Proficient Learners Research Articles

Cognitive Schema to Interests for English Learning of Net-Generation College Students: A Basis for English Teaching Design in Sichuan Province, China

This study explores the impact of cognitive schemas on English learning interests among college students in Sichuan Province, China. Despite the critical role of English in providing academic and professional opportunities in a globalized economy, many students face challenges such as basic comprehension issues and lack of engagement, often exacerbated by an exam-centric education system. By applying schema theory, the research investigates how language, content, and formal schemas influence students' English learning interests. Utilizing a quantitative approach, data was gathered from 380 students through questionnaires and analyzed using statistical methods. The findings reveal gaps in language schema proficiency and low engagement in English learning, suggesting a need for personalized, interactive teaching strategies. The study provides insights into effective pedagogical practices tailored to the needs of Net-Generation students.

The role of context in the word family debate

There has been debate regarding how to define the lexical unit for the receptive skills, with different levels of inclusiveness being possible depending on learner proficiency and pedagogical or research purpose. The most frequently-used definitions for L2 reading are the lemma, flemma, and Bauer and Nation's (1993) level-6 word family (WF6). When WF6 is used, it is assumed that if one family member is known, unfamiliar members can be understood when encountered in meaningful contexts. Past investigations of this assumption have been criticized for assessing knowledge of morphologically-related words only in isolation or in sentence-length contexts. The present study addressed this concern by examining Japanese university students' ability to understand related words in isolation, in limited-context sentences, and in page-length passages. The relationship between baseword and derivational form knowledge was weak, and the level of contextualization had little effect on this relationship. These findings corroborate past findings and support the use of limited-context assessment in research on the word family and the relationship between vocabulary and reading.

The Role of Needs Analysis in EFL Teaching Design

The essay defines needs analysis as a comprehensive process for acquiring learner and communication task information, encompassing learner proficiency, learning styles, language goals, cultural factors, resource availability, and learning outcomes. It covers the crucial components of needs analysis and highlights the role in EFL teaching design before, during, and after class, and its impact on continuous professional development among educators. The essay underscores the trans-formative influence of needs analysis in optimizing teaching strategies and enhancing student learning outcomes.

Exploring the Development of Progressive Construction in Chinese and Japanese EFL Writing: A Usage‐Based Approach

AbstractThis study investigates the developmental trajectory of progressive construction among Chinese and Japanese EFL learners through a usage‐based approach. A total of 600 written essays, produced by EFL learners from China and Japan with proficiency levels ranging from elementary to upper‐intermediate, were analyzed. The findings reveal that advanced EFL learners, irrespective of their L1 backgrounds, exhibit higher productivity in using progressive constructions, aligning more closely with native English speakers. Moreover, the results support the aspect hypothesis, as activity verbs are predominantly marked with progressive across all learner groups. As for the development of progressive construction, less prototypical verb types in progressives increase proportionally with proficiency levels in the top 10 contingencies. However, discrepancies in proportions among Chinese and Japanese EFL learners underscore the need for a further examination of the intricate patterns of non‐prototypical form‐meaning associations across L1 backgrounds. The present study bears significance in shedding light on the acquisition of tense‐aspect morphology influenced by L1 transfer and learner proficiency.

Investigating the Impact of Flipped Teaching on Language Proficiency and Self-efficacy of Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners

Investigating the Impact of Flipped Teaching on Language Proficiency and Self-efficacy of Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners

Think-aloud approach combined with case-based learning in nursing teaching round for new nurses in cancer hospital

BackgroundThe transition from nursing students to working as new nurses can be a challenging process. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a pedagogical approach amalgamating the think-aloud approach and case-based learning in the instructional rounds for new nurses.MethodsUtilizing convenience sampling, new nurses were selected between 2020 and 2021 in China cancer hospital. A total of 98 participants agreed to participate, with 50 enrolled in 2020 as the control group and 48 in 2021 as the observation group. Across a span of weeks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11, each clinical department conducted six teaching rounds. The observation group engaged in teaching rounds combining the think-aloud approach with case-based learning, whereas the control group solely utilized case-based learning. Disparities in case analysis scores and critical thinking ability between the two groups were scrutinized, alongside an analysis of learning strategies and the observation group feedback.ResultsThe observation group exhibited superior case analysis scores (91.92 ± 6.33) and overall critical thinking ability scores (308.39 ± 35.88) in comparison to the control group, which scored (85.27 ± 5.39) and (275.11 ± 31.32) respectively, reflecting statistically significant variances (t = 1.868 ~ 6.361, P < 0.05). Predominant learning strategies employed in the observation group ranged from cognitive to meta-cognitive, followed by psychosocial strategies. During interviews focused on nurses’ feedback on the learning process, themes emerged surrounding the enhancement of learning proficiency, invigoration of learning enthusiasm, and bolstering psychological well-being.ConclusionThe combination of think-aloud approach and case-based learning in nursing teaching rounds greatly improves the efficiency of training and the critical thinking acuity of new nurses. Concurrently, it facilitated an evaluation of learning strategies, thereby offering valuable insights for the nursing teaching rounds of new nurse.

