Second Language In Schools Research Articles

Rajang River Run: Improving Vocabulary Acquisition Among Young Learners through Gamified Storytelling

Due to its significance and prominence in Malaysian culture, English is taught and learned as a second language. Along with transforming the Malaysian education system towards the better, innovative teaching approaches are necessary to assist learners in learning English as their second language in schools. In this study, a flash card game was designed and developed to encourage primary school learners to learn vocabulary and improve their reading skills. It is inspired by the culture and lifestyle of the people in Sarawak, and it is named Rajang River Run. The use of flashcard games as a game-based learning and storytelling approach to acquire new vocabulary, construct engaging sentences, and increase students' motivation was examined in this study. This study was conducted at a national government-funded public primary school in Putrajaya, Malaysia, involving 15 Primary one students that were used as the target participants in this research. The game design thinking approach was employed to develop the game, which acts as a guide to scaffold creativity and collaboration. The study implemented an observation checklist derived from the Revised Conceptual Model of Academic Success for data collection. Findings demonstrated that learning through the Rajang River Run could boost pupils' capacity and desire to learn new words. The implication of this study suggested that gamified learning, such as gamified narrative, increased players' motivation to play the game. The participants' memory retention and attentiveness have improved due to the supportive and engaging setting.
 

Understanding the importance of service (Hizmet) movement schools in the instruction of Turkish to non-native speakers

The Hizmet movement schools, which set out to achieve universal peace, attempted to increase methods of communication between nations and cultures by teaching more languages to students, in light of the proverb "One language is one person, two languages are two people." They also taught Turkish as a second language in schools. The Hizmet Movement schools, which teach Turkish in more than 170 countries, have teachers spend time with students outside of class. By incorporating Turkish into every day, they increased its use. They exposed Turkish to their parents and others through projects and studies. In their countries, they have made sure Turkish lessons are taught by Turks. This paper explains the function of Hizmet Movement Schools in teaching Turkish to foreigners and shows how they go to world peace using Turkish steps. This research is a descriptive qualitative study in which data is acquired by approaches such as investigation, observation, interviewing, and source scanning. Studies on Teaching Turkish to Foreigners and Service (Hizmet) Movement schools were utilized throughout the collection of data, as well as expert opinions were contacted, and observation-based assessments were carried out.

Factors Influencing Teachers' Engagement

This study is about teachers’ engagement in a University Foundation Programme in Oman. In particular, the study probes the learning-teaching beliefs that both teachers and students hold inside the classroom in an Omani context. These students are in their first university year and come from a range of settings in Oman, so these learning beliefs could result from learning styles in the school being different to those in a university. The students were not used to be taught English as a second language in schools and they are not used to be taught by native speakers of the language. These changes in students’ learning environment could influence teachers' engagement inside the classroom. This study used both quantitative and qualitative methods to answer the research questions. The Engaged Teacher Scale (ETS) and the Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction (QTI) were both used in this study. The Engaged Teacher Scale was in teachers’ questionnaire, students’ questionnaire and in the form of a closed diary every two weeks. The Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction (QTI) had two versions, one for teachers and one for students. Semi-structured interviews were conducted for both teachers and students to give reasons for their responses in the questionnaires and diaries. Analysis of variance showed a main effect of Students’ Level on their Social Engagement with their teachers. Teachers’ data also shows that Pre-Foundation (A) teachers were more socially engaged with their students which agree with the students’ data, but Social Engagement was not significant with Teachers’ data. Results from Teachers’ Diaries also indicated that participants did rate the three Emotional Engagement differently and that these differences were statically significant. This showed the importance of Teachers’ Emotional Engagement when the decreasing significance of Emotional Engagement can decrease all components of Teachers’ Engagement.

