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Fournier-Kowaleski, Lisa A. "Depicting washback in the intermediate Spanish language classroom a descriptive study of teacher's instructional behaviors as they relate to tests /." Columbus, Ohio : Ohio State University, 2005. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=osu1130425075.
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Gago, Nuria. "Application of computer-based technology to the teaching of writing in Spanish as a foreign language a case study /." Morgantown, W. Va. : [West Virginia University Libraries], 2000. http://etd.wvu.edu/templates/showETD.cfm?recnum=1477.
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Thesis (M.A.)--West Virginia University, 2000.Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains ix, 118 p. : ill. (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 62-67).
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Isabelli, Christina Louise. "Motivation and extended interaction in the study abroad context : factors in the development of Spanish language accuracy and communication skills /." Digital version:, 2000. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/utexas/fullcit?p9992827.
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Macedo, Celia Maria Macedo de. "A functionally-based course for adult foreign language learners in Brazil." Virtual Press, 1986. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/471713.
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This creative project consists of a course syllabus and materials based on the functional approach. It was designed for students of English at Universidade Federal do Para in Brazil.The first chapter is about the teaching-learning situation where the syllabus will be applied; the second chapter is the proposed syllabus; the third chapter consists of the teacher's manual; and the fourth chapter is the students' book.
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Oxford, Raquel Malia Nitta. "Effects of Technology-Enhanced Language Learning on Second Language Composition of University-Level Intermediate Spanish Students." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2004. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc4688/.
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Today's global culture makes communication through writing in a foreign language a most desirable tool to expand personal and professional relations. However, teaching writing is a complex, time-consuming endeavor in any language. Foreign language teachers at every level struggle to fit writing into an already full curriculum and need the most effective methods and tools with which to teach. Technology may provide a viable scaffold to support writing instruction for teachers and students.
The purpose of this research was to determine any benefits of weekly/structured, in-class, computer-assisted grammar drill and practice on the composition quality and quantity of intermediate university Spanish learners. A related purpose was to determine whether students who participated in such practice would access a computer-based writing assistant differently during writing than students without the treatment. The research design was a nonequivalent groups pretest-posttest design. Fifty-two subjects' compositions were graded with both holistic and analytic criteria to analyze composition quality and quantity, and statistical analyses assessed interactions of treatment and effects. The computer-based Atajo writing assistant, which could be accessed during composition, had a logging feature which provided unobtrusive observation of specific databases accessed by each student. There were no statistically significant differences found between the two groups in overall composition scores or in subscale scores. Improvements across time were observed in composition performance for both the experimental and control groups. The implementation of computer-based grammar and vocabulary practice did show a small to moderate positive effect; that is to say, students who received weekly, structured computer grammar and vocabulary practice had higher scores for composition quality and quantity on the posttest measure and accessed the databases less than the control group. The consistent positive trends in the composition data results intimate that over a more extended period of time, computer-based grammar instruction might enhance the quality and quantity of written composition in the foreign language classroom.
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González, Fariña Elena. "Attending to form and meaning in processing second language input : a study of advanced second language learners." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 2000. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp03/MQ64154.pdf.
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Steves, Karen L. "A case study of children in second and third grades learning Spanish as a foreign language." Virtual Press, 1998. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1117102.
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The case studies offered in this ethnography describe the learning experiences of 13 second and third grade students, six girls and seven boys, living in a medium-sizemidwestern town in the United States, who are taught Spanish as a foreign language once a week in 30 minute sessions during the 1995-6 school year. None of the children had any prior exposure to Spanish nor any additional exposure to Spanish outside the class I taught.The research investigates several areas of individual variety, including motivation, learning style, approach to vocabulary learning, classroom behavior, expectations, and listening and pronunciation skills.The study also investigates the impact of age and gender, as well as associations between the individuals' basic skills and L2 learning success.In addition, the study documents the teacher's experiences, observations, and insights during these classroom sessions. The researcher functioned as a participant-observer by teaching, recording, transcribing, and analyzing.The material for this study comes from hours of classroom teaching which were video- and audio-taped and from careful notes. The tapes and notes were transcribed and analyzed for patterns of learning behavior.A large number of observations resulted from this indepth study. One of the main findings of the study was that classroom management, emotional climate, and peer group influence are very closely interconnected. Learning was strongly related to cooperativeness and supportiveness in the two groups of girls but not seem to be so with the boys. There was no conclusive evidence that any one personality trait was more important than another in the long run. Overall scores on the CTBS were positively related to success in second language learning and were not negatively affected from one year to the next from the time taken out to study Spanish. There was no one area in the CTBS battery that could successfully predict foreign language aptitude; the best predictor seemed to be overall classroom success. Learning a foreign language was not particularly easy or automatic with this group; however, they did seem to have an aptitude and a willingness for repeating unfamiliar sounds.Department of English
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Ruiz-Funes, Marcela T. "An exploration of the process of reading to write used by good Spanish-as-a-foreign-language students." Diss., Virginia Tech, 1994. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/37345.
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Trenchs, Mireia. "Using electronic mail to write in a foreign language : a case study in a public elementary school /." Access Digital Full Text version, 1993. http://pocketknowledge.tc.columbia.edu/home.php/bybib/11547042.
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Thesis (Ed.D.)--Teachers College, Columbia University, 1993.Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Sponsor: Jo Anne Kleifgen. Dissertation Committee: Clifford Hill. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 135-141).
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Beaudrie, Sara Mariel. "Spanish Heritage Language Development: A Causal-Comparative Study Exploring the Differential Effects of Heritage Versus Foreign Language Curriculum." Diss., The University of Arizona, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/194153.
