scholarly journals TOWARDS AN UNDERSTANDING OF TARGET LANGUAGE USE IN THE EFL CLASSROOM: A REPORT FROM NORWAY

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (Special) ◽  
pp. 137 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANNA KRULATZ ◽  
GEORGIOS NEOKLEOUS ◽  
FRØYDIS VIK HENNINGSEN
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Future Research ◽  
College Credits ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Foreign Language Acquisition ◽  
Experience Teaching

For a considerable number of years, mother tongue (MT) use has been ostracized in English as a foreign language (EFL) classrooms as a form of poor teaching that negatively affects target language (TL) acquisition (McMillan and Rivers, 2011). However, research on the potential disadvantages of teaching approaches that integrate MT use is inconclusive, as is research on the positive effects of an all-TL learning environment (Hall and Cook, 2012). Thus, EFL teachers who share the same language with their students are often left wondering to what extent and in what contexts they should employ TL and MT. Unlike the curricula of other countries, where policy makers often suggest the maximal use of TL, the Norwegian curriculum for the subject of English does not contain any direct statements prescribing English as the sole language of instruction. The present study investigated the perceptions of Norwegian primary school teachers in different grades regarding their TL use when teaching EFL using an online survey. Specifically, the project addressed the following research questions: (1) How often do teachers use English in the EFL classroom? (2) In what situations and for what purposes do teachers use the TL? (3) Is there a correlation between years of teaching experience and the amount of TL use in the classroom? (4) Do teachers who have college credits in English employ the TL to a larger extent than the teachers who do not? The participants’ self-reports suggest that while the TL is used up to 50% of the time, its use varied from giving instructions and stating objectives to giving praise and criticism. This implies that Norwegian teachers may employ the TL to a lesser extent than the existing literature suggests (Macaro, 2005). However, no correlation was found between the amount of TL used and teachers’ expertise in and experience teaching the TL. To caution against an overdependence on MT, the article concludes by reiterating the need to develop and define systematic practices of MT use that facilitate foreign language acquisition and by calling for future research to shed light on bilingual or multilingual approaches in foreign language teaching.

scholarly journals Foreign-language teaching and studying in Chilean and Finnish classrooms as seen by teachers

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pirjo Harjanne ◽  
Claudio Díaz Larenas ◽  
Seppo Tella
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Student Centered ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Context Dependent

Abstract This article reports Chilean and Finnish foreign-language (FL) teachers’ perceptions of teaching and study realities in their own FL classrooms. Communicative language teaching (CLT) is used as the teaching–studying–learning methodological framework of an international KIELO project (= the acronym for Finnish “kieltenopetus” meaning “language teaching”), whose online survey was used to collect data for this article. We aim at answering the following research question: What are the FL teachers’ main approaches to teaching and studying in Chilean and Finnish FL classrooms and what is the FL classroom teaching and study reality like in these two countries? The data were collected from 83 Chilean and 147 Finnish FL teachers through an online survey covering 15 key themes of CLT and including 115 Likert-scale statements and 8 open-ended questions. In the descriptive data analysis, both Chilean and Finnish FL teachers claim that they encourage their students to use the target language considerably and that they use communicative oral tasks. For both groups of participants, however, teacher-centeredness and use of textbook score relatively high. The two-cluster analysis revealed a context-dependent cluster and a context-independent cluster. Context-dependent teachers tended to favor communicative oral tasks, real-life tasks and their own language tasks, whereas context-independent teachers favored more non-communicative tasks. Context-dependent teachers proved more student-centered than context-independent teachers. For Chilean and Finnish research participants, the use of mother tongue in foreign language classrooms appears to be an issue despite the growing need of foreign language communication.

scholarly journals GRAMMATICAL EQUIVALENCE IN TRANSLATING RUSSIAN ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS INTO ENGLISH

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 118
Author(s):  
Viktor Slepovitch
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Source Language

