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- Title
- The role of other-regulation in second language learners of beginning Spanish.
- Creator
- Seiden, Carolina M., Florida Atlantic University, DuBravac, Stayc
- Abstract/Description
-
This qualitative study analyzes speech data from learner's interaction in small group and paired activities in the classroom. The analysis is framed in Vygotsky's theory of language. The findings suggest that peer-peer interaction alone does not increase the opportunities for students to understand, practice and incorporate new concepts into their developing second language. Other-regulation---collaborative dialogue---and scaffolding---the task preparation so the student is compelled to...
Show moreThis qualitative study analyzes speech data from learner's interaction in small group and paired activities in the classroom. The analysis is framed in Vygotsky's theory of language. The findings suggest that peer-peer interaction alone does not increase the opportunities for students to understand, practice and incorporate new concepts into their developing second language. Other-regulation---collaborative dialogue---and scaffolding---the task preparation so the student is compelled to perform a task that appears to be within his/her reach---are compromised when the task lacks context and personal significance for the students.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2004
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13120
- Subject Headings
- Second language acquisition, Interdisciplinary approach in education, Spanish language--Study and teaching, Language and languages--Study and teaching
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- A MODEL CURRICULUM FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE-BOUND HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH STUDENTS BASED ON COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS OF THE HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH CURRICULUM.
- Creator
- MUSSO, EDNA H., Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
-
While educators have always been aware of the need for articulation between and within school systems, they seldom are able to plan effectual movement from high school to the community college. The problem of high school/community college articulation is compounded by the newness of the community colleges, and the overwhelming problems of high school administration. The fragmented English curriculum is in special need of coordination. The lack of articulation between high schools and...
Show moreWhile educators have always been aware of the need for articulation between and within school systems, they seldom are able to plan effectual movement from high school to the community college. The problem of high school/community college articulation is compounded by the newness of the community colleges, and the overwhelming problems of high school administration. The fragmented English curriculum is in special need of coordination. The lack of articulation between high schools and community colleges is especially wasteful in states like Florida where most college-bound high school seniors go to a community college, but no coordinating programs were found to exist between the school systems. Where articulation programs are in effect, they are so productive that they inspire additional and continuing articulation. To help provide information that would promote a smooth and successful transfer from high school English to community college English, this study surveyed five Broward County, Florida, high school English faculties, and both of the Broward Community College (North and Central Campuses) English faculties.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1977
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/11693
- Subject Headings
- English language--Study and teaching (Secondary), English language--Study and teaching (Higher), Articulation (Education)
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Examining principled L1 use in the foreign language classroom.
- Creator
- Osswald, Isabel., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Languages, Linguistics and Comparative Literature
- Abstract/Description
-
This study examines the potential benefits of using the native language of learners in a principled way by reviewing research that represents the dominant view of using only the second or target language (L2) against a growing body of literature that argues for principled L1 use. The development of the direct and monolingual method and its key aspects are discussed, and bilingual methods and arguments for implementing the first language (L1) in a foreign language classroom are reviewed and...
Show moreThis study examines the potential benefits of using the native language of learners in a principled way by reviewing research that represents the dominant view of using only the second or target language (L2) against a growing body of literature that argues for principled L1 use. The development of the direct and monolingual method and its key aspects are discussed, and bilingual methods and arguments for implementing the first language (L1) in a foreign language classroom are reviewed and evaluated. An attitudinal case study investigating learners' attitudes towards L1 use in the classroom showed that students prefer a mixture of L1 and L2, and that the principled use of the L1 has positive effects on the learner.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/2978943
- Subject Headings
- Language and languages, Study and teaching, Monolingual method, Language and languages, Study and teaching, Bilingual method, Second language acquisition, Curriculum planning, Communication in education
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Belongingness and integrative motivation in second language acquisition.
- Creator
- Kvasnak, Robb., College of Education, Department of Teaching and Learning
- Abstract/Description
-
This study investigates the perceptions that second language students have of those who speak the language that these students are trying to acquire and examines how these perceptions relate to students' progress in acquiring the target language. The study is based on the psychological theory of the need to belong, i.e. belongingness as well as on the concept of integrative motivation. This study is a qualitative investigation that uses the Repertory Grid Technique and Personal Construct...
