Difficulties in Collecting Data From Children Aged 7–12

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-101
Author(s):  
Selami Aydin ◽  
Leyla Harputlu ◽  
Özgehan Uştuk ◽  
Şeyda Savran Çelik ◽  
Serhat Güzel
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Turkish Children ◽  
Teacher Effect ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Problematic Area ◽  
Language Context ◽  
Practical Recommendations

Collecting data from children who learn a foreign language is a complex and problematic area when considering their lack of proficiency in the target language and their cognitive, psychological, and social development. In addition, research shows that the number of studies that focus on the problems related to scale administration to younger language learners is fairly limited, while studies on the foreign language context mainly concentrated on issues related to adult and proficient learners. Thus, this study aims to explore the difficulties in collecting data from Turkish children aged 7 – 12 in a foreign language context. The study was designed as a qualitative case study and involved reflections, an interview, and a diary kept by the subject. Findings indicated that the problems with data collection from children were related to time and space, the lack of coordination, children's cognition levels, teacher effect on children's behaviors, and physical environment. In light of the results, some practical recommendations were presented.

scholarly journals The Tourism Students’ Awareness of Communicative Competence in an English as a Foreign Language Context

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 184
Author(s):  
Ercilia Loera Anchondo
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Ciudad Juarez ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Language Context

The present research aimed to find out the students’ awareness towards the concept of communicative competence and to discover if exposure serves as a tool in the development of the latter. Applying a mixed-method research design, quantitative and qualitative data were gathered with three different instruments: a face-to-face questionnaire, a semi-structured interview, and a structured observation. The subjects consisted of forty-six English as a Foreign Language learners in the intermediate and advanced levels in the Tourism major at the Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez. Eleven questions were designed to find out the students’ awareness on communicative competence and its components. The interview was based on the elements of communicative competence and the activities related to exposure to the target language. The observation considered details in regards to the students’ performance in the linguistic and pragmatic components of communicative competence. Results indicated that participants are aware of the concept under study and its components. Their answers to the interview and their performance in the observation proposed that exposure to the target language have been used towards the development of certain elements in their communicative competence. Recommendations derived from the present study include making students comprehend what the acquisition of a communicative competence encompasses, which is to manage the target language through the use of the four skills. Secondly, it is of great importance to promote in students the habit of practicing the target language outside the classroom. Finally, it is necessary to pay attention to phonological features such as word stress, pitch, and intonation to improve pronunciation.

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.

scholarly journals Blogging Identity: How L2 Learners Express Themselves

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-70
Author(s):  
Kiyomi FUJII
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Language Choice ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Self Presentation ◽  
Advanced Level ◽  
Self Image ◽  
L1 And L2 ◽  
Identity Expression

This study discusses language learning and identity, particularly pertaining to intermediate-advanced-level Japanese-language learners, focusing on their target language and identity expression through their interactions with peers and Japanese college students. When learners of Japanese express their identities while interacting with others in their target language, they feel a gap between the self-image they want to present, and the image they are capable of presenting in Japanese (Siegal, 1994, 1995, 1996). Along with adjusting their L1 and L2 usage depending on their interlocutor (Kurata 2007), learners also use different sentence-ending styles depending on the role they want to assume (Cook 2008). By conducting a case study, the present inquiry attempts to address how learners of Japanese express their identities through blog conversations, focusing on their language choice and expressions. Results suggest that participants use the formal endings for self-presentation and projection of their student and classmate identity. However, when expressing emotion some students preferred informal endings, or sentence-final particles.

scholarly journals Teaching Sociolinguistics: A Medium for Cultural Awareness of Indonesian University Foreign Language Learners

Humaniora ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 192
Author(s):  
Agnes Herawati
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Language Usage ◽  
Research Results ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Language Classrooms

This paper tries to show the evidences that indicate how teaching Sociolinguistics can result in a number of valuable outcomes, including helping students understand and appreciate other cultures different from theirs. Sociolinguistics provides useful examples of language usage in different genres, including how culture influences people in using a language. The opportunities of learning other cultures through language will take the students to the higher level of appreciation of the culture of the target language. To determine how this outcome can be achieved in the language classrooms, this paper provides a review of closely connected literature about how to bridge the gap between cultures in particular. However, to increase its completeness and relevance, this paper also provides some research results that reveal how teaching Sociolinguistics has taken its new applicability and importance, and furthermore adds the effects on how students become more proficient and enthusiastic about their learning. 

scholarly journals Alternative Techniques for Teaching Writing

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 163
Author(s):  
Sihindun Arumi
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Teaching Writing ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Writing Class ◽  
Alternative Techniques ◽  
Readable Text

Writing as one of language skill is often considered very difficult. It is due to the fact that writing needs to produce and organize ideas using appropriate vocabulary, language use, paragraph organization, and mechanism. It also needs to turn the ideas into a readable text and for foreign language learners, they should also transfer ideas from their native language into target language (foreign language). It raises any problems for them to create a good text. Moreover, the situation in the class does not always supportthem in which the techniques of the teacher in teaching writing is boring and monotonous, do not give enough attention to help students explore their writing skills. So that they attend the writing class only for procedural formality.Thus, it is considered important to elaborate various techniques to build nice classroom atmosphere as well as to improve students’ writing skills.  

