The Effects of Integrating Language Learning Strategy into EFL Instruction for Non-English Major Students in Vocational Technical Colleges

Language learning strategies play an important role in language learning. Students in vocational technical colleges have been regarded as low English proficiency learners due to their weak foundation in learning English. To explore the solution, the present study employed a specific survey of language learning strategy use and tried to conduct a one-semester language learning strategy training, aiming to investigate the effects of integrating language learning strategy into EFL instruction for non-English major students in vocational technical colleges. We found after the instruction, the difference in the frequency of overall strategy use between the experimental group and the control group was significant indicating that the students could be trained with language learning strategies to enhance the frequency of their strategy use. After language learning strategy instruction, the experimental group didn＇t perform significantly better than the control group in terms of their English language proficiency. However, the results of this present study still supported this viewpoint that the strategy instruction had positive impacts to some extent if properly conducted, for it had positive effects on enhancing students＇ language learning strategy use.

A Model for Conducting Strategy Training

Effective learning is not merely a matter of an individual having a high IQ. What appears to be important is the learners＇ ability to respond to the particular learning situation and to manage their learning in an appropriate way. Studies of successful and unsuccessful learners show that people who succeed in learning have developed a range of strategies from which they are able to select those that are most appropriate for a particular problem, to adapt them flexibly for the needs of the specific situation, and to monitor their level of success. Based on the assumption that integrating strategies into foreign language teaching is both valuable and achievable and that their accomplishment can enhance independent foreign language learning, this paper offered a model of strategy-based instruction, which includes both explicit and implicit integration of strategies into classroom instruction.

Education for Consumer Citizenship in Greece： Teaching Student Teachers and High School Students

In the frame of the Greek educational system, education for consumer citizenship is provided to thirteen-year-old students who attend courses on home economics in junior high school. Students＇ training is focused, among others, on their acquaintance with the notion and the basic principles of consumption, primarily within the frame of family running, and, secondly, in the frame of narrower or broader social settings. Students are consequently expected to actively develop styles of mature consuming behaviour in family, school, and society. In the Faculty of Home Economics and Ecology at Harokopio University of Athens, student teachers attend special courses on consumer citizenship are systematically trained to use effectively alternative instructional strategies during the teaching of subject units that refer to consumer citizenship. The present study aims at presenting, firstly, how Greek student teachers are trained through University Syllabus and Practicum in order to be qualified as educators for consumer citizenship, and, secondly, how they diffuse this specific knowledge to their students during their years of in-class service. In addition, the study examines the career satisfaction of the graduates of home economics and ecology at Harokopio University of Athens. The result of the present study showed that the great majority of graduates were promptly appointed as teachers to Greek high schools, and today they are considered to play a major role in the conveyance of the education for consumer citizenship＇s principles in Greek society, since home economics is the only junior high school subject that promotes and develops consumer awareness in Greek secondary education.

Changes in Practicing Teachers’ Self Efficacy in Teaching Scientific Inquiry

Teacher self-efficacy is an important predictor in teacher’s professional career for inquiry-based instruction.This study investigated the factors(gender,educational level,and teaching experience)associated with science teachers’self-efficacy in instructional strategies,classroom management,and student engagement in teaching scientific inquiry.A questionnaire was used for data collection from 47 practicing teachers in state schools in 2018.A General Linear Model(GLM)Univariate analysis using SPSS 21.00 programme was used for data analysis.Fact findings revealed that mean perceived self-efficacy in inquiry-based instruction was considerably high irrespective of gender,education level,and teaching experience.Neither teacher self-efficacy in student engagement nor classroom management did not show statistically significant difference according to gender,education level,and teaching experience.However,results concluded that science teaching experience was a significant predictor of self-efficacy in instructional strategies of inquiry-based instruction.