How do constructions with modal verbs develop in second language learners of English?

Abstract The study reported on in this paper uses data from a large, pseudolongitudinal corpus of second language (L2) learner writing to investigate how L2 knowledge of verb-argument constructions (VACs) develops from low-beginner to upper-intermediate proficiency levels. The focus is on learners from two L1 backgrounds (L1 German and L1 Spanish) and on a subset of VACs that contain modal auxiliaries in combination with lexical verbs (e.g., subject-modal-verb, as in I can cook). For each VAC, L1, and proficiency level, frequency lists of verbs were created and compared across datasets. Reference data on the same constructions was extracted from a corpus of L1 writing. Results suggest that modal VACs become more frequent, less predictable, more productive, and more aligned with L1 production as learner proficiency increases. The findings of this study help to expand our understanding of the processes that underlie L2 construction acquisition.

A Serious Game for Enhancing Rescue Reasoning Skills in Tactical Combat Casualty Care: Development and Deployment Study.

Serious games (SGs) have emerged as engaging and instructional digital simulation tools that are increasingly being used for military medical training. SGs are often compared with traditional media in terms of learning outcomes, but it remains unclear which of the 2 options is more efficient and better accepted in the process of knowledge acquisition. This study aimed to create and test a scenario-based system suitable for enhancing rescue reasoning skills in tactical combat casualty care. To evaluate the effectiveness of the SGs, a randomized, observational, comparative trial was conducted. A total of 148 members from mobile medical logistics teams were recruited for training. Pre- and posttraining assessments were conducted using 2 different formats: a video-based online course (n=78) and a game simulation (n=70). We designed 3 evaluation instruments based on the first 2 levels of the Kirkpatrick model (reaction and learning) to measure trainees' satisfaction, knowledge proficiency, and self-confidence. There were 4 elements that made up the learning path for the SGs: microcourses (video-based online courses), self-test, game simulation, and record query. The knowledge test scores in both groups were significantly higher after the intervention (t154=-6.010 and t138=-7.867, respectively; P<.001). For 5 simulation cases, the average operation time was 13.6 (SD 3.3) minutes, and the average case score was 279.0 (SD 57.6) points (from a possible total of 500 points), with a score rate of only 44% (222/500 points) to 67% (336/500 points). The results indicated no significant difference in trainees' satisfaction between the 2 training methods (P=.04). However, the game simulation method outperformed the video-based online course in terms of learning proficiency (t146=-2.324, P=.02) and self-perception (t146=-5.492, P<.001). Despite the high satisfaction reported by trainees for both training methods, the game simulation approach demonstrated superior efficiency and acceptance in terms of knowledge acquisition, self-perception, and overall performance. The developed SG holds significant potential as an essential assessment tool for evaluating frontline rescue skills and rescue reasoning in mobile medical logistics teams.

HU U?: The Impact of Texting Language on the Academic Writing Proficiency of Second Language Learners

This study examined the common language used for texting between first- and second-year English language studies majors at a state university in the northern Philippines, as well as their writing skills. The methodology of total enumeration sampling was utilized to ascertain the study participants. The findings demonstrated that "Shortenings and Abbreviations" is the most often used texting language among the seven commonly used texting languages among the respondents. The results also revealed that the respondents' written performance had a relatively low level of writing competence, "Developing," which can be linked to their usage of acronyms and shorthands. These imply that the idea that textese, or texting language, is destroying language and influencing the language performance of the students has been proven and confirmed.