Grammatical equivalence in translation is both a subject of research and an important issue of teaching. Grammatical choices are especially hard in the process of translating from one’s mother tongue into a foreign language. This paper discusses some of the specifics of achieving grammatical equivalence in translating adjectives and adverbs from Russian (native source language) into English (foreign target language) based on the author’s translating and teaching experience reflected in his publications in this field of studies.

scholarly journals Overcoming the Grammar Barrier in Foreign Language Learning: The Role of Television Series

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 92-104
Author(s):  
Deborah Azaryad Shechter
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Corrective Feedback ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Grammar Instruction ◽  
Television Series ◽  
Authentic Language

Mastering the grammar of a foreign language requires learning the rules as well as the contexts within which the structures are used. Formal grammar instruction should therefore be augmented by exposing learners to authentic language. According to the literature, watching television series in the target language improves listening comprehension and enhances vocabulary acquisition. No study to date, however, has investigated the recursive use of one series, in the classroom and over an entire course, to explicitly teach grammar. Presenting apt pedagogical arguments substantiated by the literature on grammar instruction and evidence from the classroom, this article maintains that a television series can be an invaluable source of authentic language and an excellent means to teach grammar in context. It recommends using the dialogues in the scenes to teach and illustrate grammatical structures, especially those that are very different or do not exist in the learners’ mother tongue. The article also proposes giving students pertinent writing tasks and adequate corrective feedback to help them internalize these structures. Consistent with recent studies indicating a strong connection between emotion and cognition, this method raises the students’ motivation and enhances grammar learning; as such, it can supplant or complement conventional practices of grammar instruction and thereby warrants empirical studies. Finally, the article delineates directions for future research to elucidate how television series contribute to the teaching and learning of grammar.

Valodas kļūdas svešvalodu apguves procesā: studentu pieredzes atspoguļojums

2020 ◽  
pp. 352-364
Author(s):  
Diāna Laiveniece ◽  
Linda Lauze
Keyword(s):  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Affirmative Answer ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Communication Process ◽  
Language Usage ◽  
Language Teacher ◽  
Acquisition Process ◽  
Foreign Language Acquisition

Simultaneous learning, usage, convergence, and overlapping of a foreign language is a contemporary feature. In this process, anyone can be a language teacher and everything can serve as a teaching aid. It is not about acquiring a foreign language, but about acquiring it through any appropriate situation and material. People’s attitudes towards foreign language errors and their understanding of what it means to know a foreign language are changing categories that are currently affected by the increasingly widespread idea of plurilingualism. The aim of the research is to find out students’ linguistic attitude towards mistakes in the process of foreign language acquisition and language usage in practice. There are two types of errors in language acquisition: 1) accidental errors due to the influence of an interlanguage, which are fully within the competence of the learner at the time but this competence does not meet the standards of the target language yet; 2) performance errors when the language user is unable to exercise his/her competence adequately (EKPVA 2006, 136). These two types are not separated in Latvian linguodidactics, and there is just one term linguistic error. On the other hand, the English scientific literature distinguishes between error for random error and mistake for performance error. The research was carried out in 2018 and 2019 by interviewing 253 students of different nationalities and specialties from Liepaja, Ventspils and Riga. The survey (which went beyond the scope of this article) dealt with a number of questions regarding the language errors in the process of a foreign language acquisition and usage. - Have you asked a teacher or someone whose mother tongue is the language you are learning to correct your mistake when noticed? More than 76 % of respondents gave an affirmative answer to this question. - Should the teacher correct the mistakes of the learner in the language acquisition process? Almost 97 % of the responses to this question were positive. - Which correction of a mistake (teacher instruction, group mates’ reprimand, individual reprimand in real communication) is better remembered? More than 68 % of respondents believe that individual criticism in the real communication process is remembered better, only slightly more than a third of the respondents consider teacher’s instruction as more durable in the learning process. - Which mistakes (pronunciation, vocabulary, or grammar) do you think cause more confusion when communicating in a foreign language? 41 % of respondents believe that the most misunderstanding in communication is due to ignorance of vocabulary. Pronunciation errors and grammatical inaccuracies are considered less significant. Respondents answered this question mainly by combining answers. - Do you think that errors in the usage of a foreign language can disappear by themselves as knowledge and language usage practice increase? More than 82 % of the responses were positive. - How do you feel when a language teacher or some other foreign language person corrects what you have said or read aloud? The responses show that the majority of respondents perceive reprimand as normal and consider it a natural part of the language acquisition process. Only some respondents think that it is wrong to correct language mistakes. The study shows that students’ linguistic attitudes towards language errors are generally neutral and positive. The combination of answers and the comments made by the respondents have proved to be informative valuable, showing not only their personal experience but also the actual picture of foreign language acquisition: real language usage is the way to qualitative language acquisition.

