Projects Archive - Department of Second Language Studies

Shaping Learners’ Pronunciation: Teaching the Connected Speech of North American EnglishJames Dean Brown, Dustin Crowther

dsls — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 19:15:53 +0000

ISBN 9780367697570

Website:

Year Published: 2022

A straightforward entry to understanding crucial components of phonological literacy, this essential text explains the theoretical and practical rationale for teaching connected speech (CS) and offers useful pedagogical applications. Brown and Crowther describe the basic phonemes (including consonants, vowels, and diphthongs) of spoken North American English and examine word stress, utterance stress, and timing, as they are related to CS. With accessible, non-technical language, the authors show how phoneme variations, simple transitions, dropping sounds, inserting sounds, and changing sounds operate, and how CS is integral to English language teaching, especially for developing non-native users’ oral English communicative ability.

Each chapter features explicit discussions of pedagogical ideas targeting L2 learners, further resources, and CS-oriented exercises that are accessible and easy to implement for L2 teachers. These exercises are accompanied when relevant with recorded audio examples of CS production at www.routledge.com/9780367697570.

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Construct Validity and Fairness of an Operational Listening Test with World EnglishesLanguage Testing – Hitoshi Nishizawa

dsls — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 00:17:59 +0000

Hitoshi Nishizawa

Abstract: In this study, I investigate the construct validity and fairness pertaining to the use of a variety of Englishes in listening test input. I obtained data from a post-entry English language placement test administered at a public university in the United States. In addition to expectedly familiar American English, the test features Hawai’i, Filipino, and Indian English, which are expectedly less familiar to our test takers, but justified by the context. I used confirmatory factor analysis to test whether the category of unfamiliar English items formed a latent factor distinct from the other category of more familiar American English items. I used Rasch-based differential item functioning analysis to examine item biases as a function of examinees’ place of origin. The results from the confirmatory factor analysis suggested that the unfamiliar English items tapped into the same underlying construct as the familiar English items. The Rasch-based differential item functioning analysis found many instances of item bias among unfamiliar English items with higher proportions of item biases for items targeting narrow comprehension than broad comprehension. However, at the test level, the unfamiliar English items did not substantially influence raw total scores. These findings offer support for a variety of Englishes in listening tests.

Nishizawa, H. (2023). Construct validity and fairness of an operational listening test with World Englishes. Language Testing, 02655322221137869.��

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Interactional Sociolinguistics as a Multi-Pronged Approach to Office Hour Rapport ManagementJournal of English for Academic Purposes Volume 62 – Thu Ha Nguyen

dsls — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 00:15:30 +0000

Thu Ha Nguyen

Volume 62

Abstract: This study proposes a multi-pronged approach for examining office hour (OH) rapport management. Using an interactional sociolinguistic lens, I examine how an international teaching assistant (ITA) managed rapport in the face of misunderstanding and schema mismatch during an OH consultation. I show that a multi-method approach illuminates how participants brought along schemas and interactional goals and displayed them to one another in their meeting, which led to a lack of rapport at the brought about level. Data were collected through classroom observations, OH video-recording, an exit survey, and follow-up interviews with participants. These sources facilitate triangulation while bringing the wider context to the fine-grained analysis of the consultation. Using frame analysis and contextualization cues, I analyzed the strategies the ITA used to maintain and strengthen rapport when the student displayed rapport neglect and rapport challenge (Spencer-Oatey, 2008). This paper unpeels the process where the mismatch in framing between the ITA’s view of OHs as teaching opportunities versus the students’ need for explicit instruction made it necessary to negotiate rapport. The study highlights how managing rapport is not confined to avoid damaging face. In this particular case, a face-threatening request is preferred because it met the student’s interactional goals.

Nguyen, H. (2022). Interactional sociolinguistics as a multi-pronged approach to office hour rapport management. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 62, 101213-.��

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Attitudes Toward Saudi English: Decentering the Inner-CircleJournal of Psycholinguistic Research – Raed Alzahrani

dsls — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 00:12:10 +0000

Raed Alzahrani

Abstract: This article reports on the first study to investigate Saudis’ attitudes toward Saudi English (SauE). To situate Saudi speakers’ attitudes within the sociolinguistic ecology of language use, this study invited 80 Saudi participants to respond to an audio stimulus featuring Indian English alongside SauE in an attempt to more realistically depict the use of English in Saudi Arabia. This task was carried out using an Interactive Verbal Guise Technique (IVGT), an innovative approach in which listeners evaluate English varieties as they are used in a naturally occurring interaction. To supplement this indirect method, participants were asked to fill out an attitude questionnaire consisting of closed-ended and open-ended questions. The findings of the IVGT showed that participants rated the Saudi speaker highly in both power and solidarity scales. The responses on the attitude questionnaire also revealed expressions of ownership and legitimacy of SauE. By decentering inner-circle Englishes in the study of language attitudes, the results of this study suggest that ecologically valid studies of language attitudes can yield results which express ownership in local varieties of English.

Alzahrani, R. A. (2022). Attitudes Toward Saudi English: Decentering the Inner-Circle. Journal of Psycholinguistic Research, 1–21.

