THE EFFECT OF USING COGNITIVE ORGANIZERS STRATEGY TOWARD STUDENTS’ READING COMPREHENSION ON NARRATIVE TEXT AT THE SECOND YEAR OF SMAN 13 SIAK

Penelitian ini berjudul “Pengaruh dari Penggunaan Strategi Cognitive Organizers terhadap pemahaman siswa dalam membaca teks narrative pada Siswa Kelas 2 SMAN 13 Siak”. Penelitian ini mempunyai 3 formulasi permasalahan yaitu bagaimana kemampuan siswa dalam memahami teks narrative setelah diajarkan dengan menggunakan strategi cognitive organizers, bagaimana kemampuan siswa dalam meamhami teks narrative sebelum diajarkan dengan menggunakan strategy cogniteive organizers, dan apakah ada dampak yang signifikan dari penggunaan strategi cognitive organizers terhadap kemampuan menulis teks esai pada siswa kelas 2 SMAN 13 Siak. Tujuan dari penulisan ini adalah untuk mengetahui kemampuan siswa dalam memahami narrative teks setelah diajarkan dengan menggunakan strategi cognitive organizers, untuk mengetahui kemampuan siswa dalam memahami narrative teks sebelum diajarkan dengan menggunakan strategi cognitive organizers, untuk mengetahui apakah ada dampak yang signifikan dari penggunaan strategi cognitive organizers terhadap pemahaman siswa dalam membaca narrative teks pada siswa kelas 2 SMAN 13 Siak. Pada penelitian ini, jenis penelitian yang digunakan adalah penelitian eksperimen. Penulis mengambil quasy experimen. Penulis menggunakan dua kelas sebagai sampel yang terdiri dari 50 siswa. Sebelum memberikan perlakuan, siswa diberikan pre-test dan post-test diberikan setelah perlakuan. Teknik pengumpulan data adalah test. Test digunakan dalam rangka untuk mengetahui kemampuan siswa dalam memahami narrative teks pada siswa kelas 2 SMAN 13 Siak. Teknik analisa data menggunakan rumus regresi dalam rangka untuk perbedaan rata-rata antara pre-test dan post-test dengan menggunakan SPSS versi 16. Nilai yang diperoleh dibandingkan dengan T-table dengan mempertimbangkan df. Rumusnya adalah sebagai berikut: df = N – independent variable - 1 Berdasarkan analisa data, penulis menyimpulkan bahwa ada dampak yang signifikan dari penggunaan strategi cognitive organizers terhadap kemampuan pemahaman teks narrative pada siswa kelas 2 SMAN 13 Siak dengan mempertimbangkan Thitung = 4.368 lebih besar dari pada Ttable . Hal ini berarti bahwa H a diterima dan H o ditolak

Cognitive processes and neural correlates of reading in languages with graded levels of orthographic transparency: Spanish, English and Hebrew

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.This thesis examined the cognitive processes and neural correlates involved in reading Spanish (a transparent orthography), English (an intermediate orthography) and Hebrew (an opaque orthography) by bilinguals and trilinguals. The main objectives of the five experiments were to: (i) extend previous findings which demonstrated that orthographic transparency influences the degree of reliance on lexical and sublexical processing, and (ii) assess the effects of orthographic transparency and language proficiency on strategies employed for reading in a second and third language. Word/non-word naming tasks undertaken by Spanish-English bilinguals, Hebrew-English bilinguals and English monolinguals, where frequency, length and lexicality were manipulated, showed a predominant reliance on sublexical processing in Spanish, lexical processing in Hebrew, and a balanced interplay in English. Effects of language proficiency were also observed as slower naming and lower accuracy in English as a second language. Concurrently, while showing an efficient adaptation of reading strategy to the level of orthographic transparency of English, Hebrew bilinguals appeared to show stronger reliance on sublexical processing than Spanish bilinguals, suggesting a compensatory mechanism. fMRI experiments showed that reading in all languages was associated with a common network of predominantly left-lateralised cerebral regions. Reading in each language was associated with some preferential activation within regions implicated in lexical and sublexical processing, in keeping with their graded levels of orthographic transparency. Effects of language proficiency were demonstrated as increased activation within medial frontal regions implicated in attentional processes as well as right-lateralised homologous language-processing regions. Furthermore, the patterns of activation seen in Hebrew readers in English strengthened the notion of a compensatory mechanism. Finally, a trilingual experiment replicated findings observed in bilinguals, revealed the acute complexity of reading in Hebrew as an additional language and further strengthened the concept of a compensatory mechanism in English and Spanish. The present findings further contribute to current knowledge on teaching methods, diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies for developmental and acquired reading disorders