scholarly journals Overcoming the Grammar Barrier in Foreign Language Learning: The Role of Television Series

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-72
Author(s):  
Deborah Azaryad Shechter
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Corrective Feedback ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Grammar Instruction ◽  
Television Series ◽  
Authentic Language

Mastering the grammar of a foreign language requires learning the rules as well as the contexts within which the structures are used. Formal grammar instruction should therefore be augmented by exposing learners to authentic language. According to the literature, watching television series in the target language improves listening comprehension and enhances vocabulary acquisition. No study to date, however, has investigated the recursive use of one series, in the classroom and over an entire course, to explicitly teach grammar. Presenting apt pedagogical arguments substantiated by the literature on grammar instruction and evidence from the classroom, this article maintains that a television series can be an invaluable source of authentic language and an excellent means to teach grammar in context. It recommends using the dialogues in the scenes to teach and illustrate grammatical structures, especially those that are very different or do not exist in the learners’ mother tongue. The article also proposes giving students pertinent writing tasks and adequate corrective feedback to help them internalize these structures. Consistent with recent studies indicating a strong connection between emotion and cognition, this method raises the students’ motivation and enhances grammar learning; as such, it can supplant or complement conventional practices of grammar instruction and thereby warrants empirical studies. Finally, the article delineates directions for future research to elucidate how television series contribute to the teaching and learning of grammar. This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Translating ambiguous and nonambiguous Words in a foreign Language

2003 ◽  
Vol 139-140 ◽  
pp. 129-152
Author(s):  
Paul Bogaards ◽  
Elisabeth Van Der Linden ◽  
Lydius Nienhuis
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
University Students ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Lexical Ambiguity ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Bilingual Lexicon ◽  
The Individual

The research to be reported on in this paper was originally motivated by the finding that about 70% of the mistakes made by university students when translating from their mother tongue (Dutch) into their foreign language (French) were lexical in nature (NIENHUIS et al. 1989). This was partially confinned in the investigation described in NIENHUIS et al. (1993). A closer look at the individual errors suggested that many problems were caused by words with more than one meaning which each require different translations in the target language. In the research reported on in this paper, we checked our fmdings in the light of what is known about the structure of the bilingual lexicon and about the ways bilinguals have access to the elements of their two languages. On the basis of the model of the bilingual lexicon presented by KROLL & Sholl (1992) an adapted model is proposed for the processing of lexical ambiguity. This leads to a tentative schema of the mental activities that language learners have to perfonn when they are translating from their mother tongue into a foreign language, The second part of the paper describes two experiments we have carried out in order to find empirical support for such a schema. The last section of the paper contains a discussion of the results obtained as well as the conclusions that can be drawn.