Show moreThis study investigates the perceptions that second language students have of those who speak the language that these students are trying to acquire and examines how these perceptions relate to students' progress in acquiring the target language. The study is based on the psychological theory of the need to belong, i.e. belongingness as well as on the concept of integrative motivation. This study is a qualitative investigation that uses the Repertory Grid Technique and Personal Construct Theory in order to elicit subject perceptions and their constructs. Membership checking was carried out with nine of the originally interviewed 22 subjects in order to obtain more insight into the subjects' perceptions of themselves, their progress, and, most importantly, their perceptions of the target language speakers. One of the important findings in this study is the establishment of what elements second language students use to construct views of target language speakers., The subjects of this study used specific culture, generic culture, language, and perceptions to try to understand target language speakers. Furthermore, those subjects who had graduated from the community college program from which the subjects were drawn and who were now working in the everyday world showed strong desire to integrate into English-speaking society. Conversely, these program graduates showed an increased degree of criticism of American English speakers. Their views may be attributed to the close contact and lack of preparation for contact with target language speakers, as the community college program contained little or no instruction on American English culture., The perceptions of being marginalized expressed by the graduates, perceptions not shared by those students still in the community college program, indicate a need for a change in curriculum which would emphasize the students' social needs outside of and beyond the classroom and cultivate a sense of belonging to target language society. Belongingness and integrative motivation may well the key to a bright new future of second language acquisition. As more research is done on the significance of both concepts, and as they are increasingly incorporated into language learning classrooms, students should acquire target languages with greater ease.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/47403
- Subject Headings
- Second language acquisition, Language and languages, Study and teaching, Communicative competence, Identity (Psychology)
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The application of the less is more hypothesis in foreign language learning.
- Creator
- Chin, Simone L., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
- Abstract/Description
-
This study tests Newports Less is More hypothesis with a language teaching experiment. Computerized French language lessons were presented to forty-two adults over two one-hour sessions. Learning trials were presented either in full sentences to resemble the adult learning environment, or in small increments that gradually increased to full sentences, resembling the steadily expanding processing capabilities of children. Trials were also presented randomly or ordered such that multiple...
Show moreThis study tests Newports Less is More hypothesis with a language teaching experiment. Computerized French language lessons were presented to forty-two adults over two one-hour sessions. Learning trials were presented either in full sentences to resemble the adult learning environment, or in small increments that gradually increased to full sentences, resembling the steadily expanding processing capabilities of children. Trials were also presented randomly or ordered such that multiple examples of the same objects and verbs were presented consecutively. Language proficiency tests were administered after the lessons. A 2 (Presentation: incremental or full sentence) x 2 (Order of presentation: blocked or random) mixed ANOVA was used to analyze the data. The incremental conditions outperformed the sentence conditions on all proficiency measures. There was no significant effect of the blocking manipulation. This outcome suggests that a teaching method based on Newport's Less is More hypothesis can be advantageous in learning a foreign language.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/368254
- Subject Headings
- Second language acquisition, Methodology, Language and languages, Study and teaching, Cognitive grammar, Biolinguistics, Human information processing
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The effects of gesturing, blocked order, and incremental presentation in foreign language learning.
- Creator
- Chin, Simone L., Kersten, Alan, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
- Abstract/Description
-
Research in second language acquisition reveals that adults have difficulty learning the grammatical aspects of a foreign language. The present study investigated the efficacy of three teaching methods that were predicted to help adults better learn the grammar of a foreign language. First, lessons were presented in small pieces that gradually increased to full sentences. Second, lesson trials were blocked such that multiple examples of sentences with the same object or verb were presented...
