scholarly journals Metadiscourse in postgraduate writing

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Pansa Prommas
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Business Administration ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Writing Quality ◽  
Thai Students ◽  
Thesis Writing ◽  
The Relationship

<p>This thesis investigates metadiscourse in master’s theses and the relationship between metadiscourse frequencies and quality of thesis writing. Metadiscourse has been a major research focus in various genres and contexts, but only a small proportion of this work has compared metadiscourse in postgraduate writing across educational contexts and disciplines. While previous studies of metadiscourse have reported a positive correlation between metadiscourse frequencies and writing quality, all of these studies focused on undergraduate writing. Little is known about the relationship between metadiscourse frequencies and quality of thesis writing.  This thesis includes two main studies to address the gaps in literature. Study 1 examined use of metadiscourse (i.e., frequencies, types, and functions) in master’s thesis discussion and conclusion chapters written in English by New Zealand and Thai postgraduates in the disciplines of English language teaching and business administration. Four subcorpora with a total of 116 thesis samples were compiled: 26 New Zealand students’ theses in English language teaching (NZ-ELT), 30 New Zealand students’ theses in business administration (NZ-BA), 30 Thai students’ theses in English language teaching (TH-ELT), and 30 Thai students’ theses in business administration (TH-BA). Hyland’s (2005) metadiscourse taxonomy was adopted for this study.   Study 2 explored the relationship between metadiscourse frequencies and quality of thesis writing. Forty eight theses (twelve theses with highest and lowest frequencies of metadiscourse markers in each of the four subcorpora in Study 1) were selected for this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty four disciplinary supervisors in New Zealand and Thailand in order to investigate supervisors’ attitudes towards and expectations of good thesis writing in their disciplines. This information was used to design a rating scale specifically for thesis quality assessment. Two New Zealand and Thai raters in English language teaching and business administration, four raters altogether, rated twenty four discussion and conclusion chapters in their own disciplines.   The findings of Study 1 reveal a higher frequency of metadiscourse in New Zealand theses than Thai theses. While both New Zealand and Thai students use more textual metadiscourse than interpersonal metadiscourse, New Zealand students show a greater reliance on the use of interpersonal metadiscourse (all interpersonal subcategories, except for boosters) than Thai students. By contrast, Thai students show a greater reliance on the use of textual metadiscourse (especially transition markers and frame markers) than New Zealand students. With regard to disciplinary variation, English language teaching students use more metadiscourse than business administration students, in both textual and interpersonal metadiscourse categories. Transition markers and hedges are the most prominent metadiscourse features, contributing the preponderance of textual and interpersonal metadiscourse in this study. Despite palpable differences in frequencies, the analysis of individual types across the four subcorpora reveals similarities of New Zealand and Thai students in the two disciplines. They use similar markers, rely heavily on a small cluster of high frequency markers, and make scarce use of lower frequency ones in all subcategories. The functional analysis indicates that there are six subcategories whose functions contribute to differences between New Zealand and Thai theses, namely transition markers, frame markers, evidentials, attitude markers, engagement markers, and self-mentions.   The findings of Study 2 reveal a positive correlation between metadiscourse frequencies and thesis quality scores in both English language teaching and business administration disciplines. However, a major difference between the two disciplines is that in business administration, the frequency of textual metadiscourse is more highly related to the quality scores when compared to interpersonal metadiscourse. In English language teaching, the frequency of interpersonal metadiscourse is more closely related to the quality scores. In the comparison of quality scores between high and low frequency groups, a statistically significant difference is found in business administration, but not in English language teaching. Insights gained from this study are that (1) business administration raters are likely to focus more on textual features which directly affect readers’ comprehension, while English language teaching raters seem to have more expectations towards interactional features (e.g., explicit expression of students’ attitudes towards their own research propositions), (2) not all metadiscourse subcategories affect thesis quality scores, and (3) apart from frequencies, factors such as appropriate use of a wide variety of markers in different subcategories may contribute to better quality scores.   Based on these findings, this thesis also provides theoretical, methodological, and pedagogical implications, laying out a framework for postgraduate writing instructors in developing English for Postgraduate Academic Writing lessons and materials based on actual language use and expectations of members in specific disciplinary communities and educational contexts in order to improve postgraduate writing quality.</p>

scholarly journals Metadiscourse in postgraduate writing

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Pansa Prommas
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Business Administration ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Writing Quality ◽  
Thai Students ◽  
Thesis Writing ◽  
The Relationship

