The development of a video database for language educational research projects

The analysis of classroom observation data is seen as increasingly important in research on the impact of high‐stakes language tests or new foreign‐language programmes on students, teachers and other stakeholders. Video‐recordings of language teaching and learning in classrooms impacted by such tests or programmes can provide revealing data, which, however, may be difficult to analyse in raw recorded form. The organisation of video‐recordings into an interactive database facilitates the retrieval and analysis of data in response to particular research questions. Informed by current research on the use of video in education, especially educational research, and by the relevant video database literature, this paper describes a video database developed by the University of Cambridge English for Speakers of Other Languages (Cambridge ESOL) Examinations operation, part of Cambridge Assessment, the new identity of the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES). This paper describes three Cambridge ESOL impact studies for which the data were collected, and discusses the video‐recording equipment used, approaches adopted and decisions made. It then outlines the aims, principles and approaches involved in the development of the impact research video database, including software selection, main design features and envisaged future uses. A step‐by‐step account for the likely video database user is included, along with sample screenshots.     

Patterns of inclusive education through the practice of student teachers

Interest in the integration of refugees has grown with the increase in numbers of asylum seekers dispersed across the UK. The ability to communicate effectively in English is seen as the key priority in facilitating integration, while a lack of English language is seen as one of the major barriers to refugee employment. Some £267 million was spent on English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes in 2004/05. However, commentators have observed that asylum seekers and refugees continue to struggle to speak English. This paper examines data from interviews with refugees and ESOL tutors, and statutory data recording retention and achievement of asylum seekers and refugees, to explore the extent to which they are achieving in ESOL, and the effectiveness of the existing monitoring system in assessing whether ESOL meets the needs of asylum seekers and refugee learners. It finds that there are major inconsistencies between the retention and success rates observed in the monitoring data and those reported by tutors and refugees. A range of problems are identified that indicate that monitoring is neither robust nor reliable and that refugees and asylum seekers are struggling to learn sufficient English to enable integration.     

贵州省英语专业学生语言技能培养与英美文学教学之关系研究

英美文学教学是英语专业高年级的必修课程之一,对英语专业学生的语言综合技能培养非常关键。本文从提高学生英语听、说、读、写四项技能方面分析英美文学知识的重要性,并提出贵州高校教师在进行英美文学教学时应结合贵州英语专业学生的英语水平进行教学的几点建议。     

The ABC of ELT... ES(O)L

English language teaching has diversified over the years into various fields which address the needs of particular target groups.One of these fields is called English for speakers of other languages(ESOL)in the UK and English as a second language(ESL)in other English language-speaking countries. These terms are used to describe provision for people who leave their country of origin and settle permanently elsewhere.     

British citizenship,gender and migration: the containment of cultural differences and the stratification of belonging

Debates about integration, British values and identity, who can belong and who can become a citizen, have been fuelled by concerns about growing cultural diversity in the United Kingdom. To promote a shared sense of national identity and claim a universal and normative citizen subject, the UK government, along with many other western nations, has introduced compulsory citizenship and language testing. This article traces and critiques the evolution of the British citizenship test since its introduction in 2005 and argues that the regime fails to recognise the gendered and segmented nature of migration, and functions as a silent and largely invisible mechanism of civic stratification and control. Drawing on Home Office data, it is argued that citizenship testing enables the government to cherry pick migrants who conform to an idealised citizen subject, while containing cultural difference by excluding others, particularly women, who are tolerated but remain symbolic non-citizens.     

国贸专业综合英语课程网络教学探析

《综合英语》课程是国际贸易专业学生的公共必修课,重点培养学生的英语语言综合技能。其主要的教学任务是提升学生的英语语言综合应用能力;为学生的四、六级考试辅导备考;为学生今后参加专业英语及双语课程的学习夯实语言基础。网络教学资源丰富,内容个性化,教学不受时间和地点限制,有利于学生进行自主学习,是课堂教学的有力补充。借助于网络平台进行综合英语教学对实现教学目标有着巨大的推动作用。     

基于网络资源的英美文学本科教学改革

高等学校的英美文学课程是英语专业高年级学生的专业必修课程,目的在于培养学生阅读、欣赏、理解英美文学原著的能力,掌握文学批评的基本知识和方法。本论文以我院英语本科教学为例,分析说明随着国际互联网和教育宽带的普及,文学教学越来越需要开放的、流动的、新颖的教学平台和丰富多彩的资料来源,借助于互联网的优势和多媒体技术,英语专业的文学课程不仅可以挖掘出不同于传统教学模式的网络资源,而且可以利用这种网络资源的优势促进、改善或提高英美文学课程的教学。     

CBI教学理念在国内外高校英语教学中的应用研究

随着经济的高速发展,英语已经成为国家与国家之间交流往来必不可少的语言工具.社会对英语人才的大量需求,使得我国高校也越来越重视英语教学,将英语课程作为高校学生必修课程,为社会输送大量的英语专业复合人才.文章主要对CBI英语教学理念概念、CBI理念在国内外高校英语教学现状及我国高校CBI教学理念在英语教学中的应用等内容进行了阐述.     

