...Teaching English to Young Learners: How They Learn and the Pedagogical Implication Rojab Siti Rodliyah (rojab.siti@gmail.com) UPI Bandung There is now a growing tendency among Indonesian people to introduce English to children starting from the early age, through either formal or informal education. This can be seen from the mushrooming of bilingual and international schools where English is used as the language of instruction as well as the increasing number of English courses aimed especially for children. Sometimes people hold a misconception regarding teaching English for young learners, in which they believe that the earlier the kids learn a foreign language, the better it will be. As a matter of fact, this assumption is not completely true. Only when handled with care will the teaching of foreign language to young learners succeed as expected. Otherwise, this will not gain a significant effect on children’s language development. This paper will elaborate some principles on how young learners learn a foreign language, which should be the foundation of the way the teaching English to young learners is conducted. Some theories on how children learn will be drawn on, followed by a discussion on the pedagogical implications. This paper is expected to give insights to English teachers in general and teachers of English for young learners in particular, about the importance of taking into account the aspects related to the way young learners learn in designing their teaching...
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...Running Head: ESL INVESTMENT IN CHINA Investment in ESL Education Business in China: Making Decisions through Comparison Analysis Karen Ning University of Delaware When English has been recognized as the universal language in globalization (Nunan, 2003), English language service has become a lucrative business in Asian emerging markets, especially in China. A large number of professionals have conducted research regarding English language service in nations where students learn English as a Second Language (ESL). However, it appears that research has stopped since investors started making money from the ESL business. Although private ESL courses have been well received by both children and adults in China in the recent decade, entrepreneurs usually prefer to invest their money in one project to test its market potential in the beginning. Hence, businessmen should at least undertake a comparison analysis involving children’s and adults’ courses before investing their capital in the ESL education business in China. According to Jules Dupuit, a famous economist in nineteenth century (Boardman, Greenberg, Vining, & Weimer, 1996), the evaluation before making a sound investment decision involves comparing the total expected cost of each option against the total expected benefits. Without a doubt, cost, sales record, and long-term benefits are vitally important for ESL education business investors in China today. Low cost is crucial for any competing business. It appears...
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...Individual differences in second Language Learning Research on learner characteristics 1. It is difficult to assess the influence that people characteristics have on the development of L2 learning because these are rust labels for an entire range of behaviors and characteristics, characteristics such as these are not independent of each other. Another difficulty is how language proficiency is defined and measured. 2. It would help us to understand better the way us humans learn. Intelligence 3. I think it is because learner’s strengths and weakness in these different aptitude components may account for their ability to succeed in different types of instructional programs. People who have high IQ would feel more compatible with grammar lessons and the students who have more communicative approach feel better in audio-lingual methods. Aptitude 4. Abilities targeted by language aptitude test are irrelevant for the language acquisition in communicative language teaching. I disagree with this statement because Leila Ranta (2002) found that children who were good at analyzing language were the most successful learners in an English second language program in which activities almost never involved direct attention to grammar. 5. Wesche (1981): Reported a high level of students and teacher satisfaction when students were matched with compatible teaching environments. Erlam(2005): She found that the learners are beneficiated from the deductive instructions regardless...
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...MATERIALS AND RESOURCES DESIGNED TO ADULTS IN AN EFL It is an undeniable fact that teaching materials form an important part of any teaching program. For English teachers, there is a quite rich amount of English language teaching material commercially available these days which suit all programs. However, we teachers continue searching for ways to support our work and we tend to spend a considerable amount of time on finding, selecting, adapting and making material to use in the classroom. Why do teachers continue this complex undertaking? Simply because designing materials, although time-consuming, has advantages that outnumber the disadvantages. For instance; Bock (2013) advocates three main advantages for producing own material. The first one is contextualization. The benefit of having contextualized material is that learners perceive there is more meaning in what they are learning; therefore it is much more motivating for them. The second advantage is timeliness. Material produced by the teachers could include texts that be actualized, thus, students will be more interested in learning a second language in an actual context and, the last advantage is the personalization, also called “personal touch” which means that students appreciate material which is “home-made” because they feel that the teacher is taking into account their interests and learning styles. In order to design our “kit” we have taken into account the three previous reasons (contextualization...
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...ignored at this point in time of our lives. Truly, technology is and has been incorporated into and has shaped our society. Technology affects numerous components and institutions of the society including education. Thereby, adult education is neither exempt nor immune to its effects. Integration and inclusion of technology to adult education facilitates learning within the adult learners rather than hindering it (Wang, 2011). However, inclusion and integration of technology into adult education has faced several challenges from the people involved in it to the institution that comprise such a sector of education. Most of the write-ups and research have been focused on the teacher who needs to have and/or be equipped with knowledge in technology as well as the acceptance and readiness of the adult students towards technology integration as well as on the digital division that technology might do to the society (Johnson, 2011; Langille, 2004; Kok, 2006). However, all of such challenges have been answered already or continuously answered wherein most scholars agreed that technology does have more beneficial effects than bad ones. Seldom focused on the curriculum development of the adult education wherein it is one of the vital factors to which the teachers and adult students have and are basing their pedagogies and learning. Curriculum comes from a Latin word currere which means to run but more specifically, according to Smith (2000), curriculum is 'All the learning which is planned...
