Literature circles enhancing cultural awareness and language ‎acquisition for adult learners of Arabic

Language and culture are inextricably linked. Consequently, the teaching of cultural awareness as part of additional language instruction is crucial to increasing language proficiency. This paper examines how literature circles are utilized and actively modelled in the teaching and learning of the Arabic language and its culture in an adult Arabic as an Additional Language classroom in Iraq with beginner, intermediate and advanced learners. The impact of the literature circles pedagogy is explored through the analysis of audio transcripts of the interactions during the class, student journals reflections on their experiences participating in the study, and the researcher’s field notes recording their observations during the literature circle activities. Eight participants from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds were divided into two multi-level groups. The data revealed that the literature circle methodology increased student-to-student interaction and collaborative learning and understanding of Arabic culture. These outcomes resulted in enhanced confidence in using the language and, consequently language proficiency in the Arabic language

Exploration of perceptions and applications of spoken register at a South Australian university in relation to Iraqi students

It has been suggested that insufficient research attention has been paid to the teaching of academic register to English as a Second Language students studying in Australia (Weger, 2009). Register is important since acquiring a language includes an understanding of the subject matter, relationships between participants, and the channel of communication as well as merely grammar and syntax. It is therefore relevant to discover whether this is in fact the case in Australian pre-enrolment English programs and bridging programs. Research on register should inform its teaching in academic contexts. A number of studies such as those by Martin, Matthienssen and Painter (1997)and Aguirre-Muñoz and colleagues (2006) have explored register in written academic discourse. Far fewer have looked at register in spoken discourse. In addition, these isolated studies have not explored formal spoken discourse. For instance, Sattar and colleagues (2009) focused on informal spoken discourses in the classroom. In order to address the issue of Iraqi students learning spoken register in Australia, this study explores the literature related to the issue, identifies gaps in the knowledge-base, and defines a theoretical framework and methodology for exploring the complex, real-life content-based classroom interactions related to register. This framework will enable the exploration of materials, curricula, teaching practices and perceptions of what is learnt, in pre-enrolment programs and bridging programs. It will also facilitate the exploration of whether appropriate register is achieved by these learners.Hayder Al Hamdany, Michelle Picard and Nina Maadadhttp://sydney.edu.au/education_social_work/professional_learning/conferences/2011/multiculturalism_australia_canada_china.shtm

Spoken register and Iraqi students in an English for academic purposes program

This article reports on the survey results of a longitudinal study over the period of a year and a half into the perceptions of and use of academic register in spoken discourse by 52 Iraqi students at an Australian university in two English for academic purposes (EAP) programs. The results of this study indicate that the participants valued the pre-enrolment course, and believed that it assisted them in the development of spoken register due to its content and explicit focus on register. The participants appeared to value the English for academic purposes component of their bridging course less in terms of satisfaction with content and instruction in general. However, the explicit focus on register in the bridging English curriculum appeared to affect satisfaction levels with this component of the instruction positively. There was also a clear correlation among variables related to satisfaction with content, satisfaction with instruction, motivation to use spoken register and perceived proficiency in relation to native and non-native speakers. The qualitative data in the survey and interviews indicate that the respondents came to a greater understanding of the varieties of register possible when speaking, and how to use those registers appropriately. They describe how the use of appropriate register is related to daily tasks as well as specific academic tasks and genres. This data supports content-based instruction around specific tasks and activities when teaching spoken register and other EAP content. It also supports the literature which suggests that adults tend to favor practical learning activities and materials. We therefore suggest that EAP courses that consist of various stages should be carefully designed to become sequentially more disciplinarily and practically focused to provide the students with the disciplinary and generic academic English skills and content they require.Hayder AlHamdany, Michelle Picard, Nina Maadad and Darmawa

Surface Elevation Dynamics Assessment Using Digital Elevation Models, Light Detection and Ranging, GPS and Geospatial Information Science Analysis: Ecosystem Modelling Approach

Surface elevation dynamics have always responded to disturbance regimes. Creating Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) to detect surface dynamics has led to the development of several methods, devices and data clouds. DEMs can provide accurate and quick results with cost efficiency, in comparison to the inherited geomatics survey techniques. Nowadays, remote sensing datasets have become a primary source to create DEMs, including LiDAR point clouds with GIS analytic tools. However, these data need to be tested for error detection and correction. This paper evaluates various DEMs from different data sources over time for Apple Orchard Island, a coastal site in southeastern Australia, in order to detect surface dynamics. Subsequently, 30 chosen locations were examined in the field to test the error of the DEMs surface detection using high resolution global positioning systems (GPSs). Results show significant surface elevation changes on Apple Orchard Island. Accretion occurred on most of the island while surface elevation loss due to erosion is limited to the northern and southern parts. Concurrently, the projected differential correction and validation method aimed to identify errors in the dataset. The resultant DEMs demonstrated a small error ratio (≤ 3%) from the gathered datasets when compared with the fieldwork survey using RTK-GPS. As modern modelling approaches need to become more effective and accurate, applying several tools to create different DEMs on a multi-temporal scale would allow easy predictions in time-cost-frames with more comprehensive coverage and greater accuracy. With a DEM technique for the eco-geomorphic context, such insights about the ecosystem dynamic detection, at such a coastal intertidal system, would be valuable to assess the accuracy of the predicted eco-geomorphic risk for the conservation management sustainability. Demonstrating this framework to evaluate the historical and current anthropogenic and environmental stressors on coastal surface elevation dynamism could be profitably applied worldwide

