English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) in ESP contexts. Students’ attitudes towards non-native speech and analysis of teaching materials

This paper focuses on non-native accents in ESP classrooms. In particular it looks at native and non-native speakers of English accents used in the audio material accompanying six ESP textbooks. In a second study, a group of undergraduate ESP students of Law and Tourism were asked to assess some of the non-native speakers accents found in these materials, focussing on aspects such as fluency, pronunciation, intelligibility and foreign accent. More specifically, they were asked to rate the following non-native accents of speakers in English: French, German, Polish, Chinese and Spanish. Results from the first part of the study show that native speaker models continue to be present in ESP textbooks to a far higher degree than non-native ones. In the second part, the non-native accents that students rated most positively were those of German and Polish speakers, and those seen in the most negative terms were French and Spanish. In general, the Law students tended to value native accents more than non-native ones, whereas students of Tourism broadly accept both native and non-native accents.The research described in this paper was funded by the Autonomous Government of Galicia (Grants numbers CN2012/81, GPC2015/004) and by the Spanish Ministry of Innovation and Industry (Grant number FFI2015-64057-P)

Szpyra-Kozlowska, Jolanta. 2015. Pronunciation in EFL Instruction. A Research-Based Approach. Multilingual Matters. 264 pages

This review was funded by the Autonomous Government of Galicia (Grants number GPC2015/004) and by the Spanish Ministry of Innovation and Industry (Grants number FFI2014-51873-REDT, FFI2015-64057-P)

Book review

Obra ressenyada: Dolors MASATS and Luci NUSSBAUM (eds.), Enseñanza y Aprendizaje de Lenguas Extranjeras en Educación Secundaria y Obligatoria. Síntesis, 2016. ISBN: 9788490774199 (paperback), 9788490779590 (e-book)

Contributions of new technologies to the teaching of English pronunciation

One of the most significant changes in language classrooms over recent decades has been the introduction of ICTs. Despite a broad range of previous research in the field, little work has been done to date on assessing the benefits of teaching pronunciation through ICTs, something surprising in view of the large number of existing programs and other materials specifically designed to improve learners’ pronunciation. This paper is intended to contribute to the field in that it will provide an overview of the materials currently available for teaching pronunciation through the use of ICTs, as well as an empirical preliminary study on ESP students’ first contact with using ICTs for learning pronunciation. Results indicate that these students enjoyed using these technological tools andwould like to use them again to practise their pronunciation

Homeless Shelter Residents: Who are they and what are their needs within a context of rapid economic growth?

People are homeless due to a complex series of factors. Evidence points to the association between homelessness and individual factors, including lack of education, mental illness, addictions, and poverty, and community factors such high unemployment. Yet within the current context of rapid economic growth and low unemployment in Calgary, Canada, homelessness is increasing. The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand inner city homeless shelter residents and their needs within a context of rapid economic growth. This study is part of an ongoing research initiative formed through a partnership between The Salvation Army (TSA) and the University of Calgary to build a foundation for co-learning among the residents of TSA, inter-professional clinical teams, as well as university students and faculty to improve the health and well-being of the community. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten TSA residents. Three patterns of resident behaviors and needs emerged: Stepping Stone, Embedded in the System, and Teetering on the Brink. The service implications of these patterns are discussed

Maternal well-being and its association to risk of developmental problems in children at school entry

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Children at highest risk of developmental problems benefit from early identification and intervention. Investigating factors affecting child development at the time of transition to school may reveal opportunities to tailor early intervention programs for the greatest effectiveness, social benefit and economic gain. The primary objective of this study was to identify child and maternal factors associated with children who screened at risk of developmental problems at school entry.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>An existing cohort of 791 mothers who had been followed since early pregnancy was mailed a questionnaire when the children were aged four to six years. The questionnaire included a screening tool for developmental problems, an assessment of the child's social competence, health care utilization and referrals, and maternal factors, including physical health, mental health, social support, parenting morale and sense of competence, and parenting support/resources.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 491 mothers (62%) who responded, 15% had children who were screened at high risk of developmental problems. Based on a logistic regression model, independent predictors of screening at high risk for developmental problems at age 5 were male gender (OR: 2.3; 95% CI: 1.3, 4.1), maternal history of abuse at pregnancy (OR: 2.4; 95% CI: 1.3, 4.4), and poor parenting morale when the child was 3 years old (OR: 3.9; 95% CI: 2.1, 7.3). A child with all of these risk factors had a 35% predicted probability of screening at high risk of developmental problems, which was reduced to 13% if maternal factors were favourable.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Risk factors for developmental problems at school entry are related to maternal well being and history of abuse, which can be identified in the prenatal period or when children are preschool age.</p