YOUNG ADOLESCENT EFL LEARNERS’ PERSPECTIVES ON CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS

Critical Thinking Skills (CTs) are among the 21st century learning skills, and schools are expected to equip the students with these skills.  Turkey has been restructuring the educational system in order to improve the quality of education which enables students to acquire such learning skills as critical and creative thinking, problem solving, and collaboration. The present study based on the perspectives of Young Adolescent EFF learners presents findings on the students’ awareness of CTs, and whether or not they apply them to a given task, and if there is any conflict between knowledge and application of CTs. The findings showed that the students, despite their quiet well awareness, they did not effectively apply CTs. The problems they encountered were assumed to be resulted from lacking in metacognitive knowledge

PARTICIPANTS’ PERSPECTIVES ON AN INTERNATIONAL ELT CONFERENCE

The quality of education has long been intriguing the researchers in recent years, and almost all countries in the world are on the lookout for new methods in order to continuously develop the quality. No matter how carefully they have developed their new curriculum, effective teaching depends on teachers’ knowledge, skills and professional development since teachers are at centre of the movement to achieve quality education. It is therefore essential that ELT researchers and teachers understand and share examples of practice in professional development (PD). They should have opportunity to modify their existing beliefs and develop their practices by gradually incorporating new ideas and ways of working. Academic conferences provide excellent opportunities for the participants to gather fresh insight into the world of education beyond their school walls. Thus, the aim of this study was find out the participants perspectives on the activities carried out during the conference. The results of the quantitative data revealed the overall description of the conference as a positive and encouraging conference, and the qualitative data supported this by providing the thoughts and feelings of the participants.  Article visualizations

IMPROVING KNOWLEDGE RETENTION VIA ESTABLISHING BRAIN-BASED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

This study aims at investigating the impact of brain-based learning on the retention of English language knowledge amongst young adult learners. The participants were subjected to an intervention in brain-based learning principles for approximately four and a half months. The results of the proficiency exams administered at the beginning of and following the intervention were analysed in an effort to explore whether brain-based learning intervention exerts impact on the improvement of participants’ proficiency in English. With a view to examining knowledge retention, the results of the retention exam administered six months after the post-proficiency exam were analysed. An interview was conducted both after the post-proficiency and the retention exam to gain insights into the participants’ views of the brain-based learning intervention. The findings attained from the analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data yield that establishing a learning environment compatible with brain-based learning principles enables knowledge retention.  Article visualizations

An intervention in brain-based learning: Leading to shifts in language learning beliefs

This case study examines whether or not an intervention in brain-based learning (BBL) brings about any change in language learning beliefs (LLBs) of adult EFL learners. Students enrolled in an English preparatory program were taught in accord with BBL principles over 16 weeks. Beliefs about language learning inventory (BALLI) was administered at the outset of and subsequent to the intervention in an attempt to explore if English lessons designed in compliance with BBL principles led to changes in EFL learners’ LLBs. The findings obtained by running Wilcoxon signed-rank test demonstrated that learning English by attending to lessons planned according to BBL principles induced a statistically significant change in 13 of a total of 34 beliefs in the inventory

A COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION OF PRACTICUM EXPERIENCE: FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF PRESERVICE EFL TEACHERS

Practicum is regarded to be a pivotal component of initial teacher education program and such a considerable significance taken on by practicum necessitates more research regardless of the abundance of research on it. This case study explores a) how eight preservice EFL teachers (PEFLTs) evaluated the overall  effectiveness of the practicum they took in the last term of the English language teacher education program they were enrolled in, b) the impact of keeping diaries and filling out self-evaluation forms on their professional learning, c) to what extent the courses offered at the program supported them in real teaching, and d) what they would change in the structure of practicum if they had the chance to do so. The results yielded by the inductive analysis of the data drawn from focus group interviews,  the data from diaries and self-evaluation forms showed that PEFLTs deemed practicum experience crucial for both their professional learning and putting subject  knowledge into practice while stating a set of negative experiences they had in practicum. The findings also reported that reflecting on practicum experiences helped them enhance their professional learning. Besides, the courses taken at university were not recognized as adequate to prepare PEFLTs for real teaching

Giant solitary trichoepithelioma: A Case report

Trichoepithelioma is a benign cutaneus tumour originatingfrom hair follicles. It is most commonly found on theface and scalp. Histopathologic examination was composedof band-like nests of basaloid cells showing peripheralpalization, abortive hair papilla and horn cysts ina fibrocellular stroma. A 82-year-old woman applied for a10-year old groin mass that recently slowly growing. Thelesion was excised and it was diagnosed as giant solitarytrichoephitelioma.Key words: Groin, hair follicle, skin neoplasm

“When a foreign language learner becomes a foreign language teacher…” – A cross-cultural study into the affective domain of teaching

