scholarly journals Intercultural Pedagogy: A Faculty Learning Cohort

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Lee ◽  
Robert Poch ◽  
Ann Smith ◽  
Margaret Delehanty Kelly ◽  
Hannah Leopold
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Domestic Students ◽  
Relevant Research ◽  
Student Interactions ◽  
Faculty Learning ◽  
Cross National

The purpose of this article is to describe and reflect on a pilot faculty learning cohort that was designed to improve the frequency and the quality of cross-national and cross-cultural student interactions in the participants’ undergraduate courses. The cohort offered a space where faculty could gain insight on the experience of international students (IS) and non-native English speakers (NNES), develop knowledge about best practices and relevant research, and explore and test tools to promote inclusion and interactions. The cohort focused on cross-national interactions because strong and consistent data indicate that international and domestic students seek more purposeful and substantive interactions, both in and out of the classroom, but lack the confidence and structure to engage in them.

scholarly journals Comparing proxy rated quality of life of people living with dementia in care homes

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 86-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Robertson ◽  
C. Cooper ◽  
J. Hoe ◽  
K. Lord ◽  
P. Rapaport ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Neuropsychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Care Home ◽  
Multilevel Modelling ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
Care Homes ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Home Placement

AbstractBackgroundImproving quality of life (QOL) for people with dementia is a priority. In care homes, we often rely on proxy ratings from staff and family but we do not know if, or how, they differ in care homes.MethodsWe compared 1056 pairs of staff and family DEMQOL-Proxy ratings from 86 care homes across England. We explored factors associated with ratings quantitatively using multilevel modelling and, qualitatively, through thematic analysis of 12 staff and 12 relative interviews.ResultsStaff and family ratings were weakly correlated (ρs = 0.35). Median staff scores were higher than family's (104 v. 101; p < 0.001). Family were more likely than staff to rate resident QOL as ‘Poor’ (χ2 = 55.91, p < 0.001). Staff and family rated QOL higher when residents had fewer neuropsychiatric symptoms and severe dementia. Staff rated QOL higher in homes with lower staff:resident ratios and when staff were native English speakers. Family rated QOL higher when the resident had spent longer living in the care home and was a native English. Spouses rated residents’ QOL higher than other relatives. Qualitative results suggest differences arise because staff felt good care provided high QOL but families compared the present to the past. Family judgements centre on loss and are complicated by decisions about care home placement and their understandings of dementia.ConclusionProxy reports differ systematically between staff and family. Reports are influenced by the rater:staff and family may conceptualise QOL differently.

Exploring Cross-cultural Pragmatic Judgment of Two Groups of EFL Teachers on Formal Written Requests

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 693
Author(s):  
SIU Fiona Kwai-peng
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Amount Of Information ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
L2 Learners ◽  
Research Findings

This study examines the pragmatic judgments made on formal request letters written by adult L2 learners of English by two groups of EFL teachers at a university in Hong Kong. A pragmatic Judgment Questionnaire was completed by each of the sixteen teachers, comprising eight native Cantonese speakers (CSTs) and eight native English speakers (ESTs). Pragmatic judgment was examined by investigating four pragmatic variables -- i.e., politeness, directness, formality and amount of information. Main research findings suggest that there were no significant differences between the two groups of teachers in their pragmatic judgments except for their views on: a) what constituted “unnaturally polite” expressions, b) whether negative words would help achieve the purpose of a message, c) what supporting moves should be avoided, and d) what writing plans they preferred. Qualitative analysis revealed examples of "unnaturally polite" expressions (e.g., “forgive”) and supportive moves (e.g. compensating class teachers) considered appropriate by CSTs only.

scholarly journals Native English speakers learning Arabic: The influence of novel orthographic information on second language phonological acquisition

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
CATHERINE E. SHOWALTER ◽  
RACHEL HAYES-HARB
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Word Learning ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Word Form ◽  
Phonological Acquisition ◽  
Talker Variability

ABSTRACTRecent research has indicated that learners exposed to second language words’ orthographic forms of words can often use this information to make inferences about the words’ phonological forms. Here we asked, do learners benefit even when the orthography is unfamiliar? We taught native English speakers minimal nonword pairs differentiated by the Arabic velar–uvular contrast (e.g., [kubu], [qubu]) and manipulated the quality of orthographic input. We found that participants were consistently unable to associate the novel phonemes with novel words. Results are discussed in terms of (a) the role of orthographic input in second language word form learning, (b) the influence of orthographic familiarity in moderating the role of orthographic input, and (c) the issue of talker variability in word learning.

scholarly journals PROVISION OF ENGLISH-MEDIUM INSTRUCTION: TRENDS AND ISSUES

2020 ◽  
pp. 11-21
Author(s):  
OLGA KVASOVA ◽  
CAROLYN WESTBROOK ◽  
KEVIN WESTBROOK
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
British Council ◽  
Current Trends ◽  
The World ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
English Medium Instruction

The article addresses the current trends of teaching subjects through the medium of English which has been boosting in the world and in Ukraine. Introduced due to globalization processes, teaching in English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) has become an essential part of internationalization policies of universities. The increase in numbers of international students is viewed as an indication of quality of education provided by universities; it contributes to universities’ higher ratings and competitiveness. The introduction of EMI has been sustainably promoted by the British Council. Nonetheless, EMI providers across the world keep encountering similar issues and challenges. Amongst those, the most essential is low English language proficiency of non-native English speakers – both teachers and students. The article aims to examine the training provided to Ukrainian teachers who deliver EMI courses. The authors surveyed 28 EMI teachers in two universities in the country. The results imply the necessity to reprofile linguistic and pedagogical courses for EMI teachers, including training them in implementing innovative and interactive teaching techniques. The prospects of further research arouse from the need to develop a quality system of assessing students’ learning outcomes.

