English-medium Secondary Schools Research Articles

Encountering the Face of Tū-mata-uenga: The Educational Experiences of Rangatahi Māori Apprehended for Offending

Marginalised and ousted from the New Zealand education system, 70% of youths apprehended for offending and appearing in a New Zealand Youth Court or Rangatahi Court experiencing complex needs are not engaged in education, employment, or training (Oranga Tamariki, Oranga Tamariki. (2020). Quarterly report—September 2020). This article reports findings from a broader PhD study investigating the educational experiences of 10 rangatahi Māori (Māori youth) aged 15–17 years apprehended for serious youth offending and excluded from mainstream education. Drawing on mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) and kaupapa Māori, notions of indigenous resilience are used to unpack the rangatahi Māori participants’ responses to negative educational experiences in the mainstream English medium secondary school education system. This article posits that resilience was evident when the rangatahi Māori exercised tino rangatiratanga (sovereignty) through boldness (a characteristic of Tū-mata-uenga the guardian of war), resistance and liminality to reject educational spaces where they perceived they were underserved, discriminated against, and marginalised. Changing the negative Māori student exclusion and disengagement statistics in mainstream education is critical. To address the exclusion statistics, classroom practitioners could be more responsive to rangatahi Māori experiencing complex needs by recognising their experiences and understanding their responses to those experiences. Understanding how resilience as resistance, liminality, and boldness is understood within te ao Māori (the Māori world) perspectives will enable a more culturally responsive approach to working with these rangatahi Māori in mainstream education.

Student Identity in the EFL Classrooms

This paper explores various processes of identity construction of the students studying in English medium secondary schools in Nepal while learning English as a second /foreign language. The students in English medium schools actively participate in various classroom interactions, engage mutually in the learning process and share their feelings through which they make sense of themselves and construct various identities. By collecting information from interviews with eight participants, this qualitative study showcases that the EFL students construct multiple identities through the process of positioning, opportunity and transformation. Due to positioning, i.e., how the students situate themselves through their discursive practices and how they are situated by others, the students construct a number of identities namely, discourse identity, social identity, institution identity, authored identity, affinity identity and L1 identity, becoming and being as identity, learner identity and inner circle identity. Some of these identities, especially the former ones are constructed by virtue of opportunity whereas the later one is constructed due to transformation. These identities, however, were not found going parallel because the identities constructed in one field infused their identities in other fields.

Maintaining good working experiences in the context of NCEA changes

Based on findings from The National Survey of Schools project, this study aimed to examine the interactions between schools’ professional learning and development cultures, teachers’ general attitudes towards NCEA changes, their equity-related attitudes towards NCEA changes, and their working experiences (morale and workload views). The participants were 749 teachers from Years 9-13 and Years 7-13 English medium secondary schools who completed our national surveys. Data were analysed quantitatively through descriptive and exploratory techniques. Results suggested a positive association between a perceived culture of ongoing PLD in schools, and teachers’ general attitudes towards NCEA changes. Teachers who reported positive attitudes towards the NCEA changes in general, were more likely to understand how these changes can improve outcomes for Māori learners, Pacific learners, and those with disabilities and who need learning support. In addition, a strong culture of ongoing PLD was also positively associated with teachers’ morale and workload views. The study has practical implications by indicating how teachers can be better supported to enact educational changes in Aotearoa New Zealand.

High-achieving Māori students' perceptions of their best and worst teachers

This qualitative study explored high-achieving Māori students’ perceptions of their best and worst secondary school teachers. Participants (N = 96) were Year 12 or 13 students at English-medium secondary schools in Aotearoa who had attained certificate endorsement at Level 1 or 2 in the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA). Findings showed that Māori students’ best teachers had high expectations for their achievement. They spent class time teaching students and discussing their learning, whereas students’ worst teachers had low expectations and restricted their access to high grades in NCEA. A key finding from this study was that although positive teacher–student relationships were important, they needed to be accompanied by effective teaching practices. A teacher who had a positive relationship with Māori students but did not teach them well was not considered their “best” teacher.