A self-regulated learning approach to extensive listening and its impact on listening achievement and metacognitive awareness

The role of self-regulation in general learning has been investigated for some time now. Its significance and contribution to second language (L2) listening, however, has yet to be discussed extensively with empirical support. This article reports a case study involving four college EFL students in China over a six-month period of self-regulated learning (SRL) in developing their listening in independent settings. The study examined how the achievement and metacognitive awareness of four high-achieving and low-achieving listeners may have been affected by strategies they used for self-regulating extensive listening activities. It also examined the learners’ engagement during four phases of self-regulated listening, namely, task definition, goal setting and planning, strategy enactment, and metacognitive adaptation. Findings revealed substantial differences in the two groups’ metacognitive engagement in three SRL phases. The article argues that the achievements of the respective learners in listening development were affected by these differences. Pedagogical implications of a self-regulated learning approach in extensive listening for L2 listening development are discussed

The Effects of Curriculum-Integrated Explicit Learning Strategy Instruction on Reading Comprehension for English as a Second Language (ESL) Learners at the Community College

Reading skills are critical for English as a Second Language (ESL) students in higher education to achieve academic success. However, effective ways to promote student success in ESL reading courses are under-researched. Identifying factors that may enhance the quality and outcomes of learning ESL reading is essential. One such factor identified by previous research is learning strategies. Explicit instruction on learning strategies may lessen the problems and difficulties that international students encounter. Explicit strategy instruction can bring a systematic scaffold into a language learning process, guide students toward proper learning strategies, and promote constructive cognitive processing during learning. This study aimed to examine how cognitive learning strategy intervention that explicitly models the use of learning strategies could facilitate English as a Second Language (ESL) students’ reading comprehension and change the perceptions of their reading skills. In this mixed-methods study, intact groups of 33 ESL community-college students enrolled in Reading and Writing II courses participated either in the learning strategy treatment group or the traditional instruction comparison group. Three cognitive learning strategies based on the theoretical framework of Mayer\u27s (2005, 2014) select-organize-integrate (SOI) model of generative learning were explicitly modeled and taught: strategy# I (finding the main idea and supporting details), strategy # II (mind mapping), and strategy # III (self-explaining). Differences in scores of reading comprehension tests pre-intervention and post-intervention were examined. Then an online survey and semi-structured individual interviews were conducted to explore how participants experienced the strategy intervention in terms of their awareness of the benefits of the learning strategy and the perceptions of their reading skills. Results indicated that the treatment group’s post-test scores compared to their pretest increased significantly with a large effect size. There was no statistically significant difference in the gain scores between the low and high proficiency students in the treatment group. Both low and high proficiency students increased their post-test scores, indicating strategy intervention was equally beneficial for low and high proficiency students. Furthermore, participants in the treatment group who underwent a six-session cognitive learning strategy intervention outperformed those who received no strategy intervention in the reading comprehension post-test. Qualitative data were coded and analyzed for emerging themes. Participants in the treatment group reported that learning strategy instruction helped them better comprehend, organize, summarize, and remember what they read; hence they could improve their reading comprehension skills. In addition, students’ perceptions of their reading skills changed positively. More specifically, students described their reading confidence, ability to focus on reading, and completing reading journal assignments were enhanced. Furthermore, participants acknowledged that they would continue to use the cognitive learning strategies after the strategy intervention ended. The most helpful strategy the participants opted for was mind mapping. These findings suggest a great opportunity to integrate the learning strategy instruction into regular ESL language courses

