Heritage Language Research Articles

Evaluating the Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP) Scores Using Principal Components Analysis.

Introduction TheVerbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP)is an extensive tool used to assess children with autism and other developmental disabilities who have language delays. Applied behavior analysis (ABA) professionals frequently use the VB-MAPP to create personalized intervention programs catering to each child's needs. The lack of studies examining the VB-MAPPat the pretest, posttest, and differential scores using principal components analysis (PCA) suggests an opportunity to conduct PCAs on these different VB-MAPP scores. In doing so, researchers could better understand the VB-MAPP's dimensionality and factor structure at these levels. This, in turn, could inform the development of more effective assessment strategies and intervention plans for individuals with language and social communication challenges. Materials and methods From January 2018 to July 2021, The Oxford Centerin Brighton and Troy, Michigan, treated autistic children using ABAtherapy. A convenience sample of 13 children was retrospectively analyzed using VB-MAPP, which evaluates various behavioral milestones using a pretest-posttest design. Descriptive data analysis and internal consistency reliability estimates (using Cronbach's alpha) were calculated for pretest, posttest, and difference scores. A Wilcoxen signed-rank test was conducted to determine the statistical significance between thepretest and posttest. Correlation matrices were inspected for relevant relationships between VB-MAPP scales, and a PCAwith orthogonal rotation was alsoperformed on this pretest, posttest, and difference scores. Results The mean age for the children was 4.083 years ± 1.083 years, (95%CI 3.64, 4.36). Around 66.6% of the children had an autism severity level of three, 33.3% had a severity level of two, and none were at level one. Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency reliability of the pretest, posttest, and difference scores, indicating excellent reliability with values of 0.948 for the pretest and 0.937 for theposttest, respectively. The difference scores had a lower but acceptable reliability coefficient of 0.752. PCAon the pretest scores identified three factors that explain85.584% of the total variation, indicating that these components capture most of the data's structure. The posttest PCA also identified three factors, accounting for 84.293% of the variance, suggesting a similar complexity and good model fit as the pretest. PCA revealed four factors explaining 82.317% of the variation for the difference scores. The increase in factors suggests that changes between pretest and posttest scores are complex, likely due to the ABA treatment, and require an additional component to represent the data adequately. There is a good model fit; the underlying structure is more complex than the pretest or posttest alone. Conclusions Robust coefficient alphas combined with the shift to a more detailed factor structure post-ABA treatment highlight ABA therapy's diverse and multi-faceted impact on children. The increase from three to four principal components indicates a richer and more nuanced pattern of improvements across different domains of verbal and social behavior. This detailed factor structure is a testament to the comprehensive and individualized nature of ABA treatment, reflecting the therapy's effectiveness in addressing specific needs and fostering broad developmental gains in children.

The Role of Interactive Media in Teaching Pronunciation Through Communicative Language Teaching Approach

The Role of Interactive Media in Teaching Pronunciation Through Communicative Language Teaching Approach

A Case Report on Infant Aural Rehabilitation Using Korean Auditory, Language, and Cognitive Rehabilitation for Infants

The purpose of this paper is to report the effectiveness and significance of aural rehabilitation using the Korean Auditory, language, and cognitive Rehabilitation for Infants (KARI) program. The KARI program was administered to an infant diagnosed with hearing loss at 9 months of age. A total of 45 KARI sessions were conducted for 13 months. Four developmental areas, auditory, language and social communication, overall and vocal and articulatory were evaluated at 10, 15, and 18 months of age for initial, progress, and final tests. After aural rehabilitation with KARI, in the area of auditory development, the infant showed normal range. In the area of language and social communication, the infant exhibited normal receptive language and non-verbal communication skills but showed significant delays in speech due to the diagnosed submucous cleft palate. In the area of overall developmental screening, Korean Developmental Screening Test for Infants & Children scores were at peer level in cognition and social skills. However, gross motor, fine motor, language, and self-help skills were in the range of needing further testing. In the areas of vocalization and articulation, vocalization showed normal range, but articulation development showed delayed development. Although development of expressive language and articulation was delayed due to submucous cleft palate, the overall results showed good progression with KARI in other areas. Therefore, it is hoped that the KARI would be used to promote aural rehabilitation for the infants with hearing impaired.