English medium of instruction in science learning: A path analysis

As a result of the global boom in English-medium instruction (EMI) education, an increasing number of content subjects are now taught in English. Though many variables have been identified as important predictors of academic success in the EMI context, the relationships between them are still poorly understood. Drawing on survey data collected from 356 students studying at eight English-medium secondary schools in Hong Kong, we developed a model to describe the structural relationships between L2 students' English proficiency, their use of language in the science classroom, their self-perceived difficulty in using English in the science classroom, their science learning self-concept, and their science achievement. The path analysis revealed strong connections between the variables, indicating that L2 students' self-perceptions and their English competence play important roles in their acquisition of scientific knowledge. Although L2 students' English proficiency was identified as a strongest predictor of science achievement, negative perceptions of EMI caused by lack of English competence to some extent also facilitate students’ academic outcome in science. In terms of pedagogical implication, mixed-language instruction appeared to be more beneficial than pure English-medium instruction when teaching science subjects.

Perceptions of linguistic parity on social media: a qualitative comparison between primary Cymraeg and English-medium secondary school pupils

ABSTRACT This thematic analytic qualitative study used participants’ oral narratives to examine primary Cymraeg, which is the Welsh language, and English-speaking adolescents’ perceptions regarding Cymraeg-speakers’ opportunities of using their primary language on social media. Twenty-three participants were interviewed (two Welsh/Bilingual-medium schools: males = 5, females = 6; two English-medium schools: males = 6, females = 6). All of the Welsh/Bilingual-medium participants were primary Cymraeg-speakers. Operating at the broad thematic level, both groups provided similar responses. However, inter-group variance might be inferred at the sub-thematic level where, for instance, Cymraeg-speakers identified a greater array of technical limitations preventing Cymraeg-speakers using Cymraeg within the social media domain. The potential consequences of an actual or perceptual linguistic imbalance on social media are discussed.

The Opinions of the Teachers on Mentoring Process and Experiences

The aim of this phenomenological qualitative study was to explore the opinions of the teachers on mentoring process and their experiences. To achieve this aim, the study sought information on mentoring essences, practices, roles, and training needs of mentor teachers. Experienced and beginning teachers were purposefully selected from eight English-medium secondary schools in South Africa. Data from the literature review, 16 group interviews and 24 open-ended questionnaires were triangulated and thematically analysed to gain a deeper understanding of the phenomenon. Forty-eight experienced teachers and 24 beginning teachers shared their life experiences, perspectives, and perceptions on the mentoring process. The study revealed that in South African schools, mentoring was patchy and unsystematic. Data collected revealed that a new working environment presented some social, personal, and professional challenges to beginning teachers. It was revealed that experienced teachers were willing to support their fellow beginning colleagues even though they were not trained in the mentoring process and did not receive the necessary support from the school management teams.

CONCUSSION OF PLAYERUNKNOWNS BATTLE GROUNDS OFSECONDARY SCHOOLSTUDENTS

Through Education,one has to be better adaptand adjust oneselfin order to change oneself and the society at large. In such stable and sustainable situation one can develop with individuals possessing the best mental and moral qualities. As a result, education enables an individual to face all kinds of challenges in life.The main purpose of the study was to investigate the playingof Player Unknowns Battle Grounds(PubG)of Secondary school students. The objectives of the study wereto study playing of PubG of Secondary school students on the basis of gender, standard of the students, boards of study, type of school and medium of study of secondary school students. The researcher employed survey method by executing Self-constructed and validated tool on 135secondary school students ofPatna in Bihar to assess the objectives of the study.The scholar used mean, Median, S.D. and t testfor the calculation of the collected data. The result revealed that there is no significant difference between the mean scores of male and female, IX and X standard students, CBSE and ICSE students intheir playing of PubG of Secondary School students whereas there is a significant difference between the mean scores of ICSE and BSEB, CBSE and BSEB, Private and Government,English and Hindi mediumsecondary school students in their playing of PubG.

