First language in the classroom: the forbidden fruit?

Tesis (Profesor de Inglés para la Enseñanza Básica y Media y al grado académico de Licenciado en Educación)Over the past years, the use of students’ first language (L1) in the classroom has been a highly discussed topic in the EFL classroom as well as in the field of second language (L2) teaching/learning research. There is a tendency that advocates communicative language teaching which suggests that L1 use should forbidden in the classroom. However, research has yet to discover whether L1 use has a positive or negative impact on L2 learning. Hence, the present study aimed to examine L1 functions and the impact of L1 use on L2 development. The present study was conducted in a private school in Santiago, Chile. The participants of this study (N = 34) were engaged in two collaborative writing tasks about the book they were reading in their English literature classes, and their discussions were audio-recorded and later analyzed. A quasi-experimental method was utilized in order to observe the influence that group work had on their L2 vocabulary development. The results demonstrated that the students’ L1 played a major role in their interaction while together working on the collaborative tasks, and it served for the development of L2 vocabulary. Specifically, the results suggest that the way in which individual learners contributed to interaction affected their learning outcomes.En los últimos años, el uso de la primera lengua de los estudiantes ha sido un tema altamente discutido en las salas de clases y en la investigación de la enseñanza de inglés como Lengua Extranjera. Existe una tendencia general de prohibir el uso de la primera lengua, sin embargo, aún existen vacíos sobre la influencia positiva o negativa que esta podría tener en el aprendizaje de vocabulario. El presente estudio se realizó en una escuela privada en Santiago, Chile. El propósito del mismo fue observar las funciones que cumplía la lengua nativa en la interacción de los estudiantes y cómo esto afectaba al desarrollo de la segunda lengua en alumnos de octavo básico con alto nivel de inglés. Los participantes de este estudio fueron involucrados en dos actividades de escritura colaborativa sobre el libro que estaban leyendo en las clases de literatura inglesa, donde sus discusiones fueron grabadas en audio y luego analizadas. Se utilizó un método cuasi experimental para observar la influencia que tuvieron sus discusiones grupales –utilizando su primera lengua—en el desarrollo del vocabulario en la segunda lengua. Se aplicaron evaluaciones pre y post con el fin de tener un registro del desarrollo del vocabulario de los estudiantes y las funciones que la lengua materna cumplió fueron codificadas como sugirieron DiCamilla y Antón (2012). Los resultados demostraron que la lengua materna de los estudiantes jugó un rol mayor en su interacción mientras desarrollaban en conjunto actividades colaboración, y sirvió para el desarrollo del vocabulario de la segunda lengua. Más aun, los resultados sugieren que la forma en la que alumnos contribuyeron individualmente en las discusiones afectó los resultados en sus aprendizajes