PBL of phrasal verbs

Leung Chung-hong.Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2004.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 178-193).Abstracts in English and Chinese.ACKNOWLEDGEMENT --- p.iABSTRACT (English version) --- p.iiABSTRACT (Chinese version) --- p.iiiTABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.ivLIST OF TABLES --- p.xLIST OF FIGURES --- p.xiLIST OF APPENDICES --- p.xiiChapter CHAPTER ONE: --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1Chapter 1.1 --- Introduction --- p.1Chapter 1.2 --- Phraseology and second language acquisition --- p.1Chapter 1.3 --- Phrasal verbs in ESL/EFL students --- p.3Chapter 1.4 --- The proposed particle-based learning (PBL) of phrasal verbs --- p.5Chapter 1.5 --- Cognitive semantic framework for PBL --- p.6Chapter 1.5.1 --- The theory of conceptual metaphors --- p.6Chapter 1.5.2 --- The theory of image schemas --- p.7Chapter 1.5.3 --- A cognitive semantic approach to teaching phrasal verbs --- p.8Chapter 1.6 --- Research gaps and research implications --- p.9Chapter 1.7 --- Organization of this thesis --- p.10Chapter CHAPTER TWO: --- ESL/EFL LEARNING OF ENGLISH PHRASAL VERBS --- p.13Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.13Chapter 2.2 --- General views on phrasal verbs in ESL/EFL learning --- p.14Chapter 2.2.1 --- Phrasal verbs in SLA research --- p.14Chapter 2.2.2 --- ESL/EFL learners' phraseological incompetence and ignorance --- p.15Chapter 2.2.3 --- Summary --- p.17Chapter 2.3 --- Avoidance behaviour of phrasal verbs in ESL/EFL learners --- p.17Chapter 2.3.1 --- Definition of avoidance --- p.18Chapter 2.3.2 --- Causes of avoidance --- p.20Chapter 2.3.3 --- Four previous studies on avoidance of phrasal verbs --- p.22Chapter 2.3.3.1 --- Dagut and Laufer's study (1985) --- p.24Chapter 2.3.3.2 --- Hulstijn and Marchena's study (1989) --- p.25Chapter 2.3.3.3 --- Laufer and Eliasson's study (1993) --- p.26Chapter 2.3.3.4 --- Liao and Fukuya's study (2002) --- p.27Chapter 2.4 --- Avoidance of figurative phrasal verbs --- p.28Chapter 2.5 --- Summary --- p.31Chapter CHAPTER THREE: --- "PHRASAL VERBS, CONCEPTUAL METAPHORS AND IMAGE SCHEMAS" --- p.33Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.33Chapter 3.2 --- Phrasal verbs as a category of multi-word verbs --- p.34Chapter 3.3 --- Multi-word verbs --- p.34Chapter 3.3.1 --- The syntactic frame of multi-word verbs --- p.36Chapter 3.3.2 --- The semantic frame of multi-word verbs --- p.37Chapter 3.3.3 --- Summary --- p.37Chapter 3.4 --- Defining phrasal verbs --- p.39Chapter 3.4.1 --- """VPC and literal + figurative"" as phrasal verbs" --- p.41Chapter 3.4.2 --- """VPC + VPP and literal + figurative"" as phrasal verbs" --- p.46Chapter 3.5 --- A cognitive approach to the understanding of phrasal verbs (Part I) --- p.49Chapter 3.5.1 --- The meaning of the particles in phrasal verbs --- p.50Chapter 3.5.2 --- "The metaphorical extension of the spatial, prototypical particles" --- p.51Chapter 3.5.3 --- A cognitive schematic representation of particles in phrasal verbs --- p.54Chapter 3.5.4 --- Summary --- p.58Chapter 3.6 --- The theory of conceptual metaphors --- p.59Chapter 3.6.1 --- Metaphor as ordinary everyday language --- p.59Chapter 3.6.2 --- Conceptual metaphor as a cross-domain mapping --- p.61Chapter 3.7 --- The theory of image schemas --- p.64Chapter 3.7.1 --- Image schemas as the basis for thought and understanding --- p.65Chapter 3.7.2 --- Examples of image schemas --- p.66Chapter 3.7.2.1 --- The PATH schema --- p.66Chapter 3.7.2.2 --- The CONTAINER schema --- p.68Chapter 3.7.3 --- Image schemas as the underlying logic of conceptual metaphors --- p.69Chapter 3.7.4 --- Image schemas in relation to words --- p.71Chapter 3.7.5 --- Summary: A hierarchical framework --- p.72Chapter 3.8 --- A cognitive approach to the understanding of phrasal verbs (Part II) --- p.74Chapter 3.8.1 --- A new classification of phrasal verbs based on the cognitive semantic framework --- p.74Chapter 3.8.2 --- Rationale for the particle-based learning (PBL) --- p.77Chapter 3.8.3 --- The particle-based learning model (PBLM) --- p.80Chapter 3.8.4 --- Conclusion --- p.86Chapter CHAPTER FOUR: --- RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND METHODOLOGY --- p.87Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.87Chapter 4.2 --- Metaphorical competence and motivation --- p.87Chapter 4.3 --- Research questions and hypotheses --- p.89Chapter 4.4 --- Research methodology --- p.91Chapter 4.4.1 --- Subjects --- p.91Chapter 4.4.2 --- Materials --- p.91Chapter 4.4.2.1 --- Elicitation of phrasal verbs for test --- p.91Chapter 4.4.2.2 --- Materials design --- p.95Chapter 4.4.2.2.1 --- Pre-test paper --- p.95Chapter 4.4.2.2.2 --- Teaching and learning paper --- p.96Chapter 4.4.2.2.3 --- Post-test paper --- p.98Chapter 4.4.2.2.4 --- Questionnaire --- p.99Chapter 4.4.2.2.5 --- One-week delay test paper --- p.99Chapter 4.4.3 --- Procedures --- p.99Chapter 4.4.4 --- Scoring system --- p.103Chapter CHAPTER FIVE: --- GENERAL RESULTS FROM SPSS --- p.105Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.105Chapter 5.2 --- Results of pre-test and pro-test --- p.106Chapter 5.2.1 --- The output of SPSS --- p.106Chapter 5.2.2 --- General description --- p.107Chapter 5.3 --- Results of Hypothesis1 --- p.108Chapter 5.3.1 --- The output of SPSS --- p.108Chapter 5.3.2 --- General description --- p.109Chapter 5.3.3 --- Conclusion --- p.110Chapter 5.4 --- Results of Hypothesis2 --- p.110Chapter 5.4.1 --- The output of SPSS --- p.110Chapter 5.4.2 --- General description --- p.111Chapter 5.4.3 --- Conclusion --- p.112Chapter 5.5 --- Results of Hypothesis 3 --- p.112Chapter 5.5.1 --- The mean score for each question --- p.113Chapter 5.5.2 --- The output of SPSS --- p.114Chapter 5.5.3 --- General description --- p.114Chapter 5.5.4 --- Conclusion --- p.114Chapter 5.6 --- Summary --- p.115Chapter CHAPTER SIX: --- GENERAL DISCUSSIONS OF RESULTS --- p.117Chapter 6.1 --- Introduction --- p.117Chapter 6.2 --- Discussion of Hypothesis1 --- p.117Chapter 6.2.1 --- General evaluation of Hypothesis1 --- p.117Chapter 6.2.2 --- Conceptual metaphors and image schemas as embodied motivation --- p.119Chapter 6.2.3 --- English as a satellite-framed language --- p.123Chapter 6.2.4 --- Visualization and dual coding theory --- p.124Chapter 6.2.5 --- Consolidation and elaboration in vocabulary acquisition --- p.127Chapter 6.3 --- Discussion of Hypothesis2 --- p.130Chapter 6.3.1 --- General evaluation of Hypothesis2 --- p.130Chapter 6.3.2 --- The cognitive linguistic view on polysemous words --- p.132Chapter 6.3.3 --- Effective guessing based on core meaning --- p.135Chapter 6.4 --- Discussion of Hypothesis3 --- p.136Chapter 6.4.1 --- General evaluation of Hypothesis3 --- p.136Chapter 6.4.2 --- Discussion of six questions of questionnaire --- p.137Chapter 6.4.3 --- Fallacies in traditional phrasal verb learning --- p.140Chapter 6.4.4 --- Metaphoric triangle for phrasal verb learning --- p.142Chapter 6.5 --- Summary --- p.144Chapter CHAPTER SEVEN: --- PEDAGOGICAL IMPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSION --- p.149Chapter 7.1 --- Introduction --- p.149Chapter 7.2 --- Traditional approach to phrasal verbs in Hong Kong English textbooks --- p.150Chapter 7.3 --- Pedagogical implications of PBL on phrasal verb learning --- p.155Chapter 7.3.1 --- Forewords to pedagogical application of PBL --- p.156Chapter 7.3.2 --- Sample learning materials --- p.158Chapter 7.3.2.1 --- Sample One (lower intermediate to intermediate level) --- p.159Chapter 7.3.2.2 --- Sample Two (upper intermediate to advanced level) --- p.165Chapter 7.3 --- Conclusion to pedagogical implications --- p.171Chapter 7.4 --- An overall conclusion of the present study --- p.173Chapter 7.4.1 --- Limitations --- p.173Chapter 7.4.2 --- Suggestions for future research --- p.175Chapter 7.4.3 --- Author's expectation of PBL on phrasal verb learning --- p.176REFERENCES --- p.178APPENDICES 1-19 --- p.19