English Teacher’s Perception on Parental Involvement towards Motivation of ESL Learners

The key factors to second language acquisition include attitudes and motivation. Previous scholars and the vast majority of educators in public schools recognize parental participation in public schools as important for the success of students, both academically and socially. The main purpose of this research is to examine the opinion of English teachers regarding parental engagement towards the encouragement of students to learn English as a second language in school. A total of six teachers participated in this study, all of whom came from different backgrounds but were majoring in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL). The data was gathered through an interview session and analyzed using a descriptive approach. The results show that parents, teachers and students share the burden of helping students develop their learning of languages. Therefore, the results suggest that the students themselves, as well as the teachers and parents, should consider some significant consequences. For students, they should be conscious of the importance of English, for teachers, creating a conducive environment to learn the language and for parents, to exhibit a positive attitude towards English. As for future study, it is recommended that a thorough analysis be carried out for future study to consider the thoughts of parents and students.

Rola nauczyciela języka polskiego jako drugiego w kształceniu językowo-kulturowym

The role of the teacher of Polish as a second language in language and cultural education. The article discusses the specifics of teaching Polish as a second language in school, based on previous findings in Polish language glottodidactics, to provide recommendations for the role of the teacher, taking into account the language and cultural dimensions of education. The teacher working with students with very different migration experiences, with various levels of knowledge of the Polish language and different motivations, must individualise the teaching process, which in turn requires a high level of pedagogical reflexivity. The authors begin with terminological explanations and considerations of the specificity of Polish as a second language in the context of school teaching. Next, they discuss the characteristic features and diversity of students having experienced migration, as well as, analyse the relationship between language teaching, cultural education and the transmission of culture to outline the necessary competencies and the role of the teacher of Polish as a second language. In summary, linguistic and cultural education is treated as part of the student’s integration process with the school community and not only. Keywords: integration; linguistic and cultural education; students with migration experience; teaching Polish as a second language; the role of a Polish language teacher.

Diminished brain responses to second-language words are linked with native-language literacy skills in dyslexia

Dyslexia is characterized by poor reading skills, yet often also difficulties in second-language learning. The differences between native- and second-language speech processing and the establishment of new brain representations for spoken second language in dyslexia are not, however, well understood. We used recordings of the mismatch negativity component of event-related potential to determine possible differences between the activation of long-term memory representations for spoken native- and second-language word forms in Finnish-speaking 9–11-year-old children with or without dyslexia, studying English as their second language in school. In addition, we sought to investigate whether the bottleneck of dyslexic readers' second-language learning lies at the level of word representations or smaller units and whether the amplitude of mismatch negativity is correlated with native-language literacy and related skills. We found that the activation of brain representations for familiar second-language words, but not for second-language speech sounds or native-language words, was weaker in children with dyslexia than in typical readers. Source localization revealed that dyslexia was associated with weak activation of the right temporal cortex, which has been previously linked with word-form learning. Importantly, the amplitude of the mismatch negativity for familiar second-language words correlated with native-language literacy and rapid naming scores, suggesting a close link between second-language processing and these skills.

Cognitive control and phonological awareness in the acquisition of second language vocabulary within the Spanish-English dual immersion context

Studies that have examined the role of cognitive control in the acquisition of second language vocabulary in dual language learners are rare. First and second language vocabulary, phonological awareness and cognitive control were assessed in Spanish-English dual language learners (kindergarten-4th grade; half native-English and half native-Spanish) from a Spanish-English immersion program in the US. Children included were from monolingual homes and acquired their second language in school. Children’s first language vocabulary was strongly and negatively correlated with their second language vocabulary. Although performance on the cognitive control task was positively associated with first language receptive vocabulary and phonological awareness, it was children’s sound segmenting skills (i.e. elision) that uniquely predicted both their first and second language vocabulary scores. In addition, mediation regression analyses revealed that the relation between first and second language vocabulary was mediated by phonological awareness. Overall our findings highlight the importance of sound segmenting skills in second language vocabulary acquisition.