<p>This thesis investigates metadiscourse in master’s theses and the relationship between metadiscourse frequencies and quality of thesis writing. Metadiscourse has been a major research focus in various genres and contexts, but only a small proportion of this work has compared metadiscourse in postgraduate writing across educational contexts and disciplines. While previous studies of metadiscourse have reported a positive correlation between metadiscourse frequencies and writing quality, all of these studies focused on undergraduate writing. Little is known about the relationship between metadiscourse frequencies and quality of thesis writing.  This thesis includes two main studies to address the gaps in literature. Study 1 examined use of metadiscourse (i.e., frequencies, types, and functions) in master’s thesis discussion and conclusion chapters written in English by New Zealand and Thai postgraduates in the disciplines of English language teaching and business administration. Four subcorpora with a total of 116 thesis samples were compiled: 26 New Zealand students’ theses in English language teaching (NZ-ELT), 30 New Zealand students’ theses in business administration (NZ-BA), 30 Thai students’ theses in English language teaching (TH-ELT), and 30 Thai students’ theses in business administration (TH-BA). Hyland’s (2005) metadiscourse taxonomy was adopted for this study.   Study 2 explored the relationship between metadiscourse frequencies and quality of thesis writing. Forty eight theses (twelve theses with highest and lowest frequencies of metadiscourse markers in each of the four subcorpora in Study 1) were selected for this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty four disciplinary supervisors in New Zealand and Thailand in order to investigate supervisors’ attitudes towards and expectations of good thesis writing in their disciplines. This information was used to design a rating scale specifically for thesis quality assessment. Two New Zealand and Thai raters in English language teaching and business administration, four raters altogether, rated twenty four discussion and conclusion chapters in their own disciplines.   The findings of Study 1 reveal a higher frequency of metadiscourse in New Zealand theses than Thai theses. While both New Zealand and Thai students use more textual metadiscourse than interpersonal metadiscourse, New Zealand students show a greater reliance on the use of interpersonal metadiscourse (all interpersonal subcategories, except for boosters) than Thai students. By contrast, Thai students show a greater reliance on the use of textual metadiscourse (especially transition markers and frame markers) than New Zealand students. With regard to disciplinary variation, English language teaching students use more metadiscourse than business administration students, in both textual and interpersonal metadiscourse categories. Transition markers and hedges are the most prominent metadiscourse features, contributing the preponderance of textual and interpersonal metadiscourse in this study. Despite palpable differences in frequencies, the analysis of individual types across the four subcorpora reveals similarities of New Zealand and Thai students in the two disciplines. They use similar markers, rely heavily on a small cluster of high frequency markers, and make scarce use of lower frequency ones in all subcategories. The functional analysis indicates that there are six subcategories whose functions contribute to differences between New Zealand and Thai theses, namely transition markers, frame markers, evidentials, attitude markers, engagement markers, and self-mentions.   The findings of Study 2 reveal a positive correlation between metadiscourse frequencies and thesis quality scores in both English language teaching and business administration disciplines. However, a major difference between the two disciplines is that in business administration, the frequency of textual metadiscourse is more highly related to the quality scores when compared to interpersonal metadiscourse. In English language teaching, the frequency of interpersonal metadiscourse is more closely related to the quality scores. In the comparison of quality scores between high and low frequency groups, a statistically significant difference is found in business administration, but not in English language teaching. Insights gained from this study are that (1) business administration raters are likely to focus more on textual features which directly affect readers’ comprehension, while English language teaching raters seem to have more expectations towards interactional features (e.g., explicit expression of students’ attitudes towards their own research propositions), (2) not all metadiscourse subcategories affect thesis quality scores, and (3) apart from frequencies, factors such as appropriate use of a wide variety of markers in different subcategories may contribute to better quality scores.   Based on these findings, this thesis also provides theoretical, methodological, and pedagogical implications, laying out a framework for postgraduate writing instructors in developing English for Postgraduate Academic Writing lessons and materials based on actual language use and expectations of members in specific disciplinary communities and educational contexts in order to improve postgraduate writing quality.</p>

Productive Vocabulary Knowledge of ESL Learners

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulmalik Usman ◽  
Dahiru Musa Abdullahi
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Writing Quality ◽  
Lexical Frequency ◽  
Frequency Profile ◽  
Esl Learners ◽  
The Relationship

The paper seeks to investigate the level of productive knowledge of ESL learners, the writing quality and the relationship between the vocabulary knowledge and the writing quality. 150 final year students of English language in a university in Nigeria were randomly selected as respondents. The respondents were asked to write an essay of 300 words within one hour. The essays were typed into Vocab Profiler of Cobb (2002) and analyzed the Lexical Frequency Profile of the respondents. The essays were also assessed by independent examiners using a standard rubric. The findings reveal that the level of productive vocabulary knowledge of the respondents is limited. The writing quality of the majority of the respondent is fair and there is a significant correlation between vocabulary and the witting quality of the subjects. The researchers posit that productive vocabulary is the predictor of writing quality and recommend various techniques through which teaching and learning of vocabulary can be improved.

