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Articles 1 - 30 of 71
Full-Text Articles in Arts and Humanities
Anthropomorphism In Aesop's Fables, Nasih Alam
Anthropomorphism In Aesop's Fables, Nasih Alam
Criterion: A Journal of Literary Criticism
Generally, Aesop’s The Complete Fables is considered didactic for children. In my paper, I discuss how Aesop represents nonhumans in his fables and how they could negatively affect the psychology of children aged 7-12 if we as parents, teachers and legal guardians do not become conscious of its problematic didactic function. I show that most of the anthropomorphized animals in The Complete Fables have anthropocentric and provide environmentally harmful rhetorics. In order to keep the required length of paper in mind, I have limited myself to five tales from Aesop’s The Complete Fables, to show how and where the rhetoric …
Strategies Utilized By Secondary French Teachers To Help Students Visualize Their Progress, Linnea H. Stegner
Strategies Utilized By Secondary French Teachers To Help Students Visualize Their Progress, Linnea H. Stegner
Theses and Dissertations
This qualitative study identified the strategies that secondary French teachers use in their classroom to show students that they have made progress in their learning. Six teachers participated in this study. Data were collected from interviews, class observations, and artifacts used by the teachers. The findings suggest that teachers use a variety of strategies to help their students to know that they have made progress. These strategies include various forms of formative assessments, self-assessments, and self-reflections. The findings reveal that teachers choose to use these strategies because they are able to help their students develop characteristics of autonomous learners.
Purposeful Integration Of Literacy And Science Instruction In A 4th Grade Immersion Program, Emily Nicole Overvliet
Purposeful Integration Of Literacy And Science Instruction In A 4th Grade Immersion Program, Emily Nicole Overvliet
Theses and Dissertations
Though learning content in a second language (L2) requires additional time, students in immersion classes are expected to keep up with the curricular pace of traditional classes. One possible way to secure sufficient time for both language and science content learning is to integrate language arts instruction with core curricular content. This action research study investigated the effectiveness of purposefully integrating literacy instruction with the Utah Core Standards for science with 53 fourth-grade French partial immersion students in Utah. The purpose of this study was to discover how such a model might affect students' French reading skills, science knowledge, and …
Relationship Between Using Korean Folktales In Foreign Language Class And Learners' Reading Comprehension And Cultural Understanding, Eunsun You
Theses and Dissertations
Language is a reflection of society, so knowing about a language also means knowing about a culture. Therefore, many types of literature have been used as a language education tool representing culture. This thesis proposed folktales as an effective material of not only introducing culture but also learning language. Since folktales are old stories that have passed from generation to generation for a long time, values and morals of a culture are naturally presented in the context of the stories. Furthermore, folktales could enhance students' reading comprehension because the story lines, phrases, and words in a story are used repeatedly. …
The Effect Of Transition Word And Pre-Speaking Activities On Text Type:Moving From Intermediate To Advanced Speech, Scott Donald Dohrman
The Effect Of Transition Word And Pre-Speaking Activities On Text Type:Moving From Intermediate To Advanced Speech, Scott Donald Dohrman
Theses and Dissertations
Over the past several years, much research has investigated the role of pre-task planning, including solitary, group, and teacher-led planning, on the variables of complexity, fluency, and accuracy in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research. (Foster & Skehan, 1996; Gaillard, 2013; Geng & Ferguson, 2013). Additionally, other studies have investigated L2 learners' use of paragraphs and/or the role of conjunctions, i.e. transition words and expressions, in developing ideas and increasing cohesion (Mendelson, 2012; Rass, 2015). A gap remains, however, in seeing how pre-speaking and transition word activities together can promote proficiency in terms of text type, i.e. the move from word …
The Effects Of One-On-One Teaching On Chinese Speaking Ability, Student Anxiety, And Student Preference, Joshua Alan Hogue
The Effects Of One-On-One Teaching On Chinese Speaking Ability, Student Anxiety, And Student Preference, Joshua Alan Hogue
Theses and Dissertations
One-on-one language teaching holds great potential for improving students' speaking ability. Programs such as Brigham Young University's Chinese Flagship program uses a one-on-one approach to help students learn how to use the language in respect to their desired profession. The Ohio State University uses individualized instruction as an alternative to traditional classroom-based classes. However, little to no research has compared one-on-one language teaching to traditional group classroom teaching in terms of language gains. Many studies show that one-on-one teaching can lead to language improvement, but do not attempt to compare method effectiveness. Additionally, although anxiety in language learning has been …