The Relevance of Communication Skills to the Technical Students in the Colleges of Engineering and Technology- A Study

Objectives: The study on the Relevance of Communication Skills to the Technical Students in the colleges of Engineering and Technology proposes to examine the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing which is rightly termed as LSRW techniques in language learning. It is also proposed to learn the communication skills which could be enriched the knowledge and ability by regular and continuous practice by the students. The significant point is that the learners should acquire listening and speaking skills in direct and indirect methods. The different types of reading strategies would be adopted to improve reading skills. The writing skills would be acquired by using e-materials and laboratory instruments. Methods: For the purpose of the present analysis a class consisting of 50 students was identified. A pre- test was conducted to assess the levels of the students in understanding of vocabulary, spelling, pronunciation and grammatical structures of the students. After the completion of their assignment or work, a test was conducted again to know the result and improvements in the language learning and the process and development of communication skills among the learners. Findings: A pre –test and post –test was conducted and examined the levels of listening, speaking, reading and writing skills of the learners which led to the process and development of communication and further it paved way for the innovative use of LSRW techniques by them. Applications: The method of teaching communication skills could be used in our country where English is taught as a second language in schools, colleges and universities and the use of innovative methods and its relevance which was also useful to non- native language learners.

VYGOTSKY’S SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND INTERACTION THEORY: IMPLICATIONS TO THE TEACHING OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE CURRICULUM IN KENYA

Language is very important in our lives. Through language, we convey our feelings, desires, and thoughts. Of importance is English language in Kenya which is the medium of instruction from upper primary school and beyond. English is taught as a Second Language in schools in Kenya and has implications to the school curriculum and education in general. This paper is a discussion of the Social Development and Interaction theory advanced by Vygotsky (1978) and its implications for English language teaching in Kenya. This theory formed the theoretical framework for a study that looked at the teaching of English oral communication skills in upper primary school in a particular district in Kenya in the year 2009. This paper is drawn from part of the literature review that guided the study and the recommendations that the study arrived at. The study utilized a qualitative research approach with a heuristic methodology. The research population consisted of primary school teachers teaching English in upper primary classes and standard six pupils. Data was collected using structured and focused group interview schedules, observation checklists, and document analysis. In the light of the findings, the study concluded that the kind of new language items, learning activities and methods of conveying the meaning of new language items that the teachers selected were inadequate and ineffective in enhancing interaction. So were the practice activities adopted by the teachers and the strategies used in motivating learners in the teaching and learning of oral communication skills. The argument advanced in this paper is that effective teaching of English language in Kenya demands an interactive approach. In other words, English teachers should use interactive strategies in their teaching because as Vygotsky (1978) argues, children learn language best through interaction. Article visualizations:

THE INTRODUCTION OF GREEK INTO ENGLISH SCHOOLS

At the end of the fifteenth and beginning of the sixteenth centuries, knowledge of ancient Greek for most educated Englishmen was something one could aspire to but not necessarily attain. Greek was learnt for reading alone and so less time was spent on its study than Latin, which at this period was learnt also for conversation: this might explain why today, Greek remains a second language in schools, to be learnt after Latin. Even in continental Europe, for one as learned as Erasmus, difficulties could be encountered in the study of the new language. ‘My Greek studies are almost too much for my courage’, he wrote in 1500, ‘while I have not the means of purchasing books nor the help of a master’. What Erasmus lacked – namely a teacher and reading material necessary to learn from – was paralleled across Europe, but nowhere more so than in English schools in the mid-sixteenth century. Without these, the schools in England also found it hard to introduce and maintain Greek in the classroom.

Metalinguistic development in French learners enrolled in an immersion programme: A longitudinal study

Research on bilingualism has shown a bilingual advantage in phonological and syntactic awareness, and more recently on some morphological awareness tasks in children who had acquired two languages simultaneously. However, there is still limited knowledge about this advantage in students who acquire a second language in school after having developed a first language. The present longitudinal study addressed this issue by comparing, over the first two years of primary school, the development of metalinguistic abilities in 33 French learners enrolled in an immersion French–German programme to that of 43 French monolingual peers. Results support the bilingual advantage and add to the growing body of research reaching the same conclusion. In this study, this advantage appears as early as in first grade and the gap favouring second language learners widens with time. The results are discussed in light of differences between the characteristics of the two languages.