짝지어 영작문 쓰기 과업에서 한국 고등학생들의 협력적 대화

학위논문 (석사)-- 서울대학교 대학원 : 외국어교육과(영어전공), 2015. 6. 김진완.This study explores how four Korean high school learners of English interact with each other in L2 pair writing and how collaborative dialogues affect their pair writing and L2 learning. For this purpose, the general patterns of interaction of the Korean EFL learners, and the functions and dynamics of collaborative dialogues in their L2 pair writing were investigated in detail. Four female Korean students in the 10th grade volunteered to a four-week collaborative pair writing program as an extracurricular class (dyad A and B). Self-selected pairs formed a heterogeneous group, and they participated in the collaborative process writing of planning, drafting and revising. Peer interaction was video- taped and analyzed microgenetically, and individual interviews were conducted at the end of the program. The analysis of the data revealed the followings as to the research questions addressed. First, dyad A displayed a collaborative interaction pattern consistently in EFL pair writing, while dyad B showed a transition in the interaction pattern: from dominant/passive to collaborative interaction. Though dyad B engaged in a dominant/passive interaction at the beginning due to a relatively large L2 proficiency difference, their interaction pattern changed over time, as the lower-level participant as well as the higher-level partner actively engaged in the writing process and negotiated mediation. Collaborative peer interaction facilitated the learners to complete the L2 composition task and gain a sense of confidence in L2 writing. Second, the L1 collaborative dialogue functioned as a crucial cognitive and social tool for L2 learning and writing of the EFL students. L1 collaborative dialogues promoted the learners to maintain focus on the task, provide affective support with one another and deepen their understanding of the target language. Mutual scaffolding and private speech in L1 collaborative dialogues helped the learners to regulate their cognitive process of strategic L2 writing and L2 reflection. In addition, L1 collaborative dialogues served social functions of mediating communication and establishing intersubjectivity. Third, collaborative dialogues in the Language-Related Episodes demonstrated that a high level of mutual scaffolding and mutual engagement facilitated the learners to consciously reflect on the L2 and co-construct L2 composition beyond their individual language competence. Both higher-level and lower-level participants actively initiated the discussion over linguistic problems and the peer interlocutors provided appropriate assistance attuned to the needs of their partner. The students mostly provided explicit forms of assistance, and negotiated the mediation offered by their peer interlocutors. Lastly, lack of the learners L2 linguistic knowledge and limited engagement of the pairs affected unsuccessfully resolved LREs. Proper use of other resources, the teacher and the dictionary, helped the students to resolve linguistic challenges outside their ZPDs during collaborative writing. In conclusion, L1 collaborative dialogues of the Korean students in L2 pair writing created a cognitive and social space where the peer interlocutors mutually provided scaffolding with one another and actively engaged in writing process and L2 learning. This study suggests that collaborative dialogues in the shared L1 function as an integral mediating tool in the Korean learners L2 pair writing. Thus, L2 pair writing tasks can be an effective complement to the English writing courses in Korean high schools, when teachers unfasten the restrictions on the exclusive L2 use and create a collaborative learning environment while providing proper resources.ABSTRACT i TABLE OF CONTENTS v LIST OF TABLES viii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 The Purpose of the Study 1 1.2 Research Questions 5 1.3 Organization of the Thesis 6 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 7 2.1 Pair Writing in Second/Foreign Language Learning 7 2.1.1 Definitions of Pair Writing 7 2.1.2 Effects of Pair Writing on Second/Foreign Language Learning 8 2.1.3 Variables in Pair Writing: Proficiency Difference and Patterns of Pair Interaction 11 2.2 Collaborative Dialogue in Second/Foreign Language Learning 13 2.2.1 Definitions of Collaborative Dialogue 13 2.2.2 Functions of Collaborative Dialogue in Second/Foreign Language Learning 15 2.2.3 Effects of Collaborative Dialogue on Second/Foreign Language Learning 18 2.2.4 Dynamics of Collaborative Dialogue in Second/Foreign Language Learning 19 CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY 23 3.1 Participants 23 3.2 Procedures 25 3.3 Data Analysis 28 3.3.1 Data Analysis for Research Question 1: Dyadic Interaction Patterns 28 3.3.2 Data Analysis for Research Question 2: Functions of Collaborative Dialogue 31 3.3.3 Data Analysis for Research Question 3: Dynamics of Peer Interaction in Pair Writing in Terms of Language-Related Episodes 32 CHAPTER 4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 36 4.1 Dyadic Interaction Patterns in Pair Writing 36 4.1.1 General Interaction Pattern: Focusing on Dyad A 37 4.1.2 Transition in Interaction Pattern: Focusing on Dyad B 44 4.2 Functions of Collaborative Dialogue in Pair Writing 55 4.2.1 Maintaining Focus on the Task 55 4.2.2 Providing Affective Support to the Peer Interlocutor 60 4.2.3 Promoting Self-regulation 65 4.2.4 Discussion on Functions of Collaborative Dialogue 70 4.3 Dynamics of Peer Interaction in Pair Writing in Terms of Language-Related Episodes 72 4.3.1 Successfully Resolved Language-Related Episodes: Dynamics of Collaborative Dialogues 73 4.3.1.1 Requested Assistance 73 4.3.1.2 Unrequested Assistance: Corrective Feedback 80 4.3.2 Unsuccessfully Resolved Language-Related Episodes 84 4.3.2.1 What Brings about the Unsuccssfully Resolved LREs 85 4.3.2.2 How the Learners Resolve the Unsuccssfully Resolved LREs: Turning to Other Available Resources 90 CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION 96 5.1 Summary of the Major Findings 96 5.2 Pedagogical Implications 100 5.3 Limitations of the Present Study and Suggestions for Future Research 102 REFERENCES 106 APPENDICES 118 ABSTRACT IN KOREAN 127Maste

The Implementation of Task-based Learning in Teaching Recount Text Writing for Junior High School Students