Show moreResearch in second language acquisition reveals that adults have difficulty learning the grammatical aspects of a foreign language. The present study investigated the efficacy of three teaching methods that were predicted to help adults better learn the grammar of a foreign language. First, lessons were presented in small pieces that gradually increased to full sentences. Second, lesson trials were blocked such that multiple examples of sentences with the same object or verb were presented consecutively. Third, participants were instructed to gesture the actions of the verbs within sentences. All three methods were predicted to increase the likelihood of learning the grammar form of sentences through guiding adults’ attention to fewer components of language input at a time. In Experiment 1, 82 English native speakers played an adventure videogame designed for the learning of French vocabulary and grammar of French sentences for two one-hour sessions. All three methods were incorporated in the lessons portion of the game resulting in a 2(incremental vs. full sentence) X 2(blocked vs. unblocked order) X 2(gesture vs. no gesture) between subjects design. The results from Experiment 1 revealed a) more nouns were acquired than verbs and b) a trend that the incremental conditions performed worse than the full sentence conditions on the grammar measures. In Experiment 2, 110 adult learners played the French videogame, but only the blocked presentation and gesture imitation methods were incorporated in the lessons portion (omitting the method of incremental presentation). The results from Experiment 2 revealed a) conditions with either method of blocked presentation or gesturing performed better on vocabulary and grammar measures than the unblocked non-gesture condition, and b) the combination of blocked presentation and gesturing led to better learning of inductive grammar than either method alone. The outcome of the study suggests gesturing and blocked order teaching methods that encourage adults to attend to a few but important components within a sentence are advantageous in learning the grammar of a foreign language.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004186, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004186
- Subject Headings
- Bilingualism, Biolinguistics, Cognitive grammar, Language and languages -- Study and teaching, Nonverbal communication, Second language acquisition -- Methodology
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The Relation Between Phonology and Orthography as a Basis for Teaching French.
- Creator
- L'Homme, Madeleine M., Jamieson, Edward A., Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
-
The French language is characterized by its many ambiguities. These peculiarities of the language constitute pitfalls for the learner who does not know how to disambiguate them. These ambiguities illustrate the need for teaching orthography along with the discrimination of sounds. Many examples are given. The causes of ambiguities, such as ignorance of phonetic contrasts, intonation, correct capitalization, or linking and juncture are discussed, as are problems arising from homophony, the...
Show moreThe French language is characterized by its many ambiguities. These peculiarities of the language constitute pitfalls for the learner who does not know how to disambiguate them. These ambiguities illustrate the need for teaching orthography along with the discrimination of sounds. Many examples are given. The causes of ambiguities, such as ignorance of phonetic contrasts, intonation, correct capitalization, or linking and juncture are discussed, as are problems arising from homophony, the mute e, and the "faux amis." For the past fifteen years programming of foreign languages, mostly based on B. F. Skinner's theory of learning, endorsed by many linguists, emphasized varieties of the audio-lingual method. A survey of methods, materials, experiments, and opinions of authorities in the field of linguistics indicates that this method, although often employing the most modern electronic material has failed to produce meaningful results. All of the above factors support the evidence for the need of teaching orthography along with the study of sound, and the necessity of continued research in theory and methods of teaching, particularly in French.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1969
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000933
- Subject Headings
- French language--Study and teaching, French language--Phonology, French language--Orthography and spelling
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Learning culture in the zone of proximal development: E-mail exchanges among foreign language learners.
- Creator
- Smasal, Marc., Florida Atlantic University, DuBravac, Stayc
- Abstract/Description
-
Scaffolding is the assistance of an expert learner provided to a novice learner to fulfill a given task. This study examined scaffolding in email messages between non-native speakers learning about German culture. The instructor used Internet resources to teach aspects of the target culture to students enrolled in a second semester German course. Email exchanges between two separate classes of German students were designed to elicit scaffolding. Unlike previous studies that have concentrated...
Show moreScaffolding is the assistance of an expert learner provided to a novice learner to fulfill a given task. This study examined scaffolding in email messages between non-native speakers learning about German culture. The instructor used Internet resources to teach aspects of the target culture to students enrolled in a second semester German course. Email exchanges between two separate classes of German students were designed to elicit scaffolding. Unlike previous studies that have concentrated on the grammatical competence of the students, this study focused on the development of cultural competence as subjects discussed four topics of German culture via email messages. Scaffolded cultural help enables participants to develop an opinion about selected cultural issues. Scaffolded help was found in few email messages and the analysis suggests that participants discussed cultural issues by exchanging factual knowledge rather than providing scaffolded help. Concludes with considerations for further research and teaching.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13240
- Subject Headings
- German language--Study and teaching, Culture--Study and teaching, Language and culture, Electronic mail messages
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The emotional experience of language in English Spanish bilinguals.
- Creator
- Velez Uribe, Idaly, Rosselli, Monica, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
- Abstract/Description
-
Bilinguals commonly report experiencing emotions differently depending on which language are they speaking. Emotionally loaded words were expected to be appraised differently in first versus second language in a sample of Spanish-English bilinguals (n=117). English (L2) ratings were subtracted from Spanish (L1) ratings; the resulted scores were used as dependent variable in the analyses. Three categories of words (positive, negative and taboo) were appraised in both languages (English and...