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Dual tracks - for Foreign (FL) and Heritage languages (HL) - in Spanish language programs are becoming increasingly common in U.S. higher education institutions, although most only offer HL courses for intermediate and/or advanced learners. Few universities have incorporated specialized courses for receptive bilinguals into their programs. Contradictory arguments can be found in the HL education literature regarding the type of curriculum (FL or HL) that would best serve the pedagogical needs of these students (Carreira, 2004; Lipski, 1996; Potowski, 2005).This study attempts to offer insights into this discussion by examining the effects of these two types of curricula on the written and oral language development of three groups of learners: two groups of HL learners enrolled in HL and FL courses, and a group of FL learners taking the same FL courses. The purpose of this study is four-fold: 1) delineate a profile of receptive bilinguals; 2) measure changes in oral and written production and other language-related variables after one semester of instruction; 3) examine the students' level of satisfaction with the language curriculum; and 4) uncover linguistic differences between FL and HL learners. The data collection consisted of series of written and oral-elicitation tasks and online questionnaires at the beginning and end of the semester.The results showed that all groups made significant gains in writing fluency and complexity but only the HL group in the HL course significantly improved their writing accuracy. Both HL groups made greater gains in oral fluency and complexity than the FL group but the HL group in the HL course outperformed both groups in syntactic complexity gains. The HL group in the HL course showed the highest level of satisfaction and the greatest improvement in self-confidence and language attitudes but no differences in language use outside the classroom and self-evaluation of language abilities. The results offer implications for the inclusion of receptive bilinguals in HL programs, their language placement, and pedagogical and curricular practices most suitable for these students in the HL classroom.
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Adams, Nathan Thomas. "Domestic vs. Foreign Immersion Experiences: Listening Comprehension of Multiple Dialects in Spanish." BYU ScholarsArchive, 2020. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/8724.
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Study abroad has been shown to improve students' linguistic and cultural competence, but students who gain their fluency abroad may struggle to adapt to the plethora of regional dialects they encounter in their studies and interactions after they've returned from their study abroad. The researchers of this study posited that learning Spanish in a domestic immersion context may improve a student's flexibility or tolerance for dialectal variation in regard to listening comprehension. Using a detailed survey and multi-dialectal listening assessment, the researchers examined the degree to which Spanish language learners, in this case 183 missionaries, were exposed to a variety of dialects, whether this exposure varied depending on region of study, and whether it affected their ability to comprehend a variety of accents. Significantly higher levels of variation were found in Spain, the U.S., and Canada, possibly due to the higher levels of Hispanic immigration to these regions. A comparison of Spain, the region with the highest average test score, and Mexico, the region with the lowest average test score, showed high practical significance (d=.8), suggesting that high levels of linguistic variation in the region of study may improve listening comprehension of multiple dialects. Pearson correlations between exposure to variation and listening test score were also positive. The researchers believe this is grounds for increased support of immersion programs both domestic and abroad, especially to areas such as Spain with high levels of linguistic diversity.
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Steele, Clarissa R. "The effect of study abroad on the acquisition of pragmatics a comparison of requests made by L2 Spanish graduate assistants /." Connect to this title online, 2006. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=bgsu1143478581.
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Bushong, Robert W. II. "The academic word list reorganized for Spanish-speaking English language learners." Master's thesis, University of Central Florida, 2010. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETD/id/4660.
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Published in TESOL Quarterly a decade ago, the Academic Word List (AWL) (Coxhead, 2000) has become increasingly influential in the field of TESOL. With more than 82% of the AWL comprised of words of Latin and Greek, much of this important list logically consists of English-Spanish cognates because Spanish originated from Latin. In order to serve Spanish-speaking English language learners (SSELLs) better, their teachers need to know which AWL words are cognates. Using published sources and linguistic analysis of the 570 items in the AWL, the research in this thesis has resulted in a newly reorganized AWL divided into four categories that are more useful for our Spanish-speaking English language learners as well as their instructors, curriculum designers, and materials writers: English-Spanish true cognates, partial cognates, false cognates, and non-cognates.ID: 029050607; System requirements: World Wide Web browser and PDF reader.; Mode of access: World Wide Web.; Thesis (M.A.)--University of Central Florida, 2010.; Includes bibliographical references (p. 110-116).
M.A.
Masters
Department of Modern Languages and Literatures
Arts and Humanities
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Stuehling, Amara L. ""We Speak 'Hola' In School"| A Case Study of Global Education in a Partial-Immersion Spanish Preschool." Thesis, Indiana University, 2017. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10605637.
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Promoting global awareness is commonly cited as a main benefit of early foreign language education; however, little research backs this claim. This study explores a partial Spanish immersion preschool and how it shapes young children’s global awareness and knowledge of foreign languages and cultures. The study used a series of games, activities, and interviews to address the following three aspects of the classroom: (1) foreign language activities and language use, (2) how global awareness was portrayed by students and teachers, and (3) the beliefs, goals, and motivations of parents who chose to enroll their children there. The frameworks of translingualism and global education informed analysis of classroom observations, activities with children, and interviews with parents and teachers.
Findings indicated that children did show signs of early learning related to global awareness, though language and culture were not always the primary goals for parents and teachers at the school. Children’s literature and games allowed children to express their views and understanding about their learning about Spanish and other cultures in the classroom. They were able to talk about speaking Spanish in school and knew some words and phrases learned through exposure from the teachers in the classroom. Parents and members of the staff expressed their beliefs in the value of early second language exposure; however, primary needs of the children such as keeping them safe and developing a nurturing environment were always the priority. The findings will inform future development of language immersion programs for young children and give directors of such programs insights into what parents may hope for their children to learn regarding language and other cultural instruction.
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Wilson, Desrian. "The teaching of Spanish as a modern foreign language in Trinidad : a case study of the Spanish initiative implementation in the primary classroom." Thesis, University of Leicester, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/2381/37612.