Graduation is the Hallmark of Excellence How Colleges Can Achieve High Rates

Fine facilities, adequate financial aid, and sufficient resources are crucial elements for a university to be successful. But unless students graduate at an appropriate rate, the university will ultimately be considered ineffective. Students who exit the university without a degree will have their dreams deferred and often struggle to lead a life of any quality. Among those who fail to graduate are a disproportionate number of African Americans and other minorities; this of which must change for a country to thrive and be respected as an exemplary democracy. However, those who do graduate are prepared and financially compensated to lead and make a positive impact in education, politics, science and technology, and human-service areas. This manuscript provides findings from a thorough review of literature on graduation issues and concerns to support development of a framework of tenets to increase graduation rates, especially for African Americans. Further, it highlights specific efforts of a particular college to enhance its graduation rates and provides implications for future directions.

Teaching Large Classes： Problems and Prospects

There is no global definition of what constitutes a large class. The literature, for example, shows large classes as ranging between 25-30 learners in the United Kingdom, more than 35 learners in the US, and 60 or more learners in developing countries. The current study attempted to establish what instructional strategies could be introduced for improvement of teaching learning in the prevailing large classes. A review of research on teaching of large classes highlighted challenges that both teachers and students experience. Effective teaching and learning throughout the study was conceptualized as that situated within a social constructivist framework. This is a descriptive study in design. The literature component of the study utilized a content analysis methodology with a view to identifying strategies of practical application and potential to facilitate learning in large classes, such as Active Learning, Collaborativb Learning, Cooperative Learning, Inductive Teaching Methods, and novel practices including issues on environment for change are suggested. The empirical data indicated that teachers had devised strategies to cope with the large classes, but these needed further development. The implication for these findings is the need for teacher professional development through reflective practice.

A Study on the College English Learning Strategies Based on Intellectual Teaching Platforms

Taking Leshan Normal University as an example,the investigation has been conducted in this paper on the use of learning strategies of more than 3,000 non-English majors in the process of English learning.Based on the analysis of the survey results,this paper discusses the necessity of college English learning strategy cultivation under the new situation,focusing on the cultivation approaches to college English learning strategy through intelligent teaching platforms,aiming to cultivate student’s awareness of using learning strategies,strengthen their according ability,and improve their English level.

On bilingual instruction strategies of Chinese universities and colleges in market economy

Globalization and the soaring development of Chinese economy impose new requirements on bilingual instruction in Chinese higher education. It is the market economy mode of thinking that plays an important role in every respect of the cultivation of bilingual instruction. On this basis, the thesis explores the role of universities and colleges in terms of the strategy of bilingual instruction and the mechanism to inspire bilingual faculty and students.

The Role of Lexis in Developing EFL Learners＇ Speaking Skill

EFL （English as a Foreign Language） speaking is a very demanding skill that requires learners＇ socio-pragmatic as well as strategic competence in any interactional situation, and lexis proves to play a crucial role in this process. However, few studies have investigated how both EFL teachers and learners view and analyze situations in which learners are not producing enough spoken language in class, and the reasons behind them. The present study will pinpoint the significant role of lexis in Moroccan learners＇ speaking production. To this end, 40 EFL teachers and 200 Moroccan high school students are surveyed and interviewed to reveal their perceptions of the speaking skill and the corresponding high significance of lexis in this instance. Results show that both teachers and learners identify vocabulary deficiency as the main factor behind students＇ inability to speak English. In the present paper, among the many suggestions that could be proposed to deal with this situation, it is argued that one efficient way would be to assist the students during the process of L2 （second language） vocabulary learning through vocabulary learning strategy instruction. Pedagogical and research implication will be given in response to the difficulties encountered in this area as have been identified by the EFL teachers and learners surveyed.

Utilizing Communication Strategies to Develop Learner Autonomy

This paper investigates the effects of communication strategy instruction on the promotion of learner autonomy and introduces the two stages of CS instruction. Autonomous learners are characterized by their knowledge of strategies and the efficient control over their use. Then it is reasonable to speculate that the inclusion of CS instruction in foreign language classroom would help learners become more autonomous because the efficient and controlled use of CS should be an integral part of the strategic behavior that characterizes autonomous learners.

