Project-based Language Learning: an Activity Theory Analysis in SOE Language Learning

This study focuses on the effectiveness of the project-based language learning(PBLL) in a college Secretarial Oral English(SOE) Module. Student reflections of the language project work have been analyzed through Activity Theory. Moreover,Data has been collected and categorized based on the components of complex human activity: the subject, object, tools(signs,symbols, and language), the community in which the activity take place, division of labor, and rules. The findings theoretically support the outcome of project-based language learning which align with the object of the activity.

Activity theory and second language acquisition

As recently as 1999, activity theory, one of the sub-theories of sociocultural theory, was described as ＂a well kept secret＂, now is one of the most popular theories in second language acquisition. In this article, the author will present a few research projects that adopt activity theory to investigate language learning, to show how activity theory brings new insights into language acquisition.

Practical Student-centered Activities of Communicative Language Teaching——Unit 2 Text A :Animals(21st Century College English Book II)

English plays a very important role in our daily life and has been a world language for decades, as the global economy is developing so fast nowadays, the learners of English have already realized that the main purpose to learn English is to communicate properly in their real life with the people from other culture, but not to memorize those boring grammar rules and terrible vocabularies which will appear in their English examinations. Consequently, it has become an important task for English teachers to think about how to develop students' language abilities for real communication. Nowadays, Communicative Language Teaching(CLT) has become a very popular teaching approach in China. CLT pays a lot attention to the social and functional elements in language daily use.

On the Teaching Design of Graduates’EAP Course:Enhancing Language Proficiency and Critical Thinking Skills

This paper explores the integration of the bridge-in,objectives,pre-assessment,participatory activities,post-assessment and summary(BOPPPS)teaching model within the context of the post-graduates Academic English course.It discusses how this structured approach can effectively enhance students’language proficiency,foster critical thinking skills,and align with the multifaceted objectives of advanced English language education.The study provides a detailed examination of each BOPPPS component as applied to the post-graduates Academic English curriculum,supported by theoretical underpinnings and practical implications.

Using critical thinking activities as tools to integrate language skills

Every day communication is an event in which there is an interactional relationship between interlocutors. This interaction needs whole language in which language skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing; associated knowledge of vocabulary, meaning, syntax, etc.; and also, thinking skills are interwoven. This means that language should be kept whole and ＂if language isn＇t kept whole, it isn＇t language anymore＂ （Rigg, 1991, p. 522, cited in Richards ＆ Rodgers, 2001, p. 109）. In English as a Second Language/English Foreign Language （ESL/EFL） learning settings, improvement in one skill can affect the development of other skills. A particular course may highlight certain skills, but if the teacher is creative or specific tasks and problems are used in language learning settings, learners are provided with the opportunity to improve multiple, integrated skills. This paper aims at elaborating on critical thinking approach to language learning and introducing practical ideas for helping teachers to integrate language and thinking skills. It introduces 3 critical thinking activities （Dialogue journals, reading logs and literacy portfolios）, and also discusses how implementing them can serves as a way to integrate language skills. It also maintains that engaging learners in these activities helps them use authentic materials and solve problems of their own interest that in turn has a positive effect on student＇s motivation.

The Application of Communicative Language Teaching to Listening Activities

With more and more focus on the development of college students' communicative abilities,listening teaching is holding a great proportion in college teaching activities.This paper shows how to apply the Communicative Language Teaching Approach to listening activities.And by applying this approach,the author will make some try in how to make the listening teaching course interesting and attractive as well as cultivate and develop the college students' listening abilities and communicative abilities.

Language Environment Setting Through Our Foreign Currency Activities to Improve Chinese-Majoring Learners’ Competency

Language education centers primarily on fostering linguistic skills and language communication skills for students. In the process of teaching Chinese language, it is in the classroom that is the place tofoster student’s linguistic competence and language communication capacity. Therefore, classroom teaching becomes the main place tofoster the language ability and language communication capacity for students while the extracurricular activities are the place for students to apply the knowledge they have learned in the classroom in to the real world. Conducting a survey to investigate extracurricular activities for Chinese language majors at Thai Nguyen University, School of Foreign Languages, the paper proposes solutions to improve the effectiveness of extracurricular activities for students and create excitement for students in learning.

