Measuring Fluency in English Language Writing

The present study was undertaken as part of a large-scale replication of aspects of Bonzo\u27s examination(2008) of the effects of topic selection(teacher-selected versus student-selected) on written fluency. Participants engaed in six 10-minute writing sessions over a three week period. During this time, control of topic selection alternated between teacher and student so that by the end of the study each participant had written on three teacher-selected topics and three topics of their own choice. Student output was textually analysed and assigned a score for fluency. Means for both teacher-selected and student-selected topics were then subjected to a Correlated Samples t-Test. Results of the T-Test indicate that topic control did affect written fluency, with participants scoring significantly higher when given the freedom to select their own topics

Assessing the effect of Span Limited Tactile Reinforcement on the reading rate of second language learners

The present study analyses the English reading rates of second year Japanese junior high school students studying in a mandatory English language course. Each participant in the study completed sixteen readings in two separate conditions over a twelve-week period. In the first condition, participants read texts printed on A4 paper with standard block text formatting. In the second condition, participants read from a small handheld device (iPod Touch) with texts prepared according to guidelines detailed by Schneps et al. (2013b) and referred to as Span Limited Tactile Reinforcement (SLTR). The main features of SLTR include: large font size, short line length, and manual scrolling capability. The purpose of the study was to determine which ― if either ― of these conditions produced faster reading rates in the sample population, and if the observed effect size varied according to initial reading ability, as measured by the Oral Reading Fluency Test (ORF). Results suggest that the digital presentation of text via a handheld device and formatted according to SLTR produces a small, though statistically significant, effect on the reading rates of Japanese junior high school students

Establishing Oral Reading Fluency Norms for Japanese English Language Learners

The present study aims to establish Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) norms for various CEFR proficiency levels as reported by the Oxford Online Placement Test (OOPT). The participant population for the study consisted of a sample of incoming SILC English Communication 1 students whose OOPT results indicated that their English abilities fell within the A1 or A2 bands of the CEFR scale. To further refine fluency norms, the A2 band was subdivided into low and high according to raw scores. The researcher administered the ORF measure and recorded both the reading rate, Words Read Correctly per Minute (WCPM), and accuracy, WCPM divided by the total number of words read, of each participant. Scores were grouped according to CEFR proficiency level then analyzed to determine the mean speed and accuracy scores as well as the as the standard deviation for each level. Although reading rate and accuracy means were calculated for the A1, A2 (low), and A2 (high) levels, only the A2 (low) level contained a sufficiently large sample size (n=43) to enable the establishment of an ORF norm. Data from the remaining groups will be retained and augmented with further ORF testing of future intakes of SILC English Communication 1 students

Developing a Test of Listening to Support the English Communication Curriculum at Sojo University

During the first semester of 2012/13, a listening test was developed to support the English Communication 3 course at the Sojo International Learning Center. The development team carefully considered how to design the test so as to align it as closely as possible with the construct being measured while remaining within the practical constraints imposed by the testing context. The test was administered to around 700 students in July 2012 and the results analyzed to determine the test\u27s overall reliability as well as the extent to which specific items appropriately targeted both the population and the construct. Following this analysis, a number of changes were proposed in order to improve the quality of the test for future administrations

Enhancing User Identification with the Independent Learning Centre at Sung Bin Home for Girls

The Independent Learning Centre at Sung Bin Home for Girls is a language and life skills learning environment for girls between the ages of 8 and 18 who reside at Sung Bin Orphanage in Gwangju, South Korea. Although initially learners exhibited a great deal of enthusiasm for the centre, over time interest faded to the extent that many ceased to be regular users. This article describes the efforts of volunteers and orphanage staff to revive interest through a community art project intended to enhance learner identification with the centre. In addition to highlighting the importance of collaboration among stakeholders, the article asserts that undertakings of the type described here should be seen as part of an on-going process of maintaining engagement