Movies as Tools for Enhancing ESL Learning: Insights into Students’ Emotions and Experiences

Numerous studies have reported that ESL students often struggle with poor motivation, low self-confidence, and high levels of anxiety. Watching movies has a strong potential to ignite these students’ interest in learning English, thereby enhancing their language learning journey. However, integrating movies into language learning is only effective if it positively impacts students’ anxiety, motivation and self-confidence. This study explores university students’ emotional factors along with their experiences to determine whether movies enhance their language learning. An online questionnaire via Google Forms was distributed to 76 participants, including 43 students from the LG241 program (Malay Language for Professional Communication) and 33 from the LG242 program (Arabic Language for Professional Communication) at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Shah Alam. Data were extracted and analysed using SPPS version 29 via descriptive statistics. Results showed that movies created a calm and non-intimidating learning atmosphere, fostering increased self-motivation and self-esteem while reducing anxiety. Students also reported improved language skills, as movies provided real-life examples of English usage and immersive learning environments. This study demonstrates that integrating movies into English lessons can improve students’ emotions and experiences, making language learning more effective. Collecting ESL students’ feedback on using movies for language learning helps educators identify areas for improvement. By incorporating students’ perspectives, educators can develop more effective teaching methods, ultimately enhancing the learning experience through unconventional means.

DEEP LEARNING-BASED HAND GESTURE RECOGNITION FOR SPEECH SYNTHESIS IN TELUGU

In a world increasingly reliant on technology, individuals had born with hearing impairments face significant communication challenges, leading to feelings of isolation and dependency. This paper addresses the pressing need to empower the deaf and mute community by proposing an innovative solution – Deep Learning-Based Hand Gesture Recognition for Speech Synthesis in Telugu. Deaf and mute individuals encounter barriers in expressing themselves verbally, hindering their integration into mainstream society. Conventional methods often fall short in providing effective communication channels, exacerbating the challenges faced by this community. The critical need for a comprehensive solution that facilitates seamless communication in their native language, Telugu is evident. Current sign language solutions lack precision, failing to capture nuanced gestures, limiting accuracy. Importantly, they overlook converting gestures into spoken Telugu, leaving a gap for the deaf and mute community. These systems also face real-time processing challenges, hindering natural communication in users native language. Our innovative approach utilizes advanced technology, specifically Deep Learning and a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). This system significantly improves understanding of hand movements, achieving a remarkable 90% accuracy. When someone uses hand gestures, our system converts them into spoken Telugu, enhancing communication for deaf and mute individuals. This substantial improvement empowers native Telugu speakers by 80%, allowing them to express themselves more naturally and actively participate in daily life.

A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF BEHAVIOURAL CHANGES IN L1 LEARNERS DUE TO L2 NONVERBAL CUES

This systematic review explores the influence of second language (L2) nonverbal cues on first language (L1) behaviours among learners. While existing research has primarily focused on verbal proficiency, the integration of nonverbal communication—encompassing gestures, facial expressions, body posture, and vocal tone—into L2 learning remains under examined. This study investigates the phenomenon of superimposition, where L2 learners adopt nonverbal cues that subsequently shape their L1 interactions. Through an interdisciplinary lens incorporating psycholinguistics, cross-cultural communication, and second language acquisition theories, we identify significant behavioural changes in L1 communication patterns, emotional expressiveness, and social interaction styles. Key areas of impact include alterations in facial expressions, gestural behaviours, eye contact, and paralanguage. Utilizing psychometric tools such as self-report surveys, observational studies, and vocal analysis, this review highlights the complexities of nonverbal communication across languages and cultures. Ultimately, our findings underscore the necessity of understanding nonverbal cue integration to enhance cross-cultural communication and support multilingual individuals in navigating diverse interaction contexts.