Teaching Grammar through Music

(ProQuest: ... denotes formulae omitted.)1 IntroductionGrammar is process for making speaker's or writer's meaning clear when contextual information is lacking. (Thornbury 2002: 4). The same author also defines grammar as a description of rules for forming sentences, including an account of meaning that these forms convey (Thornbury 2002: 13).Learning foreign language is complicated and demanding task which sometimes can be demotivating and frustrating. Constant effort is needed in order to understand and produce target language. As Penny Ur states: is no doubt that knowledge - implicit or explicit - of grammatical rules is essential for mastery of language: you cannot use words unless you know how they should be put together. (Ur 2006: 4). Teachers have always found grammar demanding and difficult to teach, but students need to be proficient in order to be successful in standardized tests (such as KET, FCE, and CAE) and college entrance exams, and also in their improvement of communication skills. Children have an amazing ability to absorb language through play, music, jokes or anything which they can find enjoyable.This paper deals with music used to teach grammar, since grammar has an important place in classroom and students always fount grammar difficult to understand. The objective of work is to measure effectiveness of using songs to teach grammar.2 Literature ReviewEnglish is with no doubt universal language. English is not an official language in most European countries, but it is language most taught as second language in schools. English is most widely used in communication around world.Teaching foreign languages in Romania was dramatic process that depended on very history of country and bore mark of succeeding leading ideologies. In order to understand present status of education in Romania, we have to look back and analyse its past. In 1966 Romania introduced teaching of first foreign language (English, French, German, Russian) in second grade and second foreign language in sixth grade. (Cunita, Popa, Draghicescu, Dorobat 1997: 16, Iatcu 2005). The system functioned well until 1978 when idea of early foreign language learning was dropped. During communist period, Russian was main language taught in Romania and German was second most common. In 1980's, due to politics of communist party, not only English was on verge of extinction.Nowadays, all schools in Romania have foreign language programs and students must study two foreign languages. The first foreign language should be studied at an advanced level and second one at more basic level. In some cases there are more than two foreign languages available to study and student can choose from several. Many schools offer bilingual courses.Nowadays, top language taught in our country is English, according to results of 2008's Key Data on Teaching Languages at Schools in Europe published by The Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Modern languages are taught from third grade, at age of nine. In fifth grade, when pupils are eleven, second foreign language is introduced. Pupils continue to study both of languages until they finish school, at age of eighteen or nineteen.The study of grammar in Romanian schools is still considered important, and despite vast attempts at transforming language teaching/learning process into an exclusively communicative one, devoid of specialist grammar metalanguage, both teacher and students feel that grammar still has its role in classroom.The Longman Exam Dictionary offers definition of grammar as the rules by which words change their forms and are combined into sentences, or study of these As we can see, two basic elements of grammar are involved in this definition - rules and study of rules. …