Learning curve stratified outcomes after robotic pancreatoduodenectomy: International multicenter experience

BackgroundRobotic pancreatoduodenectomy is increasingly being implemented worldwide, with good results reported from individual expert centers. However, it is unclear to what extent outcomes will continue to improve during the learning curve, as large international studies are lacking. MethodsAn international retrospective multicenter case series, including consecutive patients after robotic pancreatoduodenectomy from 18 centers in 8 countries in Europe, Asia, and South America until December 31, 2019, was conducted. A cumulative sum analysis was performed to determine the inflection points for the feasibility (operative time and blood loss) and proficiency (postoperative pancreatic fistula grade B/C and major morbidity) learning curves. Outcomes were compared in 3 groups on the basis of the learning curve inflection points. ResultsOverall, 2,186 patients after robotic pancreatoduodenectomy were included. The feasibility learning curve was reached after 30–45 robotic pancreatoduodenectomy procedures and the proficiency learning curve after 90 robotic pancreatoduodenectomy procedures. These inflection points created 3 phases, which were associated with major morbidity (24.7%, 23.4%, and 12.3%, P < .001) but not 30-day mortality (2.1%, 2.0%, and 1.5%, P = .670). Other outcomes mostly continued to improve, including median operative time 432, 390, and 300 minutes (P < .0001), conversion 6.0%, 4.7%, and 2.7% (P = .002), bile leakage 7.2%, 4.1%, and 2.4% (P < .001), postpancreatectomy hemorrhage 6.5%, 6.1%, and 1.8% (n = 21) but not R0 resection (pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma only) 78.5%, 73.9%, and 82.8% (P = .35), and 90-day mortality rate 3.1%, 3.5%, and 2.1% (P = .191). Centers performing >20 robotic pancreatoduodenectomies annually had lower rates of conversion, reoperation, and shorter median operative time as compared with centers performing 10–20 robotic pancreatoduodenectomies annually. ConclusionThis international multicenter study demonstrates that most outcomes of robotic pancreatoduodenectomy continued to improve during 3 learning curve phases without a negative effect on 90-day mortality. Randomized studies are needed in high-volume centers that have surpassed the first learning curves, to compare these outcomes with the open approach.

MITIGATING RESPONDENT FATIGUE IN SELF-ASSESSMENT: CEFR-BASED ITEMS FOR MALAYSIAN UNDERGRADUATES

Background and Purpose: The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is an internationally recognised instrument for describing language skills. It describes language proficiency on a six-level scale, ranging from A1 for beginners to C2 for those who have already mastered a language. The roadmap in the Malaysian Education Plan 2013-2025 sets B2 as the target for Malaysian higher education graduates as this is the level at which they can expect to get a job and function adequately in English, while graduates of English language degree programmes are expected to reach C1 when they graduate. The aim of this study is to test and verify whether it is appropriate to use only the items from B2, C1 and C2 to measure the language proficiency of Malaysian students to avoid respondent fatigue in answering the questionnaire. Methodology: A proportionate stratified random sampling method was used and four strata were defined: Strata I and II were male and female students in public institutions, Strata III and IV were male and female students in private institutions. The instrument used was a questionnaire containing demographic profiles and eight items from the CEFR Global Self-Assessment Grid. Exploratory factor analysis and reliability analysis were conducted using SPSS. Findings: The eigenvalue of 7.263 with factor loadings between 0.774 and 0.854 and the Cronbach’s alpha value for language ability of over 0.9 indicate excellent reliability of the selected items. The study found that Malaysian university students were good at understanding and discussing personal information, events, opinions and plans. However, they found it difficult to understand complex and longer texts, to use language flexibly in social and academic settings and to express themselves without constantly asking for feedback. As the current education system focuses too much on memorization, it does not contribute to the development of practical language skills. In order to improve, students should use the CEFR as a self-assessment tool. Contributions: The findings of the study contribute to the understanding of the optimization of the CEFR framework in Malaysian higher education by reducing respondent fatigue and improving the quality of self-assessment. The study provides empirical evidence of the effectiveness of using CEFR-based items at B2, C1 and C2 levels in reducing fatigue, improving the quality of self-assessment and informing language teaching and learning practices. The findings can assist educators and policy makers in developing more effective language teaching and assessment strategies that promote student learning outcomes and ultimately improve the language education of Malaysian students. Keywords: CEFR rubric, ESL, self-assessment, perceived language proficiency, answering fatigue. Cite as: Tg Nur Liyana, T. M. F., Wan Nazihah, W. M, &amp; Mimi Mazlina, M. (2024). Assessing the self-perceived language proficiency of Malaysian ESL learners in higher education utilizing the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). Journal of Nusantara Studies, 9(2), 474-489. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol9iss2pp474-489