Teaching oral requests

Pragmatics ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 499-517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleni Petraki ◽  
Sarah Bayes
Keyword(s):  
Conversation Analysis ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Cultural Appropriateness ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Everyday Communication

Research in English language teaching has highlighted the importance of teaching communication skills in the language classroom. Against the backdrop of extensive research in everyday communication, the goal of this research was to explore whether current discourse analytic research is reflected in the lessons and communication examples of five English language teaching textbooks, by using spoken requests as the subject of investigation. The textbooks were evaluated on five criteria deriving from research on politeness, speech act theory and conversation analysis. These included whether and the extent to which the textbooks discussed the cultural appropriateness of requests, discussed the relationship of requests and other contextual factors, explained pre-sequences and re-requests and provided adequate practice activities. This study found that none of the coursebooks covered all of the criteria and that some coursebooks actually had very inadequate lessons. The results of the textbook analysis demonstrate that teachers using these five coursebooks and designers of future coursebooks must improve their lessons on requests by using pragmatics research and authentic examples as a guide.

scholarly journals Level teaching of the English language in schools of Kazakhstan: perception and understanding of the reform by teachers

2020 ◽  
Vol 100 (4) ◽  
pp. 136-144
Author(s):  
A Litovkina ◽  
◽  
D Zhorabekova ◽  
A Issabekov ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
General Education ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
International Standards ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
School Level ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Quality Of Teaching

This article is devoted to the analysis of the current state of level teaching of the English language in schools in Kazakhstan. The introduction of the Common European Framework of References for Languages in the process of foreign language education in Kazakhstan entailed significant changes that made it possible to im-prove the quality of teaching English, bring it closer to international standards, and ensure its competitiveness at the global level. However, research has shown that in order to achieve this goal, it is necessary to take into account the awareness and opinion of teachers. This article is an exploratory study examining the application of CEFR in the English language teaching system in general education schools in Kazakhstan, with emphasis on the knowledge and opinions of teachers. The article also provides a brief overview of world experience in the practical application of the principles of CEFR in teaching English. This study used a survey for English teachers as the primary data collection method. The results of the study showed that there are difficulties at the school level that affect the final result of proficiency in English language teaching. Nevertheless, thanks to the adopted language policy, the country is undergoing a progressive development of foreign language ed-ucation and purposeful work is being carried out to ensure the quality of teaching English, which is reflected in almost all program documents for the development of education.

English Language Teaching and Intercultural Communication Competence

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (7) ◽  
pp. 55-59
Author(s):  
Xiaochi Zhang ◽  
Jinjing ZHANG
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Intercultural Communication ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Communication Competence ◽  
Linguistic Competence ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Intercultural Communication Competence ◽  
The Relationship

This article discusses about the relationship between linguistic competence and intercultural communication competence, and then about the functions of English language teaching in improving students’ intercultural communication competence. Finally, it explores how to develop English language learners’ intercultural communication competence in English language teaching and gives some useful suggestions, so as to really realize the final objective of English language teaching.

The Evaluation of the Service and Its Impact on Brand Value

2021 ◽  
pp. 175-195
Author(s):  
Danny C. Barbery-Montoya ◽  
Carlos Bautista-Nuques ◽  
Jeaneth P. Wiesner-Mora
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Consumer Perception ◽  
Quality Of Services ◽  
Brand Value ◽  
Initial Model ◽  
High Importance ◽  
Service Companies

For service companies, one of the most difficult challenges to measure is brand value, considering the subjectivity of the service, given by consumer perception. In this way, the objective of this chapter is to know the elements that provide value to the service company's brand. To carry out the study, the authors deepen the concepts of service and brand considering the SERVQUAL and CSI questionnaires, which allow them to obtain indexes of measurement of the quality of services and brand valuation and apply them in the English language teaching institutes in Guayaquil (Ecuador). The results show that five high-importance schools have valuation elements that build their brand with characteristics that differentiate them, but also with others that resemble them. Understanding each of the brands and variables, they propose an initial model that allows analyzing this industry in which elements relevant to the consumer are observed.

scholarly journals Deconstruction of Method-postmethod Dialectics in English Language Teaching