Kei tua o te awe māpara/Beyond the mask: Māori language teaching in English-medium secondary schools in New Zealand

The New Zealand Curriculum Framework (Ministry of Education, 1993, p. 14) states that "[all] who learn te reo Māori help to secure its future as a living, dynamic, and rich language". However, I will argue here that appearance and reality are very far apart. Close examination of the context in which teachers of the Māori language operate tells a very different story, one characterised byinadequate consultation with teachers and communities, a lack of consistency between the advice provided in the curriculum guidelines document and the resources made available to teachers, and a failure to ensure that adequate pre- and inservice training is provided. Finally, as a way forward to help strengthen policy and inform Indigenous language teachers, a reflection onlessons learnt in the New Zealand context and some useful Indigenous language strategies will be provided.

Teaching approaches adopted by teachers in multicultural classrooms in secondary schools in Port Elizabeth, South Africa

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine teaching approaches adopted by teachers in ex-Model C English medium secondary schools (former mono-ethnic White Schools) currently in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, after schools became desegregated in 1994 and changed from being mono-ethnic to multi-ethnic.Design/methodology/approachThis study was conducted through a qualitative research approach against the backdrop of a phenomenological design according to the interpretivist paradigm. Data were elicited through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 16 teachers from four ex-Model C English medium secondary schools (former White schools) who had experiences of teaching both pre-1994, when schools were mono-ethnic, and post-1994 when the schools were multi-ethnic. The interviews were transcribed, and the data were analysed and categorised into themes and sub-themes.FindingsThe findings indicated that although the teachers were positive towards teaching in multi-ethnic contexts, the majority of them tended to adopt approaches that militated against multicultural education in their classes; such as assimilationist, colour blind and business-as-usual approaches, while a minority incorporated various aspects of multicultural education in their teaching to a limited degree.Originality/valueThe study is original in the sense that it focused on the application of Castagno’s framework of typologies to teachers’ approaches to teaching in multi-ethnic classes. Research of this nature, which explored teachers’ approaches to diversity within their multi-ethnic contexts according to Castagno’s framework, has not been previously undertaken in South Africa.

The effects of drama-based activities as a language learning tool on learners’ motivation in Non-Malay-medium national schools in Malaysia

Transitioning from Non-Malay-medium national primary schools to Malay-medium or English-medium secondary schools proved to be a struggle for many students due to the lack of emphasis on audio-lingual skills of the second language (L2) throughout their six-years of primary education. This study aims to explore the effects of drama-based activities as a language learning strategy on L2 learning motivation among students aged between 12 to 13 years old from Non-Malay-Medium National Schools. Six students were recruited through purposive sampling to participate in this qualitative experimental research. Over a period of 14 weeks, pre-intervention interviews (on the first week), intervention (over the span of 2 hours per week for 12 weeks), and post-intervention interviews (on the fourteenth week) were carried out. The content of the intervention was adapted from the Trinity College London’s Grade 4 Communication Skills syllabus. The instruments used for data collection include:(1) pre-determined pre-and post-intervention interview protocols and (2) classroom observation rubric. Two themes emerged in the analysis of this study: (a) language learning motivation and (b) affective filter. Findings revealed that participants were motivated and possessed self-confidence in the language learning process. The current study provides instructional implications for instructors and learners besides contributing to the novelty in the area of the research setting and sampling for future studies.

Exploring the Use of Drama-Based Activities as a Learning Tool in English Oral Proficiency Development among Students from Non-Malay-Medium Nation Schools: A Preliminary Study

Transitioning from Non-Malay-medium national schools to Malay-medium or English-medium secondary schools proved to be a struggle for many students due to the negligence in developing audio-lingual skills of the second language (L2) throughout the six-years of primary education. This study aims to explore the effectiveness of drama-based activities as a language learning strategy on L2 oral proficiency among the students aged between 12 to 13 years old from Non-Malay-Medium National School. Over a period of five weeks, pre-intervention interviews (on the first week), intervention (over the span of three weeks with two hours per week), and post-intervention interviews (on the fifth week) were carried out. The content of the intervention was adapted from Trinity College London's Grade 4 Communication Skills syllabus. The instruments used for data collection included: (1) pre-determined pre- and post-intervention speaking assessments, (2) classroom observation speaking assessments and (3) oral proficiency assessment rubric adapted from Cambridge English speaking assessment of Common European Framework of Reference Level B1 and a published drama assessment tool focusing on elements such as Grammar and Vocabulary, Pronunciation, Discourse Management, and Task Completion. The results of the post-intervention oral proficiency assessment showed that the there was an overall improvement especially in discourse management and task completion.