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...Microsoft | The Power Relationship between Teachers and Learners in a TESOL context | [Type the document subtitle] | Student 9/6/2013 | Contents Introduction 2 Literature 3 Theories 3 Identity Formation of a Teacher 3 Language and Identity 4 Poststructuralist Perspectives on Identity 5 Positioning 7 Pronunciation factor of learners 7 Culturally relevant pedagogy 9 Conclusion 10 Works Cited 11 Introduction With rise in economic globalisation and information technology, the need for a common language became a necessity for all. It wasn’t possible to trade and have subsidiaries in foreign countries without being able to converse. Now, world has become a global village and IT has further reduced the regional barriers, that is why English came up as a common language to communicate. English became a global language and it became the necessity for every country to be equipped with English performance (Khamkhien, 2010). It has been seen that with the rise of globalization of English language teaching, the total of Non Native English Speaking (NNES) in the US who are graduated in the TESOL teaching programs have increased at a massive rate (Brain, 2004). From the last decade a considerable growth has been observed in the research of NNES and their experiences in school and society. Experts gave their views related to non-native English speaking and its advantages and drawbacks in TESOL, NNESs attitude and their behaviour in classroom, challenges...
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...References Introduction In phase 2 we were making a Apollo project with new members of group 8 ,called Blink Blink with 5 members in it. In this project we are required to make a research about English courses of Apollo language center. More clearly, we had to assess the Apollo history and its strongest competitors, determine its market segmentation and weigh pros and cons of its courses. In addition to that, our group had to propose an idea for a new course by relying on the questionnaire data we made in the previous phase. Therefore, by choosing a segment of target, we made up a course, which is the main aim of Apollo project. Before offering an idea for a new course, the first thing that has to be done is reviewing the Apollo history, its service, rewards, strengths and weakness. We searched the information in the in the web service and came straight to the center in order to get information. Besides we searched the data about all other language centers and conclude Apollo's strongest rivals by estimating and comparing the service they offer and their reputation. About Apollo Apollo Vietnam, founded in 1994, is the first fully foreign owned English language training company in Vietnam. We are proud to be an affiliate of International House– a well established and trusted name in English teaching. Apollo's slogan...
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...Strategies for Supporting Young Writer and English Language Learners Sandra Williams EDU675 Change Leadership for Differentiated Educational Environment Professor: Dr. Regina Miller June 3, 2010 Introduction Children who start preschool programs are identified as young learners. They enter a formal schooling with different levels of knowledge about writing. Many students are exposed to write daily by observing family members writing lists, typing sentences on the computer, or doing homework. Some students may know less about why or how others may write. However, regardless of their level of knowledge many young students benefit from having their own personal stories written down to share with other students’. Teachers demonstrate to students how each of their personal experiences and stories are valuable, and they can preserve their stories by writing. This paper will show two important strategies that can support young students’ writers through dictation and translating. Taking Dictation Most parents or adults take dictation when they listen to their children and will write down their child’s oral stories before the child can write on their own. Some of the benefits of dictation are well documented (Temple, 1993; Calkins, 1994; Tunks & Giles, 2007). Taking dictation when children are telling their story is crucial to introducing the student to the intention of writing and the functions of printed language. Through dictation students learn the general purpose...
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...listening comprehension, and vocabulary. To the foreign language learner the process is slow and growth is almost imperceptible. However, through exposure to comprehensible input a language learner can improve (Krashen, 1985). The input hypothesis (IH) “assumes that we acquire language by understanding messages” (Krashen 1985). This hypothesis states that language learners only grow when exposed to language that is just out of their level of comfort, but can be understood (Krashen 1985, 1995). The language learner level is “l” and the level needed for growth is “i+l”. This pushes students to broaden their understanding and acquire more language knowledge. The type of input can be any type of language material as long as it is at...
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...Adults and Young People as Essential Skills Learners By Rebecca Phillips 1. The “Basic skills agency” (2002) defines basic skills as : “The ability to read, write, and speak in English (or welsh), and to use mathematics at a level necessary to function at work and in society in general.” Basic skills (Essential skills) are the skills needed for work, learning and life. They are the foundation for learning all other skills and can enable people to evolve with their jobs and adapt to workplace change. These essential skills are literacy, numeracy and ICT. Comms is to ensure people can read write, Application of Number is to enable people to have the skills to manage cash and budgeting. ICT is a skill used in almost every workplace, therefore learners need to have the ability to be able to use it within a working environment. These are the minimum skills expected of an adult in a working environment. 2.3 Possible outcomes of having Essential skills needs are: A) Low self esteem/ confidence – people who have needs can struggle in life and the result of those issues can become an issue. Some even resulting in depression B) This can become intergenerational, this is because they cannot support their offspring whilst in education. C) E mployment issues- people with poor Essential skills are more likely to be unemployed due to this. 2.1 5 reasons why people may have essential skills needs: A) Absence in education, learners not attending...