论非英语专业学生英语语音学习的必要性

大学非英语专业英语课不讲授英语语音有悖于语言学习规律和语言的构成,是不科学的。大学英语教育必需开设英语语音课,要达到大学英语课程教学要求的各项教学要求和目标。     

International students of speech and language therapy in the UK: Choices about where to study and whether to return

The qualification leading to professional practice in speech and language therapy (SLT, also known as speech and language pathology) is not evenly available across the world. Geographic mobility and the availability of information are greater than at any other time in our history. Thus, initial SLT qualification courses in many countries are likely to have students from overseas among their intake. The professional nature of SLT programmes means that many aspects are culturally and linguistically bound. This may impact adversely on international students’ success on such courses. A study of all initial SLT qualifying courses in the UK was undertaken to identify the countries of origin of past and current international students, to explore the reasons behind their decision to study in the UK and to find out where and in what role they planned to work, or were already working, on qualification. Analysis of questionnaire and interview data revealed a wide variety of reasons for studying in the UK; linguistic, cultural, financial, and personal. The students come primarily from Europe, particularly Greece; but also from Asia; Africa and the Americas. Familiarity with English language and the perceived status of UK higher education, together with the related colonial and post-colonial links between the student’s country of origin and the UK, appear to have an impact on students’ decision to study in the UK. The short- and long-term employment plans of respondents are discussed, along with factors influencing decisions about whether to work in Britain, their home country or elsewhere.     

《英语国家概况》课程教学方法的探索与实践

作为高校英语专业的一门必修课程,《英语国家概况》在培养学生综合英语语言能力和跨文化交际能力两个方面都起着至关重要的作用。但是长期以来,《英语国家概况》课程教学中仍然存在着教材内容陈旧、教学课时有限、教学方法单一的问题。只有本着以学习者为中心的教学理念,灵活使用多种教学方法,才能够大幅度提高教学效果。     

Improving the Academic Performance of Non‐native English‐Speaking Students: the Contribution of Pre‐sessional English Language Programmes

There is an established, if weak, inverse relationship between levels of English language proficiency and academic performance in higher education. In response, higher education institutions (HEIs) insist upon minimum entry requirements concerning language for international applicants. Many HEIs now also offer pre‐sessional English courses to bring applicants up to the designated language requirement. This paper revisits the research into language proficiency and academic performance using data on all full‐time students (17,925) attending a major UK HEI in the academic year 2011–2012, 4,342 of whom were non‐native English speakers. The findings confirm that while higher International English Language Testing System (IELTS) marks at entry translate into higher grade point averages (GPAs), students who undertake pre‐sessional courses do notably worse in GPA terms than students who arrive with acceptable (for the course) IELTS scores. These findings suggest HEIs (and, by extension, international students) could benefit from a review regarding the appropriateness of current pre‐sessional English language proficiency programmes.     

Language education of adult immigrants in Greece: current trends and future developments

The increasing number of immigrants living and working in Greece has proven to be a challenge for the social as well as educational policy of this country. In order to help adult immigrants to integrate into society and facilitate their access to the job market, the Greek state has introduced special language education programmes. This paper discusses the current trends in Greece regarding immigrant language education and presents findings of a survey which aimed at exploring immigrants’ language needs and preferences. The results of this survey indicate a high interest by immigrants in learning Greek but a very low level of enrolment on and attendance of language courses. As a knowledge of Greek is necessary to improve immigrants’ socio‐economic and professional status, it is suggested that cooperation between immigrant associations and educational policy‐makers is necessary for the design of successful language programmes and the promotion of Greece’s policy of integration.     

