The aim of the current study is to discuss the value of poetry writing in an L2 （second language） by investigating perceptions, attitudes, and emotions of 20 EFL （English as a Foreign Language） college freshmen re...The aim of the current study is to discuss the value of poetry writing in an L2 （second language） by investigating perceptions, attitudes, and emotions of 20 EFL （English as a Foreign Language） college freshmen regarding writing Japanese poetry, haiku in English. This paper first discussed issues and uses of literature in L2 contexts and addressed the current empirical inquiry into L2 haiku writing as a method for L2 learning. The study was designed as a qualitative research which investigated the participants＇ reflection on writing L2 haikus for six weeks in an EFL college writing course. The data obtained was analyzed by using the coding system and showed that writing haiku in the target language was a challenging but valuable task for L2 learning among the EFL students. Especially haiku composition allowed them to develop their L2 linguistic awareness展开更多
More than ever before, multilingualism is a key resource that opens the doors for participation in internationalisation and in the globalization process and participation in the knowledge society. As such, it is of ou...More than ever before, multilingualism is a key resource that opens the doors for participation in internationalisation and in the globalization process and participation in the knowledge society. As such, it is of outmost importance that governments consider language learning as an educational priority. Mozambique is no exception to this rule, as it has also already acknowledged the need not only to teach languages of wider communication such as English, French, and Portuguese, but also the Mozambican national languages. The present paper discusses the importance and value that is attached to multilingualism in Mozambique and focuses particularly on Foreign Language Teaching and Learning at tertiary level. This paper reports specifically on data collected through a questionnaire given to first year university students at Universidade Pedag6gica in Maputo, in June, 2008. In addition, it examines the university＇s language policy of providing English language teaching to first year students, focuses on some of the constraints that presently affect the development of productive and receptive multilingualism, and suggests ways of making foreign language learning more effective展开更多
Language learning must be conducted on the basis of acquisition, and the acquisition needs a certain environment as the material guarantee for the implementation of the learning activities. In China, English teaching ...Language learning must be conducted on the basis of acquisition, and the acquisition needs a certain environment as the material guarantee for the implementation of the learning activities. In China, English teaching lacks an advantageous learning environment as a Foreign Language （EFL） Teaching, which is one of main factors that more time is spent on the teaching but efficiency is not improved correspondingly. Therefore, we should attach more importance to the present situation and its causes. In this essay, present Situation is analyzed through the practical research, and the causes are explored to help to improve the efficiency of foreign language learning.展开更多
This paper reports findings from a longitudinal qualitative study that investigated the use of children＇s literature for Taiwan Residents University English as a Foreign Language （EFL） students＇ reading. During th...This paper reports findings from a longitudinal qualitative study that investigated the use of children＇s literature for Taiwan Residents University English as a Foreign Language （EFL） students＇ reading. During the course of their sophomore year, 17 students participated and each student held two to seven individual reading sessions, to which they brought a self-selected children＇s picture storybook or children＇s novel they had finished reading on their own and orally read it to the researcher. Their oral reading and the discussion of each book with the researcher were audio recorded. To gain insight into the reading progress, these oral data were categorized and analyzed in terms of mispronunciation patterns, misunderstanding of vocabulary, misinterpretation of sentence or passage, and researcher＇s guidance. General findings of the 17 participants were presented in three categories： （1） vocabulary acquisition, （2） common comprehension problems, and （3） common pronunciation problems. Further analysis of two motivated students who read five to seven books revealed that （1） these two EFL learners gradually developed conscious awareness of their own pronunciation and comprehension errors and （2） they progressively acquired better competence to apply the pronunciation tips and reading comprehension techniques provided by the researcher during previous sessions. These findings and corresponding implications are discussed and further research suggestions are made.展开更多
This paper deals with the importance of idioms in English as a Foreign Language （EFL） acquisition in general and the effect of three techniques applied in teaching and learning them by the undergraduate university s...This paper deals with the importance of idioms in English as a Foreign Language （EFL） acquisition in general and the effect of three techniques applied in teaching and learning them by the undergraduate university students in particular. To accomplish this aim, the study firstly tried to investigate English students＇ attitude toward learning L2 idioms through a 10-item questionnaire. The second part of the study passed on two stages; a list of 20 unknown idioms was presented to 30 second-year EFL students who were divided into three groups. The first group of students was given the list of idioms with （L2） English definition; the second group was given the same list of idioms with their （L2） English contextual representation these unknown idioms were used, and the third group was given （LI） Albanian translation equivalent. At the second stage, after learning and revising the unknown idioms for a period of four weeks, the participants received a common test consisting of two types of exercises-multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blanks-to check the impact of three techniques used for the long-term retention of idioms： definition, context, and translation. The results of the survey showed that the third-group students performed better than the two other groups who were exposed to English idioms definition and context; i.e., translation was the most effective technique that helped students＇ retention and acquisition of idioms.展开更多