FIRST LANGUAGE TRANSFER IN CHINESE UNDERGRADUATES’ USE OF CONNECTORS IN ENGLISH NARRATIVES

Background and Purpose: Connectors are vital tools for cohesive discourse, significantly influencing the writing proficiency of learners. In Chinese educational contexts, many learners grapple with the correct application of connectors, due to potential first language (L1) influence. Previous research primarily delves into lexical and syntactic aspects, overlooking discourse-level considerations. This study aims to assess the frequency and accuracy of connector usage in English narratives among Chinese learners. It also seeks to investigate the extent of language transfer concerning connectors among Chinese learners and discern how this transfer evolves as learners' second language (L2) proficiency advances. Methodology: To amass data, 150 narratives composed by 30 Chinese learners were analyzed. Initial qualitative analysis was followed by quantitative examination. Findings: The findings underscore temporal words as the most frequently employed connectors, closely trailed by additives and causal words. Notably, temporal words and adversatives exhibited higher accuracy when compared to other connector types. Positive transfer manifested more frequently than negative transfer. Moreover, positive transfer displayed a noticeable inflectional change across the five-time narratives, whereas little variation was observed in negative transfer. Contributions: This study suggests that stakeholders, including educators, learners, and policymakers, should leverage positive transfer as a strategic resource when instructing connectors to enhance L2 writing proficiency. Keywords: First language, language transfer, connector, narratives, Chinese undergraduates. Cite as: Ma, Y. Q., &amp; Stapa, M. B. (2024). First language transfer in Chinese undergraduates’ use of connectors in English narratives. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 9(2), 131-159. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol9iss2pp131-159

A Deep Generative Model for Multi-Ship Trajectory Forecasting With Interaction Modeling

Abstract Multi-agent modeling is a challenging issue in intelligent systems, which is further compounded by heavy and complex traffic in maritime contexts. Trajectory forecasting can enhance operation safety. Nonetheless, effectively modeling interactions among vessels poses a significant difficulty. Toward this end, we propose a conditional variational autoencoder approach to ship trajectory prediction in a dynamic and multi-modal encounter situation. Leveraging a shared recurrent neural network architecture and attention mechanism, our method aggregates vessel trajectory data, enabling the model to learn and encapsulate meaningful encounter information across active vessels. We utilize automatic identification system data from the Oslofjord region to validate our approach. Through comprehensive experiments conducted on a four-ship encounter dataset, our proposed model demonstrates promising performance, by outperforming the benchmark models. Furthermore, we analyze the prediction model in a wide array of dimensions, showcasing its proficiency in complex ship behaviors learning, modeling ship interaction, and approximating actual trajectories.

A Context-Aligned Two Thousand Test: Toward estimating high-frequency French vocabulary knowledge for beginner-to-low intermediate proficiency adolescent learners in England

Vocabulary knowledge strongly predicts second language reading, listening, writing, and speaking. Yet, few tests have been developed to assess vocabulary knowledge in French. The primary aim of this pilot study was to design and initially validate the Context-Aligned Two Thousand Test (CA-TTT), following open research practices. The CA-TTT is a test of written form–meaning recognition of high-frequency vocabulary aimed at beginner-to-low intermediate learners of French at the end of their fifth year of secondary education. Using an argument-based validation framework, we drew on classical test theory and Rasch modeling, together with correlations with another vocabulary size test and proficiency measures, to assess the CA-TTT’s internal and external validity. Overall, the CA-TTT showed high internal and external validity. Our study highlighted the decisive role of the curriculum in determining vocabulary knowledge in instructed, low-exposure contexts. We discuss how this might contribute to under- or over-estimations of vocabulary size, depending on the relations between the test and curriculum content. Further research using the tool is openly invited, particularly with lower proficiency learners in this context. Following further validation, the test could serve as a tool for assessing high-frequency vocabulary knowledge at beginner-to-low intermediate levels, with due attention paid to alignment with curriculum content.

Analysis of Students’ Motivation in Carrier-Based English Language Learning

This study analyzes the impact of Carrier-Based Learning (CBL) on students' motivation and language proficiency in English language learning. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and the concept of situated learning, CBL integrates career-relevant tasks into the learning process to enhance intrinsic motivation and practical language skills. The research examines how CBL fosters autonomy, competence, and relatedness among students, leading to increased engagement and deeper learning. A comprehensive literature review methodology was employed to synthesize findings from various studies, highlighting the benefits and challenges of implementing CBL. Results indicate that CBL significantly improves students' motivation and language proficiency by providing authentic, meaningful learning experiences. However, successful implementation requires adequate teacher training and innovative assessment methods. This study underscores the importance of aligning language education with real-world career demands to prepare students for future professional success. The findings offer valuable insights for educators and policymakers on effectively integrating CBL into language curricula, promoting both academic and professional growth.