The aim of this paper is to characterize early experiences of future teachers of English in Polish and Turkish contexts; describe their emotions and attitudes as well as analyze their evaluations of the past situations. When a foreign language learner becomes a foreign language teacher…, firstly s/he has to transform from a FL student to a FL teacher, develop the ability to talk about one’s early experiences and relate them to future growth. In this sense, narrative inquiry largely helps in contextualizing and transforming one’s experience. The data collected for the study involve narratives produced by Turkish and Polish teacher trainees

The role of diffusion-weighted imaging on 3 tesla magnetic resonance in the clinical staging and pathological grading of clear cell renal carcinoma

Aim: To evaluate the contribution of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) to distinguish between the four clinical stages and pathological grading in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) on 3T MRI. Methods: MRI of 93 patients with histopathological diagnosis of clear cell RCC were evaluated retrospectively. Clinical stage was evaluated according to American Joint Committee on Cancer and histopathological examination was evaluated according to the Fuhrman grading system. ADC values were compared for each clinical stage and pathological grade. Results: Clinical stages were I in 51 patients (54.8%), II in 14 patients (15%), III in 15 patients (16.1%), and IV in 13 patients (13.9%). The Fuhrman grade of the patients were I in 8 (8.6%) patients, II in 55 (59.1%) patients, III in 23 (24.7%) patients and IV in 7 (7.5%) patients. Clinical stage I and Fuhrman grade I had significantly higher ADC values than all groups (p<0.001). The sensitivity was 81% and the specificity was 80.4% when the optimum cut-off value of ADC was taken as 1.41×10−3 mm2/s to differentiate between clinical stage I and other stages (II, III, and IV) (AUC:0.910; 95CI:0.855-0.964; p<0.001).  The optimum cutoff value of ADC was taken as 1.67×10−3 mm2/s to differentiate between Fuhrman grade I and other grades (II, III and IV), the sensitivity was 88.2% and the specificity was 100% (AUC: 0.927; 95CI: 0.872- 0.983; p<0.001). Conclusions: In patients with renal mass suggestive of clear cell RCC in imaging studies; The possibility of lymph node or distant metastatic lesion should be considered in patients with an ADC of the primary tumor site less than 1.41×10−3 mm2/s, and the presence of distant metastasis in patients with an ADC less than 1.22×10−3 mm2/s

The role of diffusion-weighted imaging on 3 tesla magnetic resonance in the clinical staging and pathological grading of clear cell renal carcinoma

Aim: To evaluate the contribution of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) to distinguish between the four clinical stages and pathological grading in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) on 3T MRI. Methods: MRI of 93 patients with histopathological diagnosis of clear cell RCC were evaluated retrospectively. Clinical stage was evaluated according to American Joint Committee on Cancer and histopathological examination was evaluated according to the Fuhrman grading system. ADC values were compared for each clinical stage and pathological grade. Results: Clinical stages were I in 51 patients (54.8%), II in 14 patients (15%), III in 15 patients (16.1%), and IV in 13 patients (13.9%). The Fuhrman grade of the patients were I in 8 (8.6%) patients, II in 55 (59.1%) patients, III in 23 (24.7%) patients and IV in 7 (7.5%) patients. Clinical stage I and Fuhrman grade I had significantly higher ADC values than all groups (p<0.001). The sensitivity was 81% and the specificity was 80.4% when the optimum cut-off value of ADC was taken as 1.41×10−3 mm2 /s to differentiate between clinical stage I and other stages (II, III, and IV) (AUC:0.910; 95CI:0.855-0.964; p<0.001). The optimum cutoff value of ADC was taken as 1.67×10−3 mm2 /s to differentiate between Fuhrman grade I and other grades (II, III and IV), the sensitivity was 88.2% and the specificity was 100% (AUC: 0.927; 95CI: 0.872- 0.983; p<0.001). Conclusions: In patients with renal mass suggestive of clear cell RCC in imaging studies; The possibility of lymph node or distant metastatic lesion should be considered in patients with an ADC of the primary tumor site less than 1.41×10−3 mm2 /s, and the presence of distant metastasis in patients with an ADC less than 1.22×10−3 mm2 /s

Exploring EFL teachers' perceptions on 21st century skills: A case study

This study investigated how English language teachers perceived and used 21st – century learning and innovation skills in their classrooms. Data were collected both in qualitative and quantitative methods and an exploratory case study was employed. The convenience sampling method was used and 105 voluntary teachers of English participated in the questionnaire. To support the quantitative data, 10 English language teachers were interviewed and they completed a KWLA chart after attending a seminar regarding the research. Then, following conducting their session, they were expected to create lesson plans that included 21st – century skills and reflection reports. Results demonstrated that the participants in this study are aware of 21st – century skills and their importance in English language learning and teaching. Although they are aware of them, they nevertheless require assistance from their managers and the government. Their understanding of how and when to use these skills needs to be improved, along with their horizons