The contribution of prosody to intelligibility, comprehensibility and accentedness in foreign language acquisition

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 273-298
Author(s):  
Pauline Degrave
Keyword(s):  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Musical Training ◽  
Potential Effect ◽  
Future Research ◽  
General Description ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Foreign Language Acquisition

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to review recent research illustrating the importance of prosody in foreign language acquisition, and to examine whether music might help in this learning process. The paper starts off by defining prosody and by examining previous research on foreign language prosody acquisition, stating the difficulties for learners and the potential effect of non-native prosody on communication, notably on comprehensibility, intelligibility and accentedness. A subsequent section focuses on prosodic characteristics of Dutch and the problems foreign language learners may encounter in acquiring them. Based on this general description of foreign language prosody acquisition, the paper then zooms in on the link between music and prosody, and on the potential effect of musical training, musical abilities or the use of music in the foreign language classroom on foreign language prosody acquisition. The paper ends with a short discussion on avenues for future research.

scholarly journals The effectiveness of explicit or Implicit pronunciation teaching to Greek learners of english

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Βάϊα Παπαχρήστου
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Phonological Development ◽  
Phonological Acquisition ◽  
Speaker Variability ◽  
English Classes ◽  
Pronunciation Instruction ◽  
English Vowels ◽  
The One

Previous research on second language phonological acquisition has shown that mastery of the L2 phonological system constitutes a challenging task for L2 learners. Several parametres have been suggested to constrain pronunciation accuracy, such as, interference from speakers’ mother tongue, learners’ age, quality and quantity of exposure to the target language, as well as motivation, attitude and other social and psychological factors. However, research on pronunciation teaching and its potential effectiveness on learners’ L2 phonological development has been quite limited, especially in foreign language contexts.The main aim of the present thesis is to investigate the production of English vowels by Greek learners of English and the effectiveness of explicit vs. implicit pronunciation instruction within a foreign language setting. To this end, three groups of speakers aged 9 and 15 years old were examined; i.e. two experimental groups, one which received explicit pronunciation tuition and one which was taught the pronunciation of the English vowels implicitly, via the use of recasts, and a control one which did not get any pronunciation tuition. Both experimental groups received 43 mini pronunciation interventions embedded in the regular English classes at school. The methodology adopted was the one proposed by Celce-Murcia, Brinton and Goodwin (1996) moving from controlled and guided activities to more communicative ones. Additionally, L1 Greek and L1 English data were obtained in order to compare the vowel inventories of the two languages.The results showed that after teaching, explicit pronunciation instruction can selectively bring about a change in both young and older students’ L2 vowel production, while no improvement was reported for the implicit and control groups9for either age group. Generally, considerable intra- and inter-speaker variability was revealed after tuition and despite the small changes observed, systematic native-like production was difficult to attain. Moreover, no clear effect of learners’ age was documented. A thorough examination of the factors hindering pronunciation accuracy is presented and the findings are discussed on the basis of current theories of L2 phonological acquisition.

scholarly journals Good Practices for Primary-Level Content-based Foreign Language Instruction Identified in Finland

2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taina M Wewer
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Classroom Practice ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Language Instruction ◽  
Foreign Language Teaching ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Foreign Language Instruction

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.  

scholarly journals El Cómic En La Clase De Ele: Las Actitudes De Los Estudiantes De Profesorado Y Algunas Repercusiones

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (28) ◽  
pp. 282
Author(s):  
Laurent-Fidèle Sossouvi
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Positive Attitude ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Foreign Languages ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Teaching Material ◽  
Educational Resource ◽  
Teaching Resource ◽  
Educational Potential ◽  
Analyze Data

Many researchers have considered comics as an excellent educational resource, pointing out to its advantages and its great educational potential. As a result, few authors have investigated the attitudes of students towards comics and they are rarely used as a teaching material in Benin in the learning of foreign languages. In this study, we aim to examine the attitudes of Beninese students of Spanish as a Foreign Language towards comic, as well as offer a reflection on some of the possibilities that can bring this teaching resource. In doing this, we analyze data from 25 participants which was obtained from a questionnaire, interviews, and tasks around the comic. Conclusions show that: (a) most participants showed a positive attitude towards comics and are highly motivated; (b) the use of comics contributed to improving their linguistic and intercultural communicative competences, as well as revitalized the learning of the target language. Finally, the paper concludes by pointing out the study’s implications and limitations, and offering suggestions for future research opportunities.

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