The Effect of Sentence Structure Training on the Progress of Chinese Children with Autism in English Grammar Acquisition

This research proposal aim to examine grammatical training on children with ASD and its impact on their language ability and communication skills. Data will be collected by an experiment in a real-life classroom environment setting. Experimental group and control group are set to compare the impact of sentence structure training to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder on their grammatical acquisition and English language development. A pre-test includes 20 grammatical questions will be given to the students before the beginning of the experiment in order to assess the baseline of students grammar ability. A post-test includes anther 20 grammatical questions which has same difficulty but different questions will be used at the end of the training period which aims to examine the result of the sentence training sessions. The data collection will be used to evaluate how and to what extent sentence structure training on the progress of Chinese children with Autism in their English grammar acquisition. The result of this research proposal is expected to provide information to the further language development of special groups of children.

Competitive Team-Based Learning (CTBL): A Revolutionary Approach to Contemporary Language Teaching/Education

This article dissects part of the socio-educational/political background to my innovative approach to Language Teaching/Education namely Competitive Team-Based Learning (CTBL), which he formulated based on his seminal edu-political theories. (See, 2023) It then clarifies certain misgivings regarding integrating the element of competition within cooperative learning settings to pave the way to a to-the-point introduction to CTBL. The article also discusses – at length – distinguishing features and characteristics of CTBL with reference to the present methods and approaches like Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) and particularly Cooperative Learning (CL) methods. It also throws light on the mechanisms underlying the implementation of CTBL in real classroom situations and illustrates presentations and classroom techniques in classes where this approach may be applied by teachers. Moreover, the article highlights the kind of design, objectives, evaluation system, syllabi, materials, tasks, and activities emphasized by CTBL. Importantly, the significance of motivation in CTBL settings has been thrown into sharp relief. Finally, the article gives a glimpse of the importance of CTBL for today (language) classes in our complicated competitive world context, and elaborates the howabouts of its contribution to significant changes in our societies, for peace making and compassionate civilizations building. CTBL makes it possible via bringing that sort of changes in our students’ minds first.

COMMUNICATION APPREHENSION AMONG SENIOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN SERBIA

The primary aim of this research is to examine to what degree communication apprehension is present among senior elementary school students and to investigate whether levels of communication apprehension as reported by participants differ along various external and internal factors. A total of 267 participants attending the fifth, sixth and seventh grades of elementary school took part in the research. Communication apprehension was investigated with an 8-item foreign language communication apprehension scale and additional background questions concerning one internal and six external factors. The findings suggest that communication apprehension exists among elementary school students to a moderate degree and that there are statistically significant differences in terms of gender, final grade in English, final average grade, attending private lessons and a perceived importance of learning English.

Spanish in The Linguistic Landscape of San Diego County: A Case of Linguicism?

This study aims to examine the linguistic landscape of six neighborhoods in San Diego County, focusing on the prevalence of languages and the role of Spanish, a heritage language in the region. The neighborhoods were categorized into three areas with predominantly Latinx populations (Latin areas) and three with predominantly White populations (White areas). Signage in these areas was analyzed across five categories: (a) language(s) used on signs, (b) dominant languages displayed, (c) functional purposes of languages (informative vs. symbolic), (d) types of translations provided, and (e) public vs. private authorship. The findings reveal a preference for English in White areas, whereas Latin areas exhibit greater use of both English and Spanish, with bilingual signage being common. Moreover, Latin areas show greater diversity in types of translations and a significant symbolic function of Spanish on signs. These patterns shed light on local power dynamics between the two predominant languages in the area. They suggest that Spanish and bilingualism are predominantly confined to Latin areas, with even these neighborhoods displaying relatively low levels of Spanish presence. This marginalisation of Spanish diminishes linguistic empowerment and influence for speakers of this heritage language. The study exposes opaque relationships between the dominant White population and the subordinated Latinx group, interpreted through power dynamics and the expansion of White public space alongside linguistic imperialism of English. These dynamics perpetuate racialisation and oppression, particularly affecting speakers of minoritised languages such as Spanish. The consequences include language anxiety among historically underrepresented groups and identity crises. Ultimately, this research provides insights into the status of Spanish as a heritage language in Southern California.