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...Review of “Research Summary and Bibliography for Structured English Immersion Programs” of the Arizona English Language Learners Task Force Stephen Krashen University of Southern California Kellie Rolstad Arizona State University Jeff MacSwan Arizona State University The “Research Summary and Bibliography for Structured English Immersion Programs” of the Arizona English Language Learners Task Force purports to present a scholarly and balanced review of current scientific knowledge regarding effective programs for English Language Learners (ELLs) in general and Structured English Immersion (SEI) in particular. However, we find that the review neglects to reference significant research bearing on the questions raised, and frequently draws inappropriate conclusions from the research presented. Perhaps most disappointing is the tendency in the review to neglect important conceptual distinctions which could have usefully guided the research summary. Below we address each area of literature review in turn, pointing out significant limitations and incorrect interpretations as they arise. 1. What is the current state of scientific research in the area of effective instruction for English Learners? The review cites references to make the point that there are relatively few high quality studies regarding program effectiveness for English Language Learners, with estimates ranging from five (Gersten & Baker, 2000) to fifty (Genesee, Lindholm-Leary, Saunders...
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...Assessing English Learners: Unique Assessment Purposes Françoise Halliday Concordia University Assessing English Learners: Unique Assessment Purposes I am a French teacher at Golden Valley High School (GVHS), Santa Clarita, California. “California requires all parents to complete a home language survey when they register their students for school” (Peterson Henry, 2014, p. 1.). The survey asks parents the following questions: * “What language did this student learn when first beginning to talk?” (Peterson Henry, 2014, p. 1) * “What language do you use most frequently to speak to this student?” (Peterson Henry, 2014, p. 1) * “What language does this student most frequently use at home?” (Peterson Henry, 2014, p. 1) * “What language is most often spoken by the adults at home?” (Peterson Henry, 2014, p. 1) If the parent indicates that the student speaks a language other than English or if the parent indicates that the language spoken at home is not English, the student is labeled English Language Learner (ELL). Thereafter, at GVHS the student is given the California English language development test (CELDT) and a placement test in English and Math (Peterson Henry, 2014, p.1). The result of this test will determine if the student is an “English learner” or “fluent in English proficiency (FEP)” (Peterson Henry, 2014, p.1). The purpose of the CELDT is “to identify students who are limited English proficiency (LEP) (Torlakson, 2014, p.5). In addition...
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...Title: English Language Learners and the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 Author’s name: Tran‐Hoang‐Thu indefatigable2003@yahoo.com Date: September 25th 2009 Abstract This literature review looks at the impacts of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 on English language learners (ELLs), educators and schools. A brief overview of the current state of English as a second language teaching for adult learners will first be described. Then the importance of the enactment of the NCLB of 2001 is mentioned. Both the problems and the benefits the NCLB has created for ELLs and educators and schools will be presented. This literature review shows that although the NCLB has posed challenges to ELLs, teachers, and schools, the benefits it has brought for ELLs in particular and the education system in general outweigh the problems and challenges. The NCLB Act of 2001 can be deemed as a victory for disadvantaged student groups in the United States both in terms of legal written rights to be provided with quality English language education and budget allocation. 2 The Unites States of America has not overtly or legally stated language policy but there seems to be covert and implicit language policy (Schiffman, 1998). Although many Americans believe that English is the official language of the United States of America, it is not the case because there is no indication in the U.S. constitution that gives English more privileges over other languages and no law has been...
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...can demonstrate clearly that starting young makes any real difference in achieving better language competence. Moreover, research such as on motivation in relation to the learning environment along with language exposure and attitudes will be discussed and data analysed to find out if it plays any significant role in aiding learners to achieve successful second language competence. It has been a common belief that starting young to learn a second language makes a significant difference in language learning. However, results indicate that this is not entirely true in all cases since there are further factors that affect successful second language acquisition achievement such as language exposure and motivation. Consequently, if there is not enough language exposure, this might prevent the learners from succeeding in learning the language. Clearly, those factors, motivation and exposure, seem to play a more important role in the learning process than the age factor and therefore it is extremely important to implement motivation and provide sufficient language exposure to the learner right from the start of the learning journey regardless of how old the learner is. SLA, MOTIVATION AND THE AGE FACTOR 1 Table of Contents 1.0...
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...Questions for Tutorial 3 1. What is ethnographic research? State the difference between an ethnographic research and a psychometric research and give example from applied linguistic studies. 2. Find a report of an ethnographic research in applied linguistics and give your comments on the following points: * The research question * The contexts the research was conducted * What is group or case under study? * What conceptual and theoretical frame works inform the study? * What field techniques were used? For how much time? In what contexts? What were the roles of the ethnographer? 3. Find a report of an ethnographic research in applied linguistics and give your comments on: * What field techniques were used? For how much time? In what contexts? What were the roles of the ethnographer? * What analysis strategies were developed and used? what levels and types of context were attended to in interpretation? - What recurrent patterns are described? - What cultural interpretation is provided? - What are the stated implications for teaching? Question 1.What is ethnographic research? State the difference between an ethnographic research and a psychometric research and give example from applied linguistic studies. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ethnographic research is one form of qualitative research which concerns with studying human behavior...
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