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The focus on human capital development in the republic of Trinidad and Tobago may be viewed as an instrumental economic imperative. This government position has brought with it changes to the educational landscape of the local primary school. Recognition of the impetus for improved trade within the region has brought with it a new curricular focus, that of a modern foreign language at the level of the primary school. It is generally noted that policies are often imported and implemented in the local context without an evaluation of their efficacy. This study thus considers the issue of the implementation of Spanish at the primary school level in a quest to describe the perspectives and experiences of educational stakeholders locally. The research questions that directed this study were 1) How is Spanish taught at the primary level in Trinidad? 2) What are the factors that impact on the initiative's implementation? 3) How do teachers, principals and curriculum officers perceive the introduction of the primary Spanish initiative? 4) How do teachers and principals describe their experiences of implementing the primary Spanish initiative? and 5)What are the students' perspectives on learning Spanish at the primary level? Given the study‘s overarching aim to determine how Spanish is delivered in Trinidadian primary schools, the research concentrated on the teaching-learning process as it was conceptualized and implemented by generalist primary school teachers. The study‘s objectives and research questions required a qualitative-dominant methodology within an interpretivist paradigm. A multiple case study was undertaken at two primary schools within the southern region of Trinidad. Data were collected through pre-observation and video-stimulated recall interviews with teachers, structured classroom observations, focus group interviews with students, interviews with principals and curriculum officers and a school questionnaire. The findings point to the critical success factors of available, qualified teachers, administrative support, resource readiness and clear policy direction as variables that impact on the initiative‘s successful implementation. On the other hand, the learners‘ infectious enthusiasm for the language heralds the opportunities that can be grasped from a successful, sustainable initiative.
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Ramanayake, Selena. "Imagined Communities: A Mixed Methods Study of Patterns among English and Spanish Language Learners." University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1535636778278414.
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Kentner, Melissa A. "Successful teachers of Spanish who commit to the teaching of cultures two qualitative case studies /." Connect to this title online, 2005. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=osu1110209882.
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Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2005.Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xiii, 299 p. Includes bibliographical references (p. 281-299). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center
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O'Maley, Patricia J. "Second language learners in a language and culture immersion program : longitudinal case studies in an ethnographic framework." Virtual Press, 1993. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/862287.
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Research in the field of second language acquisition in the past five to ten years has focused on individual variation in language learning, and has examined such learner variables as learning styles, personality characteristics, learning strategies, and learner beliefs about the nature of language learning. Recently, research on individual learners has broadened to include a greater focus on the contexts of language learning and to explore the interactions between individual learners and the socio-cultural environment in investigations of these learner variables.This study has two purposes. The first is to investigate the language learning of novice level second language learners in a language and culture immersion program. The six college-age learners of Spanish who participated in an eight-week language and culture immersion program in Mexico are the focus of the case studies. The research focuses on five areas of learner variation: learner beliefs and philosophies about the nature of language learning, approaches to vocabulary learning, classroom behaviors, speaking for communication, and cultural adjustment.The second purpose of the study is to explore the use of multiple approaches to research on individual variation. The research framework for the study is ethnographic and the study employs a multi-methodological approach to data collection over an extended period of time in several language learning contexts. The research procedures used in the studyinclude participant observation, interviews, language learning journals, questionnaires, retrospective analysis of videotaped clips, and standardized instruments such as the Modern Language Aptitude Test, the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, and the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview.Department of English
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Gabbitas, Jeffrey William. "ARTICULATION IN THE SPANISH PROGRAM AT A LARGE SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY: A CASE STUDY." Diss., The University of Arizona, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/202692.
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Articulation is defined by Byrnes as "the well motivated and well designed sequencing and coordination of instruction toward certain goals." Factors concerning vertical articulation (the sequencing of language courses from the entry point to the end point of instruction) and horizontal articulation (coordination of multi-sectioned language courses) are the foci of this research. Student motivation relating to articulation efforts is also considered. The data for the study included departmental documents, course textbooks and course syllabi, questionnaires from 725 students and 99 instructors, follow-up interviews with eight students and six instructors, and a composition analysis of 66 student essays. While students' perceptions are favorable to the vertical flow of Spanish courses, data reveals that students experience a gap between Spanish 202 and Spanish 251level courses. Furthermore, the data show that while certain policies and procedures implemented in the Spanish department dampen the concern of false beginners, students at the beginning and intermediate levels of instruction are placed below their proficiency levels. In regard to horizontal articulation, data indicate that standardized syllabi among individual multi-sectioned courses contribute to congruent instruction, whereas non-standardized syllabi created by individual instructors teaching the same course do not. In addition, rates of accurate usage of the verbs ser and estar in students' compositions indicate that students enrolled in Spanish 251 and 325 have reached similar levels of proficiency generally. Data also reveal a need for clearly and consistently stated instructional objectives in order to improve future articulation efforts. Other implications of the study include the need to investigate different methods for teacher training given the needs and constraints discussed by focus instructors.
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Blanco, Harold. "A CASE STUDY OF LANGUAGE LEARNING IN A MULTIMEDIA SPANISH CLASS ENVIRONMENT IN AN UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM." Ohio University / OhioLINK, 2007. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1178422882.
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Mattson-Prieto, Raquel. "Identity, Discursive Positioning, and Investment in Mixed-Group Spanish Language Classes: A case study of five heritage speakers." Diss., Temple University Libraries, 2019. http://cdm16002.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p245801coll10/id/553710.
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SpanishPh.D.
