scholarly journals Exploring L2 learners' Task-related Identities in a Reading Circle Task Through Conversation Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 128-155
Author(s):  
Hoa T. V. Le

Using conversation analysis as the research approach, this study explores how L2 learners utilize their task-related identities during task interactions and how those identities are used as resources for task management. Eight students in an ESL academic reading class formed two groups while they did their reading circle task for six rounds. In each round, the students took turns to be in charge of a specific role in the discussion session (i.e., discussion leader, notetaker, vocabulary definer, and contextualizer). Data was collected from all rounds and analyzed for emerging patterns. Results showed that (a) the participants used each other’s assigned identities skillfully to orient the group to the institutional goal, and (b) the participants used their own existing obligations to problematize the task interactions. By providing insights on those dynamic task-related identities, this study broadens our understanding of interactions happening at the task implementation stage and suggests pedagogical implications.

2012 ◽  
pp. 371-386
Author(s):  
Michael Hammond ◽  
Jie Hu

This chapter discusses the design of learning materials in the context of small scale projects within higher education. It describes the enduring appeal of instructional material and its growing use following the take up of virtual learning environments (VLEs) / learning platforms in teaching and learning. It suggests that action research approaches may be of value in the design of instructional material as they offer systematic, formative feedback at an early stage in the design process and prioritise user participation. A case study is provided of a broadly action research approach to the design of instructional material to support academic reading skills at one university. The case exemplifies the strengths of action research but also highlights the tensions and difficulties, in particular that of securing the engagement of stakeholders. The implications for further research are brought out.


2017 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 814-822 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Maher Khafaga Shehata

The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of a study to investigate academic reading behavior among a group of Arab postgraduate students in social science disciplines. The paper also explores the difference between reading strategies used with Arabic and English text. The study deployed a qualitative research approach. A sample of 33 participants was interviewed to elucidate the reading behavior of the Arabic language speakers. The analysis of the interviews revealed that the participants use various reading strategies to familiarize themselves with the Arabic and the English scholarly content. The data showed that there is a need to train Arab postgraduates on academic reading skills. The results also indicate that reading the English text represents a challenge for the social sciences and humanities Arab postgraduates. This study was conducted on social science and humanities postgraduates. The reading behavior of science disciplines may differ as the teaching language is mainly in English. This study contributes to the field by expanding our understanding of how non-English language speakers read and comprehend the academic text. The value of the current study lies in being the first study that explores Arab postgraduate students’ reading behavior.


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 147-155
Author(s):  
Yuan Xin ◽  
Fauziah Bt Ismail ◽  
Azian Bt Abd Aziz@Ahmad

Abstract With the fast increasing number of second language (L2) learners in universities, the ability to read L2 academic texts has become one of the most important skills that L2 college students need to acquire. However, L2 learners still face various problems and difficulties in their L2 reading and past literature suggests that reading strategies have proven to be effective in enhancing L2 reading. Therefore, it is of great significance to examine the factors influencing L2 reading strategies use. Among factors influencing L2 reading strategy use, L1 reading strategies have been identified as a significant influence. However, few studies in this regard have looked into college students in mainland China which has a large number of L2 learners. This study aimed to seek the connection between first language (L1) and L2 metacognitive reading strategies by comparing and contrasting mainland China college students’ metacognitive strategy patterns in their L1 and L2 academic reading. The study also explored factors influencing Chinese college students’ L2 reading strategy use. The study conducted a survey on reading strategies (SORS), think aloud protocol (TAP) and stimulated recall interviews (SRI) to explore the research issues. The study found that Chinese college students employed strategies on a more frequent basis in their L2 academic reading as compared to their L1 academic reading. Two factors, namely, limited L2 proficiency (LLP) and test-oriented reading approach (TORA) were identified as the major factors influencing the L2 metacognitive strategy patterns of Chinese college students. The present study adds to the existing knowledge on the relationship between L1 and L2 reading strategy patterns for Chinese college students and examines factors shaping their L2 reading strategy use. This study assists English language teachers to identify factors influencing Chinese college students’ reading strategies patterns while taking into consideration of the factors influencing their L2 strategy use.