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 539
Author(s):  
A B M Shafiqul Islam ◽  
Israt Jahan Shuchi
Keyword(s):  
Teaching Methods ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Established Method ◽  
To Come ◽  
Language Teaching Methods ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Traditional Roles

After a widespread dissatisfaction with the prescriptive nature of language teaching methods and approaches, the notion of postmethod emerged with an aim to providing possible solutions to the problems that both language teachers and learners face while using methods. But the transition from a long established method-based pedagogy to an emerging postmethod pedagogy could not altogether meet the expectations rather gave birth to new confusions and challenges. Therefore, this article describes the concept of method briefly and then outlines the shift from method to postmethod. This paper brings new insights into method- postmethod dichotomy particularly by discussing the areas where the relationship between them becomes dialectical on some occasions. It also addresses the limitations of postmethod by identifying the factors where postmethod pedagogy gets entangled in a newer type of method though it emerged with the promise to come out of the stranglehold of method. Finally, it shows how postmethod redefines the traditional roles of teachers where they not only act as practitioners but also as theorizers, evaluators, observers, facilitators, innovators, and planners.

scholarly journals Unpacking Reflective Practice in the Praxis of English Language Teaching in Indonesia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhamad Ahsanu ◽  
Tuti Purwati ◽  
Erna Wardani
Keyword(s):  
Reflective Practice ◽  
Classroom Practice ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Research Question ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Reflection In Action ◽  
New Ideas ◽  
Reflection On Action

This paper portrays the ways Indonesian English Language Teaching (ELT) practitioners review and reflect on their practice, seek to expand new ideas and techniques they can apply in their classrooms. This study aims to enhance our understanding of what it is actually that Indonesian ELT practitioners are doing, understanding, and what they are trying to achieve in their classroom activities. This study investigates explanative answers to a single research question: In what ways are Indonesian ELT practitioners reflective in their classroom practice? This study conducted at secondary schools and universities uses a qualitative approach, utilizing observation, interviews, and documents as data collection methods, and content analysis as a means of data analysis. This research involved four participants selected purposively and voluntarily. Its findings, analysis, and interpretation are presented descriptively. The major finding of this study suggests that Indonesian ELT practitioners are reflective in three ways: being reflective within the process of their teaching, known as “reflection-in-action, being reflective in their post-teaching referred to as “reflection-on-action, ” and being reflective in their future improvement planning known as “reflection-for-action.” The practitioners’ reflexivity aims to improve the quality of their teaching, which can potentially affect the quality of their students’ learning. Thus, arguably Indonesian ELT practitioners have performed the praxis in their language teaching through reflective practice.

scholarly journals Improving the Quality of English Language Teaching And Learning

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 49-54
Author(s):  
Sugiono Sugiono
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Instructional Materials ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Literature Study ◽  
Language Teaching And Learning

This is a literature study on how to improve the quality of English language teaching and learning. Teaching, in general, can give one daily an unbelievable roller coaster ride from the depths of total frustration to the heights of incredible rewards. Teaching is a profession that is given little respect and lots of criticism. English language teaching and learning is an educational process. It requires great preparation and implementation to maintain the interaction between teacher and students. Apart from this, the teacher needs to be skillful in identifying the needs that should be fulfilled and the objectives which should be achieved. Teacher perspective needs to orient itself to the teaching and learning activities that cover selection on the instructional materials being inline with the instructional objectives, approaches, methods, techniques, and suitable tasks and exercises. The study indicates that good English teaching and learning is tied not only to the subject matter in hand but also to the perspective of teaching that upholds the learner-oriented standpoint. It is strongly suggested that English language teaching and learning needs to do more on psycho-motoric domains, in the sense that it encourages students to do more practice in their learning.This is a literature study on how to improve the quality of English language teaching and learning. Teaching, in general, can give one daily an unbelievable roller coaster ride from the depths of total frustration to the heights of incredible rewards. Teaching is a profession that is given little respect and lots of criticism. English language teaching and learning is an educational process. It requires great preparation and implementation to maintain the interaction between teacher and students. Apart from this, the teacher needs to be skillful in identifying the needs that should be fulfilled and the objectives which should be achieved. Teacher perspective needs to orient itself to the teaching and learning activities that cover selection on the instructional materials being in line with the instructional objectives, approaches, methods, techniques, and suitable tasks and exercises. The study indicates that good English teaching and learning is tied not only to the subject matter in hand, but also to the perspective of teaching that upholds the learner-oriented standpoint. It is strongly suggested that English language teaching and learning needs to do more on psycho-motoric domains, in the sense that it encourages students to do more practice in their learning.

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