身体语言在大学英语教学中的应用

随着英语教学方法的不断改进,身体语言的利用在大学英语课程中也开始受到关注,其地位也在课程改革中逐渐显露。学生的理解力有限,教师要充分利用身体语言来调动学生的学习积极性,利用身体语言的优势和特点,帮助大学生在听说读写四个方面获得较好的学习体验。本文结合大学英语课堂中身体语言的必要性详细阐述了身体语言的特征与功能以及身体语言在大学英语课堂中的作用。     

English: Key Stages 2 to 4

Sections 3 and 4 of the 1988 Education Reform Act included English as one of the compulsory core subjects in the National Curriculum and empowered the Secretary of State to specify attainment targets, programmes of study, and assessment arrangements for English for children of compulsory school age. The English Working Group appointed to advise the Secretary of State on English reported in May and its recommendations for attainment targets, programmes of study and statements of attainment for Key Stages 2 to 4 were published in June alongside the English proposals of the Secretary of State for Education and Science. Bernadette Walsh, language adviser, Rotherham LEA, discusses the proposals.     

From an immigrant to a citizen: language as a hindrance or a key to citizenship

The starting point for this paper is a question that has provoked a recent parliamentary election debate in Sweden: whether fluency in Swedish should be regarded as a requirement when applying for Swedish citizenship. Two main issues have been discussed: the different levels and meanings of citizenship, and language acquisition by adult immigrants as a hindrance or a key to citizenship based on recent research and scholarship.¹ The Swedish policy of integration, being trapped between demos and ethnos, between universality and diversity, has profound consequences for forming Swedish language policy for immigrants. Yet learning a new language is connected with learning a new culture and society. For immigrants the new language is not only a means of survival, but an important step in reconstructing identities. It seems quite natural that a good command of the language is a key to becoming a full and active citizen, i.e. to acquire a citizenship. Comprehension of the language and knowledge of culture of the (new) country helps one to be aware of one's rights and duties and exercise them, to be involved in society and to participate actively in it. The new language and culture can enrich one's identity and make it more complex.     

论大学英语教学中基础英语与专业英语的融合

基础英语和专业英语是学生在大学期间所学的两门课程,但目前在我国高校英语教学中两者“各自为政”。文章通过对两者关系的分析,指出在大学英语教学中将基础英语教学和专业英语教学相互渗透、相互融合,不仅有助于学生打好坚实的语言基础,而且有助于培养学生成为符合社会需求的复合型人才。然而,要实现两者间真正的渗透与融合,还需要一支高素质的外语教师队伍。     

German Schools and Teachers in Nineteenth‐Century South Australia

This article uses the biographies of three German teachers to explore nineteenth century German immigrants' efforts to provide education which upheld their ethnic traditions and prepared their children to take their place in the British colony of South Australia. Lutheran schools, German state schools and private schools initially performed these functions in both rural and urban areas. Once compulsory schooling was introduced in 1875, however, German state schools were marginalised as English became the only language of instruction in the rapidly expanding state school system, and many private schools closed. Rural Lutheran schools maintained their role as nurseries of the church but also accommodated the demand for English language and culture by using state school courses of instruction in many subjects. In essence, by 1900 schools were no longer the key sites for the maintenance of German language and culture in South Australia     

Preparing Teachers for Success with English Language Learners: Challenges and Opportunities for University Tesol Educators

This study investigates the role that a socioculturally grounded university English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program played in shaping teachers' work with English Language Learners (ELLs). Subjects were a group of teachers at “Wheatland Elementary School,” a newly designated ESOL site for a school district in Kansas. From an analysis of teachers' comments on course evaluations, written class assignments, formal observations of their post-coursework instruction, and a questionnaire administered at the onset and conclusion of an 18 credit-hour program, we examined changes in teachers' (a) attitudes toward ELLs, (b) beliefs about how children acquire second languages, and (c) knowledge of pedagogical practices that promote successful language and content learning. Our findings suggest that well-planned university programs influence even very experienced teachers and those who may be ambivalent toward ESOL endorsement mandates, and policies that limit the requirements for those seeking state ESOL endorsement may be ill advised.     

ENGLISH LINGUISTICS AND THE NON‐BRITISH TELEVISION PROGRAMME

The paper deals with the potential use for research and for teaching of the non‐British (i.e. American, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand) programmes and series currently being shown on British television screens. Potential projects are outlined in the areas of sociolinguistics and dialectology, and the potential of television as a tool for research into English language generally is discussed. Examples of the types of series that would lend themselves to linguistic research of this nature are noted, and the availability of programmes from the various nations is discussed. Recommendations are made about the future of the English language and the use of television in English language research in the future.