TESL Canada Journal
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Survey of the Teaching of Pronunciation in Adult ESL Programs in Canada, 2010
No full textThis follow-up study reexamines the state of the teaching of pronunciation in ESL classes across Canada. The purpose of the survey was twofold: to gain a snapshot of current practices and to compare this with the picture of 10 years ago. We based
the current work on Breitkreutz, Derwing, and Rossiter’s (2001) survey asking teachers about resources, approaches, and beliefs about teaching pronunciation. We also asked for background information about the instructors’ formal education
and teaching experience. For the most part, instruction in pronunciation in Canada has not changed substantially in the last decade. More training opportunities are available, although these are still not enough according to many of our respondents. The number of pronunciation courses offered in English-as-asecond-language (ESL) programs has also increased. Teachers’ beliefs about pronunciation instruction remained largely the same, with a similar focus on suprasegmentals and segmentals. However, we did find a slight difference in how teachers approached these two aspects of pronunciation. Ten years ago, teachers reported emphasizing both aspects in class, whereas today there seemed to be a
slightly greater focus on segmentals. Finally, we offer several recommendations for TESL programs, ESL programs, and ESL instructors
RC-MAPS: Bridging the Comprehension Gap in EAP Reading
No full textIn academic environments, reading is assigned not simply to transmit information; students are required to take the information, and based on the task set by the instructor, assess, analyze, and critique it on the basis of personal experiences, prior knowledge, and other readings (Grabe, 2009). Thus text-based comprehension (Kintsch, 1998) alone is not sufficient for academic success. Top-down processing is also required; this involves applying prior knowledge to define purpose(s), to make and verify hypotheses, and to infer and question content (Macaro & Erler, 2008; Urquhart & Weir, 1991). Although research has given teachers direction regarding the approach to use when providing strategy instruction in their classrooms, it has been left to teachers to develop the specific teaching tools required. In this article, I propose Reading Comprehension MAP for Situation-based comprehension (RC-MAPS): an instructional technique that provides teachers with an easily modified tool to assist in developing interpretative comprehension skills among second-language readers in academic environments through the strategy of questioning
Through the Eyes and From the Mouths of Young Heritage-Language Learners: How Children Feel and Think About Their Two Languages
No full textThis study explores the affective responses and beliefs school-aged heritage-language learners (HLLs) hold regarding learning their two languages. Sixty-three HLLs in grades 3 and 4 were presented with pictorial scenarios involving activities across five language and literacy domains in their HL and second language (English). Children were asked to indicate the affect they associated with the scenario and were queried about their chosen affect. They associated positive affect with listening and speaking the HL at home and with English across all domains regardless of context. Qualitative analysis of children’s attributions revealed skill in the domain or language as the most common rationale for their chosen affective responses. Other common themes in children’s rationales in descending order of frequency included children’s degree of interest in the domain or language, the perceived availability of assistance from others, their membership in language groups, and the influence of language environments on language-learning. Implications for further research with this population and recommendations for relevant parties are discussed
Computer Language Settings and Canadian Spellings
No full textThe language settings used on personal computers interact with the spell-checker in Microsoft Word, which directly affects the flagging of spellings that are deemed incorrect. This study examined the language settings of personal computers owned by a group of Canadian university students. Of 21 computers examined, only eight had their Windows “Default Input Language” set to English (Canada); the remainder had it set to English (United States). Furthermore, only eight of the computers had the Microsoft Word “Primary Editing Language” set to English (Canada), whereas 11 had it set to English (United States). When asked to state their preferred spelling for words where the spelling differs between Canadian English and American English, a significant proportion of students preferred American spellings for some words. The study indicates that computer language settings may contribute to the increasing use of American spellings among Canadian students. The implications for ESL teaching are discussed
English Language Learners in Canadian Schools: Emerging Directions for School-Based Policies