Research in identity and heritage language (HL) education focuses on the experiences of heritage speakers (HS) and how certain classroom discourses can devalue the skills and proficiencies that they bring with them to the class (García & Torres-Guevara, 2010; Leeman, 2012; Showstack, 2016). These dominant and monoglossic language discourses often focus on the teaching and acquisition of a “standard Spanish language” (Train, 2007; del Valle, 2000). Although scholarship on HL education has long advocated for separate specialized courses to meet the needs of HSs (Potowski, 2002; Valdés, 1997), many HSs remain in courses designed for second language (L2) learners because institutions do not consistently offer specialized instruction. Some research has investigated the experiences of HSs in mixed L2-HL classes (Harklau, 2009; Potowski, 2002), but there is a need for an examination of the classroom discursive practices in courses tailored for L2 learners and how those practices shape how HSs of diverse backgrounds position themselves as Spanish speakers within and outside of the classroom. The present study explores the representation of identity among HSs enrolled in university-level Spanish language classes. This investigation examined the relationship between HSs’ perceived instructional objectives in a Spanish as a second language class, the ways HSs positioned themselves as knowledgeable of the language concerning these objectives, and finally, their subsequent investment in their Spanish studies. The data come from a classroom ethnography and were analyzed within a grounded theory methods approach (Glasser & Strauss, 1967) and showed the extent to which classroom activities were inclusive to HSs’ pedagogical needs. Further, from a social identity and positioning lens, I considered how language ideologies that value the standard linguistic repertoires of monolingual native speakers’ affected individuals’ perceptions and relationships to their heritage community, and the expert or novice identities they negotiated during social interaction. Classroom observations and interviews revealed that the instruction that HSs received often promoted a linguistic hierarchy that devalued the non-standard language forms that reflected the participants’ ethnolinguistic backgrounds. The findings show that each HS navigated classroom discursive practices and negotiated multilingual identities in interaction with their peers, teachers, and the curriculum in different ways. Some of the participants became ambivalent toward the language and its speakers as their backgrounds went unacknowledged in classroom practice, while others found value in the Spanish classes because of past experiences. Findings suggest that there is a need for methodologies in mixed-group classrooms that reflect and acknowledge the sociolinguistic variation of the class (Gutiérrez & Fairclough, 2006).
Temple University--Theses
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Torres, Jr Oscar. "ACQUIRING 21ST CENTURY LANGUAGE SKILLS: A CASE STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS OF STUDENTS' SECOND LANGUAGE SKILLS ON A WORLD LANGUAGE PROGRAM." Diss., Temple University Libraries, 2011. http://cdm16002.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p245801coll10/id/124461.
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Educational AdministrationEd.D.
The primary goal of this study was to identify how middle school language teachers bridge the skills acquired and strategies taught in an elementary school language program with the skills taught and practiced at the middle school level. The study will answer in detail this question: What perceptions do middle school teachers form regarding their students' language skills and how do these perceptions impact a world language program? By identifying the language teachers' current perceptions as they relate to their lesson design and delivery, school districts may find relationships between the teachers' perceptions of their students' language abilities and the program's perceived benefits or deficiencies. The researcher examined a middle school language program through the participation of language teachers from three middle schools in an urban setting. The findings indicate that teachers in the program can improve the delivery of their instruction by implementing strategies identified as necessary for the continued growth of the program and for students' acquisition of the language skills needed in the 21st century. Three themes derived from the findings and results of this study are: 1) collaborating with the teachers from the previous level; 2) using question and answer techniques and; 3) minimizing the amount of time used for review.
Temple University--Theses
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Alzamora, Priscilla M. "A study on motivation in the high school foreign language classroom through focus groups with third- and fouth-year high school Spanish students." Honors in the Major Thesis, University of Central Florida, 2008. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETH/id/1065.
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This item is only available in print in the UCF Libraries. If this is your Honors Thesis, you can help us make it available online for use by researchers around the world by following the instructions on the distribution consent form at http://library.ucf.edu/Systems/DigitalInitiatives/DigitalCollections/InternetDistributionConsentAgreementForm.pdf You may also contact the project coordinator, Kerri Bottorff, at kerri.bottorff@ucf.edu for more information.Bachelors
Education
Foreign Language Education -Spanish
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Moe, Cailey Catherine. "Multilingualism and Multiculturalism: Opinions from Spanish-Speaking English Learners from Mexico, Central America, and South America." PDXScholar, 2017. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/4059.
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Within the population of adult English-language learners in the United States, the largest portion is comprised of Spanish speakers from Mexico and Central and South America. At the same time, Spanish is the second-most commonly spoken language in the U.S., and an increasing presence in U.S. media and culture. This puts English learners from this demographic in a unique position with respect to language and culture acquisition and the experience of working towards their goals within U.S. society at large.
The purpose of this study is to explore motivations and beliefs about language and culture held by a small number English-language learners belonging to this huge, diverse community. Drawing on theory from the fields of second language acquisition and sociolinguistics, a survey eliciting opinions about cultural affiliation and language standards was created and versions in either English or Spanish were distributed to volunteers from this population living in Oregon. Fifty-two surveys were returned. The responses to the surveys were then compared with one another to examine any connections between participant beliefs about language value, cultural affiliation, and learning strategy preferences. Statistical comparisons were also carried out to determine whether certain orientations correlated with one another.
Analysis of the survey responses showed that while affiliation to United States culture was variable, all participants maintained at least a moderate feeling of affiliation to their home countries, despite twenty-seven, or just over half, of them having lived in the U.S. for over ten years. However, all but one of the participants were also interested in learning about U.S. culture and thirty-nine believed in the possibility of being part of more than one culture at a time. Participants were more likely to prefer collaborative strategies for learning about culture, but for learning language they preferred individual strategies, and had a general low estimation of the utility of non-standard forms of language, including non-standard English and Spanglish. A moderate negative correlation (Spearman p=.521) that was statistically significant (p=.001) was found between the degree to which participants had a multicultural affiliation and their beliefs about the importance of knowing non-standard forms of English.