French and underdevelopment, Haitian Creole and development

This article argues that Haiti’s French-dominant school system is an impediment to the nation’s development, whereas Haitian Creole-dominant education will lay the foundation for long-term development. In that Caribbean country, 95% of the population is monolingual in Haitian Creole while the portion that additionally speaks French does not exceed 5% with an additional 5–10% having some receptive competence (Valdman 1984: 78; Dejean 2006). Even though French is the language of the school system, as many as 80% of Haiti’s teachers control it inadequately and only a minority of students completes school (Dejean 2006). Economic, historical, sociolinguistic, and demographic factors are a part of the explanation for Haiti’s low educational achievement. Another important but often ignored factor is educational language policy. Data on educational language policy compared internationally show that the use of a second language in schools correlates with high illiteracy rates and poverty (Coulmas 1992). I reject arguments in favor of maintaining French-dominant education in Haiti (Lawless 1992; Youssef 2002; Francis 2005; Ferguson 2006, etc.) because the resources for it are woefully lacking. I argue that the progressive promotion of Haitian Creole throughout Haitian education will lead to improved learning, graduation, and Creole literacy, in addition to a more streamlined and coherent State, economy, and society (Efron 1954; De Regt 1984; DeGraff 2003; Dejean 2006). As Haiti rebuilds after the earthquake of January 12th, 2010, aid workers, government employees, and researchers who get involved in the recovery also unsuspectingly perpetuate French, English, and Spanish hegemony in development work (DeGraff 2010). The long history of suppressing Haitian Creole and promoting French in education and administration — and French, English, or Spanish in development work — form underlying obstacles in the nation’s struggle to produce an adequate class of educated citizens, to achieve universal literacy, and to make socioeconomic progress.

Online activities and writing practices of urban Malaysian adolescents

Among a number of urban adolescents in Malaysia, going online is a much valued practice. They are regularly drawn to the Internet to engage in activities across school, nonschool, mainstream and alternative domains. The aim of this study is to know more about what these adolescents do online. Data on the online activities were collected from 535 adolescents (333 male and 202 female Year 10 students) in five urban secondary schools in Penang, Malaysia. It was found that while English was formally learnt as a second language in school, the percentages of language use on the Internet as indicated by them were: 77.06% in English, 8.16% in Bahasa Malaysia and 14.72% in Chinese. The participants’ Internet activities and popular websites showed their preference for entertainment and social networking. The overall trend was towards using the receptive skills of reading and listening rather than the productive skills of creating written output. Based on the trends observed, the paper concludes with some implications for ESL education, in Malaysia and other similar contexts.

The academic language proficiency of Turkish returnees from Germany

Abstract The main topic of this article is the language proficiency of the so‐called ‘Ruckkehrer’ (Turkish returnees from Germany) who were either born in Germany or emigrated to Germany with their parents at a very young age, acquiring Turkish as their first language in the home, and German as their second language in school. Since their remigration to Turkey (generally at the age of 13), they have been attending a special bilingual school programme at a so‐called Anadolu lisesi, where some subjects are taught in Turkish, some in German, with English as a third language. The ages of the subjects of this study range from 15 to 17.

The Pedagogy of Pre‐service TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) Teacher Education

ABSTRACT The pre‐service process of becoming an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher is influenced by a wide range of factors which combine to describe just what it means to teach students learning English as a second language in schools. Foremost among these factors is the pedagogy chosen by institutions or individual teacher educators. This paper presents two perspectives — management and reflection — and argues that a management perspective to pre‐service teacher education not only severely limits the professional development of teachers but helps to maintain the status quo in schools to the detriment of students learning English as a second language. In contrast a reflective perspective is examined for the benefits it offers for both developing teachers and students learning English as a second language in schools. The paper concludes with a description of a pilot project which sought to provide developing ESL teachers with a framework in which to work proactively during their initial teaching e...

Sex differences in linguistic ability: a case for Xhosa

Research indicates that sex1 determines the extent to which linguistic performance affects achievement. In a study undertaken by Liski and Puntanen (1983) aimed at determining the extent to which oral performance in spoken English is affected by variables which have been found to be related to achievement, sex proved to be one of the most important variables in explaining differences in language skills, comparison between the girls' and the boys' distribution of marks revealed that the girls in their study were better than boys at matriculation level. A similar study was undertaken by the writer, concerning oral proficiency in Xhosa as a second language in schools under the Cape Education Department. A total of 159 pupils was tested, spread over three areas; the Western Cape, Port Elizabeth-Uitenhage and Border. Sex was one of the variables selected. Test results show some interesting findings in a situation where Xhosa is learnt. There was a statistically significant difference between the performance of...