Spaced Versus Massed Practice In L2 German Listening Comprehension, Rebecca Brinck Emery
Spaced Versus Massed Practice In L2 German Listening Comprehension, Rebecca Brinck Emery
Theses and Dissertations
Students often have a difficult time understanding native speakers of their target language. This thesis examines two theories that may help students better understand NSs: spaced versus massed practice and the use of technology to enhance input. The study had the students of four sections of German 101 at BYU, divided into a spaced practice group that watched authentic German videos five minutes a day, six days a week for seven weeks and a massed practice group that watched authentic German videos for half an hour, one day a week for seven weeks, then gave them an immediate and a …
What, Why, And How Much?: The Integration Of Culture In The Secondary Foreign Language Classroom, Danielle Patricia Asay
What, Why, And How Much?: The Integration Of Culture In The Secondary Foreign Language Classroom, Danielle Patricia Asay
Theses and Dissertations
Culture is an integral part of the FL classroom, yet teachers often face difficulties when incorporating it into their curricula. This survey study gathered data from teachers of many different languages, including ASL, all at the secondary level in the state of Utah. The study attempts to describe how secondary FL teachers view the role of culture in language teaching. It also details which models, means, or methods teachers use to communicate culture to their students, as well as the amount of culture included in their lesson planning, instruction, and assessment. Factors that contribute to more culture inclusion in the …
Effects Of Culture Awareness Lessons On Attitudes Of University Students Of French, Mahonri Manjarrez
Effects Of Culture Awareness Lessons On Attitudes Of University Students Of French, Mahonri Manjarrez
Theses and Dissertations
In response to the dearth of research on culture awareness instruction prior to foreign language instruction, the objective of this study was to explore the effects of culture awareness lessons on learner attitudes and beliefs in second-semester university students of French. As a treatment, the experimental group received lessons on culture awareness prior to traditional French classroom instruction; the control group did not. Culture awareness lessons addressed terms such as perspective, culture, interpretation, and stereotypes. Lessons also included worksheets consisting of open-ended questions designed to capture students' responses to the aforementioned topics of discussion. Data collection methods consisted of pre- …
Japanese Vocabulary Learning Through An Interactive Video Platform: Comparative Effects Of L1 Versus L2 Definitions And Kana Versus Kanji Presentation, Ryler Jay Nielsen
Japanese Vocabulary Learning Through An Interactive Video Platform: Comparative Effects Of L1 Versus L2 Definitions And Kana Versus Kanji Presentation, Ryler Jay Nielsen
Theses and Dissertations
Advances in digital technology have recently allowed for richer text annotation in combination with authentic second language video media. As a result, many educational researchers are focusing increased attention on the effect this application of technology can have on second language acquisition. This study examines the comparative effectiveness of target vocabulary treatments with either native language (L1) definitions or target language (L2) definitions when target vocabulary is presented in either kana or kanji as a part of the subtitles of an L2 film based on participant performance on vocabulary assessments. This study also examines the participants' perceived levels of helpfulness …
Incidental Learning Of Japanese Through Reading Online, In Print, And In Digital Games, Jeff Lynn Peterson
Incidental Learning Of Japanese Through Reading Online, In Print, And In Digital Games, Jeff Lynn Peterson
Theses and Dissertations
An increasing amount of attention has been brought to language learning through digital games. Incidental learning through different media types such as in print and online have also seen an increased amount of research done in recent years. This study examines the amount of incidental learning that occurs across three media types (in print, online, and in a digital simulation game) as well as participants' perceptions of how enjoyable and helpful these media types are. Results suggest that of the three media types, incidental learning occurred most through the online reading. Furthermore, although not statistically significant, participants in the present …
Faroosh And Elina, Faroosh, Elina, Tsos
Faroosh And Elina, Faroosh, Elina, Tsos
TSOS Interview Gallery
Faroosh was a cameraman for a private television program in Afghanistan working on a documentary about the Taliban. When he and his crew were discovered, the Taliban attacked them and he and his wife fled to Turkey, walking 12 hours to get there. Upon arrival the police arrested and harassed them. Turkey was not a safe place. After several suicide bombings in the area, they decided to move on to Greece, where they are in a refugee camp without any progress in their situation. They have no money to move forward and no ability to work and the economic situation …
