Troubling literacy: monolingual assumptions,multilingual contexts,and language teacher expertise

The current educational context in many English speaking countries is one where literacy is understood to be essentially monolingual in orientation; that is, an understanding of literacy around a single common language, with the emphasis on identifying universal, normative ‘standards’ and ‘benchmarks’, such as the National Assessment Program-Literacy and Numeracy in Australia, the Primary National Strategy in the United Kingdom, and No Child Left Behind in the United States. This paper aims to problematise such assumptions by examining how teachers, themselves, understand “teaching literacy” when their students come to the teaching/learning relationship with a first language other than English. With a focus on teachers working with bilingual and multilingual students in their early stages of acquiring English as a second language (ESL), the study thus acknowledges the increasingly diverse sociolinguistic profile of students in Australia and elsewhere in the varying degrees of communicative competence they bring to the mainstream in their use of ESL. Moreover, it draws on ESL teacher knowledge and expertise which has been identified as increasingly marginalised within mainstream educational discourse. Through case studies of three ESL teachers in the middle years, salient themes around the interrelated notions of literacy as learning, language for literacy and language as literacy were identified with respect to the literacy needs of second language learners.     

Expertise reversal effect and sequencing of learning tasks in online English as a second language learning environment

The aim of this paper is to examine the effects of sequencing instructional materials and learners' prior knowledge on learning ESL (English as a second language) through an online learning course. 121 fifth-grade students from an elementary school in Korea participated in the study. Each participant was allocated to one cell of a 2?×?2 between-subjects factorial design, with an instructional format (i.e. sequential or concurrent) as a first factor, and prior knowledge (i.e. high or low) as a second factor. Instructions of the words and grammar rules were allocated to each page for the sequential group, whereas integrated on a single page for the concurrent group. The result indicates that the sequential instruction of words followed by grammar explanations was more effective for the students with higher levels of prior knowledge than the concurrent presentation. The reverse was also found for the students with lower levels of prior knowledge in English. There are four possible explanations for the results. First, split-attention effect, temporal-contiguity effect, or transient information effect might occur. Second, worked-example effect might occur and over-ride the effect of sequencing. Third, intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load might intertwine each other. Last, the levels of element interactivity in two instructional formats might be different from each other. The implications for instructional designers and future research are discussed.     

Adolescent English Learners’ Use of Digital Technology in the Classroom

This study looked at how five adolescent English Learners (ELs) in an English as a second language class use the available digital technology. Data collected consisted of classroom observations, student and classroom documents, and focus student interviews. Data collection and analysis were simultaneous processes. Findings suggest adolescent ELs use their personal smartphones and school-provided laptops on a regular basis for entertainment and scaffolding purposes.     

中国留学生在美国英语强化课程学习的调查及思考

本文通过对13名在美国威斯康星大学的中国留学生在ESL英语强化课程学习过程开展调查,分析中国留学生在美国高校英语学习过程中存在的困难,了解他们是否认为在国内所接受的英语教学有助于帮助其适应全新的语言教学环境,是否认为ESL英语强化课程对专业学习有帮助;发现国内英语教学与美国高校对留学生英语水平要求存在的差距,以期能对我国英语教学有所启示。     

EFL教学环境中运用交际型英语教学的原则

交际型英语教学在英语作为第二语言（ESL）的教学环境中取得成功的同时,却在英语作为外语（EFL）的教学环境中遇到了很多困难。本文指出上述两种不同的语言教学环境在教师水平、学生学习动机、态度和学习方法上都存在着很大的差异,正是这些差异的存在要求我们以正确的态度看待交际型英语教学．将这一先进的教学模式与我们的教学实际结合起来。     

Affordances of a mobile learner-generated tool for pupils’ English as a second language vocabulary learning: An ecological perspective

This paper reports on a case study of English as a second language (ESL) vocabulary learning that examined a group of Grade 4 students’ mobile learning experiences of bridging in-class and real-life vocabulary learning mediated by a mobile learner-generated content (m-LGC) tool. This study was premised on the proposed framework of mobile vocabulary learning from an ecological perspective using the concept of affordances, taking the topic of “Food” as an example. Data collection included learning logs created by students and a questionnaire about students’ perceptions of the m-LGC tool for vocabulary learning. The results revealed four types of affordances of the m-LGC tool that the learners perceived and acted on in real life outside the classroom, namely: vocabulary form-meaning mapping, consolidating vocabulary by productive use, vocabulary revision and social affordance. The students’ perceptions of the m-LGC tool for vocabulary learning were positive. This study shows that the various affordances helped students in applying newly learned words to real-life contexts. Social affordance provided the social contexts for communication via peer interaction, vocabulary expansion as well as the creation of a learning community.     