The Smartpen as a Mediational Tool for Learning Language and Content Areas: The Case of English Learners in Mainstream Classrooms

The use of mobile devices for supporting the instruction of second language (L2) learners is an emerging and rapidly growing area of inquiry. Previous research on mobile assisted language learning (MALL) has concentrated on the development of isolated linguistic skills through a common set of mobile technologies, such as PDAs and iPods, with limited attention given to alternative mobile devices or situations of L2 learning that require the simultaneous learning of language and academic content (Wu, Jim Wu, Chen, Kao, Lin, & Huang, 2012; Viberg & Grönlund, 2012; 2013). In particular, little is understood about how English Learners (ELs) educated within mainstream classrooms choose to appropriate mobile technologies to meet their learning needs, with respect to both their development linguistically and across academic course disciplines. To inform this gap in research, this study used a quasi-ethnographic, instrumental case study design to explore how a group of middle school ELs used an understudied mobile device, the Echo Smartpen, to mediate their learning of language skills (e.g., speaking, reading, writing, listening, vocabulary) and of academic content areas (e.g., math, science, social studies). It also sought to examine how the Smartpen could assist ELs\u27 learning processes with respect to individual learner characteristics (e.g., affective, cognitive, metacognitive). To accomplish this purpose, multiple sources of data were collected from seven student participants, their English as a Second Language (ESL) specialist, and primary mainstream teacher. These sources consisted of technologically-mediated digital data, such as the students\u27 digitized notebooks, as well as traditional methods qualitative data collection, including individual and focus group interviews, and learning artifacts. The overall theoretical framework guiding the data analysis was Vygotskian sociocultural theory (SCT), complemented by grounded theory and the constant comparison coding method (Strauss & Corbin, 1990; 1998). Key principles for the analysis were the Vygotskian notions of mediated learning through physical and psychological tool use (Lantolf, 2000). Findings from this study provide insights about the process of mediated language and content learning with the Smartpen for ELs clustered around three major themes: 1) extended opportunities for language learning through self-constructed artifacts; (2) extended opportunities for content learning through co-constructed artifacts; and (3) extended learning self with the Smartpen. In addition to the main emergent themes, research findings incorporate the participant-based metaphorical concept of time travel as an important sub-thematic element in tracing ELs\u27 use of the Smartpen across temporal and educational contexts (e.g., school and home). Finally, this study concludes with a discussion of theoretical and pedagogical implications for the integration of mobile devices for ELs in mainstream settings, as well as with recommendations for future research deriving from this research