Reading Teaching under the Core Literacy of the English Discipline College

This article aims to explore reading instruction under the framework of core literacy. Core literacy refers to language ability, cultural character, thinking quality, and learning ability. Reading instruction is one of the important ways to cultivate students’ core literacy. Students need to read in order to understand different cultural backgrounds and values, broaden their horizons and knowledge. Students need to read in order to understand different cultural backgrounds and values, broaden their horizons and knowledge. At the same time, reading can also improve students' language expression and communication abilities, cultivating excellent cultural inheritors and cross-cultural communicators. At the same time, reading can also improve students' language expression and communication abilities, cultivating excellent cultural inheritors and cross cultural communicators. Reading instruction also needs to focus on developing students’ thinking literacy. Students need to use reading to develop critical thinking, creative thinking, and problem solving abilities. Students need to use reading to develop critical thinking, creative thinking, and problem solving abilities. Reading instruction should be closely integrated with core literacy, improving students’ comprehensive quality through developing their language ability, cultural character, thinking quality, and learning ability.

Application of textures and tactility enhancement in graphic design. Approaches of texture creation

Graphic design as a language of visual communication uses diff erent methods to infl uence the viewer. This article considers the use of textures for the purpose of visual and tactile enrichment of design. By examining methods and examples of texture communication, this paper aims to clarify the creative possibilities and impact of textures on design aesthetics.

The Impact of Multilingual Education On Developing Communication Skills for University Students Within Foreign Language Learning

Today, multilingualism can be considered as an undeniable reality. The rapid pace of globalisation processes and the fast information spreading compelled society to adapt and keep pace with the new realities. These shifts require significant language proficiency and advanced communication skills. In this sense, the command over multiple languages not only broadens one’s horizons and enhances his and/or her professionalism but also facilitates cross-cultural communication as well as the acquisition of multiple knowledge. The relevance of this study is featured by the dynamic changes in society, highlighting the need of multilingual education for people to fully realise their potential in life. This research investigates the impact of multilingual education on developing communication skills for University students within foreign language learning. It explores the principles of multilingual learning and identifies effective pedagogical methods that enhance language abilities, with a particular emphasis on the role of technology, delving into strategies like gamification and virtual classrooms. Furthermore, this research thoroughly examines the different ways multilingual education affects communication skill development in the study of foreign languages at universities. It aims at identifying progressive teaching methods and strategies that improve the quality of students' language acquisition. It is important to point out that higher education institutions serve as the keystone for multilingual education, providing students not only with linguistic competencies but also with professional knowledge to expand their career prospects. The methodological framework employed in this research provides a comprehensive approach, integrating historical, social, linguodidactic, and pedagogical concepts alongside several scientific methods. The study refers to methods of scientific cognition such as systematic analysis, synthesis, dialectical inquiry, and normative methods to enrich its findings. Moreover, significant advantages of multilingual learning, particularly in enhancing English language proficiency and communication skills, are identified. Also, the study stresses the focal role of modern technologies in multilingual education, highlighting their potential to transform learning experiences and personalise educational approaches. Particularly, the research underscores how multilingual education fosters communication skills, notably in English as a global lingua franca.

When the second language becomes the first: family language policies in Polish return migrant families from English-speaking countries

ABSTRACT The study focuses on Polish families returning from migration to English-speaking countries and their family language policies in a language-shift situation. It aims to discover what language(s) parents and children associate their identities with and how they navigate through their development. The data for the project comes from content analysis of 4 interviews with selected families. The results show a discrepancy between parental ideologies and their adolescent children’s linguistic identities. While parents aim to maintain and develop the heritage language, Polish, abroad and on return, the children’s primary identity is associated with English, which causes their difficulties in reintegration into the Polish school environment on return. Additionally, the age of return matters: young adolescents (aged 10-15) continue to seek ties with English-speaking communities and plan to return to the country of their childhood while younger children (their siblings) who returned at the time of onset of Polish school time managed to adapt to the new situation. The study’s findings should be relevant to parents, teachers and psychologists who wish to aid the children in developing harmonious bilingualism.