scholarly journals “It Would Be Better If You Can Hang Out With Different People”: An Examination of Cross-National Interaction in Postsecondary Classrooms

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 23-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Johnstone ◽  
Diana Yefanova ◽  
Gayle Woodruff ◽  
Mary Lynn Montgomery ◽  
Barbara J. Kappler
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Real World ◽  
Domestic Students ◽  
Student Interactions ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Global Perspectives ◽  
The Us ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Cross National

This study examines the motivations and experiences of international and domestic students on three U.S. campuses related to cross-national interactions within classroom settings. The study also examines the role of instructors in facilitating such interactions through individual and group interviews. Findings indicate that domestic students appreciate the global perspectives of international students related to course content. International students, in turn, appreciate the “real world” perspectives that domestic students provide about the US (but do not necessarily find value in their content-related comments). The implications of this study are that cross-national interactions have different meanings for different stakeholders (i.e., some perceive to benefit academically while others perceive to benefit culturally). The implications of this study relate to how instructors structure student interactions and what might be reasonable outcomes for students in international groups in postsecondary classrooms. 

scholarly journals Instructional Practices Facilitating Cross-National Interactions in the Undergraduate Classroom

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 786-805
Author(s):  
Diana N. Yefanova ◽  
Mary Lynn Montgomery ◽  
Gayle A. Woodruff ◽  
Christopher J. Johnstone ◽  
Barbara Kappler
Keyword(s):  
Instructional Practices ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Group Work ◽  
Public University ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Domestic Students ◽  
Student Interactions ◽  
Intercultural Skills ◽  
Cross National

We examine pedagogical practices that facilitate international and domestic students’ interactions on two campuses of a U.S. public university. Findings highlight the central role of the instructor in supporting student interactions via pair and group work and collaborative assignments that result in increased understanding of class content. The study highlights the need to intentionally address learning outcomes of cross-national interactions, such as communicative and intercultural skills, as students did not always view the benefits of such interactions in the same way as their instructors did.

scholarly journals The quality of child-directed speech depends on the speaker's language proficiency

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 132-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erika HOFF ◽  
Cynthia CORE ◽  
Katherine F. SHANKS
Keyword(s):  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Development ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Maternal Education ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Child Language ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
English Speakers

AbstractMany children learn language, in part, from the speech of non-native speakers who vary in their language proficiency. To investigate the influence of speaker proficiency on the quality of child-directed speech, 29 mothers who were native English speakers and 31 mothers who were native speakers of Spanish and who reported speaking English to their children on a regular basis were recorded interacting with their two-year-old children in English. Of the non-native speakers, 21 described their English proficiency as ‘good’, and eight described their English proficiency as ‘limited’. ANCOVAs, controlling for differences in maternal education and child language level, revealed significant effects of group on lexical and grammatical properties of child-directed speech that the literature has identified as positive predictors of child language development. These results suggest that the child-directed speech of native speakers and non-native speakers with good proficiency provide a richer database for language acquisition than the child-directed speech of speakers with limited proficiency.

Communication courtesy or condescension? Linguistic accommodation of native to non-native speakers of English

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Branka Drljača Margić
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Linguistic Accommodation ◽  
Native Speakers Of English

AbstractThis paper draws on the perception of English as a lingua franca (ELF) as an activity, rather than a variety, whereby speakers of different lingua-cultural backgrounds respond to the needs of the immediate communicative environment. Such dynamic and context-related nature of ELF involves collaboration and accommodative behaviour of all interlocutors. As the main focus of research on ELF has been interaction predominantly among non-native speakers of English, the present study investigates how native English speakers behave in ELF interaction, that is, whether/how they accommodate their English and what their stance is towards linguistic accommodation. Responses were collected by means of an online questionnaire, yielding 377 respondents in total, who report making adjustments when communicating with non-native speakers, most frequently by enunciating clearly, using fewer idioms and speaking more slowly. The main reasons native speakers give for adjusting their language are promoting mutual intelligibility, showing courtesy and helping the interlocutor hone their English language skills. A fifth of the respondents, however, worry that accommodation might prevent the improvement of non-native speakers’ English proficiency, be perceived as being patronising, and reduce the quality of conversation.

Producing culturally appropriate narratives in English as a foreign language

2006 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 379-407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Yusun Kang
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Cultural Differences ◽  
First Language ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Narrative Discourse ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Language And Culture ◽  
Discourse Production ◽  
Cross Cultural Differences

Cross-cultural and second/foreign language (L2) studies on oral narratives have suggested that one’s native language and culture affect discourse production in an L2 and have detected areas of difficulty for L2 learners in producing extended discourse. However, written narrative has received less attention, although it can provide rich data on cross-cultural differences and hold important implications for L2 literacy acquisition and pedagogy. This study was designed to investigate culturally preferred written discourse styles and their effects on L2 writing of personal narratives. It explored cross-cultural differences in the use of narrative structural features including evaluation between first language written narratives produced by native speakers of American English and first- and second-language narratives written by Koreans learning English. Differences in first language narrative styles were used to explain how Korean EFL learners’ narrative discourse in English could vary from native English speakers’ discourse norms. Participants were Korean adult EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners and American native-English speakers in the U.S. The findings show that specifically Korean cultural strategies were evident in the Korean English learners’ English narrative discourse rather than the preferred discourse style of the target language and culture. The findings hold implications for L2 writing pedagogy and L2 training in discourse production.

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