English language teachers’ conceptualizations of language awareness and its use in English language teaching in Finnish basic education grades 7–9

Abstract. This pro gradu thesis investigates English language teachers’ conceptualizations of language awareness (LA), which is a concept introduced in the Finnish national core curriculum for basic education 2014 update. The aim of the research was to determine how English language teachers describe language awareness and how they utilize it in teaching. The LA research field has a variety of contexts and definitions of LA, which has also been evident in the previous research in Finland. However, the amount of research on LA in Finnish education context is scarce. The limited previous research has revealed that teachers have divergent conceptions of LA and confusion in interpreting the aim and goals of LA in the National core curriculum. This thesis aimed at contributing to the limited research on teachers’ LA within Finland. The research was conducted by interviewing four English language teachers teaching in basic education grades 7–9. The interviews were semi-structured and were held individually, after which the interview data was transcribed and subjected to content analysis. The analysis resulted in six themes depicting the LA conceptualizations of the participant teachers. The analysis revealed diverse LA conceptualizations and teaching methods. The teachers’ conceptualizations differed in the opinions on LA’s importance and prevalence, context of LA, and in teaching methods. Although there were also similarities in the LA descriptions, some of the teachers’ methods and experiences differed drastically from each other. For example, one of the teachers emphasized LA in the way of which the teacher provides speech, e.g., instructions and explaining terminology, whereas one discussed LA with a focus on English subject culture contents. In addition, there were drastically opposing opinions on the importance of LA. The nature of LA in teaching was also determined teacher dependent based on the teachers’ opinions and was also evident in the teaching method examples.Yläkoulun opettajien käsityksiä kielitietoisuudesta ja sen käytöstä englannin kielen opetuksessa suomalaisessa peruskoulussa. Tiivistelmä. Tämä pro gradu -tutkielma tarkastelee englannin kielen opettajien käsityksiä kielitietoisuudesta, joka on viimeisimmän Perusopetuksen opetussuunnitelman perusteiden (2014) käyttöön ottama käsite. Tarkoituksena oli määritellä kuinka englannin kielen opettajat käsittävät kielitietoisuuden käsitteen ja kuinka he toteuttavat kielitietoista opetusta. Kielitietoisuuden tutkimuskenttä sisältää erilaisia asiayhteyksiä sekä kielitietoisuuden määritelmiä, mikä on ilmennyt myös aiemmissa suomalaisissa tutkimuksissa. Aiempi tutkimus kielitietoisuudesta suomalaisen koulutuksen yhteydessä on kuitenkin vähäistä. Tästä rajallisesta tutkimuksesta on selvinnyt, että opettajilla on moninaisia käsityksiä kielitietoisuudesta sekä epäselvyyttä opetussuunnitelman kielitietoisuutta käsittelevien tavoitteiden hahmottamisessa. Tämän opinnäytetyön tavoitteena oli täydentää aiempaa rajallista tutkimustietoa opettajien kielitietoisuudesta suomalaisen koulutusjärjestelmän sisällä. Tutkimus toteutettiin haastattelemalla neljää yläkoulun englannin kielen opettajaa. Nämä puolistrukturoidut haastattelut järjestettiin yksilöllisesti, minkä jälkeen haastatteluaineisto litteroitiin ja käsiteltiin sisällönanalyysillä. Analyysissä rakentui kuusi opettajien kielitietoisuuden käsityksiä määrittelevää teemaa. Analyysin perusteella opettajien käsitykset kielitietoisuudesta sekä kielitietoiset opetustavat olivat moninaisia. Eroavaisuuksia oli mielipiteissä kielitietoisuuden tärkeydestä, esiintymisestä, kielitietoisuuden asiayhteyksistä sekä opetusmetodeista. Vaikka kielitietoisuuden määritelmissä oli myös yhtäläisyyksiä, osa opettajien menetelmistä ja kokemuksista poikkesivat huomattavasti toisistaan. Esimerkiksi yksi opettajista painotti kielitietoisuutta opettajan tuottamaan puheeseen liittyen, esimerkiksi ohjeistuksissa, ja toinen kuvaili kielitietoisuutta englannin oppiaineen kulttuurisisältöjen kautta. Lisäksi mielipiteet kielitietoisuuden tärkeydestä poikkesivat suuresti toisistaan. Kielitietoisuuden luonne määriteltiin myös opettajasta riippuvaksi tutkimukseen osallistuneiden opettajien mielipiteiden perusteella, mikä havainnollistui myös opetusmenetelmäesimerkeissä