Propagation of Chickpea in vitro

Apical meristems, lateral buds, anthers of immature flowers and immature embryos of chickpea ( Cicer arietinum L.) were cultured on MS media with different growth regulators and incubated for 6 weeks at 25-27?C with 16 hrs photoperiod for callus initiation. Results indicated that 1 and 0.1 mg/l of 2,4-D and BA were suitable for callus initiation when apical meristems and lateral buds were used. While 2 and 0.5 mg/l of both growth regulators were essential for immature embryos. It was noticed that using chickpea anthers of the MS medium must contain 1mg/l 2ip and 0.5 mg/l IAA. However, MS medium supplemented with 1-3 mg/l of BA and 2,4-D respectively was good for callus initiation from lateral buds, anther and immature embryos. However, callus differentiations in chickpea were successfully obtained when 2-3 mg/l of IAA, 2-2.5mg/l of kinetin or 0.1 mg/l of NAA and 2 mg/l of kinetin were used. Data of regeneration and culture maintenance revealed that half strength of MS medium supplemented with 2, 2.5 mg/l of IAA and kinetin respectively or 0.005mg/l and 0.05 mg/l of NAA and BA respectively was the best. The importance of this method in propagation were used for improving and screening resistant chickpea germplasm aginst Fusarium wilt disease

Texture gradient and lattice micro distortions of polycrystalline copper after twist extrusion

The texture and lattice micro distortion heterogeneity after 4 passes after twist extrusion of polycrystalline copper, in which was formed the co-axial composite two-component structure with sub microcrystalline (SMS) shell and large-crystalline (LK) core, which provided provides high strength and large values of elongation δ, were studied. The maximum of the ε value and minimum of the D value takes place in the surface layer of the sample. We were found that due to the extrusion, in the sample center forms a compression texture, which transforms in the torsion texture during transition from the center to sample surface

Determination of polycrystal diffraction elastic constants of Ti–2.5Cu by using in situ tensile loading and synchrotron radiation

Residual stress determination in engineering components from diffraction strain measurements needs reliable diffraction elastic constants (DECs). From this sense, in situ uniaxial tensile loading experiment was performed on alpha titanium alloy Ti-2.5Cu at the HEMS beamline at DESY by means of a monochromatic synchrotron X-ray diffraction. A comparison between measured (polycrystal) and calculated (single crystal) DECs using for example Kröner model was presented and discussed. The results revealed that the measured DECs slightly differ from the calculated ones. Furthermore, changes in the lattice parameters a and c as well as c/a ratio during tensile loading were also investigated

Evolution of texture in precision seamless tubes investigated by synchrotron and neutron radiation measurement

High precision dimensionality tubes are required for a number of applications. Nevertheless, there are sometroubles and challenges to produce high quality tubes in a cost-effective way. In recent works done at theInstitute of Metallurgy at Clausthal University of Technology, the tube drawing process was optimized by introducingdynamic tilting and shifting of the die. These methods made it possible to control the wall-thicknessvariation and even residual stresses (RSs) evolution. A possible influence on texture evolution, however, has notyet been investigated, though it is well known that the crystallographic texture has a remarkable effect onmaterials' properties. Furthermore, the initial texture clearly influences the microstructural evolution duringplastic deformation, affecting the RSs evolution and dimension accuracy, too. In this paper the evolution andheterogeneity of the texture are introduced for tube drawing performed with a tilted die. The measurementswere done using synchrotron and neutron diffraction methods. The aim was to understand the behavior of thematerial during the asymmetrical tube drawing, caused by the tilted die, and connect the effects between eccentricityand residual stresses. Pole figures and ODF densities were studied and the creation and variation ofdifferent texture components were analyzed as well

The effect of magnetic annealing on crystallographic texture and magnetic properties of Fe-2.6% Si

The effect of magnetic annealing on crystallographic texture, microstructure, defects density and magnetic properties of a Fe-2.6% Si steel has been analyzed. After two stage cold rolling (75% and 60% cold rolled) with intermediate annealing process at (600°C/1h) the sample annealed at 600°C for one hour during which different magnetic field of 0, 7 and 14T were applied has been investigated. The effect of defects density after cold rolling process on the recrystallization texture and magnetic properties was characterized. Heat treatments under a high external field of 14T show a drastic improvement of the magnetic properties such as significantly increased permeability. Neutron diffraction measurements were preferred for measurement of the bulk sample texture so that sufficient grain statistics were obtained. Because of its small wavelength (0.05–0.2Å) Synchrotron diffraction with high..