Show moreBilinguals commonly report experiencing emotions differently depending on which language are they speaking. Emotionally loaded words were expected to be appraised differently in first versus second language in a sample of Spanish-English bilinguals (n=117). English (L2) ratings were subtracted from Spanish (L1) ratings; the resulted scores were used as dependent variable in the analyses. Three categories of words (positive, negative and taboo) were appraised in both languages (English and Spanish)and two sensory modalities (Visual and auditory). The differences in valence scores in Spanish (L1) and English (L2) were expected to be significantly higher when presented aurally than when presented visually. Additionally, taboo words were expected to yield larger differential scores than negative and positive words. The 2 X 3 general linear model (GLM) revealed no significant effect of sensory modality but a significant effect of word type. Additional analyses of the influence of language and sensory modality within each word category resulted in significant differences in ratings between languages. Positive word ratings were higher (more positive) in English than in Spanish.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004417
- Subject Headings
- Bilingualism -- Psychological aspects, Education, Bilingual, Emotions, English language -- Study and teaching -- Foreign speakers, English language -- Study and teaching as a second language, Psycholinguistics, Second language acquisition
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF RATINGS OF PROPOSED TEACHER COMPETENCIES FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL ENGLISH.
- Creator
- AUGENSTEIN, MILDRED B., Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of the study was to develop and apply an instrumented procedure for deciding the relative importance of a tentative set of professional competencies proposed for middle school teachers of English, using the judgmental ratings by individuals in the general school community as the decision-making base. The results of this rating procedure were intended to demonstrate one way in which the broader educational community could be involved in expressing choices and in setting priorities...
Show moreThe purpose of the study was to develop and apply an instrumented procedure for deciding the relative importance of a tentative set of professional competencies proposed for middle school teachers of English, using the judgmental ratings by individuals in the general school community as the decision-making base. The results of this rating procedure were intended to demonstrate one way in which the broader educational community could be involved in expressing choices and in setting priorities for programs of competency-based teacher education. A selected group of 50 senior high school students, 50 teachers of middle school English, 50 educational leaders, and 50 patrons of middle schools in the south central administrative area of the Broward County, Florida, public school system were asked to rate a set of 12 general competencies and 60 subcompetencies according to their perceived importance for training and/or certificating teachers of English who work with middle school pupils of ages 10 through 14. The subjects used a forced-choice rank order rating system that resulted in a rank value for each of the general competencies and subcompetencies in the study. Strategies, administrative steps, and public relations materials for reaching each of the targeted groups were incorporated in the details of the procedure. The procedure developed by the study proved feasible and useful for determining the relative order of importance assigned to the proposed teacher competencies for middle school English by the vested interest groups who served as raters. Applications of the procedure are recommended for use by collaborative bodies which seek systematic ways to broaden the base of public involvement in decision-making for teacher education. viii
Show less - Date Issued
- 1974
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/11648
- Subject Headings
- English language--Study and teaching, Teachers--Rating of
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Achievement and satisfaction in adult Spanish language courses with compressed and standard formats.
- Creator
- Schoenfeldt, Alyse Lesser., Florida Atlantic University, Guglielmino, Lucy M.
- Abstract/Description
-
This study examined the achievement and satisfaction level attained by adults studying elementary Spanish in compressed and standard terms. Each format included 60 hours of classroom instruction; compressed terms were completed in 6 weeks, while standard terms were 15 weeks. The 90 minute, multiple choice, standardized achievement test, the Dantes Beginning Spanish I-SF 583, an attitudinal survey, and a 15 minute questionnaire developed for this study were completed by 129 students in...
