingly used (Kallery and Loupidou 2016; Kuhl et al. 2013; Thurn 2011), but is under-researched in language classrooms. Although some research has been conducted in L2 mixed-proficiency settings, there has been no study conducted on peer-interactions within mixed-age groups/pairs in L2 contexts. This study aims to lay the foundations for future research of peer interactions among M-A second language learners. Results show that mixed-age pairs assisted one another in ways similar to those found in teacher-learner interactions, while some in ways which resemble to what Donato (1988, 1994) called collective scaffolding. However, the extent that this assistance benefited learning varied across learners. The findings also suggest that rather than age, the relationship between learners seems to be one of the major factors mediating the extent and quality of assistance.

scholarly journals Teaching listening to older second language learners: Classroom implications

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-155
Author(s):  
Agata Słowik
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Language Classrooms ◽  
State Of Research ◽  
Listening Strategies

Listening is often listed as the most challenging language skill that the students need to learn in the language classrooms. Therefore the awareness of listening strategies and techniques, such as bottom-up and top-down processes, specific styles of listening, or various compensatory strategies, prove to facilitate the process of learning of older individuals. Indeed, older adult learners find decoding the aural input, more challenging than the younger students. Therefore, both students’ and teachers’ subjective theories and preferences regarding listening comprehension as well as the learners’ cognitive abilities should be taken into account while designing a teaching model for this age group. The aim of this paper is, thus, to draw the conclusions regarding processes, styles and strategies involved in teaching listening to older second language learners and to juxtapose them with the already existing state of research regarding age-related hearing impairments, which will serve as the basis for future research.

scholarly journals The relationship between phonotactic awareness and pronunciation in adult second language learners

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 185-214
Author(s):  
Hanna Kivistö-de Souza
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Decision Task ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Language Classrooms ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
L1 English ◽  
L2 Pronunciation

Abstract: This study examined to what extent L1 Brazilian Portuguese (BP) EFL learners are aware of L2 phonotactics and whether there would be a relationship between L2 phonotactic awareness and L2 pronunciation accuracy. The language learners were tested regarding their awareness of L2 onset consonant clusters with a lexical decision task presenting nonword stimuli with legal and illegal onset clusters. L2 pronunciation was measured with a Foreign Accent Rating Task. The results showed that L1 BP participants showed a high awareness concerning L2 phonotactics, not differing from L1 English speakers, t(86)=.20, p =.83. Furthermore, high phonotactic awareness was found to be related to higher accuracy in L2 pronunciation (r= -.46, p <.001). The results suggest that phonotactics should be taught in foreign language classrooms since increasing learners’ awareness might be beneficial for the accuracy of their L2 pronunciation.

Attitudes and Motivations of Adult Spanish Language Learners: A Comparison of Heritage Language Learners and Second Language Learners

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet S. Oh ◽  
Bertha A. Nash
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Heritage Language ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Language Learner ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Heritage Language Learners ◽  
Background Factors ◽  
Learning Success

Research on background factors in adult language learners’ success has largely focused on first-time learners of a second language. In this study, we utilize a well-established second language learner model (the Socioeducational Model; Gardner, 1985a) to compare heritage language and second language learners in a first-semester college Spanish class. Participants (31 heritage language learners; 80 second language learners) completed a survey at the end of the semester assessing their ethnic identity, language backgrounds, attitudes and motivation toward learning Spanish. Course grades were collected as a measure of language learning success. Results indicate that heritage language learners and second language learners are similar on most background factors, but that the background factors predicting each group’s language learning success are quite different. Implications for our understanding of language learners and future research directions are discussed.