Using Drama Activities in Language Teaching in EFL

Drama is a powerful tool in language teaching. It develops students＇ ability to think and improves their communication skills. It raises their self-esteem when they develop confidence through active participation. Dramatisation also promotes students＇ creativity and encourages group cooperation. The paper offers some tips on how to integrate drama activities in the language classroom to make the lesson more meaningful. This paper concludes that students who role-play the characters in a play can better interpret the affective component of the text and gain a better understanding of the key scenes as they enact them through the dramatic form.

Exploring the Development of English Club Activities in Junior High School English Language Learning

English language activities are enjoyable and respect the students’subjectivity,which stimulates their enthusiasm for using English communication.Therefore,it is widely welcomed by junior high school students.The development of the English club and their activities,such as membership,management systems,event planning,advisory lecturers,and cooperation with school management,among others,all directly affect the club activities.Therefore,it is essential to promote their club activities in junior high school English language learning.This paper analyzes the role of the English club and explores their process of conducting specific activities.It is hoped that this paper will be used as a reference for future studies.

A Brief Look at Classroom Activities of Foreign Language Teaching

分别对热身、采访、猜疑、拼板、协同、讨论、模拟与角色扮演等七类外语教学课堂活 动进行论述,分析了它们在外语教学中的作用,并针对活动的操作提出了一些建议。

Research on workflow meta model supporting activity based costing

Activity based costing (ABC) is a method which can solve many limitations of the traditional cost systems in manufacturing management. In this paper, we investigate how to integrate ABC with workflow technology, and build a workflow meta model supporting ABC. Firstly, the concept and concept model of activity based costing (ABC) are introduced. Next, the meta model of P -PROCE (Process, Product, Resource, Organization, and Cost & Evaluation) is presented. Then the cost meta model is defined by adding ABC to P -PROCE model. Object constraint language (OCL) is used to express meta model and constraints. Finally, we show an enterprise modeling and simulation tool based on the workflow meta model. We can systematically construct an enterprise model and easily and efficiently conduct simulation. Moreover it enables us to analyze and evaluate business processes and its costs.

谈《The Practice of English Language Teaching》中的平衡活动法

平衡活动法是教育界一直很关注的一个热点话题。了解平衡活动法的基本内容、合理性和活动方法,探讨其在课堂教学中应注意的问题,对克服传统教学法的弊端,吸收交际法的精华和人本主义教学法"the wholeperson"的思想,改进我国的外语教学,具有积极的意义。

Evidence of cortical reorganization of language networks after stroke with subacute Broca's aphasia:a blood oxygenation level dependent-functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Aphasia is an acquired language disorder that is a common consequence of stroke.The pathogenesis of the disease is not fully understood,and as a result,current treatment options are not satisfactory.Here,we used blood oxygenation level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging to evaluate the activation of bilateral cortices in patients with Broca＇s aphasia 1 to 3 months after stroke.Our results showed that language expression was associated with multiple brain regions in which the right hemisphere participated in the generation of language.The activation areas in the left hemisphere of aphasia patients were significantly smaller compared with those in healthy adults.The activation frequency,volumes,and intensity in the regions related to language,such as the left inferior frontal gyrus（Broca＇s area）,the left superior temporal gyrus,and the right inferior frontal gyrus（the mirror region of Broca＇s area）,were lower in patients compared with healthy adults.In contrast,activation in the right superior temporal gyrus,the bilateral superior parietal lobule,and the left inferior temporal gyrus was stronger in patients compared with healthy controls.These results suggest that the right inferior frontal gyrus plays a role in the recovery of language function in the subacute stage of stroke-related aphasia by increasing the engagement of related brain areas.