English Private Tutoring in Macao: Perceptions of Senior Secondary Three Students

Purpose: This article examines how individual, school, and social factors shape the perceptions of students in Senior Secondary Three (SS3; in some schools called Form Six [F6]) toward English private tutoring in Macao. Design/Approach/Methods: This is a comparative study of two F6 classes of an English-medium secondary school and four SS3 classes of a Chinese-medium secondary school in Macao, with a total number of 145 students. Mixed-methods approach (questionnaires and interviews) is employed in the study. Findings: The respondents’ participation in English tutoring is not very intensive. They prefer to receive government-subsidized after-school tutoring taught by their schoolteachers more than fee-paying English tutoring taught by tutors outside. Low level of social competition and high tertiary enrollment rates contribute to this phenomenon. Students’ needs and beliefs in English learning play key roles in determining their receipt of English tutoring. Originality/Value: Teachers may need better understanding of their students’ needs so as to design suitable pedagogies. Schools can consider more fully the types of tutoring that they provide for different kinds of pupils. The government-subsidized after-school tutoring could be a plausible way to reduce educational inequality.

Curriculum genres and task structure as frameworks to analyse teachers’ use of L1 in CBI classrooms

ABSTRACTContent-based education programmes, in which a second/foreign language (L2) is used as the medium of instruction when teaching non-language content subjects, aim at both content and L2 learning. With such dual goal in mind, and with the rapid expansion of the programmes to contexts where students might have only basic L2 proficiency, there have been consistent calls for reconsidering the roles of first language (L1) in the teaching and learning process. The functions of L1 in content-based classrooms have been well documented, but it is necessary to have a more systematic approach to planning and using L1. This paper seeks to address this gap by applying the notions of ‘curriculum genres’ and ‘task structure’ when analysing patterns of teachers’ use of L1 and L2 in a collection of content subject lessons observed in English-medium secondary schools in Hong Kong. With illustrative episodes presented in this paper, we would argue that ‘curriculum genres’ and ‘task structure’ can serve as useful tools for both researchers and teachers to analyse and critically reflect on patterns of pedagogic practices and language use in content-based classrooms. These will have significant implications for future research on using L1 and illuminate effective pedagogy in content-based education.

Two decades of decolonization and renationalization: the evolutionary dynamics of Hong Kong English and an update of its functions and status

This paper is an update of Luke and Richards and Li on the functions and status of English in postcolonial Hong Kong. Two decades after the handover, relatively little has changed except in the education domain. The ‘mother tongue education’ policy implemented from September 1998, whereby primary school-leavers are streamed into Chinese-medium and English-medium secondary schools, was ‘fine-tuned’ in 2009. Chinese-medium schools are given the flexibility to introduce English-medium classes to students under specific conditions. Hong Kong English is one of Edgar Schneider's 17 case studies of the evolutionary dynamics of postcolonial Englishes. The paper reviews a critique of that Dynamic Model based on Stephen Evans’s extensive diachronic evidence of HKE spanning from the 1850s to the 2010s. While ascertaining the heuristic value of Schneider’s analytical framework, Evans’s well-triangulated studies point toward the need for alternative periodization of HKE along the five uni-directional phases of evolutionary development of postcolonial Englishes. Evans’s analysis of Butler’s five criteria for determining the emergence of a localized variety of English will also be discussed.

Textbooks for the teaching of te reo Māori

As part of a recent study of the teaching and learning of te reo Māori (the Māori language) in English-medium secondary schools in Aotearoa/New Zealand, I asked a sample of teachers which textbooks they used. I then analysed some of those textbooks that were referred to most often, using focus points derived from a review of literature on the design of textbooks for the teaching of additional languages. What I found was that the textbooks analysed were inconsistent with the relevant curriculum guidelines document and were also problematic in a number of other ways. This article discusses a number of the problematic concerns and outlines what would be involved in designing more effective textbooks for Indigenous languages, and textbooks that are in line with current research findings.