Digital media users and Facebook hashtags' misinterpretations

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. 1183-1198
Author(s):  
Umbreen Tariq ◽  
Summaira Sarfraz ◽  
Ali Abbas
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Digital Media ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
Intended Meaning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Major Factors

PurposeThis paper examines reasons of pragmatic functions' misinterpretation of three types of Facebook hashtags: long, short and multiple mixed hashtags.Design/methodology/approachFocus group interviews of 15 English language learners, who are also active users of Facebook and hashtags, are conducted. Thematic analysis is performed through the software Nvivo for arriving at reliable findings.FindingsThe findings show that unknown vocabulary in contents and lowercasing in long and short hashtags are major factors that cause misinterpretation. Also, the symbol of underscore and appropriate usage of upper and lowercasing of alphabets should be adopted in hashtag writing for the improvement in communication and successful conveyance of the intended meaning.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the online hashtag writing style by finding reasons for the misinterpretations of different types of hashtags. Hashtags have been developed for adequate communication (Livingstone, 2012), but in Pakistan, hashtags are practiced as a “fashionable” trend and thus result in misinterpretation and inadequate communication among readers even of the same background (Tariq and Sarfraz, 2018). Moreover, this study focuses on the trend of hashtagging that is common among university students and particularly second-language learners because they are active users of Facebook and adopt the latest trends quickly.

scholarly journals Pronunciation Obstacle Course

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 382
Author(s):  
Igor Ivanović
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Speech Sound ◽  
Language Classrooms ◽  
University Professor ◽  
Minor Part ◽  
L2 Perception ◽  
Major Factors ◽  
A Minor ◽  
The Way

Form our experience as a university professor, many language classrooms are not attentive to pronunciation and it is often neglected. The two major factors contributing to this situation are teachers’ inability to teach their students proper pronunciation (pronunciation does not exist in or is a minor part of school curricula or teachers themselves are unable to produce native or native-like pronunciation) and the linguistic barrier posed by the native language. For instance, students sometimes feel great discomfort if they have to express themselves in a foreign language. In case of Montenegro, certain English phonemes such as /θ/, classified as a voiceless dental fricative and /ð/, classified as a voiced dental fricative, when used in our language, represent the way a person with a speech sound disorder would speak. On the more positive note, our students, more and more, travel to different countries, which improves their ability to speak a foreign language fluently and attain a native-like accent. In this paper, we will deal with certain misconceptions about pronunciation and then our attention will turn to elements affecting the way pronunciation is learnt. Towards the end of our paper, we will consider what language learners need in terms of improving their pronunciation. This is of vital importance since pronunciation may be a great contributing factor, leading to an improved L2 perception.

scholarly journals Frameworks of Intercultural Language Teaching: A Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 150
Author(s):  
Long Chen ◽  
Peng Yi
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Acquisition ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Influence Factors ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Teaching Intervention ◽  
Specific Level ◽  
Teaching Paradigm

This article mainly summarizes the important achievements of domestic intercultural teaching research from the perspective of intercultural competence and teaching and finds that the research of intercultural teaching has gradually shifted from being teacher-centred to learner-centred, focusing on the influence factors of intercultural teaching intervention by different methods and students' intercultural and the improvement of communicative competence, and the teaching paradigm. However, the application background of existing research has certain limitations, and insufficient attention has been paid to learners' own differences. Future research can further research on specific level one or all level students explore ways and methods to effectively improve the intercultural knowledge and abilities of second language learners, and further, promote the optimization of intercultural knowledge acquisition and implement and teaching theories.

scholarly journals The Critical Intersection of Heritage Language Learning and eTandem Learning Environments

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 ◽  
pp. 97-112
Author(s):  
Alexis Vollmer Rivera ◽  
Kaitlyn Teske
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Mobile Applications ◽  
Heritage Language ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Learning Technologies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Power Structures ◽  
Apparent Lack ◽  
The Individual

