Volume 2, Number 1, June 2004
Chieh-Fang Hu
How Much You Learn from Shared Reading May Depend on How Sensitive You are to the Sound Structure (pp. 4–15)
Shared reading has been promoted as one of the most effective techniques for developing early literacy skills. Yet relatively little is known about the cognitive factors underlying its processes. This study examined the effect of L1 phonological awareness on the individual differences in benefiting from shared reading of English. Sixth-grade Chinese EFL learners were administered a finger-point reading task, which assessed the synchronization of voice and print in shared reading. Children with poorer L1 phonological awareness were less able to map a spoken English word onto its corresponding print than children with better phonological awareness. They also recognized fewer words in the text in a word finding task subsequently administered. These differences could be attributed neither to the differences in the children’s prior knowledge of the text materials, nor to the differences in general English vocabulary knowledge, verbal short-term memory, speed in letter naming, or the one-to-one tagging concept. Finally, the two groups of children did not show differences in a written arithmetic task, indicating that the effect of phonological awareness was specific to the reading task.
Mark R. Freiermuth
Purposeful Writing in the ESP Classroom: Assessing the ‘Beg, Borrow or Steal Simulation’ (pp. 16–24)
Writing presents difficulties for non-native speakers of English for a number of reasons; grammatical accuracy issues are a constant focus. However, the problem of producing purposeful and practical documents should not be overlooked. In this paper, we consider the importance of functionality in writing as an outgrowth of workplace language learning activities. In our setting, 26 Japanese computer science students participated in a simulation in an academic English writing class. The constructs of the simulation had students employed at one of two rival computer software companies. The students were given role cards outlining a problem that required immediate action. Following group discussions, the members of each group needed to write a report in English providing advice to their respective company president concerning the direction the company should take. Observation of students’ writings revealed that students were able to identify and write about important discursive functional elements common to problem-solution documents. Furthermore, a qualitative analysis of posttest debriefings revealed that students were motivated throughout the simulation, and could see the long-term value of participating in the simulation. It is suggested here that carefully and appropriately designed simulations can be a very effective way to teach writing to second language learners.
John Wong
English Listening Courses: A Case of Pedagogy Lagging behind Technology (pp. 25–43)
Of the four English language skills that are often taught separately, listening requires more efforts from both course developers and learners. Unlike courses for other skills, which are mostly paper-based, listening courses are a combination of paper-based materials in the form of a course book, and sound-based materials in the form of audio on tapes/compact discs. However, learners get to keep only the course book, and can access the course audio only in class, which essentially prescribes teacher-centered lessons. Learner autonomy, if it is to take place at all, necessitates a different delivery mode. The web seems to be the perfect candidate for an alternative mode. Jakob Nielsen (2003) states that information technology is maturing. When it comes to the multimedia capabilities of the web, we can probably argue that the technology is mature. However, listening course developers are reluctant to venture to the web and are still clinging to traditional ways of conducting listening classes. This paper discusses issues behind educators' apparently slow uptake of advances in web technologies that can be incorporated into the teaching of listening skills in a straightforward manner, and attempts to propose interim approaches as solutions.
Research related to language learning strategies has prospered since the 1980s. The importance of language learning strategies in language learning has been proven and emphasized worldwide. Learners’ language learning strategies are one of the key dimensions for successful language learning. EFL should be taken not only as a subject in school, but also as a prerequisite essential competency for the labor market. In Taiwan, the technological and vocational education system has a long history and plays an important role in cultivating highly professional human resources in Taiwanese economic and industrial development. However, due to the lengthy education system in Taiwan with entrance examinations and the high value Chinese place on one’s academic performance, most of the students who choose to attend technological and vocational colleges tend to be those who do not perform well in academic subjects, including English. EFL in this system is a required subject that students, however difficult, still need to learn. There has only been limited research focusing on this specific group’s learning of EFL. This paper researches the language learning strategies employed by Taiwanese technological and vocational college students, their self-perceived English proficiency and their interrelationship.
François Mangenot and Katerina Zourou
Apprentissage collectif et autodirigé: une formation expérimentale au multimédia pour de futurs enseignants de langues (in French) (pp. 57–72)
Plusieurs auteurs soulignent qu’une composante importante de l’autonomie est la capacité au travail collectif. Une autre composante est liée à la prise en mains de la formation par les apprenants eux-mêmes, à un mode d’apprentissage autodirigé. Le projet expérimental franco-australien “Le français en (première) ligne” illustre ces deux dimensions de l’autonomie, collective et autodirigée, dans l’appropriation du multimédia par de futurs enseignants, étudiants en maîtrise de français langue étrangère. Cet article présente dans un premier temps le cadre théorique ainsi que le contexte du projet expérimental. Il analyse ensuite la dimension autodirective de la formation. Puis il examine les dynamiques collectives du travail par paires et en grand groupe. Enfin, il propose un bilan de ce que la formation a pu apporter aux futurs enseignants en termes de maîtrise du multimédia.
Văn Chính Nguyễn
Tìm Hiểu về Hư Từ Cứ trong Tiếng Việt Hiện Đại (in Vietnamese) (pp. 73-81)
Nghiên cứu hư từ tiếng việt nói chung, hư từ cứ nói riêng là một trong những vấn đề hết sức phức tạp.các phẩm chất về chức năng, ý nghĩa, cách dùng của chúng rất khó nắm bắt. Bài viết đã điểm qua các cách lý giải khác nhau về hư từ cứ trong các công trình nghiên cứu đi trước. Chỉ ra những ưu điểm cũng như các bất cập mà các công trình ấy gặp phải. Theo cách làm của ngữ pháp chức năng, trên cơ sở tiếp thu có chọn lọc những thành tựu khoa học có sẵn, bài viết đề cập đến một số phẩm chất tiêu biểu mà hư từ cứ chuyển tải trong quá trình hành chức. Đó là các nét nghĩa như: thể hiện một sự tình tiếp tục xảy ra bất chấp mọi điều kiện, mọi sự ngăn cản.; là tác tử tạo lập phát ngôn mang tính chi phối có đích tại lời là đặt đối tượng vào thế phải thực hiện một hành động theo chủ đích của người nói; đồng thời cứ còn mang chức năng là yếu tố được người nói sử dụng để đánh giá một hiện tượng xảy ra có tính qui luật theo nhận thức chủ quan của người nói... Phát hiện các phẩm chất vừa nêu, ứng dụng vào lĩnh vực dạy tiếng Việt là mục đích quan trọng thứ hai mà bài viết
hướng tới. Theo đó, chúng tôi đã đưa ra một số dạng bài tập thực hành mà chúng tôi đã áp dụng trong thực tiễn giảng dạy tiếng Việt những năm qua. Những bài tập như vậy, theo chúng tôi là đã mang lại kết quả rất tốt trong việc giúp học viên là người nước ngoài tri nhận và sử dụng chính xác, thành thạo hư từ cứ trong tiếng Việt hiện đại.
Reviews
Review of "Humanistic Approach to Japanese Language Education 『人間主義の日本語教育』" (in Japanese) (pp. 84–88)
reviewed by Satomi Chiba