Transformation of User Interface to Activity Models and Assessing Performance of WA/WS

Quality of Service is an important attribute of a software system. In retrospect, performance assessment based on user interaction with the system has given a better understanding of underlying disciplines of the product. In this paper, we capture user interaction with the prototype/User Interface (UI). An approach for developing activity model from the user interface model is presented using workflows and functional elements. A methodology is proposed to transform UI into activity diagram. The approach is validated by an experimental setup using Amazon service. The performance of Amazon service is assessed using activity based performance prediction methodology, and the simulation results are obtained using SMTQA.

Probes Into Application of Multi-media Technology in Teaching Chinese as the Second Language Acquisition Class

The multi-media teaching method refers to using computer as a teaching assistant in the teaching Chinese as the second language （TCSL） class. The purpose of employing multi-media technology is to encourage students＇ class participation, giving them explicit and specific impression of abstract contents and cultivating their intuitive grasp of linguistic points. Based on the current study of usage of multi-media technology in class teaching, this paper attempts to investigate mainly on its positive influence of multi-media technology in teaching.

A Study on the Design of Task Activity in the Post- task Stage of Middle School English Classroom

The task activity in the post-task stage is mainly to enable the students clearly aware of their own language learning process in the existing problems and effectively solve them through the ＂do-it-again＂ , language focus and other activities, and at the same time the focus of this lesson, difficulties are more clear and clear. It can be said that post-task activities play a vital role in highlighting priorities, breaking through difficulties, and achieving effective goals for teaching goals. The design of the activities in the post-task stage is to complete the task and language focus together, reflecting the distinctive characteristics of task-based teaching. The design of the activities in the post-task stage can be achieved through evaluation, language focus, and extra-curricular activities.

How To Organizea New language Class

本文介绍了六步教学活动帮助语言课堂的老师引导去表达学生自己的思想,意见和经历。每一步的教学活动将学生主动表达的需要与课文结构的需要相称,扫除学生在表达思想时的障碍。

Kindergarten Teachers’Language Modeling Behaviors in Daily Activities and Free Play

Teachers’language modeling behaviors,including frequent conversation,open-ended questions,repetition and extension,self-and parallel talks,and advanced language,have significantly impacted young children’s language learning and development.This study examined 60 classrooms from 20 kindergartens in Guangzhou,China,and analyzed 62 films of daily activities and 57 videos of free play.It aims to address the research gap in existing research that pays little attention to teachers’language modeling behaviors in daily activities and free play.The results indicate that the more frequent teachers’language modeling behaviors,the larger the vocabulary young children use and the better their performance in lexical richness.However,such behaviors in daily activities and free play are infrequent and superficial,failing to guide young children’s language development effectively.To optimize teachers’language modeling behaviors in daily activities and free play,they are expected to establish positive emotional bonds with young children in a kind and respectful manner and receive training.Teachers are also encouraged to frequently communicate and engage in dialogues with young children,create contexts that facilitate the use of language,increase the frequency of stimuli for vocabulary learning,and guide and encourage young children’s advanced language.

A Powerful Simulation Language for Large and Complex Models

To tackle large and complex problems, a modern simulation modeling system must posses six characteristics: simplicity, user extensibility, object orientation, flexibility, capability, and initialization. Simplicity allows those users who are nonprofessionals in simulation modeling to use the system to build their models. User extensibility is a self perfection mechanism by which the user is able to extend the abilities of the system for large and complex problems. Object oriented methodology is a natural way of simulation modeling. Flexibility can increase the range to which the system can be applied. Powerful systems satisfy demand for ever growing complicated problems. Efficient facilities for the initialization of a model reduces the pain of initializing complicated models. The GPMS language owns each of these features. It is an English like user extensible simulation language, providing simplicity for less experienced users and allowing new data types to be defined to increase its ability. It gives the user a choice between object oriented and function oriented modeling style. Its flexibility in building models prevents the user from obeying strict rules. Its powerful constructs allow the user to describe arbitrarily complicated models. Intelligent model initialization reduces the user’s effort greatly.

Group Activities in Task-based Communicative Classroom

In a task-based communicative classroom, group activities are effective ways to devdop students' 4 basic language skills. However, not all group activities can reach the expected results. English teachers should pay attention to some aspects in organizing a classroom group activity.