Show moreThis study examined the achievement and satisfaction level attained by adults studying elementary Spanish in compressed and standard terms. Each format included 60 hours of classroom instruction; compressed terms were completed in 6 weeks, while standard terms were 15 weeks. The 90 minute, multiple choice, standardized achievement test, the Dantes Beginning Spanish I-SF 583, an attitudinal survey, and a 15 minute questionnaire developed for this study were completed by 129 students in southeast Florida, 73 in standard format courses, 56 in compressed formats. The findings indicated that adult students learning Spanish as a foreign language in compressed and standard time formats with an equal number of contact hours had similar levels of student achievement and intent to continue to the next level of Spanish. The one exception was that a significantly higher vocabulary and structure mean achievement score (<.05) was obtained by the students in the compressed term. The major conclusion is that an adult learner may expect similar results in an elementary Spanish course regardless of whether it is offered in a standard or compressed format. Inferences which can be drawn must be limited to similar populations and time frames. Since a learner's achievement and satisfaction level in elementary Spanish classes for adults is dependent upon many factors, not just the element of time, a multiple perspective is needed to analyze and assess foreign language learning. One implication is that courses be made available in a wide variety of time formats. It is recommended that administrators concerned with scheduling and curriculum planning use adult student needs assessments to determine what the adult learner considers to be convenient, flexible scheduling. Recommendations include replicating the study with a larger, more diverse population, amplifying it to include a qualitative segment for student personal responses, and adding a longitudinal component containing follow-up surveys over varying time periods.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1997
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12505
- Subject Headings
- Adult education, Academic achievement, Spanish language--Study and teaching
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- THE APPLICABILITY OF TRANSFORMATIONAL-GENERATIVE GRAMMAR TO THE TEACHING OF SPECIFIC AREAS IN FRENCH MORPHOLOGY AND SYNTAX.
- Creator
- WILLIAMS, PATRICIA GRAHAM., Florida Atlantic University, Trammell, Robert L.
- Abstract/Description
-
This thesis is concerned with the question of the applicability of transformational-generative grammar to the teaching of French verb morphology and French interrogative structure. Past theories of Language learning and acquisition are reviewed in order to see how they correlate with and affect methodology. Then, the implications of the theory of transformational-generative grammar to language learning are studied and an effort is made to apply it, bearing these implications in mind, to...
Show moreThis thesis is concerned with the question of the applicability of transformational-generative grammar to the teaching of French verb morphology and French interrogative structure. Past theories of Language learning and acquisition are reviewed in order to see how they correlate with and affect methodology. Then, the implications of the theory of transformational-generative grammar to language learning are studied and an effort is made to apply it, bearing these implications in mind, to French morphology and syntax. The advantages and disadvantages of the application are pointed out, and determinations are made as to the direct applicability of transformationalgenerative grammar to the teaching of French verb morphology and interrogative structure as well as to foreign language teaching in general.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1972
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13542
- Subject Headings
- Generative grammar, French language--Study and teaching
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Children attend to intrinsic motions when learning nouns.
- Creator
- Iglesias, Adam, Florida Atlantic University, Kersten, Alan, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
- Abstract/Description
-
The present research was designed to test whether 3-year-old-English-speaking children preferentially associate novel nouns with intrinsic motion rather than extrinsic motion, as predicted by the theory of Kersten (1998). Intrinsic motion refers to the ways the parts of an object move in relation to one another. In contrast, extrinsic motion refers to the motion of an object as a whole with respect to an external reference point (e.g. another object). In two separate experiments, we...
Show moreThe present research was designed to test whether 3-year-old-English-speaking children preferentially associate novel nouns with intrinsic motion rather than extrinsic motion, as predicted by the theory of Kersten (1998). Intrinsic motion refers to the ways the parts of an object move in relation to one another. In contrast, extrinsic motion refers to the motion of an object as a whole with respect to an external reference point (e.g. another object). In two separate experiments, we demonstrated that nouns are associated with intrinsic motion and verbs are associated with extrinsic motion. Specifically, children were able to detect differences between stimuli paired with novel nouns based on intrinsic motion and stimuli paired with novel verbs based on extrinsic motion. In other words, we shed light on the different motion cues children attend to when learning nouns and verbs. Thus, children utilize motion cues in addition to static characteristics when learning nouns and verbs. Therefore, distinct types of motion information play an important role in the learning of nouns and verbs.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13270
- Subject Headings
- Motion, Vocabulary--Study and teaching (Primary), Language acquisition
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- COMPETENCIES FOR TEACHING ENGLISH TO MEXICAN AMERICAN ADULTS: AN IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION.
- Creator
- CRIDER, LAURA ARBREE., Florida Atlantic University, MacKenzie, Donald G.
- Abstract/Description
-
This study began with an investigation of Mexican American adult literacy rates and socioeconomic status in the U. S. A review of the literature revealed the Mexican American ethnic minority, in comparison with other ethnic minorities in the U. S., to have the lowest levels of educational attainment, socioeconomic status, health and nutrition rates, and political participation. Mexican American immigration and U. S. residency rates were shown to be higher than other immigrant groups, but...
