Understanding discipline-specific texts in English is a basic requirement for science students, who must develop their content knowledge and language skills. Particularly, interesting is the fact that the language of ...Understanding discipline-specific texts in English is a basic requirement for science students, who must develop their content knowledge and language skills. Particularly, interesting is the fact that the language of science is characterized by the use of figurative language, which appeals to the common knowledge of the world, mainly to explain, clarify, and describe intricate concepts. Metaphors are helpful for lexicalizing new concepts and meanings or extending the meanings of pre-existing words. The analysis of tropes as a means to improve foreign language learners' reading competence is a rather novel teaching practice in ESP (English for Specific Purposes), implemented at the University of Rio Cuarto, Argentina. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to explain the theoretical basis for teaching and developing metaphorical competence in ESP classes as a means of providing an intellectually stimulating alternative approach, and to present some teaching ideas and activities designed to familiarize students with the use of metaphorical language in scientific discourse in order to enhance their reading competence.展开更多
In this paper we propose to discuss the issue of subjectivity versus objectivity teaching practice of foreign language, especially English, in Brazil. Starting from the short story "The Parrot and Descartes" by Paul...In this paper we propose to discuss the issue of subjectivity versus objectivity teaching practice of foreign language, especially English, in Brazil. Starting from the short story "The Parrot and Descartes" by Pauline Melville, we argue that Cartesianism has influenced a view on education which tends to consider good and valuable what is "scientific", "objective" and "universal". The subjective and the local seem to be considered undesirable and unreliable. Brazilian scholars on the education field, such as Coracini and Souza are important support for our argument.展开更多
According to Noticing Hypothesis, focus on form instruction is in nature an efficient approach to redirecting learner attention during input processing to linguistic elements both within and across utterances. This st...According to Noticing Hypothesis, focus on form instruction is in nature an efficient approach to redirecting learner attention during input processing to linguistic elements both within and across utterances. This study examined the relationship between three teachers’ stated beliefs about focus on form and their classroom practice in intermediate EFL classes through classroom observations and interviews. The findings suggest that a tenuous relationship between the teachers’ stated beliefs and classroom practice regarding focus on form, which is implicational to EFL teacher professional development.展开更多
文摘Understanding discipline-specific texts in English is a basic requirement for science students, who must develop their content knowledge and language skills. Particularly, interesting is the fact that the language of science is characterized by the use of figurative language, which appeals to the common knowledge of the world, mainly to explain, clarify, and describe intricate concepts. Metaphors are helpful for lexicalizing new concepts and meanings or extending the meanings of pre-existing words. The analysis of tropes as a means to improve foreign language learners' reading competence is a rather novel teaching practice in ESP (English for Specific Purposes), implemented at the University of Rio Cuarto, Argentina. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to explain the theoretical basis for teaching and developing metaphorical competence in ESP classes as a means of providing an intellectually stimulating alternative approach, and to present some teaching ideas and activities designed to familiarize students with the use of metaphorical language in scientific discourse in order to enhance their reading competence.
文摘In this paper we propose to discuss the issue of subjectivity versus objectivity teaching practice of foreign language, especially English, in Brazil. Starting from the short story "The Parrot and Descartes" by Pauline Melville, we argue that Cartesianism has influenced a view on education which tends to consider good and valuable what is "scientific", "objective" and "universal". The subjective and the local seem to be considered undesirable and unreliable. Brazilian scholars on the education field, such as Coracini and Souza are important support for our argument.
文摘According to Noticing Hypothesis, focus on form instruction is in nature an efficient approach to redirecting learner attention during input processing to linguistic elements both within and across utterances. This study examined the relationship between three teachers’ stated beliefs about focus on form and their classroom practice in intermediate EFL classes through classroom observations and interviews. The findings suggest that a tenuous relationship between the teachers’ stated beliefs and classroom practice regarding focus on form, which is implicational to EFL teacher professional development.