No full textThis article attempts to provide ESL teachers, school administrators, and policymakers with a concise overview of what matters in promoting academic success among learners of English in Canadian schools. We review research focused on bilingual and biliteracy development, the nature of academic language, and the roles of societal power relations and identity negotiation in determining the academic achievement of English language learners (ELL). On the basis of this research, we propose the Literacy Engagement framework that identifies literacy engagement as a major determinant of literacy achievement for ELL and non-ELL students. In order to enable ELL students to engage with literacy, the framework highlights the importance of teachers scaffolding meaning, connecting with students’ lives, affirming student identities, and extending their awareness and knowledge of language across the curriculum. The application of the framework is illustrated with reference to the literacy and academic learning experiences of two ELL students in the Toronto area
Cooperating Teachers’ Roles and Responsibilities in a MATESOL Practicum
No full textResponding to a gap in relevant literatures, this study explores cooperating teachers’ perceptions of their roles and responsibilities as contributors to the practicum experiences of preservice teachers of English as a second language who were pursuing
a master’s degree. Research tools featured focus group and individual interviews with 11 cooperating teachers who were working with practicum students. Findings include a perceived lack of communication between cooperating teachers and practicum course instructors, inadequate written descriptions of cooperating teachers’ roles and responsibilities, missed opportunities to develop more fully the quality of cooperating teacher-practicum student collaborations, as well as cooperating teachers’ recommendations for enhancing the practicum experiences of those involved
The Language Socialization and Identity Negotiations of Generation 1.5 Korean- Canadian University Students
No full textThis article, based on a larger longitudinal multiple-case study of Generation 1.5 Korean-Canadians, explores two female students’ experiences in high school and then university. Foregrounding aspects of language socialization (Duff & Hornberger, 2008) and identity (Norton, 2000) in language-learning and use, the study examines the contextual factors involved in the students' language socialization in and through Korean and English. The findings reveal that through the complex interplay of their past, present, and future “imagined” experiences, the students were socialized into various beliefs and ideologies about language-learning and use, often necessitating the negotiation of investments in their identities in relation to Korean and English. Given the personal backgrounds of these students, coupled with the phenomena of globalization and transnationalism, we suggest that Canadian universities and Generation 1.5 students and their families pay more attention to the students’ linguistic, educational, and social backgrounds, affiliations, and trajectories by underscoring the advantages of bilingualism and biculturalism along with the importance of English for integration into Canadian society and international networks
Investigating Cohesion and Coherence Discourse Strategies of Chinese Students with Varied Lengths of Residence in Canada
No full textThis study examines how three age-on-arrival (AOA) groups of Chinese-background ESL students use two types of cohesive devices on a standardized essay exam. A discourse analysis of 90 first-year students’ expository writing samples was conducted to ascertain how factors such as first language (L1) and length of residence (LOR) in Canada influence a student’s ability to create cohesive and coherent writing. The study uses both quantitative and qualitative methods to explore how Canadian-born Chinese (CBC) students use lexical and referential discourse markers. Twelve essay features of this group of Generation 1.5 students are compared with those of two other cohorts of Chinese students with a shorter LOR. Key writing variables that measure academic writing proficiency were quantitatively analyzed to compare the expository writings of the CBC cohort with those of the later AOAs. Results indicate that synonymy and content words distinguish the writings of the CBC students from those of their later-arriving peers. A qualitative analysis of one CBC essay reveals that a more flexible and contextualized approach to evaluating writing by longterm Generation 1.5 students is required to acknowledge fully the productive lexical and discoursal strengths of these students
Framing the Problem of Identity in Composition and TESOL Studies: A Sampler
No full textThis article looks at how the intricate issue of identity has been addressed and framed in composition and TESOL studies (C&T). It reviews five articles and a book as a sampler to explore identity research in various contexts ranging from the problematic rise of identity in second-language acquisition (SLA) research in 1997, which represented a paradigm shift in SLA research, to other research dealing with second-language (L2) learners’ identity, identity in a teacher training program (i.e., identity of student teachers), and finally, teacher identity as a transformative
pedagogy
Second-Language Acquisition and the Information Age: How Social Software has Created a New Mode of Learning
No full textWe are presently witnessing a great shift in how young people learn and in the benefits that social software has to offer. New technologies can augment and build on traditional forms of social learning, giving birth to an improved and more multifaceted approach to knowledge acquisition that complements the current more general shift toward an increasingly technological world. The purpose of this article is not only to consider how social learning through the use of technology benefits learners, but also to investigate the implications of such learning and technology for curriculum development