At first glance, the growing popularity of eTandem mobile applications for language learning purposes seems to facilitate the connection and collaboration of speakers from all different locations and walks of life. However, when looking more deeply at the design of these applications, an exclusive dichotomy is revealed that prescribes use only by Native Speakers (NS) and Second Language Learners (L2), leaving no consideration for the needs of Heritage Language Learners (HLL). This perpetuation of the hierarchical ranking of language learners and speakers mirrors these same power structures that are present in society (Valdés, González, López García, & Márquez, 2003). In order to explore the apparent lack of space for HLL, this study critically analyzes two eTandem mobile applications, HelloTalk and Tandem. By means of Content Analysis (Krippendorff, 1989) of the applications’ affordances informed by a Critical Applied Linguistics framework (Pennycook, 2001), the study finds that there are various features that might offer HLL a space within this environment and foster their affective and educational needs. However, these features are not a primary focus of the application design and the way in which these features could be used to support HLLs’ development is totally dependent on the individual experiences of each user. Utilizing these findings, the investigators offer a set of suggestions for future research in order to advocate for social change manifested by the inclusion of HLL in language learning technologies. In addition, they discuss pedagogical implications for the current state of affairs in order to prepare HLL for interaction with these virtual power structures.

scholarly journals Lexical richness in adolescent writing, insights from the classroom: An L1 vocabulary development study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Rebecca Hamilton White
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
School Context ◽  
Vocabulary Development ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Lexical Development ◽  
Lexical Richness

<p>This thesis constitutes a mixed-methods enquiry into how vocabulary develops across adolescence, within the context of New Zealand secondary schools. A quantitative approach was adopted to investigate vocabulary use in authentic written essays produced by secondary school English students (N=141) belonging to three age groups: 13-14, 15-16, and 17-18, from eight schools. Essays were analysed for the following three lexical richness features: lexical variation, lexical sophistication, and lexical density. With links between these lexical richness features and vocabulary size/skill in vocabulary use (Vermeer, 2000; Ravid & Zilberbuch, 2003; Malvern, Richards, Chipere, & Durán, 2009), signs of development were studied through comparison of scores across the three age groups. Quantitative findings indicate significant lexical development across year levels in the data set. Furthermore, the findings suggest that within the period of adolescence there is an even more specific period in which substantial development takes place: 15-18 years, or later adolescence.  The qualitative aspect of this study focussed on identifying teacher perspectives on influences from within the secondary school context impacting on vocabulary development during this significant period of acquisition. Seven secondary school English teachers were interviewed on the subject of lexical development as it occurs within the schooling environment. Contributions from the school curriculum to vocabulary acquisition were observed, with spikes in curriculum difficulty from year 11 (age 15-16) onward corresponding with the developmental spike observed in the quantitative data further supporting this observation. Non-schooling related influences were also identified, including cognitive development, reading habits, and attitude and orientation toward vocabulary.  The present study contributes to the growing field of later language acquisition through identification of a possible period of heightened development within the adolescent years. Importantly, it also highlights factors in students’ everyday school lives which may contribute to their lexical development, raising implications both for those wishing to promote lexical development within the secondary school population, and more globally for our understanding of how heightened development occurs during this period. The study concludes with implications for theory, research and practice, together with limitations of the study and future research directions arising from this research.</p>

Second Language Learners' Spoken Discourse

2017 ◽  
pp. 367-389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catia Cucchiarini ◽  
Helmer Strik
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
Speech Technology ◽  
Spoken Discourse ◽  
Learning And Teaching

This chapter examines the use of Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) technology in the context of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) and language learning and teaching research. A brief introduction to ASR is first provided, to make it clear why and how this technology can be used to the benefit of learning and development in second language (L2) spoken discourse. This is followed by an overview of the state of the art in research on ASR-based CALL. Subsequently, a number of relevant projects on ASR-based CALL conducted at the Centre for Language and Speech Technology of the Radboud University in Nijmegen (the Netherlands) are presented. Possible solutions and recommendations are discussed given the current state of the technology with an explanation of how such systems can be used to the benefit of Discourse Analysis research. The chapter concludes with a discussion of possible perspectives for future research and development.

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