Acidification of Forest Soils: A Model for Analyzing Impacts of Acidic Deposition in Europe - Version II

Acidification is an unfavorable process in forest soils. Timber logging, natural accumulation of biomass in the ecosystem, and acidic deposition are sources of acidification. Acidification causes a risk of damage to plant roots and a subsequent risk of a decline in ecosystem productivity. A dynamic model is introduced for describing the acidification of forest soils. In one-year time steps the model calculates the soil pH as function of acid stress and the buffer mechanisms of the soil. Acid stress is defined as the hydrogen ion input into the top soil. The buffer mechanisms counteract acidification by providing a sink for hydrogen ions. The concepts buffer rate and buffer capacity are used to quantify the buffer mechanisms. The model compares (i) the rate of the acid stress (annual amount) to the buffer rate, and (ii) the accumulated acid stress (over several years) to the buffer capacity. The comparisons produce an estimate of the soil acidity as the output. Since the first version in May 1984 several changes have been implemented following the advice of the experts. For aluminum and iron buffer ranges an equilibrium approach has been introduced. The pH of the silicate, cation exchange and upper aluminum buffer ranges is now a function of base saturation. In the current version of the model forests are assumed to absorb sulfur compounds more effectively than agricultural lands and, moreover, forests are assumed to grow on poor soil types rather than on the average soil type of a grid. The model system as a whole is now available for analyzing the impact of different emission scenarios. The soil acidification model assumes sulfur deposition estimates from the other submodels as input, and as output it computes the total area of forests in Europe with the estimated soil pH lower than any selected threshold value. Additionally it produces estimates of the acidity of European forest soils in a map format

Assessment of the Finnish Agriculture 2000 Program: Effects on Nutrient Losses

A governmental committee has prepared a long-term programme (Agriculture 2000) concerning future agricultural policy in Finland. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of these measures, mainly fallowing and reforestation, on nonpoint nutrient loads to watercourses. The work was mainly based on the use of a continuous simulation model, CREAMS. Using this model we estimated the relative effect of different management practices. Depending on the fallowing practice, the total amount of agricultural nonpoint nutrient load can increase by 15% or more, if fallowing is carried out by bare soil practices. If only green fallow is used, the nutrient load remains approximately at the level of normal cereal cultivation. It is recommended that fallowed fields not be located on permeable soils because of the risk of N leaching and not on steep slopes because of the high erosion and P losses. A reforestation programme planned in Finland could reduce the nutrient loads by 5-10%

A Model for Analyzing Lake Water Acidification on a Large Region Scale - Part 1: Model Structure

The International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis is developing a computer model which can be used by decision makers to evaluate policies for controlling the impact of acid rain in Europe. As part of this task, a simple dynamic model has been developed for describing the processes leading to acidification of surface waters. The simulation model is constructed of several modules, each of them providing an overview of a particular aspect of lake acidification. The meteorologic module calculates the amount of water and deposition entering the soil or the lake directly each month. The IIASA soil acidity submodel accounts for the soil solution chemistry. A simple hydrologic method is applied for simulating the routing of internal flows so that the convective flow of ions can be estimated. The lake response is calculated according to the equilibrium reactions of inorganic carbon species. These modules are described in this paper. In part 2 the application of the model on a large regional scale will be described. Monte Carlo techniques will be used to determine those ranges and combinations of input values that produce an acceptable present day lake acidity distribution, when the model is driven by a specified deposition