Exploring The Language Of Assessment On Reading Proficiency Exams Of Advanced Learners Of Russian, Jeremy S. Evans
Exploring The Language Of Assessment On Reading Proficiency Exams Of Advanced Learners Of Russian, Jeremy S. Evans
Theses and Dissertations
Researchers have intermittently treated the topic of the language in which reading comprehension test questions should be presented in, or language of assessment (LoA). The overall consensus has been that questions in L1 lead to better scores and that questions in L1 should be used for reading comprehension particularly at the beginning levels. However, minimal research has been conducted at the advanced level, and no research has been found where proficiency items, empirically validated, were utilized in testing instruments. Furthermore, explanatory data from qualitative analysis has been sparse. The present research endeavored to satisfy these areas of needed research. It …
Improving Reading Fluency And Comprehension In Intermediate L2 Japanese Learners, Traci Tomi Andreason
Improving Reading Fluency And Comprehension In Intermediate L2 Japanese Learners, Traci Tomi Andreason
Theses and Dissertations
This study explores the effects of different methods employed by language teachers, namely assisted repeated reading (Taguchi, Gorsuch, Takayasu-Maass, & Snipp, 2012) and morphological and syntactic explanation (Tong, Deacon, & Cain, 2013), to improve language learners' reading fluency and reading comprehension, respectively. Volunteers from students enrolled in Japanese 301 through 322 classes at Brigham Young University (BYU) participated in this study. The participants (a) submitted a background questionnaire and consent form, (b) attended a one-hour session in the testing lab, and (c) attended a second one-hour session in the testing lab. Each testing session consisted of the participants making a …
Access, Gender, And Agency On Study Abroad: Four Case Studies Of Female Students In Jordan, Jordan Wilson
Access, Gender, And Agency On Study Abroad: Four Case Studies Of Female Students In Jordan, Jordan Wilson
Theses and Dissertations
This qualitative study follows the experiences of four female students as they sought to gain access to native speakers and the L2, engage with the culture, and fulfill program speaking requirements (two hours of speaking the second language outside of class per weekday) in Amman, Jordan. The research explores the following questions: what challenges did female participants on BYU's intensive Arabic study abroad (SA) program face as they accessed native speakers and the L2 outside of the classroom, how were participants able to persevere through and overcome these challenges, and how were program interventions set up to help participants persevere …
Identifying And Understanding The Difference Between Japanese And English When Giving Walking Directions, Keiko Moriyama Barney
Identifying And Understanding The Difference Between Japanese And English When Giving Walking Directions, Keiko Moriyama Barney
Theses and Dissertations
In order to better identify and understand the differences between Japanese and English, the task of giving walking directions was used. Japanese and American public facilities (10 each) were randomly chosen from which to collect data over the phone in order to examine these differences based on the following five communication styles: 1) politeness, 2) indirectness, 3) self-effacement, 4) back-channel feedback (Aizuchi), 5) and other linguistic and cognitive differences in relation to space and giving directions. The study confirmed what the author reviewed in the literature: Japanese are more polite, English speakers tend to give directions simply and …
An Investigation Into The Motivational Practice Of Teachers Of Albanian And Japanese, Ana-Lisa Clark Mullen
An Investigation Into The Motivational Practice Of Teachers Of Albanian And Japanese, Ana-Lisa Clark Mullen
Theses and Dissertations
This study explores the use and effectiveness of motivational strategies with teachers and learners of Albanian and Japanese at the Missionary Training Center (MTC) in Provo, UT. Each teacher was observed three times using a modified version of the Motivation Orientation of Language Teaching (MOLT) observation scheme that was first used by Guilloteaux & Dornyei (2008). Learners were surveyed using an instrument from that same study. Teachers were surveyed using a modified version of the instrument created by Cheng & Dornyei (2007). Data collected from these three instruments provide insight into (a) the relationship between teacher motivational practice and learner …
The Effectiveness Of Computer-Enhanced Shadowing And Tracking Pronunciation Exercises For Intermediate Level Foreign Language Learners, Veronique Willardson
The Effectiveness Of Computer-Enhanced Shadowing And Tracking Pronunciation Exercises For Intermediate Level Foreign Language Learners, Veronique Willardson
Theses and Dissertations