Efficacy of Genre-based writing instruction and learner collaboration:A study of tertiary EFL learners

The present study investigates the effectiveness of genre-based writing instruction when EFL tertiary-level learners are instructed to produce expository essay in pairs and individually. Studies thus far have found that learners develop their grammar accuracy when writing in pairs. A characteristic of these studies is that the gains of collaborative work are usually measured by outcomes resulting from pair work. The current study differs in that regard, as it set out to provide a text analysis to investigate whether the effects of collaborative practice would also be reflected in individual work after an eight-week long period of collaboration. The participants in the study were 63 intermediate (IELTS 4.0) EFL undergraduate students enrolled in a public college in Oman. Participants were assigned to two experimental groups: one where they performed in pairs (n=20) and the other (n=21) where all practice was individual, while the Control group (n= 22) was taught in a traditional fashion with no reference to genre instruction. Students in the experimental groups were exposed to the expository essay genre, which was deemed relevant for their study and future career. Data for analysis were gathered through written texts at three testing phases: a pretest, an immediate posttest, and a delayed posttest. The students’ written production was analysed for text content and text organisation using a revised analytical rubric, as well as for reduction of narrativity, lexical complexity, and syntactic complexity. Apart from text content and text organization, all variables were operationalized via a number of measures using Coh-Matrix, an advanced automated text analysis tool (McNamara, et al., 2014). Data were also obtained through transcription of learners’ audio-recorded dyadic interactions. Learner interactions were analysed for language related episodes (LREs) to explore how collaboration can assist in completing written tasks. The findings indicated that students in both treatment groups outperformed the Control group in terms of text content, text organisation, and reduction of narrativity. However, only the Pair group outperformed the Control for lexical and syntactic complexity. No difference was found between the experimental groups except for reduction of concreteness; where the Pair group outperformed the Individual group. Analysis of LREs suggested that learner collaboration may assist in completing tasks collaboratively

The Use of Neuroscience in the Design of Arabic Learning Material Development: Its Implications for Arabic Language Education

This study aims to analyze Arabic learning materials with a neuroscience approach, to facilitate students in learning mufrodat, quwaidul arobiyah, and muhadasah. In the preliminary study, the researcher interviewed directly with the students, that so far they have found it difficult to understand, memorize, and practice mufrodat and muhadasah. Researchers provide an alternative to students at school, namely the development of Arabic language material by using neuroscience. This research data is sourced through literature observations related to scientific journal descriptions as well as scrutiny of research results references, both manually and digitally which focus on analyzing the development of Arabic learning materials by utilizing neuroscience. This type of research used is field study research with content analysis in the form of descriptive analysis. The results of the study prove that neuroscience in developing Arabic language material responds to students in accelerating memorization (mufrodat) and the practice of reading, writing, listening, and speaking (muhadasah). The development of neuroscience-based Arabic learning materials directs students with a brain approach, stimulation from the right brain and left brain as the central neuron for the growth of intelligence. The use of neuroscience in the development of Arabic language material has implications for the educational and psychological foundations of students, which are related to intelligence and affective, cognitive, and psychomotor abilities.