文摘The aim of the current study is to discuss the value of poetry writing in an L2 （second language） by investigating perceptions, attitudes, and emotions of 20 EFL （English as a Foreign Language） college freshmen regarding writing Japanese poetry, haiku in English. This paper first discussed issues and uses of literature in L2 contexts and addressed the current empirical inquiry into L2 haiku writing as a method for L2 learning. The study was designed as a qualitative research which investigated the participants＇ reflection on writing L2 haikus for six weeks in an EFL college writing course. The data obtained was analyzed by using the coding system and showed that writing haiku in the target language was a challenging but valuable task for L2 learning among the EFL students. Especially haiku composition allowed them to develop their L2 linguistic awareness
文摘More than ever before, multilingualism is a key resource that opens the doors for participation in internationalisation and in the globalization process and participation in the knowledge society. As such, it is of outmost importance that governments consider language learning as an educational priority. Mozambique is no exception to this rule, as it has also already acknowledged the need not only to teach languages of wider communication such as English, French, and Portuguese, but also the Mozambican national languages. The present paper discusses the importance and value that is attached to multilingualism in Mozambique and focuses particularly on Foreign Language Teaching and Learning at tertiary level. This paper reports specifically on data collected through a questionnaire given to first year university students at Universidade Pedag6gica in Maputo, in June, 2008. In addition, it examines the university＇s language policy of providing English language teaching to first year students, focuses on some of the constraints that presently affect the development of productive and receptive multilingualism, and suggests ways of making foreign language learning more effective
文摘Language learning must be conducted on the basis of acquisition, and the acquisition needs a certain environment as the material guarantee for the implementation of the learning activities. In China, English teaching lacks an advantageous learning environment as a Foreign Language （EFL） Teaching, which is one of main factors that more time is spent on the teaching but efficiency is not improved correspondingly. Therefore, we should attach more importance to the present situation and its causes. In this essay, present Situation is analyzed through the practical research, and the causes are explored to help to improve the efficiency of foreign language learning.
文摘This paper reports findings from a longitudinal qualitative study that investigated the use of children＇s literature for Taiwan Residents University English as a Foreign Language （EFL） students＇ reading. During the course of their sophomore year, 17 students participated and each student held two to seven individual reading sessions, to which they brought a self-selected children＇s picture storybook or children＇s novel they had finished reading on their own and orally read it to the researcher. Their oral reading and the discussion of each book with the researcher were audio recorded. To gain insight into the reading progress, these oral data were categorized and analyzed in terms of mispronunciation patterns, misunderstanding of vocabulary, misinterpretation of sentence or passage, and researcher＇s guidance. General findings of the 17 participants were presented in three categories： （1） vocabulary acquisition, （2） common comprehension problems, and （3） common pronunciation problems. Further analysis of two motivated students who read five to seven books revealed that （1） these two EFL learners gradually developed conscious awareness of their own pronunciation and comprehension errors and （2） they progressively acquired better competence to apply the pronunciation tips and reading comprehension techniques provided by the researcher during previous sessions. These findings and corresponding implications are discussed and further research suggestions are made.
文摘This paper deals with the importance of idioms in English as a Foreign Language （EFL） acquisition in general and the effect of three techniques applied in teaching and learning them by the undergraduate university students in particular. To accomplish this aim, the study firstly tried to investigate English students＇ attitude toward learning L2 idioms through a 10-item questionnaire. The second part of the study passed on two stages; a list of 20 unknown idioms was presented to 30 second-year EFL students who were divided into three groups. The first group of students was given the list of idioms with （L2） English definition; the second group was given the same list of idioms with their （L2） English contextual representation these unknown idioms were used, and the third group was given （LI） Albanian translation equivalent. At the second stage, after learning and revising the unknown idioms for a period of four weeks, the participants received a common test consisting of two types of exercises-multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blanks-to check the impact of three techniques used for the long-term retention of idioms： definition, context, and translation. The results of the survey showed that the third-group students performed better than the two other groups who were exposed to English idioms definition and context; i.e., translation was the most effective technique that helped students＇ retention and acquisition of idioms.