Show moreThis study began with an investigation of Mexican American adult literacy rates and socioeconomic status in the U. S. A review of the literature revealed the Mexican American ethnic minority, in comparison with other ethnic minorities in the U. S., to have the lowest levels of educational attainment, socioeconomic status, health and nutrition rates, and political participation. Mexican American immigration and U. S. residency rates were shown to be higher than other immigrant groups, but their U. S. naturalization rates were disproportionately low. Mexican American participation rates in U. S. Adult Education literacy training programs were also lower than other ethnic groups. Based on these findings, the author assumed that there were special competencies for teaching English to Mexican American adults. In an attempt to identify these assumed competencies, the opinions of teachers actively involved in teaching English to Mexican American adults were sought. The Delphi survey technique was the main tool used in gathering data. The study was limited to Florida because of evidence of increasing Mexican American immigration in this state and the author's accessibility to the school system. The implications of the study were that personal concern is an important competency for teaching English to Mexican American adults, there is a lack of awareness of the Mexican influx into the U. S., and there is a need for more emphasis on cultural and linguistic pluralism in American education.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1979
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/11727
- Subject Headings
- Mexican Americans--Education, English language--Study and teaching
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- A CONTRASTIVE ANALYSIS OF ENGLISH AND YORUBA SEGMENTAL PHONEMES.
- Creator
- RING, JAMES ANDREW., Florida Atlantic University, Resnick, Melvyn C.
- Abstract/Description
-
This study is intended as an aid to the teaching of English as a foreign (or second) language to speakers of Yoruba. Four areas are discussed in relation to this aim: 1. the need for Nigeri an teachers who have studied the sound system of English 2. the theoretical basis and applications of contrastive analysis and error analysis (It is suggested that the two can operate together to reveal a learner's problems at the performance and competence levels respectively.) 3. the actual contrastive...
Show moreThis study is intended as an aid to the teaching of English as a foreign (or second) language to speakers of Yoruba. Four areas are discussed in relation to this aim: 1. the need for Nigeri an teachers who have studied the sound system of English 2. the theoretical basis and applications of contrastive analysis and error analysis (It is suggested that the two can operate together to reveal a learner's problems at the performance and competence levels respectively.) 3. the actual contrastive analysis (using Ladefoged's prime features as criteria for compariLon and prediction) 4. the error analysis, where errors are classified and discussed in regard to their explanation. It is shown that the articulatory parameters which cause allophonic variation in the native language (e.g. rate of breath release, vocal tract tension and coarticulation) are carried over into the pronunciation of the language being learned, and are major factors in producing a nonstandard accent.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1977
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13860
- Subject Headings
- English language--Study and teaching--Nigerian students
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Predictors of English Reading Skill in Children from Spanish Speaking Homes: A Longitudinal Study from Five to 10 Years.
- Creator
- Tulloch, Michelle K., Hoff, Erika, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Psychology, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Learning to read is a fundamental skill that is understudied among children who hear more than one language at home. A particular limitation in the extant literature is that the samples are often Spanish-dominant and come from low-income households. This literature has evidence that Spanish skills – both language-specific (i.e., vocabulary) and language-general (i.e., phonological processing) – predict English reading ability. In the current study, we investigated the effect of oral language...
Show moreLearning to read is a fundamental skill that is understudied among children who hear more than one language at home. A particular limitation in the extant literature is that the samples are often Spanish-dominant and come from low-income households. This literature has evidence that Spanish skills – both language-specific (i.e., vocabulary) and language-general (i.e., phonological processing) – predict English reading ability. In the current study, we investigated the effect of oral language skills in both English and Spanish, as well as other pre-literacy skills, on the English reading skill of Spanish-English bilinguals who are English dominant and received English only instruction from school entry. The oral language skills and other pre-literacy skills of 101 Spanish-English dual language learners were assessed at 5 years. English reading skill was measured annually from 6 to 10 years. Latent growth curve analysis was used to model initial English reading skill at 6 years and the growth of English reading skill from 6 to 10 years. Four sets of hypothesized foundational skills measured at child age 5 years were tested as predictors of subsequent English reading skill: (1) English oral language skills, (2) Spanish oral language skills, (3) English and Spanish oral language skills, and (4) English and Spanish oral language skills, with other pre-literacy skills. The results of structural equation modeling indicated that English vocabulary and phonological awareness measured in Spanish were significant predictors when English and Spanish skills were entered separately. When English and Spanish oral language skills were included together, Spanish oral language skills did not explain English reading growth better than when oral language skills were modeled independently. The best model of predictors of English reading for bilingual 5-year-olds included only English vocabulary and English letter recognition.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014162
- Subject Headings
- Reading, English language--Study and teaching--Spanish speakers
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- SELECTED SOCIOPSYCHOLOGICAL ATTITUDES ASSOCIATED WITH FOREIGN LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION IN HIGH SCHOOL AND POSTSECONDARY STUDENTS.