While the participating sample is too small and opportunistic for the findings to be generalizable, from the results of the surveys it can be concluded that: multicultural affiliation is something that can be (and is) experienced to varying degrees by some language learners in this population sample; individual learning strategies seem preferred for learning language; and non-standard English is not considered as valuable as standard English. Additionally, a negative correlation between multicultural affiliation and the perceived importance of knowing non-standard English is suggested. These findings may have implications for language instructors and others who wish to investigate the motivations, priorities, and language beliefs of adult English students from this particular demographic.
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Collie, Ellen Rose Mason. "What foreign language teachers believe about reading and reading instruction : a classroom study of six secondary French and Spanish teachers /." The Ohio State University, 1992. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1487775034179024.
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Norwood, Annette L. "The acquisition of Spanish through videoconferencing and video-based lessons by individual fifth-graders." [Tampa, Fla] : University of South Florida, 2006. http://purl.fcla.edu/usf/dc/et/SFE0001530.
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Fernandez, Gustavo Javier. "A Structural and Functional Analysis of Codeswitching in Mi Vida Gitana `My Gypsy Life,' a Bilingual Play." PDXScholar, 2010. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/397.
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The present study analyzed the language in the script of the bilingual play Mi Vida Gitana `My Gypsy Life' (Malán, 2006) in order to better understand issues relating to codeswitching (CS). The analysis was done from a structural and a functional perspective and utilized various models developed by renowned CS scholars. For the structural analysis, I utilized concepts and ideas put forth in the three-tiered typology created by Muysken (2000) and the Matrix Language Frame model developed by Myers-Scotton (1993). The results of this portion of the study showed that some form of CS, whether occurring between turns or within turns, was observed in 78% of all turns. With regard to CS types and elements most commonly observed in the data, the alternation of clauses and the insertion and alternation of nouns and noun phrases were the predominant phenomena occurring in the script. I used Myers-Scotton's (1993) Markedness Model and Gumperz's (1982) functions of conversational CS to guide the functional analysis conducted during this study. The results arising from this portion of the analysis showed that CS served an important function in terms of character development. Marked and unmarked CS helped create different characters and likely assisted audiences in understanding those characters. The data analyzed also showed that CS served a purpose with regard to the communication of the message to diverse audiences. The use of reiterations and conjunctions were determined to be important CS strategies that contributed to making the story accessible to bilingual as well as monolingual audiences. The results of this study are in line with previous research that has documented the types of structures found in English-Spanish CS and some of the functions served by this phenomenon. The implications of the study provide additional support for the recognition of CS as a possible factor in the language acquisition process and suggest that language educators acknowledge its occurrence and utilize it to further develop learners' language skills.
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Dixon, Richard. "The effects of semantic textual cues vs. semantic contextual cues on recall measures of listening comprehension in second semester college Spanish." Virtual Press, 1988. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/533884.
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The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of specific textual and contextual materials to bridge the gap between the student's present level o proficiency in a target language and the level of proficiency required to perform a listening comprehension task in that language. This study also tested for interaction between the use of the textual and contextual materials and the learning modality of the students. In addition, confounding effects by either learning modality and foreign language classroom anxiety were controlled.Listening comprehension was assessed by a fourteen-item multiple-choice test in Spanish developed by the researcher. Learning modality was established by the Edmonds Learning Style Identification Exercise developed by H. Reinert. Foreign language class anxiety was measured by the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale developed by Elaine Horwitz, Michael Horwitz, and Joann Cope.A group of 198 college students enrolled in nine second-semester Spanish classes at Anderson University, Anderson, Indiana participated in the study. Three classes were randomly assigned to each of the three treatments: the contextual cue, the textual cue, and neither one.A three factor 3 x 3 x 2 fixed effects factorial design was used to analyze the data gathered in the study. Four null hypotheses were tested. The .05 level of significance was established as the critical probability level for the non-acceptance of the hypotheses.Findings1. There are significant effects attributable to a textual cue on recall measures of listening comprehension.2. There are no significant effects attributable to a contextual cue on recall measures of listening comprehension.3. There are no significant interactions between the use of the textual cue and the learning modality of the students.4. There are no significant interactions between the use of the contextual cue and the learning modality of the students.5. There are no significant effects attributable to learning modality on recall measures of listening comprehension.6. There are significant effects attributable to foreign language classroom anxiety on recall measures of listening comprehension.Conclusions1. Textual cues support listening comprehension tasks but contextual cues do not.2. The effect of a semantic cue can not be affected by the learning modality of the student.3. Learning modality by itself does not affect student comprehension of a listening task.4. Foreign language class anxiety inhibits student performance during a listening comprehension task.Department of Secondary, Higher, and Foundations of Education
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Reed, Stella L. "Estrategias Didácticas para la Enseñanza del Enfoque Léxico y las Nuevas Tecnologías de la Información y de la Comunicación (TIC) en la Clase de Español como Lengua Extranjera (ELE)." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2018. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1157564/.
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The purpose of this research was to use a lexical approach, and information and communication technologies (ICT) as strategies to facilitate learning to students of Spanish as a foreign language, to answer the research questions: (1) if the use of multiword lexical units improves the lexical competence and (2) whether the use of technology is an effective strategy to facilitate learning. A lesson plan with different activities was designed and put into practice with two groups of students (experimental and control) of the intermediate level of the University of North Texas (UNT). The collected data were analyzed using the quantitative paradigm with the variance model ANOVA with repeated measures, and the qualitative or interpretive paradigm to offer a broader perspective of the learning process of multiwords lexical units (collocations and idiomatic expressions). The results of this investigation answered the research questions and confirmed the effectiveness of the lexical approach and ICT in the teaching-learning process and facilitated the student's acquisition of L2.