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Starting Points in Critical Language PedagogyGraham V. Crookes, Arman Abednia

Justin Kanda — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 23:46:51 +0000

ISBN: 9781648024917

Website: https://www.infoagepub.com/products/Starting-Points-in-Critical-Language-Pedagogy

Year Published: 2021

Critical language pedagogy, also sometimes referred to as critical ELT, where English is the primary language involved, has a literature in which theoretical and specialized work has outstripped more practically-oriented material. Nevertheless, even practically-oriented publications in this area tend to address the experienced, well-resourced teacher, as opposed to those beginning in this area, or those without much professional support. With a view to helping prepare second language teachers to begin to engage with critical language pedagogy, the authors of this book start from areas of conventional L2 curriculum that teachers naturally use. Each chapter presents material pertinent to areas of language, language teaching and course delivery, starting from a fairly conventional perspective. It then attempts to explain how this conception can be extended drawing upon the ideas of critical (language) pedagogy and teachers' experiences. The authors' experience of working with teachers, who work under different circumstances, in teacher education courses and workshops form key elements of the book. Teachers' voices are also given adequate space so as to provide a comprehensive picture and situated understanding of critical language pedagogy. Dialogical engagement with the initial perspectives of beginning critical language pedagogy teachers who do not necessarily have a fully-worked out ""critical philosophy of teaching"" or those who wish to practice critical ELT is another feature of the book. Finally, to strengthen the practical orientation of the book, teaching strategies and extracts of materials and lesson plans are also provided.

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Challenges in Language Testing Around the World: Insights for Language Test UsersBetty Lanteigne, Christine Coombe, JD Brown

Justin Kanda — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 23:37:15 +0000

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ISBN: 9789813342323

Website:�� https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-33-4232-3

Year Published: 2021

Investigates real-life problems and challenges in language testing in different regions of the world. Discusses consequences of not following language testing principles. Combines insights from language assessment literacy and critical language testing to propose solutions to issues in language testing.

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Empowering the Community College First-Year Composition TeacherMeryl Siegal, Betsy Gilliland

Justin Kanda — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 23:28:04 +0000

ISBN: 9780472037919

Year Published: 2021

Community colleges in the United States are the first point of entry for many students to a higher education, a career, and a new start. They continue to be a place of personal and, ultimately, societal transformation. And first-year composition courses have become sites of contestation. This volume is an inquiry into community college first-year pedagogy and policy at a time when change has not only been called for but also mandated by state lawmakers who financially control public education. It also acknowledges new policies that are eliminating developmental and remedial writing courses while keeping in mind that, for most community college students, first-year composition serves as the last course they will take in the English department toward their associate’s degree. Chapters focusing on pedagogy and policy are integrated within cohesively themed parts: (1) refining pedagogy; (2) teaching toward acceleration; (3) considering programmatic change; and (4) exploring curriculum through research and policy. The volume concludes with the editors’ reflections regarding future work; a glossary and reflection questions are included. This volume also serves as a call to action to change the way community colleges attend to faculty concerns. Only by listening to teachers can the concerns discussed in the volume be addressed; it is the teachers who see how societal changes intersect with campus policies and students’ lives on a daily basis.

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The European Journal of Applied Linguistics and TEFL Volume 10 Number 1Andrzej Cirocki, JD Brown

Justin Kanda — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 23:24:08 +0000

ISBN: 9781911369868

Year Published: 2021

The European Journal of Applied Linguistics and TEFL is a refereed academic publication which aims to disseminate information, knowledge and expertise in the broad area of applied linguistics. Strong preference is given to contributions relating to second language acquisition, EFL pedagogy, teacher training and classroom innovation. This special issue is devoted to the theme of Assessment in the ELT Classroom and consists of ten articles presenting the latest theoretical deliberations, research and scholarship from Australia, the United Kingdom, South Korea, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Lithuania, Norway and Cyprus, and covers important topics in the field, including, but not limited to: Psychometric and edumetric approaches to classroom assessment - Valid and reliable scoring rubrics for performance-based assessment - Classroom assessment practices in an oral skills class - Assessing writing in MENA contexts - The use of e-portfolios in assessing EFL writing - The impact of cert-mania on English language learning and teaching. This provides a valuable source of reference for applied linguists, teacher educators, materials developers and practitioners in the field of TESOL. The content also offers readers a deeper insight into current issues and practices, thereby broadening their knowledge and promoting professional development.

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Investigating World Englishes: Researching Methodology and Practical ApplicationsDustin Crowther, Jeffrey Maloney, Peter I. De Costa

Justin Kanda — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 23:16:45 +0000

ISBN: 9780748646388

Year Published: 2014

Defining and discussing the relevance of theoretical and practical issues involved in mixed methods research How do you plan a TESOL research project? How do you analyze research data qualitatively and quantitatively? How should you report your results? Covering the basics of research methodology, this textbook shows you how to choose and combine quantitative and qualitative research methods to best effect in your own research and assess others' language research. The book provides a comprehensive but practical overview of the different phases and activities involved in developing and implementing sound, rational, and effective mixed methods research, taking into account the intercultural implications. Chapters cover the following topics in relation to mixed methods research: the qualitative/quantitative continuum, planning a project, gathering data, analyzing data, interpreting results, reporting, as well as research in classrooms, action research, conversation and discourse analyses, surveys, and program evaluation.

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