Guidelines for serving linguistically and culturally diverse young children

Demographic trends indicate that all early childhod educators must anticipate and plan for a more linguistically and culturally diverse student population. This article will serve as a guide for creating more effective early childhood programs serving linguistically and culturally diverse young children. The discussion includes demographic trends, second language acquisition research, historical trends in bilingual education, ESL and bilingual programs, controversies, assessment and ESL students, and program recommendations.     

Improving the academic outcomes of undergraduate ESL students: the case for discipline‐based academic skills programs

This article examines the impact of an adjunct English language tutorial program on the academic performance of first‐year Architecture students. With increasing numbers of international students enrolling in Australian universities, language and academic skills programs have shifted from generic to more discipline‐specific models; however, there has been little research on the effects of these programs on ESL students' academic performance. This study uses a mixed‐method approach to evaluate the effectiveness of an English as a second language (ESL) intervention program. Findings indicate that students value a highly discipline‐specific approach to language and academic skills support and that regular participation in a content‐based ESL program can lead to positive learning outcomes for students. Preliminary findings also suggest that there are positive longer‐term benefits on students' academic outcomes. The authors suggest the need for longitudinal studies on the impact of discipline‐based programs for ESL students.     

Collaboration to teach English language learners: opportunities for shared teacher learning

This study examines collaboration between English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teachers and content-area elementary school teachers, and makes the case for conceptualising teacher collaboration as an opportunity for shared teacher learning. Using a sociocultural theoretical lens, this study examines how three pairs of elementary teachers and ESOL specialists used and constructed tools for collaboration, which mediated and made visible teachers’ learning processes. Employing interpretive enquiry and cross-case analysis, we examined data from classroom observations, teacher co-planning sessions and interviews with teachers. Findings demonstrated that collaborating teachers used tools to articulate and reconceptualise teaching goals, co-construct knowledge and ultimately transform teaching practices to meet the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students. This study has implications for teacher education and ongoing professional development, by shedding light on the potential affordances of collaborative tools for teacher learning. Findings suggest that teacher education could harness these opportunities for learning by incorporating collaboration between ESOL specialists and content-area teachers as an integral part of preparing more qualified teachers to work with culturally and linguistically diverse students.     

The Effect of English Language Proficiency Level and Educational Background on Academic Achievement

The English Proficiency Level (EPL) of 205 first year business students from 16 Asian countries was assessed on arrival in Australia using the Australian Second Language Proficiency Ratings (ASLPR). Academic grades were recorded for their first, second and third semesters. Statistical analysis of the students' records shows that educational background is the major determinant of success in business courses, with no statistically significant effect coming from EPL. In practice, English proficiency is used as a major selection criterion in its application to the entry of full fee paying international students; on the basis of the evidence presented here, there is no need for a stringent EPL criterion to be applied, which is an important finding for those involved in the selection of international students who wish to study in Australian institutions. An important policy impinging on academic achievement is that students who fail their first semester are allowed to continue their studies; the policy leads to an estimated 39% of students allowed such grace going on to obtain a pass for the course; EPL bears no relationship to academic achievement for students in this category, the major determinant being their educational background. Thus, it is important that stringent conditions are applied to potential international students' educational background, but that they are not disadvantaged by their English language ability.     

Using Music to Support the Literacy Development of Young English Language Learners

Integrating experiences with music in the early childhood classroom supports English language learners’ literacy development (Peregoy and Boyle, Reading, writing, and learning in ESL. Pearson, Boston, 2008; Saricoban and Metin, Songs, verse and games for teaching grammar. Internet TESL J, 2000). This article describes the benefits of incorporating musical experiences into daily instruction and provides practical activities for classroom implementation, e.g., reading, writing, and singing songs for language skill development, reading fluency, and writing progress. Despite a teacher’s level of aesthetic appreciation and musical training, the value of fostering creativity and enhancing literacy instruction through music is vital in today’s diverse early childhood classrooms. Music can transform classrooms into positive learning environments where children thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Providing children with structured and open-ended musical activities, creating an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect, and sharing the joy of creativity with each other all are foundational to bases for the growth and development of the early childhood learner.     

Making sense of power relations in a Malaysian English-as-a-second-language academic writing classroom

The role of power in an English-as-a-second-language classroom has yet to be fully explored by an action research practitioner, especially in a Malaysian higher education setting. This study aims to contribute to this gap by working within an academic literacies perspective to teaching academic writing, which propagates the understanding of power-relational, socio-cultural and epistemological conditions for effective teaching and learning. As the teacher in this classroom, I focus on how power-relational conditions play out. To activate the power conditions, I used a teaching principle in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)-negotiated interaction to reduce power-based mismatches between participants in a teaching or learning relationship in my classroom, drawing upon Kumaravadivelu’s work on post-method pedagogy for TESOL; that is, not being bound by any specific method of teaching. In analysing the different types of power that were operational in my classroom, wider implications of power that operate beyond the classroom level and how they impacted teaching and learning decisions were found to be highly illuminating. The action research methodology used for this study enabled me to reflect critically on my detailed diary recordings and student letter and interview collections, which in turn impacted on my teaching decisions as each teaching cycle was completed. My reflections also help shape my evolving identity as a teacher-researcher throughout this ongoing Malaysian action research journey.     

