Volume 7, Number 2, December 2010
Student performance of intercultural language learning (pp. 177–192)
While languages education is being impacted by intercultural language learning theory, the question remains how students achieve intercultural learning. This paper reports on a study of secondary school language students in Sydney, Australia. The study took a descriptive interpretive approach to examining evidence of students’ intercultural language learning. This evidence appears in a series of vignettes of classroom teacher-student interactions. The analysis of the data shows evidence of students in the process of ‘becoming intercultural’, as a new kind of student learning is taking place in language classrooms. This study demonstrates that visible intercultural language learning involves students in problem-solving, actively engaging their prior knowledge, analysing how language works, and developing awareness of their own identity as intercultural communicators. It is suggested that the data collection methodology employed by the researchers may model an approach which can also be used in teacher pedagogy to collect evidence of intercultural language learning in classrooms.
The debate on the role of the L1 in L2 classes has not reached a conclusive outcome and teachers use the L1 often without any rationale. This study examines the L1 practices of 11 French high school (HS) and college teachers through 15 hours of data to identify the functions for L1 use in teachers’ L2 speech and recognize differences that exist between HS teachers’ and college instructors’ L1 practices. As in previous research, teachers employed the L1 for metalinguistic explanation, class management/discipline, empathy/solidarity,
and task instruction. Additional roles are immediate and delayed translation. Furthermore, in this study, HS and college teachers’ L1 usages are compared in order to enlighten linguistic practices at different levels of instruction. From the overall findings, suggestions for L2 teachers’ training are given: additional pre-service
and in-service mentoring and self-refection based on self-videotaping, reflection on the role of the L1 and L2 through previous research and observation of experienced teachers, development of strategies in order to maximize time efficiency, pre-service teaching opportunities (e.g. service-learning, micro-teaching, assisting teachers) to decrease teaching anxiety. emergence of inherent ability and confidence. Factors influencing the degree of success include cultural immersion, work schedules, interactions with local teachers, professional homestay, active engagement in classes, time for reflection, imposed roles and professional identity assertion, and (lack of) attention to language development.
This paper reports on a large-scale study carried out at the University of Victoria on second language vocabulary acquisition. The research investigated intentional vocabulary learning in combination with the use of
information technology as suggested by Schmitt (2008). The research questions were how female and male learners used an online vocabulary program and if this was related to their learning outcome. A total of 186 first-year German as a foreign language students (104 female, 82 male) participated in the study over two semesters. The analysis showed that the male students used the program significantly less than the female
students in the second semester. Although the female students slightly outperformed the male students on the vocabulary quizzes, the differences were not statistically significant.
This paper reports the findings of a survey of the language-learning styles (LLSYs) and language-learning motivation (LLM) of ESL learners studying at a vocational institute in Hong Kong. Findings indicate that both multiple style preferences and a lack of any style preferences were prevalent among participants. The level of LLM in general was moderate, and participants were more instrumental than integrative oriented. As
hypothesised, positive relationships were found between LLSYs and LLM, and more motivated learners were found to have a greater variety of LLSYs. Findings confirm the hypothesis that learners with an integrative
orientation exhibited a larger number of LLSYs, whereas learners with an instrumental orientation relied on a limited number of LLSYs (i.e., Auditory, Visual and Individual preferences) which provided more immediate learning results. This paper concludes with some implications for teaching.
This article attempts to investigate students’ oral participation behaviour in some junior secondary classrooms of English in Hong Kong. Through a case study method, intensive classroom observations were carried out during three consecutive school years. Data collected through the study such as classroom observation notes, video transcriptions, student interviews and informal conversations were analysed. It is found that while students were quiet and passive at the beginning of the fieldwork period, students were ready to express their
own opinions at some other time. The findings suggest that Asian students’ quietness and willingness to communicate orally can be attributed to a range of factors, including student affect, their language proficiency, and immediate pedagogical contexts. This article closes with a discussion of the implications for better teaching and more effective second/foreign learning.
Reviews
IQ Chinese Reader: 打开中文阅读之窗 (pp. 257–262)