Seasonal population dynamics of the invasive polychaete genus Marenzelleria spp. in contrasting soft-sediment habitats

Three species of the invasive polychaete genus Marenzelleria are among the dominant benthic taxa in many, especially deeper, areas in the Baltic Sea. The population dynamics of the polychaetes in the Baltic are, however, still largely unknown. We conducted monthly samplings of the benthic communities and environmental parameters at five sites with differing depths and sediment characteristics in the northern Baltic Sea (59 degrees 50.896', 23 degrees 15.092') to study the population dynamics, productivity and growth of Marenzelleria spp. from April 2013 to June 2014. The species of Marenzelleria occurring at the study sites were identified by genetic analyses. At the deepest site (33 m) only M. arctia was present, while all three species were found at the shallower, muddy sites (up to 20 m depth). At the shallow (6 m) sandy site only M. viridis and M. neglecta occurred. The sites differed in the seasonal dynamics of the Marenzelleria spp. population, reflecting the different species identities. The muddy sites up to 20 m depth showed clear seasonal dynamics, with the population practically disappearing by winter, whereas more stable populations occurred at the deepest site and at the sandy site. The highest density, biomass and production were observed at the 20 m deep, organic-rich muddy site where all three species recruited. The seasonally very high densities are likely to have important consequences for organic matter processing, and species interactions at these sites. The observed high productivity of the populations has possibly facilitated their establishment, and considerably increased secondary production in especially the deeper areas.Peer reviewe

Mapping of underwater vegetation in coastal areas of NW and SE Åland

As assigned by the Provincial Government of Åland Islands, a mapping of underwater vegetation was carried out by using SCUBA in the archipelago of Åland Islands. The mapping was done along two inner–outer archipelago gradients in the Northwestern and Southeastern coastal areas. The purpose of the mapping was to follow up possible changes in the macrophyte assemblages since 2004, when the mapping on these sites first was carried out. In this study, two new localities were also visited in the Southeastern archipelago. The macrophyte assemblages were investigated qualitatively and quantitatively along a 50 m long transect. The limits of vertical distribution of the macrophytes were noted along with several environmental parameters that can affect the macrophyte assemblages. A total of 42 species of macroalgae and plants were encountered. The most important factors affecting the composition of the macrophyte assemblages and the number of species was the bottom type and water quality. The sites along the Northwestern gradient had not changed significantly according to the composition of the assemblage or number of species since 2004. The water transparency had decreased since 2004 along both gradients except in the inner and middle archipelago zones in the Southeastern coastal area. This could be seen as a decrease in the vertical distribution limits of the macrophytes. The Northwestern gradient was still less affected by anthropogenic disturbance had lower nutrient levels and better water transparency than the Southeastern gradient. Bladderwrack (Fucus vesiculosus) had disappeared from several outer archipelago sites along the Southeastern gradient, which can be seen as a sign of continuing eutrophication in this area

Acidification in Europe : A Simulation Model for Evaluating Control Strategies

RAINS (Regional Acidification Information and Simulation) is an integrated model of acidification in Europe designed as a tool for evaluating control strategies. It is currently sulfur-based, but is being expanded to include nitrogen species. Emphasis of the model is on the transboundary aspects of the acidification problem. Model computations are performed on a personal computer. Linked submodels are available for SO2 emissions, cost of control strategies, atmospheric transport of sulfur, forest soil and groundwater acidity, lake acidification, and the direct impact of SO2 on forests. The model can be used for scenario analysis, where the user prescribes a control strategy and then examines the cost and environmental consequences of this strategy, or for optimization analysis, in which the user sets cost and deposition goals, and identifies an "optimal" sulfur-reduction strategy. Preliminary use of the model has pointed to 1. the importance of examining long-term environmental consequences of control strategies, and 2. the cost advantages of a cooperative European sulfur-reduction program