This study examines the effectiveness of on-line video-assisted pronunciation exercises in beginning level classes of foreign-language learning. A review of the current literature on pronunciation is presented, followed by a description of a study used to test the effectiveness of computer-based exercises in improving pronunciation. The participants were a group of high school students that were members of a fourth year French class. As part of their regular class time, the students participated in two types of exercises, in-class group work and computer-lab self-directed exercises, in which the students watched videos with subtitles while repeating what they heard. Satisfaction with …
The Effect Of Explicit And Implicit Instruction And Native Language Exposure For Advanced L2 Learners In Chinese Pragmatics: Apologies, Yu-Fang Liao
Theses and Dissertations
Pragmatics is part of communicative competence. In order to communicate successfully, pragmatic competence is of vital importance. Although pragmatics has played a significant role in L2 learners' communicative competence, pragmatics still has not been commonly taught in the classroom. The present research investigates the efficacy of instruction in pragmatics in the advanced Chinese language class has on the production and appropriate use of apology strategies, and examines the correlation between exposure in a Chinese Speaking Community (CSC) and pragmatics development. The subjects include 55 students in their third-year of college-level Chinese, divided into four classes at Brigham Young University. The …
The Use Of Dictionaries, Glosses, And Annotations To Facilitate Vocabulary Comprehension For L2 Learners Of Russian, Elizabeth Christel Todd
The Use Of Dictionaries, Glosses, And Annotations To Facilitate Vocabulary Comprehension For L2 Learners Of Russian, Elizabeth Christel Todd
Theses and Dissertations
Technology is changing education. Just 30 years ago, instructors were using slow, inefficient technology such as projectors and reels of film, whereas today they have instant access to video from anywhere in the world. This capability has the potential to change the way that language is being taught and learned. Instead of students relying solely on their teacher and textbook for linguistic input, they have access to the Internet which holds a seemingly endless amount of information. This study was inspired by the belief that it is possible to maximize the potential benefit from that availability by implementing the theory …
Understanding The Experience Of Successful Study Abroad Students In Russia, Olga Iongkhionovna Ookhara
Understanding The Experience Of Successful Study Abroad Students In Russia, Olga Iongkhionovna Ookhara
Theses and Dissertations
The present study was designed to understand the retrospective account of the learning experience of four successful learners of Russian who made substantial oral gains as measured by the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) during a semester study abroad (SA) program in Moscow, Russia. Each participant made as much as two sublevels' improvement on the ACTFL scale, even those who began with Advanced level proficiency. Specifically, the study examines what students believe, how they exercise their agency, cope with constraints, and take advantage of affordances in out-of-class contexts. The qualitative data includes semi-structured interviews while quantitative data consists of pre- …
Understanding L1-L2 Fluency Relationship Across Different Languages And Different Proficiency Levels, Olga Vyacheslavovna Maletina
Understanding L1-L2 Fluency Relationship Across Different Languages And Different Proficiency Levels, Olga Vyacheslavovna Maletina
Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this research was to better understand the relationship between L1 and L2 fluency, precisely, whether there is a relationship between L1 and L2 temporal fluency measures and whether this relationship differs across different languages and different proficiency levels. In order to answer these questions, L1 and L2 speech samples of the same speakers were collected and analyzed. Twenty-five native speakers and 45 non-native speakers of Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish, and Russian were asked to respond to questions and perform picture descriptions in their L1 and L2. The recorded speech samples were then analyzed by means of …
Teachers Observing Teachers: Factors That Contribute To Critical Thinking In Peer Coaching, Jessica Lafern Bryan
Teachers Observing Teachers: Factors That Contribute To Critical Thinking In Peer Coaching, Jessica Lafern Bryan
Theses and Dissertations
Many university language programs draw on undergraduate as well as graduate students to conduct their courses. These student instructors do not always have adequate pedagogical preparation or experience. Past research suggests that conducting peer observations followed by a group reflection on basic teaching practice would help teachers become more aware of their own teaching. This research aims to investigate whether peer coaching followed by peer reflection meetings increases instructor effectiveness and confidence, as well as whether it is the observations or the reflections that encourage teachers to think more critically and improve their teaching.