The Application of Communicative Language Teaching in English Classroom Activities

As a teaching approach aimed at improving learners' communicative competence, Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) has been favored by many teachers. The application of CLT has eradicated the defects of traditional classroom teaching which only pay attention to the explanation of grammar structure and ignore the cultivation of practical language use ability, and changed the phenomenon of traditional teaching dumb English. However, in the specific teaching practice, there are still many problems in the application of Communicative Language Teaching. How to maximize the advantages of CLT in classroom activities, realize its purpose and then find the teaching method that truly conforms to the actual teaching situation in China is a problem worthy of teachers' deep consideration.

The Effectiveness of a Role-Play Activity in Practicing EFL Learner’s Communicative Skills

This paper investigates the concepts and interconnections between role-playing activities and communicative competence. It examines the effectiveness of role-playing activities in English teaching, focusing on their impact on various aspects of language communication ability. Furthermore, the study explores effective teaching strategies for incorporating role-playing activities in the English classroom to enhance the development of students' communicative skills.

The Dynamic Interplay Between Language Motivation and English Speaking Fluency: Implications for Effective Teaching Strategies

In this study, we aim to investigate the reciprocal influence between language motivation and English speaking fluency among language learners, and to draw implications for effective teaching methodologies. By analyzing multiple cases of language learners in conjunction with relevant theories and practical insights, the study uncovers a dynamic correlation between language motivation and speaking fluency. The research findings indicate that heightened language motivation can positively impact learners’ speaking fluency, while improved oral skills, in turn, bolster learners’ language confidence and motivation. Building on these insights, the study proposes impactful teaching approaches, such as cultivating learners’ enthusiasm for language acquisition, providing diverse opportunities for oral practice, and fostering active engagement in language communication. These strategies are designed to enhance language motivation and speaking fluency among learners, offering valuable guidance and reference for educators.

Classroom Structure Strategies of Teachers and Language Communication Hitches of Students in Public Secondary Schools

Classroom Structure Strategies of Teachers and Language Communication Hitches of Students in Public Secondary Schools

Morphological Markedness and the Temporal Dynamics of Gender Agreement Processing in Spanish as a Majority and a Heritage Language

Morphological Markedness and the Temporal Dynamics of Gender Agreement Processing in Spanish as a Majority and a Heritage Language

Kajian Pengetahuan Ibu Tentang Autis dan Gizi Anak Autisdi Sekolah Luar Biasa (SLB) Negeri Nunumeu-Soe

Autism is a variant of autism spectrum disorder characterized by social communication difficulties and language barriers, narrow interests and rigid and repetitive behavior. This research aims to examine mothers' knowledge about autism and nutrition for autistic children at Nunumeu-Soe State Special School. This research is a qualitative research. Data collection was carried out using in-depth interview techniques with six informants who have autistic children at Nunumeu-Soe State Special School. The results of the research found that not all informants knew the symptoms of children with autism, so it was discovered that when children were 3-5 years old, the symptoms of autism that were often noticed were difficulty speaking and hyperactivity. Not all informants gave breast milk until the child was two years old due to work factors and replaced it with formula milk. All informants did not know the type of autistic behavior that influences children's consumption patterns, but the informants already knew the levels of autism. Mother's knowledge about nutrition for autistic children regarding types of food that adapt to the child's wishes containing gluten and casein. Food taboos in children are well known, but often escape the mother's attention due to permissive parenting, which causes serious symptoms in children. Barriers to health services and a lack of health workers in TTS district resulted in a lack of informant knowledge. Schools need to consult with local health services to educate parents about the nutrition of autistic children regarding the type of behavior and dietary restrictions of autistic children.