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Kalouptsi, Maria. "The transformative effect of learning about a culture through foreign language acquisition : A case study of Greek adults learning about Hispanic culture in Spanish language classes in Greece." Thesis, Linköpings universitet, Institutionen för beteendevetenskap och lärande, 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-134356.
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This paper concerns a case study which attempts to underline the importance of culture learning through foreign language acquisition in the transformation of prejudices and the fomentation of cultural awareness. More specifically, it aims to present the way in which adult learners’ critical reflection on culture in combination to foreign language learning can lead to their acknowledgement of the equity between cultures and their proximity to “the other”, a fact that is considered to foster cultural respect and awareness. For doing so, a qualitative approach was used in order to examine the perceptions of a group of adults learning Spanish in an elementary level class in Greece. Data was collected from in-depth interviews where participants were asked to expose their opinion of the importance of culture and its connection to language, to consider the implication of culture learning in foreign language learning and to share their personal views of the Hispanic culture as it derives from their studying the Spanish language and reflecting on the Hispanic culture-Spanish language correlation. Research delivered positive outcomes concerning this specific issue and showed evidence that the transformative effect of learning about a culture through language acquisition is indeed possible. Suggestions for further research on the matter are made so as to investigate the replicability of such a transformative effect in other similar cases and to secure the generalization of results.
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Gonzáles, Alma Rosa. "Using directed listening-thinking activities to increase production in English for Spanish speaking fourth and fifth graders." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 1993. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/815.
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This project used an active research approach in order to measure how the incorporation of Directed Listening-Thinking Activities (DLTA) in the classroom promoted increased production in English oral language skills for Spanish speaking fourth and fifth graders.
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Rosas, Pedro. "A process of using mini-shared and guided reading to transition fluent readers in Spanish to English." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 2002. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/2161.
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A descriptive study was conducted using a modified approach to Guided Reading and Mini-Shared Reading to improve the reading comprehension levels of bilingual second graders in their second language, English.
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Quiroga, Valeria Veronica [UNESP]. "A autonomia no processo de ensino-aprendizagem para a formação de professores de língua estrangeira: espanhol." Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/11449/93927.
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Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo verificar se o estudo autônomo é desenvolvido e como isso se realiza pelos estudantes de Espanhol como Língua Estrangeira, num curso que visa a formação de professores. A possibilidade desta pesquisa surgiu a partir de algumas inquietações relacionadas ao processo de ensino-aprendizagem de línguas estrageiras. Tal tipo de investigação foi possível através de leituras acerca da Pesquisa Heurística, que proporciona o auto-conhecimento do pesquisador e as implicações de suas características pessoais com o objeto investigado, conforme ensina Moustakas (1990). Utilizo, também, nesta pesquisa, a metodologia qualitativa. Os dados coletados estão a cargo de observações da sala de aula, respostas a questionários específicos e entrevistas áudio-gravadas. Todos estes dados convergem para uma análise interpretativista, com as intervenções necessárias para modificar certas situações, quando necessário. Este é o modelo indicado pela pesquisa-ação, pontuada por Thiollent (2003)...
The purpose of this research is to investigate whether students enrolled in a University Spanish Language and Literature Teacher Education Course engage themselves in self-study activities and, in positive case, how and in what extent they do it. The inicial adea for this work was raised in answer to my concern about foreign language learning and teaching questions and processes. The development of the investigation is related to Heuristic survey which brings the possibility of including the researcher's personal history as part of the study, as pointed out of Moustaka's (1990). The metodology is grounded on a qualitative approach. Data were gathered through classroom observation, questionaries and audio-recorded interviews, on an action-research basis (THIOLLENT, 2003)... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)
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Wehner, Amy Katherine. "Exploring the Relationship of Motivation, Anxiety, and Virtual Worlds in the Experiences of Two Spanish Language Learners: A Case Study." Scholar Commons, 2014. https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/5151.
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Virtual Worlds (VWs) in foreign language education are slowly becoming more popular. Many studies have looked at the affordances of these worlds and how they affect some aspects of language acquisition. However, it is still unknown to what extent, if any, these virtual worlds can play a role in affecting motivation and anxiety. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between motivation, anxiety and virtual worlds to see how participation in activities within these environments interacted in two individual language learners, Jessica and Melissa.
Using a case study approach, I observed and interviewed the two participants in order to determine how these variables may have interacted in their experiences online. For these participants, avatar presence affected their anxiety, but the amount of that affect was determined by their pre-existing motivations for learning Spanish and the vividness and plausibility of their Ideal L2 Self. Both participants saw benefits for having an avatar as a face-saving device, but this was more evident in Jessica because she engaged in only conversations with speakers other than her classmates. While this investigation yielded results that support previous research on virtual worlds and anxiety, more research is necessary to see if and to what extent these worlds can affect motivation.
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Roux-Rodriguez, Ruth. "Computer Mediated Peer Response and its Impact on Revision in the College Spanish Classroom: A Case Study." [Tampa, Fla.] : University of South Florida, 2003. http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/SFE0000067.
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Kevari, Mary Kathleen. "The role of universal grammar in second language acquisition: An experimental study of Spanish ESL students' interpretation of lexical pronouns." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 2000. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/1710.
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Andria, Maria. "Crosslinguistic influence in the acquisition of Greek as a foreign language by Spanish/Catalan L1 learners: The role of proficiency and stays abroad." Doctoral thesis, Universitat de Barcelona, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/285452.
