EFL students' perspectives on English: the (widening) gap between ideals and practices Perspectivas de estudantes de língua estrangeira sobre o inglês: a (grande) lacuna entre ideais e práticas

This paper is based on a survey into perspectives on the English language conducted in a MA in TEFL program in a Croatian University. In the study we examine non-native student-teachers' attitudes towards English and explore four key issues: a) which varieties of English are preferred, b) how the notion of English as an International Language is conceptualized, c) how attitudes about English inform teaching and learning, and d) to what extent the sociocultural context informs attitudes about English. In the English department, there is no articulated policy toward English, yet there appears to be a strong attachment to native-speaker norms. However, with the internationalization of English and the changing ownership of the language, in recent years, much debate has arisen over the native-speaker ideal (HOLLIDAY, 2005; MCKAY, 2002). The English language is used primarily by non-native speakers to communicate with non-native speakers but it appears that this notion has had little impact on teaching and learning (see JENKINS, 2007). We see this gap as an important, and relatively underexplored issue, which merits more interest in English studies. We conclude that, in this context, perceptions of English are still formed by native-speaker norms, and lack of policy on the English language, in fact, supports native-speaker policy.<br>Este artigo baseia-se em um levantamento de perspectivas sobre a língua inglesa, conduzido com alunos de um programa de Mestrado em Ensino da Língua Inglesa de uma universidade croata. No estudo, examinamos as atitudes dos alunos-professores em relação ao inglês e exploramos quatro questões-chave: a) quais variedades do inglês são preferidas, b) como a noção de inglês como língua internacional é conceptualizada, c) como atitudes em relação ao inglês informam o ensino e a aprendizagem e d) o quanto o contexto sociocultural informa as atitudes em relação ao inglês. No Departamento de Inglês da universidade não há política articulada em relção ao inglês, porém parece haver um vínculo forte com normas nativas. Entretanto, com a internacionalização do inglês e as mudanças na propriedade da língua, em anos mais recentes, muitos debates vêm surgindo acerca do falante nativo ideal (HOLLIDAY, 2005; MCKAY, 2002). A língua inglesa é usada primariamente por falantes não nativos, mas aparentemente esta noção tem pouco impacto no ensino e na aprendizagem (ver JENKINS, 2007). Nós vemos esta lacuna como uma questão importante e pouco explorada, não obstante meritória de mais interesse nos estudos da língua inglesa. Concluímos que, nesse contexto, as percepções sobre o inglês ainda são formadas por normas nativas e que a falta de políticas sobre a língua inglesa apoiam uma política do falante nativo

An application of near infrared and mid-infrared spectroscopy to the study of natural halotrichites: Halotrichite, apjohnite and wupatkiite

Near-infrared (NIR) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy have been used to determine the mineralogical character of isomorphic substitutions for Mg2+ by divalent transition metals Fe, Mn, Co and Ni in natural halotrichite series. The minerals are characterised by d-d transitions in NIR region 12000-7500 cm-1. NIR spectrum of halotrichite reveals broad feature from 12000 to 7500 cm-1 with a splitting of two bands resulting from ferrous ion transition 5T2g ® 5Eg. The presence of overtones of OH- fundamentals near 7000 cm-1 confirms molecular water in the mineral structure of the halotrichite series. The appearance of the most intense peak at around 5132 cm-1 is a common feature in the three minerals and is derived from combination of OH- vibrations of water molecules and 2 water bending modes. The influence of cations like Mg2+, Fe2+, Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+ shows on the spectra of halotrichites. Especially wupatkiite-OH stretching vibrations in which bands are distorted conspicuously to low wave numbers at 3270, 2904 and 2454 cm-1. The observation of high frequency 2 mode in the infrared spectrum at 1640 cm-1 indicates coordination of water molecules is strongly hydrogen bonded in natural halotrichites. The splittings of bands in 3 and 4 (SO4)2- stretching regions may be attributed to the reduction of symmetry from Td to C2v for sulphate ion. This work has shown the usefulness of NIR spectroscopy for the rapid identification and classification of the halotrichite minerals