Pre- service Unab EFL teachers belief about vocabulary instruction

Tesis (Profesor de Inglés para la Enseñanza Básica y Media y al grado académico de Licenciado en Educación)Este estudio mixto, tomó lugar en la Universidad Andrés Bello ubicada en Santiago de Chile, en el cual 26 estudiantes de tercer año, los cuales cursan su primera práctica en la carrera de Pedagogía en Inglés, participaron en nuestro estudio. El propósito general de nuestro estudio, fue determinar las creencias que los profesores en práctica de la Universidad Andrés Bello tenían sobre cómo el vocabulario debería ser enseñado durante la educación primaria y secundaria en el contexto chileno. Durante el estudio, nos enfocamos en tres objetivos los cuales implican conocer las creencias que los profesores en práctica tenían sobre la instrucción de vocabulario, sus creencias de cómo debería llevarse a cabo, además de conocer cómo sus experiencias pasadas han influenciado sus creencias sobre la instrucción del vocabulario. El método utilizado para recolectar la información necesaria consistió de dos fases. La primera fase, involucró un cuestionario en el cual 26 profesores en práctica participaron, para luego pasar a la fase de entrevistas en la cual 4 de los participantes anteriores fueron seleccionados para ser entrevistados. Lo que este estudio evidencia, es el entusiasmo que los profesores en práctica de la UNAB demuestran respecto a la implementación de métodos y técnicas más atractivas para los estudiantes y, consecuentemente, ellos consideran el vocabulario como algo importante para el aprendizaje de un segundo idioma. Sin embargo, hay cierta confusión e inconsistencia en algunos conceptos y en la forma de cómo debería llevarse a cabo concretamente la instrucción de vocabulario. Sin embargo, pareciera que lo único que hace falta para formar profesores competentes y eficientes en la instrucción de vocabulario es guiar mejor a los profesores en práctica en este aspectoThis mixed-method study took place at Universidad Andres Bello (UNAB), located in Santiago, Chile, in which 26 third year pre-service }teachers enrolled in the English Teaching Program of the university participated in our study. The objective of the present study was to determine the beliefs that EFL pre-service teachers at UNAB held about how vocabulary should be taught in schools in the Chilean context. The study had three main aims which were to firstly determine what participants believed and knew about vocabulary instruction, to determine which methods and strategies they believed more effective to teach vocabulary, and finally to determine how previous experiences have influenced their beliefs about vocabulary instruction. The approach taken to collect the necessary information consisted of two phases. The first phase involved a questionnaire where 26 pre-service teachers participated and then an interview phase where 4 pre-service teachers were interviewed. What the study evidenced is that pre-service teachers from UNAB are very enthusiastic about implementing more appealing methods and strategies for students, and consequently, they consider vocabulary quite important when learning a second language. However, some confusion and inconsistency is shown upon some concepts and the way vocabulary should concretely be carried taught. Nevertheless, only slight guidance may be necessary to form proficient and prepared English teachers

Teaching vocabulary through flashcards to preschoolers

La enseñanza de vocabulario a niños de preescolar es un tema muy importante para la segunda y la lengua extranjera. El propósito de este proyecto era analizar el efecto de flashcards para enseñar vocabulario a niños de preescolar que aprenden Inglés como lengua extranjera en la ciudad de Pereira. Veintiocho estudiantes de preescolar participaron en el proyecto. Durante las 8 secciones con el trato de flashcards, veintiséis ítems de vocabulario fueron presentados a los participantes a través de juegos y lenguaje del cuerpo. Los resultados finales revelaron que las flashcards son útiles para comprender vocabulario, pero fue descubierto que el uso de flashcards solas no es significativo para la enseñanza y el aprendizaje. Por tanto, deben ir acompañados de juegos y signos paralingüísticos

The learning of english as foreign language through cooperative learning in a public elementary school in Pereira

El inglés es la lengua dominante en el mundo y se ha vuelto esencial para las personas hablar inglés con el fin de entrar en la comunidad global y tener acceso a una cantidad de información la cual no estaría disponible de otra manera. Este proyecto de aula examina los efectos del Aprendizaje Cooperativo a través del uso de actividades grupales y tareas de resolución de problemas para promover la interacción social y las habilidades orales en inglés en estudiantes de cuarto grado de la Institución Educativa Rafael Uribe Uribe sede La Victoria. Los resultados mostraron que los estudiantes de primaria tenían problemas al momento de trabajar en grupos y que el papel del docente es fundamental para apoyarlos en el uso del inglés y para controlar la disciplina. A pesar de estas dificultades, cuando el profesor modelo el lenguaje, los estudiantes fueron capaces de decir palabras y oraciones cortas en ingles de manera correcta

Mobile Informal Language Learning: Exploring Welsh Learners’ Practices

Mobile devices have great potential in supporting language learning, through providing access to vocabulary, lessons and resources, and supporting interactions with other speakers. There may be particular advantages, however, in using such technologies for learning minority languages. Welsh is a minority UK language spoken by around 611,000 people in Wales and there is considerable interest among adults in Wales and from Welsh families in learning Welsh. However the small numbers of speakers and their uneven distribution make it difficult for learners outside Welsh speaking “hotspots” to hear and practice Welsh. Mobile learning therefore has great potential for Welsh learners by providing resources wherever the learner is and by supporting web-based learning communities. The study reported here investigates whether this potential is being exploited in practice. It employed interviews and a small survey to study the practices of Welsh learners at all levels. It was found that learners used mobile technologies widely, to access a wide range of resources, although not always on-the-move, and also that many were using courses, in particular one online course. Learners’ practices in using digital technologies for their Welsh language learning are discussed, and also the implications for both learning other minority languages and for informal mobile learning more generally