Penelitian ini menelaah cara guru dalam menerapkan pembelajaran berbasis tugas dalam pengajaran menulis melalui beberapa langkah dan menjelaskan bagaimana kemampuan siswa dalam menulis teks recount. Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan pendekatan kualitatif karena hasil data dianalisis dan dideskripsikan dalam bentuk kata- kata, kalimat, dan ujaran. Data diperoleh dari observasi, wawancara, dan tulisan siswa. Analisis data dilakukan melalui kategorisasi, displai data dan pengambilan kesimpulan. Subjek penelitian ini adalah seorang guru Bahasa Inggris dan tiga puluh siswa kelas 8. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa penerapan pembelajaran berbasis tugas memiliki banyak kelemahan dalam beberapa aspek, diantaranya adalah tidak lengkapnya langkah- langkah dalam pelaksanaan pada saat penerapan, kekurangan waktu pada saat mengerjakan tugas dan juga penggunaan bahasa ibu dan bukannya bahasa target oleh siswa yang membuat penerapan pembelajaran berbasis tugas tidak berhasil seperti yang diharapkan. Berdasarkan temuan tersebut, beberapa saran diajukan. Guru Bahasa Inggris seharusnya menggunakan dan mendesain tugas yang tidak memakan waktu lama dalam pengerjaannya, sehingga langkah- langkah dalam pembelajaran berbasis tugas ini dapat terlaksana dalam satu pertemuan. Para siswa harus berbicara menggunakan bahasa target ketika pembelajaran berbasis tugas ini diterapkan agar tujuan pendekatan ini dapat tercapai

INTEGRATING PEER FEEDBACK TO IMPROVE EFL LEARNERS WRITING PRODUCTION WITHIN ONLINE ENVIRONMENTS

التعبير الكتابي مهمة شاقة خاصة لمتعلمي اللغة الثانية أو الأجنبية، ولهذا هو فإن معظم متعلمي اللغة الإنجليزية كلغة أجنبية يعانون في اكتساب هذه المهارة. وبناء عليه فإن أي دعم نطوره لتحسين إنتاج كتابات متعلمي اللغة الإنجليزية كلغة أجنبية مرتبط بالتعلم التعاوني. ومما يساعد لبلوغ هذه الغاية، ظهور العديد من المناهج الإلكترونية التي تركز على المتعلم والتعلم التعاوني لتسهيل التعلم المتمحور حول الطالب. وهكذا فإنه في الدراسة الحالية، عمل الباحث على ملاحظات الأقران، كشكل من أشكال العمل العلاجي التعاوني للتكوين في مهارة التعبير الكتابي باستخدام تكنولوجيا المعلومات والاتصالات لتنفيذ أنشطة التعزيز التي من شأنها أن تحقق مساهمة الطلاب في تحسين أدائهم الكتابي. هذه الورقة لها طبيعة تجريبية. اعتمدت على مجموعة متنوعة من أدوات البحث. وفقًا للنتائج، كان هناك اتفاق عام على فائدة التجربة. بالنسبة للطلاب، فإن العمل بهوية مجهولة في مجموعة عبر الإنترنت يجعل الطالب يكتشف أشياء كثيرة ويقوده إلى مشاركة المعرفة مع الآخرين. قدمت النتائج دعمًا لفعالية تعليقات الأقران عبر الخط في تحسين جودة مقالات الطلاب المنقحة والجديدة، وبالتالي تشجيع المعلمين على استخدام هذه التقنية في فصول التعبير الكتابي الخاصة بهم.Writing is a demanding task especially for second or foreign language learners. That is why most of EFL learners are struggling with this skill. Any support we would develop towards improving EFL learners’ writing production should be related to collaborative learning. Besides, more electronic learner-centered and collaborative approaches have emerged to facilitate student-centered learning. Thus, in the present study, the researcher worked on peer feedback, as a form of collaborative remedial work of written composition using ICT to implement enhancement activities that are likely to bring about students’ contribution to improve their writing performance. This paper has an experimental nature; it relied on a variety of research tools. According to the findings, there was a general agreement upon the usefulness of the experience. For students, working anonymously in an online group makes one discover many things and leads one to share knowledge with the others. The findings gave support to the efficacy of technology-supported peer feedback in improving the quality of students’ revised and new essays, thus encouraging teachers to use this technique in their writing classrooms

Text reconstruction activities and teaching language forms

Even though there is a broad consensus that teaching language forms is facilitative or even necessary in some contexts, there are still disagreements concerning, among other things, how formal aspects of the target language should be taught. One important area of controversy is whether pedagogic intervention should be input-oriented, emphasizing comprehension of the form- meaning mappings represented by specific linguistic features or output-based, requiring learners to produce these features accurately in gradually more communicative activities. The present paper focuses on the latter of these two options and, basing on the claims of Swain‘s (1985, 1995) output hypothesis, it aims to demonstrates how text-reconstruction activities in which learners collaboratively produce written output trigger noticing, hypothesis-testing and metalinguistic reflection on language use. It presents a psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic rationale for the use of such tasks, discusses the types of such activities, provides an overview of research projects investigating their application and, finally, offers a set of implications for classroom use as well as suggestions for further research in this area