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The purpose of the present study is to investigate the influence of first language (L1) patterns on the acquisition of Greek as a foreign language (L2) by Spanish/Catalan L1 learners, as well as to determine whether L2 proficiency level and stays in the target- language country have an effect on such influence. More specifically, the current study aims to explore an under-researched crosslinguistic phenomenon which concerns the expression of EXPERIENTIAL STATES. In Spanish and Catalan, EXPERIENTIAL STATES tend to be expressed by means of periphrases composed by the verbs tener/tenir (“to have”), dar/donar (“to give”) or hacer/fer (“to make”) and a noun, whereas in Greek the equivalent experience tends to be expressed with a single verb (experiential verbs) (e.g., tener hambre/ tenir gana vs. πεινάω /pináo/ “to be hungry”, me da vergüenza/ em fa vergonya vs. ντρέπομαι /drépome/ “to feel embarrassed”). Native speakers of different languages tend to describe the same events or thought using different thinking-for-speaking patterns (Berman & Sloman, 1994). These patterns acquired in childhood tend to be resistant to reconstruction in adult Second Language Acquisition (SLA) (Slobin, 1991, 1993, 1996a), and are often transferred by L2 learners (Cadierno, 2004, 2008, 2010; Han & Cadierno, 2010). Following this line of inquiry, the present study aims to examine whether the dissimilarity in the L1-L2 patterns regarding the construal of the EXPERIENTIAL STATE (Langacker, 2008a) will result in cases of crosslinguistic influence (CLI). The present study takes as a point of departure Cognitive Linguistics’ recent application to SLA studies (Cadierno, 2004; Cadierno & Lund, 2004; Robinson & Ellis, 2008a; Tyler, 2012a). It also discusses its hypotheses and findings in light of conceptualization transfer (Jarvis, 2007, 2011) and the thinking-for-speaking hypothesis (Slobin, 1991, 1993, 1996a).
The participants (N=114) were Spanish/Catalan L1 learners of Greek in a formal language setting in Spain. They belonged to five different proficiency levels (from A2 to B2.2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference) and had experienced stays in Greece of various durations. Native speakers of Greek (N=30) were also recruited to provide a baseline for comparison. A battery of instruments (including a grammaticality judgment test (GJT), a written description task, an oral description task, a questionnaire and interviews with the teachers of the language schools under analysis) were designed first-hand for the purposes of the study. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses were performed.
The results of the analyses demonstrated that there were significant differences in the way Spanish/Catalan learners of Greek and Greek native speakers construed the EXPERIENTIAL STATES under analysis. Even at advanced proficiency levels, traces of L1 influence were still detected, and the divergence with the native speakers was still significant. This finding suggests that the acquisition of these verbs constitutes a problematic area for Spanish/Catalan learners of Greek. L2 proficiency appeared to be important mainly for the low proficiency levels. L1 influence decreased as proficiency increased. Nevertheless, for the higher proficiency levels in the sample, proficiency did not play such a determining role, since significant differences were not found among these levels. Results indicated that the acquisition of experiential verbs progresses linearly up to a certain level and then stabilizes. The study also showed certain task effects, in the sense that CLI was more clearly exhibited in the recognition task (GJT) than in the production tasks. Stays in the target-language country were found to be beneficial for the acquisition of the patterns under analysis. Participants who had spent more time in Greece were more aware of the target forms and showed fewer instances of L1 transfer. However, the impact of stays abroad was more apparent in the case of pattern recognition (as measured in the GJT), than in the case of actual production (as measured in the picture description tasks). This doctoral dissertation concludes by suggesting that explicit instruction of the patterns under analysis (i.e., direct crosslinguistic comparisons in order to sensitize learners’ awareness) and/or the combination of formal instruction “at-home” with stays in the target language country could potentially lead to a better acquisition of the experiential verbs under study.El objetivo del presente estudio es investigar la influencia de patrones de la primera lengua (L1) en la adquisición del griego como lengua extranjera (L2) por hablantes nativos de español y catalán, así como también determinar si tanto el nivel de dominio de la lengua, como las estancias en el país nativo de la misma tienen algún efecto en dicha influencia. Más específicamente, el presente estudio se centra en explorar un fenómeno escasamente investigado sobre la influencia entre lenguas que concierne la expresión del ESTADO EXPERIENCIAL. En español y catalán, ciertos ESTADOS EXPERIENCIALES suelen expresarse por medio de perífrasis verbales mientras que en griego tienden a expresarse con un solo verbo (verbos experienciales). Los hablantes nativos de diferentes idiomas tienden a describir los mismos eventos o pensamientos usando diferentes patrones de “pensar para hablar” (thinking-for- speaking) (Berman & Sloman, 1994). Estos patrones adquiridos durante la infancia tienden a ser reacios a reconstruirse en la adquisición de segundas lenguas en la edad adulta (SLA) (Slobin, 1991, 1993, 1996a), y son frecuentemente transferidos por aprendices de la segunda lengua (Cadierno, 2004, 2008, 2010; Han & Cadierno, 2010). Siguiendo esta línea de investigación, el presente estudio tiene el objetivo de examinar si la disparidad entre los patrones de la primera lengua y la segunda con respecto al constructo del ESTADO EXPERIENCIAL (Langacker, 2008a) da lugar a casos de influencia entre lenguas (Crosslinguistic Influence). El presente estudio toma como punto de partida la aplicación reciente de la lingüística cognitiva a los estudios de adquisición de segundas lenguas (Cadierno, 2004; Cadierno & Lund, 2004; Robinson & Ellis, 2008a; Tyler, 2012a). Asimismo, se analizan las hipótesis y los resultados a la luz de la transferencia de conceptualización (conceptualization transfer) (Jarvis, 2007, 2011) y la hipótesis del “pensar para hablar” (Slobin, 1991, 1993, 1996a). Los participantes (N=114) eran estudiantes de griego con L1 español o catalán en un contexto lingüístico formal en España. Pertenecían a cinco niveles de competencia diferentes (desde el A2 al B2.2 según el Marco de Referencia Europeo de Lenguas) y habían tenido experiencias de estancias en Grecia de diferentes duraciones. También se incluyeron hablantes nativos de griego (N=30) con el fin de proporcionar una base para la comparación. Los instrumentos empleados en esta tesis fueron diseñados de primera mano para cumplir con los objetivos del estudio. Los resultados de los análisis han demostrado que existen diferencias significativas en la manera en que los estudiantes de griego con L1 español/catalan y los hablantes nativos de griego interpretan los ESTADOS EXPERIENCIALES objeto de análisis. Incluso en los niveles avanzados, se detectaron indicios de influencia de la primera lengua, y la divergencia con los hablantes nativos fue muy significativa. Este resultado sugiere que la adquisición de estos verbos constituye un área problemática para los estudiantes de griego con L1 español/catalan. El nivel de dominio del idioma parece ser importante principalmente para los niveles bajos. Los resultados han indicado que la adquisición de los verbos experienciales progresa de una manera lineal hasta un cierto nivel y luego se estabiliza. Se ha descubierto que las estancias en el país de la lengua meta son ventajosas para la adquisición de los patrones objeto de estudio. La presente tesis doctoral concluye sugiriendo que la instrucción explícita de los patrones objeto de estudio (p.ej., las comparaciones directas de influencia entre lenguas) y/o la combinación de instrucción formal “en casa” y estancias en el país de lengua meta podrían conducir de una manera potencial a una mejor adquisición de los verbos experienciales objeto de estudio.