- Creator
- AKE, CATHERINE ANN., Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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The purpose of this study was to determine if selected sociopyschological variables were influenced by foreign language instruction. Attitude surveys were administered to 260 students from a high school, a junior college, and a university in Florida before and after instruction in introductory Spanish classes. A combination of instruments developed by Gardner and Lambert at McGill University was adapted for the study. A Likert-type scale was used to elicit responses regarding anomie,...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to determine if selected sociopyschological variables were influenced by foreign language instruction. Attitude surveys were administered to 260 students from a high school, a junior college, and a university in Florida before and after instruction in introductory Spanish classes. A combination of instruments developed by Gardner and Lambert at McGill University was adapted for the study. A Likert-type scale was used to elicit responses regarding anomie, ethnocentrism, and attitude toward Hispanics; a semantic differential scale, to elicit stereotypes of Americans, Spaniards, Cubans, Puerto Ricans, and Mexicans. Data obtained were analyzed by one-way analyses of variance, correlation and t-tests for significance, and the orthogonal comparison method. Results included the following: The university students did not change attitudes significantly on any variable tested. The junior college students' attitudes improved significantly toward Mexicans. The high school students' attitudes toward Hispanics in general and toward Mexicans in particular declined significantly. For the total sample, there was a significant trend toward anomie following instruction, but there was no change in ethnocentrism. A significant positive relationship existed between these two variables prior to instruction; no significant relationship existed afterward. Stereotypes elicited rated Americans most favorably followed by Spaniards. There were no significant differentiations made between the other three groups. It was concluded that instruction in Spanish neither improved overall attitude toward Hispanics nor decreased ethnocentrism. Nevertheless, it was found that the high school students' attitudes were flexible and susceptible to change. Recommendations included the reassessment of affective goals in foreign language instruction and the development of cultural awareness units to be incorporated into the curriculum.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1982
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/11796
- Subject Headings
- Spanish language--Study and teaching--Psychological aspects, Spanish language--Study and teaching--Florida, Students--Attitudes
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- A study examining the impact of vocabulary instruction on the vocabulary growth and acquisition of adults enrolled in a community college developmental reading course.
- Creator
- Robson, Jodi McGeary., College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
- Abstract/Description
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The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of four instructional methods - context clues, definition, elaboration technique, or word parts and word families- on the vocabulary growth and acquisition of adults enrolled in a community college developmental reading course. The study investigated whether performance in any or all of the four instructional methods was moderated by age or language. Seventy-three respondents participated in the study. Participants were enrolled in one of...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to examine the effects of four instructional methods - context clues, definition, elaboration technique, or word parts and word families- on the vocabulary growth and acquisition of adults enrolled in a community college developmental reading course. The study investigated whether performance in any or all of the four instructional methods was moderated by age or language. Seventy-three respondents participated in the study. Participants were enrolled in one of five sections of College Reading Preparatory II (REA0002) offered in the Spring of 2009 at Indian River State College in Fort Pierce, Florida. All five sections of REA0002 were taught by the same professor, a tenured faculty member, chair of the developmental reading department and Associate Professor of Developmental Reading at Indian River State College. The instruction and tests in all five sections of REA0002 were consistent with the research design which insured continuity and consistency in the use of the four instructional methods. All participants received the same treatment and quizzes. During the course of the study, participants first received a pretest, then the treatment or instruction, followed by an instructional quiz, and a delayed post-test was administered at the end of the study. An analysis of the data, which included the pretest, instructional quizzes with four quizzes independently and then combined for an aggregate score for an immediate post-test, and the delayed post-test, yielded mixed results. The four instructional quizzes independently showed definition instruction to have the highest positive impact on student learning. In a measure of gains from pretest to instructional quizzes immediately after treatment, significant improvement in student learning was found only with word parts instruction., In a measure of performance from pretest to immediate post-test (aggregate score of instructional quizzes) there was a significant gain in students' vocabulary competence, and from pretest to delayed post-test there was a significant decrement in students' vocabulary competence. Age and language moderated vocabulary competence. Further tests of equivalency were mixed and should be interpreted cautiously, as there were a very small number of students in the group of 25 years or older and non-native English speakers.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/369389
- Subject Headings
- Language and languages, Study and teaching, Academic achievement, Language experience approach in education, Educational tests and measurements, Vocabulary, Study and teaching
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Culture as a factor in the motivation of heritage speakers to study Spanish at the college level in South Florida.