The implementation of children‟s literature as a resource for teaching english in a public primary school in Pereira

Este proyecto de aula se llevó a cabo con treinta y cinco estudiantes de primer grado por un profesor en práctica y dos observadores de la licenciatura en lengua inglesa de la UTP. El propósito del proyecto fue determinar cómo la implementación de la literatura infantil, seleccionada de acuerdo a los gustos de los estudiantes y su nivel de competencia, contribuye al proceso de aprendizaje del inglés como lengua extranjera. La información recogida se consignó en diferentes informes de observación. Los resultados se dividen en tres categorías: crecimiento profesional, respuestas de los estudiantes y resultados lingüísticos. Los resultados de la primera categoría mostraron la eficacia de las estrategias utilizadas para guiar a los alumnos en la comprensión de las historias y del propio proceso de aprendizaje. En la segunda, se observaron patrones de motivación y participación en las actividades propuestas. Por último, en la tercera categoría, se muestra el progreso de los alumnos en términos de interpretación de títulos e imágenes antes y durante el proceso de lectura. Concluimos que la literatura infantil es un recurso que los maestros pueden implementar en el aula para ayudar a los niños a aprender inglés y desarrollar la participación personal y la conciencia cultural

The dynamism of strategic learning: Complexity theory in strategic L2 development

Learners of foreign languages (L2s) apply strategies to support learning processes and L2 development. They select strategies according to their individual needs and preferences and adjust their strategic actions to suit situational circumstances and contextual conditions. A holistic investigation of strategic L2 learning processes requires the integration of numerous interconnected, flexibly-interacting influences, which are at constant interplay with each other and whose development is difficult to predict. Validated as effective in other fields of applied linguistics, complex dynamic systems theory (CDST) can also provide an appropriate frame for researching strategic L2 learning. Based on state-of-the-art methodological guidance for complexity research, this article presents the re-analysis of empirical data from a previous study through a complexity lens. It further examines the suitability of CDST in strategy research, explores its practical value, and demonstrates that a complexity perspective can generate new, profound information about strategic learning

Teaching receptive vocabulary in a foreign language classroom to students with down syndrome through different methodological elements.

Nowadays the teaching of a foreign language is limited to certain populations due to the learning difficulties that they have. In the English area, it is important to consider that there are schools with students with Down syndrome whose English teachers should have knowledge about how to teach these populations. The main purpose of this research is to present the different methodological elements that predominate in the recognition of English receptive vocabulary for students with Down syndrome, to describe the learning environment in the classroom, identify the predominated methodological elements used to teach vocabulary and demonstrate how is the vocabulary recognition of a basic category of vocabulary. In order to achieve the objectives and answer the question of this research used different instruments to collect information as: surveys, observations, interviews and audiovisual materials. Hence it was possible to determine from this information the characterization of the participants, the cause of visual materials in the students, techniques and strategies that facilitated the recognition of vocabulary, the factors that supported the students in the different learning environments and the recognition of vocabulary through a basic category of vocabulary. In this case of study, it is concluded that most of these elements focused on students' visual memory through different strategies, techniques, approaches and methods, as well as the reinforcement of vocabulary in all classes, as well as the different environments that helped the student in his learning process

On the Scope of Digital Vocabulary Trainers for Learning in Distance Education

This study explores the use of digital vocabulary trainers (DVTs) for L1 (first/native language) - L2 (second/foreign language) paired associate vocabulary learning in the context of distance learning and where students are mature adult learners. The literature review approaches the topic from three different angles: firstly, what is involved in vocabulary learning in terms of memory processes, learning strategies and motivation to learn. Secondly, it was investigated how computer-assisted language learning (CALL) and in particular, use of DVTs, can support the learning of vocabulary and lastly, the role the specific learning context of distance education plays where vocabulary learning is concerned. To set the context, the study outlines the capabilities of different DVTs and how these are linked to theoretical frameworks, how distance learners engage with DVTs, to what extent vocabulary learning with and without DVTs differs and what students’ preferences for particular features of DVTs are. The research is based on a quasi-experimental study to explore the scope and limitations of DVTs used by adult distance learners at the Open University in the UK. A mix of methods was utilised, generating both quantitative and qualitative data. After participating in a trial use of DVT for beginners’ German, Open University language learners participated in a number of surveys investigating the way in which they engage with DVTs, whether there is any indication that the use of these tools improves performance and how students perceive DVTs as learning tools. Additional surveys investigated the general attitude of distance language students to DVTs, and focus groups were formed from students using DVTs for study. Data from these focus groups show that mechanisms typically employed in game playing (e.g. points, badges, leader boards) can have a positive effect on motivation for learning. It is therefore concluded that a review of current pedagogy may be useful and that new approaches to more integrated vocabulary training could have positive effects on language learners