A KWL Plus Model of Metacognitive Reading Strategy Instruction for China's College English Courses

In language learning, in particular second language learning context, the development of learners＇ metacognition has been urged by quite a number of strategy researchers （e.g., Anderson, 2002; Rubin, 2001; Wenden, 2000）. However, as a concept coined in psychology, the concretization of metacognition in pedagogy has brought a great challenge to language teachers. This paper introduces a metacognitive reading strategy instruction model--KWL plus--to college-level English courses in the Chinese EFL context. By adopting a pre-post experimental and control group design, the 16-weeks＇ intervention in this study reveals that students in the experimental group benefit in this strategy training program. Participants＇ end-of-training learning reports also indicate the possibility of integrating this metacognitive instruction in Chinese university EFL reading courses.

The Integration of the Know-Want-Learn(KWL) Strategy into English Language Teaching for Non-English Majors

KWL策略于上世纪80年代提出,是当前美国阅读课堂广泛使用的导读策略。KWL过程反映了语言习得的基本认知过程,目前已经渗透MnSCU写作课堂,成为一种写作教学策略。国外一些教学研究者对该策略进行了相关的介绍和研究。尽管国内许多教材和课堂教学的导入活动源自类似的思路,但KWL作为语言学习的策略理论并未引起国内外语界的学术兴趣。因此文章以具体教案为例,通过教学实践尝试,对如何在非专业英语课堂教学中整合运用KWL导读策略和导写策略,以及学生的接受情况进行了相关研究,相信本研究对充分发挥KWL教学思路的潜在效益具有一定的启示。

LEARNING STRATEGY TRAINING AND LISTENING PROFICIENCY:AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF NON-ENGLISH MAJOR UNDERGRADUATES

笔者就语言学习策略培训对学生听力理解的影响进行了实证研究,旨在探求学习策略培训的有效性。研究随机选取大学二年级两个实验班的同学作为研究对象,运用Oxford(1996)学习策略问卷和大学英语四级考试听力部分试题作为研究工具,对经历了15周策略培训的实验班和对照班进行了测试和评估。研究结果表明:学习策略培训对学生听力理解有促进作用,可使学生听力成绩明显提高。文末提出了研究的启示,即教师应充分认识策略培训的重要性,把策略教学融入正常的听力教学中,鼓励学生在听力理解过程中运用学习策略,从而帮助其成为更有效的听力学习者。

ON THE TEACHABILITY OF LEARNER STRATEGIES IN ELT

Learner strategies are of crucial importance in ESL/EFL learning and teaching. The importance lies to the fact that learners are encouraged to become autonomous language learners by self-evaluating their learning and self-directing the process of language development. More effective learners differ from less effective ones in that they use more strategies and in greater variety. Research shows that learner strategies can be taught and can facilitate language learning if a number of factors, such as the explicitness of the strategy instruction, the individual differences of the learners, the appropriateness of the teaching materials, the teacher training on the strategy instruction etc. should be taken into consideration.

Teaching and Learning Chinese through Immersion:A Case Study from the North American Context

With the promise of achieving bilingualism,biliteracy,and cultural pluralism,Chinese immersion programs for students from kindergarten to 12th grade(K-12)in North America,especially the US,have been proliferating in the past two decades.Research on this rapidly growing population of non-native Chinese learners is also growing.This research synthesis focuses on 35 selected studies published in recent years on Chinese immersion in both Chinese and English language journals and books.The review found that researchers are exploring a wide range of issues with respect to language and literacy development in Chinese immersion programs,including academic achievement in English,language and literacy acquisition in Chinese,instructional strategies and classroom interaction,as well as learners’language use and its sociolinguistic variations.These studies reflect a growing interest in and demand for learning more about the lesser-researched Chinese foreign language(CFL)learner population,and this review concludes with suggestions for future research on Chinese immersion based on its curricular features as well as specific considerations for conducting research with young,emergent bilingual and biliterate learners.