Fielding and Initiating Questions in Class

In 2009 Rupke and Blank noted that the Chinese students in their study sang American songs that the researchers had never heard. This perceived dissonance could have a multitude of causes, but the authors of this article turned their attention to the curriculum used for teaching English in China to further understand the popularity and persistence of some American songs in China. Drawing on literature from teaching the discipline and language of English through the use of popular music, the literature on teaching English in China, and Stuart Hall's seminal “Encoding and Decoding,” the authors examined both popular American music and American music utilized in the Chinese curriculum through the lens of cultural studies and their unique experiences teaching English. Data were varied, but all songs examined fell into Hall's “negotiated code,” offering potential and limits for “communicative exchanges” between cultures. Recommendations offered include paying more careful attention to the selection process for curricular materials.     

Do secondary school-leaving English examination results predict university students’ academic writing performance? A latent profile analysis

Abstract

Secondary school-leaving English examination results are often regarded as indicators of students’ competence to study in English-medium universities, which is usually demonstrated through source-based academic writing. In English as a second or foreign language (ESL/EFL) contexts, many English-medium universities require local undergraduates to enrol in an academic writing course, unless they received outstanding English results in secondary school-leaving examinations. This study investigates the relationship between ESL undergraduates’ secondary school-leaving English examination results and their academic writing performance through latent profile analysis. Results show that students can be grouped into four classes of academic writing performer (AWP), namely Complex-AWP, High-AWP, Medium-AWP and Low-AWP. Surprisingly, the Complex-AWP group had the highest means in structure, argument and language, but the lowest in citation. Secondary school-leaving English examination results can generally predict students’ class membership in language, argumentation and, to some extent, structure, but not citation. An important implication is that students with high English proficiency do not necessarily do well in all aspects of academic writing. This study can inform university senior management on how to set policies about who needs an academic writing course and provide appropriate training in various aspects of academic writing for university students with diverse English proficiency.     

Examining a Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game as a Digital Game-Based Learning Platform

A concurrent triangulation mixed-method research design was used to investigate 19 casual gamers’ or non-gamers’ use of a popular massive multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), Everquest 2, as an alternative pedagogical tool to support communicative use of the English language. This study poses that MMORPGs could serve as a virtually rich context for social interactions to aid development of communicative competence. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews, surveys, and through gameplay observations in Taiwan and the United States. Analysis of interview recordings, survey data, and observational data focuses on how player-generated perceptions align with Yee's (2006) motivation components and Ryan and Deci's (2000) theoretical assumptions of self-determination theory. Results from quantitative data analysis showed that both male and female participants in this study prioritized the importance of relatedness in playing Everquest 2 to practice using English for communicative purposes. Qualitative data analysis likewise revealed the importance of communication during gameplay. Integrated findings showed that player perceptions could be helpful in illuminating the potential of utilizing MMORPGs for game-assisted language learning and also inform different motivations in gaming to learn.     

严肃游戏在尼日利亚小学非母语英语课程教学中的应用研究

该研究旨在探讨在尼日利亚拉各斯市的小学里将在线严肃游戏《Mingoville》与英语作为第二语言的教与学的整合应用。研究采用个案研究法,对202位小学生和9位教师进行采访、观察、记录和录像。研究发现：学生认为将严肃游戏运用于自己的学习能够激发自己的学习兴趣;严肃游戏增强了学生的英语语言技能;应用严肃游戏的课堂上不同的因素可能会使学生受激励或失去动力;教师是游戏整合于教学的关键角色等。研究结论为严肃游戏进入课堂教学的相关实践提供借鉴。     

Constructing an institutional identity in university tea rooms: the international PhD student experience

This case study profiles eight international PhD students and describes the process of the construction and negotiation of their social and institutional identities in an Australian university. Audio-recorded informal conversations of the students highlight the role of social membership, staffroom interactions and language in the construction of institutional identities. The impact of multiple identity transitions experienced by new international students is described. The data analysis uses a sociocultural perspective of second language in use, which reflects the negotiation of power, space and identity in informal multicultural institutional encounters. The article provides insight into the ways transitions are experienced by international postgraduate students. Findings also include a critique of the negatively loaded stereotype of the ‘international student’ in Australian universities and the way it underplays the heterogeneity of student experience.