- Creator
- Seiden, Carolina M., Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Languages, Linguistics and Comparative Literature
- Abstract/Description
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The purpose of this study is to understand culture as a factor in the motivation of heritage speakers of Spanish to study Spanish at the college level in South Florida. 59 participants divided into three groups of heritage speakers of Spanish at Florida Atlantic University at Boca Raton participated in a questionnaire survey, for a combination of quantitative and qualitative analyses. Subjects were grouped according to the degree of involvement in Spanish-related activities at the college...
Show moreThe purpose of this study is to understand culture as a factor in the motivation of heritage speakers of Spanish to study Spanish at the college level in South Florida. 59 participants divided into three groups of heritage speakers of Spanish at Florida Atlantic University at Boca Raton participated in a questionnaire survey, for a combination of quantitative and qualitative analyses. Subjects were grouped according to the degree of involvement in Spanish-related activities at the college-level. The instrument was a combination of Likert-scale questions as well as open-ended questions aimed at clarifying or expanding on topics presented during the Likert-scale part of the questionnaire. The findings of this study indicate that most heritage speakers understood culture as a part of their identity. Students who were enrolled in Spanish classes were not just looking to expand their Spanish knowledge, but to re-connect and re-establish links with their cultural heritage. Finally, those who chose not to study Spanish cite as their most important reason a dislike for the Spanish language. The results revealed the following implications for the heritage speaker curriculum: the need to address the unique demographic make-up of Spanish heritage speakers in South Florida; the necessity for a consistent and reliable methodology for the identification of heritage speakers, and; the importance of instructors' sensitivity to regional and social dialect variation.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/77651
- Subject Headings
- Cognition and culture, Spanish language, Study and teaching (Higher), Spanish speakers, Language and languages, Study and teaching (Higher), Social aspects, Language and culture, Study and teaching (Higher), Social aspects
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- TRENDS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE PROGRAMS IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN FLORIDA.
- Creator
- GIANOUTSOS, FRANCOISE S., Florida Atlantic University, Cook, Joseph B.
- Abstract/Description
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The purpose of this study was to investigate trends in foreign language programs in commmity/junior colleges in Florida. Most of the data were obtained by sending questionnaires to each of the twenty-eight commnunity/junior colleges in Florida. One questionnaire was sent to each academic dean and one to the chairperson of each department of foreign languages. Complete data were obtained from sixteen cnmmnunity colleges. The findings were the following: foreign language enrollment as...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to investigate trends in foreign language programs in commmity/junior colleges in Florida. Most of the data were obtained by sending questionnaires to each of the twenty-eight commnunity/junior colleges in Florida. One questionnaire was sent to each academic dean and one to the chairperson of each department of foreign languages. Complete data were obtained from sixteen cnmmnunity colleges. The findings were the following: foreign language enrollment as percentage of the total enrollment was decreasing in fourteen out of the sixteen participating colleges. Spanish was the dominant language with 56 percent of the total foreign language enrollment; French was second, German third, Italian fourth, and Russian fifth. French and German enrollments were declining, Spanish, Russian, and Italian enrollments were increasing. A study of course offerings showed that transfer needs of students seemed to be met but that only fifty percent of the sixteen colleges offered vocational courses, courses in continuing education, and community education in foreign languages. The study included a survey of the qualifications and teaching load of foreign language instructors. These instructors seemed to be academically well-qualified and experienced. The recommendations were the following: foreign language departments in each commnunity college should assess the foreign language related needs of the student population as well as those of the surrounding community. Since transfer needs seemed to be already met, more vocational courses and courses in commnunity education and continuing education should be developed. These programs would have to be "sold" and not merely offered to students and members of the community. A promising development was the growing involvement in international education of community colleges in Florida as well as in the rest of the United States.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1977
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/11700
- Subject Headings
- Language and languages--Study and teaching--Florida, Languages, Modern--Study and teaching--Florida, Community colleges--Florida
- Format
- Document (PDF)