Radiograph recognition of COVID-19 based on DenseNet

This paper presents a neural network approach for pneumonia image classification. Utilizing thousands of actual X-ray images from both pneumonia patients and healthy individuals, a classification model is developed. This neural network model, a prevalent machine learning technique, is employed as an adjunct tool to aid pneumonia diagnosis and pre-screening. The algorithms utilized in the study are comprehensively analyzed and detailed. Through an examination of the network's architecture, several effective methods for enhancing the model are proposed, leading to improved model structure and classification performance. The novel model structure proposed in this study is demonstrated and evaluated. The final training accuracy exceeds 95%, demonstrating the model's proficiency in learning from the training data. Moreover, the test accuracy hovers around 92%, indicating the model's robust performance in generalizing to unseen data.

Training a language model to learn the syntax of commands

To protect systems from malicious activities, it is important to differentiate between valid and harmful commands. One way to achieve this is by learning the syntax of the commands, which is a complex task because of the expansive and evolving nature of command syntax. To address this, we harnessed the power of a language model. Our methodology involved constructing a specialized vocabulary from our commands dataset, and training a custom tokenizer with a Masked Language Model head, resulting in the development of a BERT-like language model. This model exhibits proficiency in learning command syntax by predicting masked tokens. In comparative analyses, our language model outperformed the Markov Model in categorizing commands using clustering algorithms (DBSCAN, HDBSCAN, OPTICS). The language model achieved higher Silhouette scores (0.72, 0.88, 0.85) compared to the Markov Model (0.53, 0.25, 0.06) and demonstrated significantly lower noise levels (2.63%, 5.39%, 8.49%) versus the Markov Model’s higher noise rates (9.31%, 29.85%, 50.35%). Further validation with manually crafted syntax and BERTScore assessments consistently produced metrics above 0.90 for precision, recall, and F1-score. Our language model excels at learning command syntax, enhancing protective measures against malicious activities.

Learning English vowels: The effects of different phonetic training modes on Arabic learners' production and perceptiona).

This study investigated the effect of different types of phonetic training on potential changes in the production and perception of English vowels by Arabic learners of English. Forty-six Arabic learners of English were randomly assigned to one of three high variability vowel training programs: Perception training (High Variability Phonetic Training), Production training, and a Hybrid Training program (production and perception training). Pre- and post-tests (vowel identification, category discrimination, speech recognition in noise, and vowel production) showed that all training types led to improvements in perception and production. There was some evidence that improvements were linked to training type: learners in the Perception Training condition improved in vowel identification but not vowel production, while those in the Production Training condition showed only small improvements in performance on perceptual tasks, but greater improvement in production. However, the effects of training modality were complicated by proficiency, with high proficiency learners benefitting more from different types of training regardless of training mode than lower proficiency learners.

An Investigation Into English Learners’ Speech Acts Using a Semi-Automatic Annotation Tool

This paper explores the speech acts most frequently performed by learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) through the Dialogue Annotation and Research Tool (DART), a semi-automatic annotation tool. The study used learner corpus research and an English as the first language (L1) speaker corpus as a reference to compare the speech acts performed by the EFL learners. The study involved 90 EFL learners of four nationalities. A spoken learner corpus was built with the dyadic interlanguage English conversation register. The most frequently performed speech acts were generally different for the English L1 speakers and the EFL learners. The speech acts labeled as correctSelf, referProcess, expressNonAwareness, and stateReason were in the top 10 for EFL learners, whereas they were not in the top 10 for the English L1 speakers. This difference was caused by three factors: the English proficiency of the EFL learners, the frequently used formulaic phrases, and the task requirements. Moreover, the corpus annotation has a problem with unrecognized speech acts, primarily due to the redundancies and fragments in the learner discourses. The findings of this study reveal the complementary relationship between grammatical and pragmatic performances.

Designing an EAP Course to improve Analytical Writing Proficiency of Graduate Level ESL Learners in the Digital Age

Designing an EAP Course to improve Analytical Writing Proficiency of Graduate Level ESL Learners in the Digital Age