scholarly journals Do not give up! The importance of mistakes in the process of teaching and learning foreign languages

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 244
Author(s):  
Eduardo Dias da Silva ◽  
Romar Souza-Dias ◽  
Juscelino Francisco do Nascimento
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Communicative Competence ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Foreign Languages ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Learning Programs

This paper aims to highlight the importance of errors and mistakes as an essential part in the process of teaching and learning foreign languages (FL). We understand that, while trying to produce meanings in the foreign language, learners, through some errors and mistakes, can develop the mental structures necessary for the consolidation of the target language. In this way, mistakes can e a strong tool indicator for teachers to assess and also to understand how far learners are in relation to the intended knowledge, according to objectives outlined in learning programs. The theoretical approach that orients our way of thinking is based on the point of view of some theorists, such as: Brito (2014); Corder (1967; 1985), Cavalari (2008); Richards and Rodgers (2004); Silva (2014); Simões (2007), among others. The results have demonstrated that the teacher, as a mediator of knowledge, must have a balanced attitude towards the students’ learning needs in order to help the learners to reach their best in the learning process. So, with this study, we expect that, in Teacher Education, mistakes could not be seen as something negative, but positive and necessary for the development of the student’s communicative competence.

Using Blogs to Motivate English as a Foreign Language Writers

2020 ◽  
pp. 257-278
Author(s):  
Selami Aydin ◽  
Emrah Özdemir
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Writing Achievement ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Efl Writing ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Writing Motivation ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Motivation Level

Not many studies have been present on the effects of blogging, particularly with respect to English as a Foreign Language (EFL) writing motivation. Those studies did not focus on the effect of the use of blogs on Turkish EFL learners' writing motivation. Thus, this chapter examines how the use of blogs affects EFL writing motivation among EFL learners in a Turkish EFL learning context. A questionnaire interrogating demographic information, a pre-test and a post-test measuring writing achievement were administered to a group of participants including 48 language learners. According to results, blogging on its own does not increase motivation; however, the process-based writing instruction mainly has positive influences on EFL learners' motivation in both traditional pen-paper and blog environments. Thus, EFL teachers need to know that the use of blogs does not increase motivation among Turkish EFL learners. To increase their motivation level, it is also recommended that teachers should use a writing environment where their students are encouraged to write in the target language.

scholarly journals Collocational Differences Between L1 and L2: Implications for EFL Learners and Teachers

2009 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karim Sadeghi
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Linguistic Knowledge ◽  
Private Language ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
North West ◽  
The North ◽  
L1 And L2

Collocations are one of the areas that produce problems for learners of English as a foreign language. Iranian learners of English are by no means an exception. Teaching experience at schools, private language centers, and universities in Iran suggests that a significant part of EFL learners’ problems with producing the language, especially at lower levels of proficiency, can be traced back to the areas where there is a difference between source- and target-language word partners. As an example, whereas people in English make mistakes, Iranians do mistakes when speaking Farsi (Iran’s official language, also called Persian) or Azari (a Turkic language spoken mainly in the north west of Iran). Accordingly, many beginning EFL learners in Iran are tempted to produce the latter incorrect form rather than its acceptable counterpart in English. This is a comparative study of Farsi (Persian) and English collocations with respect to lexis and grammar. The results of the study, with 76 participants who sat a 60-item Farsi (Persian)- English test of collocations, indicated that learners are most likely to face great obstacles in cases where they negatively transfer their linguistic knowledge of the L1 to an L2 context. The findings of this study have some immediate implications for both language learners and teachers of EFL/ESL, as well as for writers of materials.

A COGNITIVE PERSPECTIVE FOR COMPREHENDING PARONYMS

2020 ◽  
pp. 104-110
Author(s):  
L.A. Furs ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Cognitive Approach ◽  
Cognitive Perspective ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Evaluative Meaning ◽  
Study Support ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Given

Paronyms as words, derived from the same root, are an intriguing linguistic issue. The purpose of this article is to present a cognitive approach to revealing the difference in their usage so that foreign language learners and teachers, as well as translators can have a practical guide to avoid errors in using paronyms. We investigate Russian paronyms дружеский, дружественный, дружный ‘friendly’ from the cognitive perspective. This involves analysis of deeply embedded conceptual structure which shows the evaluative meaning, profiled by paronyms and evaluated objective features, profiled by nouns which go with the given paronyms. We present an empirical analysis to suggest that these paronyms are not interchangeable. The results of the case study support the proposed approach and show that the comprehension of confusable paronyms can be achieved through understanding cognitive structures which underlie their meaning. The study of conceptual features of both paronyms and nouns, which go with them, offers sufficient ground for comprehending differences in their usage. Another implication is related to practical issues of translation and methods of illustrating the given paronyms to learners of Russian as a foreign language.

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