Toward Ecological Sustainability in Europe (Climate, Water Resources, Soils, and Biota)

In this report an assessment of the nature of European environmental issues, their scientific basis, and the data needed to define and quantitatively model their implications is made. The areas of the study are natural and anthropogenic changes in climate and atmospheric chemistry, and the resulting responses of renewable resource characteristic of soils, vegetation, and water. The assessments concentrated on issues selected for their relevance to sustainability questions, and were derived from data and hypotheses concerning presently-perceptible trends in climatic, pedogenic, hydrologic, and biotic aspects of the present European landscape. The work led to recommendations for additional data collections and analyses designed to resolve or clarify the issues

Acidification of forest soils : Model development and application for analyzing impacts of acidic deposition in Europe.

Acidification is considered to be an unfavourable process in forest soil. Timber logging, natural accumulation of biomass in the ecosystem, and acidic deposition are known sources of acidification. Acidification causes a risk of damage to plant roots and subsequent risk of a decline in ecosystem productivity. A dynamic model is introduced for describing the acidification of forest soils. In 1-year time steps the model calculates the soil pH as a function of the acid stress and the buffer mechanisms of the soil. Acid stress is defined as the hydrogen ion input into the top soil. The buffer mechanisms counteract acidification by providing a sink for hydrogen ions. The concepts buffer rate and buffer capacity are used to quantify the buffer mechanisms. The model compares (a) the rate of acid stress (annual amount) with the buffer rate, and (b) the accumulated acid stress (over several years) with the buffer capacity. These two comparisons give an estimate of the soil acidity. The model was incorporated into the Regional Acidification Information and Simulation (RAINS) model system of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis for analyzing the acidic deposition problem in Europe. This system links information on energy production, pollutant emission, pollutant transport, and pollutant deposition. The data on acid stress entering the soils was obtained from other submodels. Data on buffer rate and buffer capacity were collected from soil maps and geological maps. The model system as a whole is now available for analyzing the impact of different emission scenarios. The soil acidification model assumes sulfur deposition estimates from the other submodels as input, and as output it produces estimates of the acidity of European forest soils in a map format. Additionally it computes the total area of forests in Europe with the estimated soil pH lower than any selected threshold value. Sources of uncertainty in the soil acidification model are listed and briefly evaluated

Acidification of Forest Soils: Model Development and Application for Analyzing Impacts of Acidic Deposition in Europe

Acidification is considered as an unfavorable process in forest soils. Timber logging, natural accumulation of biomass in the ecosystem, and acidic deposition are known as sources of acidification. Acidification causes the risk of damage to plant roots and subsequent risk of a decline in ecosystem productivity. A dynamic model is introduced for describing the acidification of forest soils. In one-year time steps the model calculates the soil pH as function of the acid stress and the buffer mechanisms of the soil. Acid stress is defined as the hydrogen ion input into the top soil. The buffer mechanisms counteract acidification by providing a sink for hydrogen ions. The concepts 'buffer rate' and 'buffer capacity' are used to quantify the buffer mechanisms. The model compares (i) the rate of the acid stress (annual amount) to the buffer rate, and (ii) the accumulated acid stress (over several years) to the buffer capacity. These two types of comparisons produce an estimate of the soil pH as the output. The model was incorporated into a model system for analyzing the acidic deposition problem in Europe. The data on acid stress, entering the soils, was obtained from other submodels which link information on energy production, pollutant emission, pollutant transport, and pollutant deposition. Data on buffer rate and buffer capacity were collected from soil maps and geological maps. The model system as a whole is now available for analyzing different emission scenarios. The soil acidification model assumes sulfur deposition estimates from the other submodels as the input, and as the output it produces estimates of the pH of European forest soils in a map format. Additionally it computes the total area of forests in Europe with the estimated soil pH lower than any selected threshold value. Sources of uncertainty of the soil acidification model are listed and briefly evaluated