Author(s):  
Moritz Neukirchner ◽  
Steffen Stein ◽  
Harald Schrom ◽  
Johannes Schlatow ◽  
Rolf Ernst

Author(s):  
Duygu Candarli

AbstractThis study examined the trajectories of the multi-word constructions (MWCs) in 98 advanced second language (L2) learners during their first-year at an English-medium university in a non-English-speaking country, using linear mixed-effects modelling, over one academic year. In addition, this study traced the academic reading input that L2 learners received at university, and it was investigated whether the frequency and dispersion of the MWCs in the input corpus would predict the frequencies of MWCs in L2 writers’ essays. The findings revealed variations in the frequencies of different functional and structural categories of MWCs over time. This study provides empirical evidence for the effects of both frequency and dispersion of MWCs in the input corpus on the frequency of MWCs in L2 writers’ essays, underscoring the importance of both frequency and dispersion in learning MWCs and the reciprocity of academic reading and writing. The findings have significant implications for usage-based approaches to language learning, modelling MWCs in L2 academic writing, and L2 materials design for teaching academic writing.


1998 ◽  
Vol 106 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 219-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brent R. Carter ◽  
Daniel W. Watson ◽  
Richard F. Freund ◽  
Elaine Keith ◽  
Francesca Mirabile ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Michael Hammond ◽  
Jie Hu

This chapter discusses the design of learning materials in the context of small scale projects within higher education. It describes the enduring appeal of instructional material and its growing use following the take up of virtual learning environments (VLEs) / learning platforms in teaching and learning. It suggests that action research approaches may be of value in the design of instructional material as they offer systematic, formative feedback at an early stage in the design process and prioritise user participation. A case study is provided of a broadly action research approach to the design of instructional material to support academic reading skills at one university. The case exemplifies the strengths of action research but also highlights the tensions and difficulties, in particular that of securing the engagement of stakeholders. The implications for further research are brought out.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2019 (1) ◽  
pp. 451
Author(s):  
Christopher Cooper

One elective class of 6 students at a small private university in Japan read Sherlock Holmes graded readers for one semester in a reading circle class. Reading circles involve students reading books and having discussions with a specific role, such as the Discussion Leader, Passage Person, Word Master, Summarizer, or Connector. These reading circle roles are explained using examples from students’ written notes, which were made to help them with the discussions. This provides a representation of the kind of oral output instructors may expect if they decide to try reading circles in their classrooms. Comments from the instructor’s reflective log and student surveys are reported to give greater insight into how future reading circle courses could be implemented. It was concluded that this activity may be useful to encourage interest in L2 reading at institutions with no extensive reading program. リーディングサークルクラスを選択した日本の大学生6人が、一学期に渡り、英語多読本「シャーロックホームズ」の読書に取り組んだ。リーディングサークルとは、ただ単にグループで本を読むだけでなく、Discussion Leader, Passage Person, Word Master, Summarizer, Connectorなどの役割分担を各メンバーに持たせ、会話や討論を繰り広げることである。これらのリーディングサークルの役割については、学生が書いたメモの例を用いて説明するが、このメモは、討論の際に役立つように、学生に書かせたものである。これは、リーディングサークルを授業で実施する場合に、教師が期待するであろう学生の口頭の発言に相当する。リーディングサークルコースを実施する際に、より深く理解できる様、教師の日誌、学生のアンケートのコメント内容をここに報告する。この活動は、 英語多読コースのない大学で英語読書への関心を高めるのに役立つ可能性があると結論付けられる。


Author(s):  
Oliver Arnold ◽  
Emil Matus ◽  
Benedikt Noethen ◽  
Friedrich Pauls ◽  
Gerhard Fettweis
Keyword(s):  

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