Organisational learning and development: A Vanuatu educational perspective.

Organisational learning within an educational context is a complex and multidimensional process. This paper reports on a study that investigates organisational learning during the process of development of Vanuatu’s nationalised English medium secondary school assessment process, a significant educational change in Vanuatu. This qualitative inquiry reviewed and critiqued the organisational learning that resulted from a pilot programme leading to the change, and involved participants from a number of levels within the Vanuatu education system. The study identified several factors that may have hindered the planning process. A revised change management framework for the Vanuatu education system is proposed, as a result of the critique, and recommendations towards improving the implementation of future educational changes in Vanuatu are made. The resulting framework and recommendations may assist other Pacific countries engaged in similar senior assessment nationalisation, and, also contribute more generally to others involved in systemic educational change processes.

Examining the potential of critical and Kaupapa Māori approaches to leading education reform in New Zealand’s English-medium secondary schools

This paper discusses expectations, policies and practices that currently underpin education within the New Zealand context. It acknowledges the ongoing failure of this policy framework to positively influence reform for Indigenous Māori students in regular, state-funded schools and highlights the need for extensive change in the positioning and expectations of educators if Māori learners are to realize their true potential. The paper then considers leadership models to reimagine and lead a transformative educational reform that aims to include the aspirations and contributions of all members of the school’s communities, especially those who have historically been marginalized. Finally it considers the implications of this model for international application.

Using SAFMEDS to assist language learners to acquire second-language vocabulary

ABSTRACTSAFMEDS (Say All Fast Minute Every Day Shuffled) cards, in conjunction with graphing learner’s progress, were used as an intervention to teach Welsh vocabulary to second-language learners in 4-year seven classes (12 year olds) in an English medium secondary school in Wales. A further class of children of the same age served as a Waiting List Control (WLC). From the curriculum, 200 words were selected by teachers to be studied during the school term. Children in all classes were given a pretest to establish the number of words that each child already knew at baseline. Children in the four intervention classes were each given packs of Welsh-English SAFMEDS and required to pair up with another child. Both children were instructed to conduct a practice run followed by a 1-min timing at the start of each 50-min lesson (three lessons per week). Children then recorded their correct and incorrect responses on data sheets and graphs. The procedure took less than 5 min, and the teacher then continued with the scheduled lesson. The WLC class received their normal Welsh classes. The intervention spanned 4 weeks of the term and was followed with a post-test of the target words for all children. During the post-test, the intervention children wrote significantly more correct Welsh vocabulary words than the control children, p < .001, d = 1.54. The study demonstrates that SAFMEDS are an efficient and effective method to enhance vocabulary learning with brief exposure within the context of standard lessons.

An interventional study to assess knowledge regarding rabies in secondary school students

BACKGROUND: Despite the tremendous progress in vaccination, rabies is widely prevalent in India. In India, about 15 million people get animal bite, every year and need post-exposure prophylaxis. Although all age groups are susceptible, rabies is most common in children. 40% of post exposure immunization is given to children aged 5-14 years. On this background, present study was designed to assess knowledge regarding rabies in secondary school students and to impart health education to them. Methods: An interventional study was carried out in an English medium secondary school. Total 140 students of age 13-15 years were studied. Baseline knowledge regarding rabies was determined by questionnaire method. A health education intervention regarding rabies was given to them. Knowledge was again tested using same questionnaire after 10 days. The data gathered was analysed using appropriate statistical test. Results: Out of total, 65.71% were male and 34.29% were female students. 85.71% students knew that dog bite can cause rabies.74.28% students knew about antirabies vaccination for human, which rose to 85% after health education. 66.43% students perceived application of turmeric, oil, chuna on wound as beneficial before health education. There was significant difference between knowledge regarding mode of transmission of rabies, animals that transmit rabies in India and immediate steps after animal bite in students before health education intervention. Conclusions: There was inadequate knowledge regarding rabies, in students which shown significant increase after health education. Language: en