Defining Critical Thinking For The 21st Century World Language Classroom, Bethany Rae Daniel
Defining Critical Thinking For The 21st Century World Language Classroom, Bethany Rae Daniel
Theses and Dissertations
Critical thinking has long been recognized as a valuable skill, both in education in general and within the world language teaching field specifically. In recent years, critical thinking has been identified as one of the 21st century skills that students need to succeed in modern society (Partnership, 2009). However, there is no clear, unifying definition of the term itself (Paul, 2004), and the definition of critical thinking is debated in many different fields without support from empirical data (Kuhn, 1999). Similarly, critical thinking has been often discussed in the literature as having great potential to facilitate language learning, and particularly …
The Effects Of Pre-Speaking Planning On Students' Performance During Speaking Tasks, Celine Gaillard
The Effects Of Pre-Speaking Planning On Students' Performance During Speaking Tasks, Celine Gaillard
Theses and Dissertations
Research has explored the impact of various planning types (i.e. different ways to help students prepare for a language task by, for instance, giving them time and/or specific instructions) on the fluency, complexity, and accuracy of second language learners (e.g., Ellis, 2009). However, results have been mixed and studies have never investigated the impact of pre-speaking activities such as those proposed by Thompson (2009), a teacher-led planning focusing on both form and content with students. Previous research suggests that this type of planning could benefit students: Foster & Skehan (1999) believe that teacher-led planning is effective in comparison to other …
Student Attitudes Toward Social Media Technology As An Enhancement To Language Acquisition, Meghan Marie Sorensen
Student Attitudes Toward Social Media Technology As An Enhancement To Language Acquisition, Meghan Marie Sorensen
Theses and Dissertations
Language students today have grown up with a plethora of technology tools at their fingertips, which has in some cases earned them the title of "digital native". 'Students' high use of technology outside the classroom has led teachers and researchers to believe that technology could be highly effective for language learners when used appropriately. Yet little is known about how students actually react to technology-based tools for language learning purposes. This study seeks to not only understand student attitudes toward technology in general, but also to see how those attitudes might affect student attitudes toward online language learning tools in …
The Role Of Intonation In L2 Russian Speakers' Intelligibility, Comprehensibility And Accentedness, Emma J. Top
The Role Of Intonation In L2 Russian Speakers' Intelligibility, Comprehensibility And Accentedness, Emma J. Top
Theses and Dissertations
The present study examined the ability of 4th year students of Russian as a second language to use intonation to form intelligible questions. 25 speakers were recorded asking a question in which they were supposed to stress one word in the question using intonation, as is standard in Russian. They then received an intelligibility score based on whether the native Russian raters correctly understood that they were asking a question and what they were asking a question about. Additionally, native speakers rated the speech samples on accentedness, meaning how much the speech deviated from native norms and comprehensibility, meaning how …
An Evaluation Of Electronic Annotated Readers For First Graders In Chinese Dual Immersion To Improve Reading Comprehension And Character Recognition, James H. Cloe Jr.
An Evaluation Of Electronic Annotated Readers For First Graders In Chinese Dual Immersion To Improve Reading Comprehension And Character Recognition, James H. Cloe Jr.
Theses and Dissertations
This study is an evaluation of online annotated readers developed for first grade students enrolled in Chinese immersion. The electronic readers were created to provide additional input to immersion students, who had little time in class for Chinese character reinforcement. The students accessed online readers from their homes and took assessments before and after each reader to test for improved character comprehension. In addition, students were divided into treatment and control groups. The treatment group had annotated electronic readers with audio and games. Conversely, the control group did not have annotations but audio was included. Results demonstrate a significant difference …
Linguistics Improvements And Correlates In A Japanese Study Abroad Program, Geoffrey Scott Biesinger
Linguistics Improvements And Correlates In A Japanese Study Abroad Program, Geoffrey Scott Biesinger
Theses and Dissertations
Study abroad (SA) is typically thought to provide an excellent opportunity for second language acquisition, particularly through exposure to and application of the target language within the target culture. However, actual language gains vary greatly among SA participants and some may gain very little (Freed, 1995a). The purpose of the current study is to determine some specific linguistic gains made by 28 second language learners of Japanese studying for two semesters in Japan, and to determine possible correlates with these gains. Specifically, it addresses whether or not these SA students improve their grammatical proficiency, lexical proficiency, narrative ability, fluency, and …
Having Fun While Speaking French: A Foreign Language Housing Case Study, Donna Lee Andrus
Having Fun While Speaking French: A Foreign Language Housing Case Study, Donna Lee Andrus
Theses and Dissertations
As the need for foreign language education increases, various types of immersion programs are on the rise within the United States. This study presents foreign language housing as an under-researched type of immersion program that can be a valuable component of university language departments. Using the framework of situated learning and communities of practice, this study provides an in-depth look at lower proficiency (LP) student perspectives and experiences within Brigham Young University's French House. Data were collected through a preliminary questionnaire, a semester-long period of observations, and multiple interviews with select participants. A comparison of all three sources revealed that …