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Brazzale, Rebecca Leigh. "Student Perceptions of Strategies Used for Reading Hispanic Literature: A Case Study." BYU ScholarsArchive, 2014. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/4089.
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This qualitative study investigated the experiences of students during their reading tasks for their university Spanish courses during the Fall 2013 semester at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. The purpose of this research was to explore what types of reading strategies university Spanish students use during literary readings tasks and their perceptions of the reading strategies they use. This case study employed stimulated recall protocol interviews, student reading logs and student notes in texts. Interviews were conducted within 24 hours of the reading, while reading logs and notes were completed during the reading. The data collected were analyzed for recurring patterns. Results suggested that students employ a variety of reading strategies but are less aware of metacognitive and affective strategies. Furthermore, it was found that individual affective factors such as stress, fatigue, frustration, confidence level and motivation might have a greater impact on strategy use than proficiency in the second language. Assessment and time constraints were also found to affect strategy implementation suggesting a strong washback in the foreign language classroom. Finally, participant comments demonstrated that students perceive reading in the foreign language class to be a pragmatic stepping-stone towards individual learning goals that may differ from the learning outcomes of a literature course.
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Callegari, Marília Oliveira Vasques. "Motivação, ensino e aprendizagem de espanhol: caminhos possíveis. Análise e intervenção num centro de estudos de línguas de São Paulo." Universidade de São Paulo, 2008. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/48/48134/tde-18032009-154414/.
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Neste trabalho estudamos a motivação de alunos brasileiros em aulas de espanhol como língua estrangeira, em contextos formais de aprendizagem. Partimos do pressuposto de que a motivação dos alunos é um construto complexo, que envolve fatores de diversos contextos (pessoal, familiar, escolar, social etc.) e que pode ser influenciada por uma série de escolhas que faz o professor durante o curso. Através da revisão bibliográfica realizada, pautada, sobretudo, nos modelos teóricos de Zoltán Dörnyei (1990, 1994, 2001a, 2001b) e do estudo empírico que levamos a cabo, objetivamos: i) aprofundar o nosso conhecimento sobre o conceito de motivação e sobre determinados fatores relacionados a ele; ii) estabelecer um conjunto de estratégias didáticas que tivesse como foco a motivação dos alunos em aulas de línguas estrangeiras; iii) conhecer o grau de motivação de alunos e professores de nove turmas de espanhol de um dos Centros de Estudos de Línguas da cidade de São Paulo, assim como as suas principais causas; iv) verificar em que medida os professores utilizam em suas aulas determinadas estratégias motivacionais; v) propor e avaliar a aplicação de um processo de intervenção numa das turmas envolvidas; vi) reavaliar e complementar o conjunto de estratégias apresentado. O estudo teórico realizado remeteu-nos à importância de uma visão integral da aprendizagem, na qual cognição e emoção caminham juntas. Além disso, refletimos sobre conceitos diretamente relacionados à motivação (ansiedade, auto-estima, autoconceito, autoconfiança, autonomia, interesse, curiosidade, entre outros) e delineamos o conjunto de estratégias didáticas que utilizamos no estudo empírico. A pesquisa empírica realizada apresentou metodologia mista: a primeira das quatro etapas de que se constituiu configurou-se de cunho quantitativo e as demais se basearam na coleta e análise qualitativa de dados (enquadrando-se, mais precisamente, no estudo de caso e na pesquisa-ação). Os resultados obtidos com a pesquisa mostraram que: i) tanto os alunos como os professores de espanhol envolvidos no estudo encontram-se motivados, embora alguns aspectos possam ser melhorados, o que redundaria em aumento do grau motivacional dos alunos; ii) há discrepância entre as estratégias que a professora com a qual realizamos nossa intervenção afirma utilizar e as que de fato foram observadas em sala de aula; iii) há divergências também no que se refere à opinião de alunos e professores sobre o grau de motivação que suscitam determinadas atividades; iv) a implementação de mudanças pedagógicas pode levar a um incremento na motivação dos alunos. Concluímos nosso estudo com a revisão e complementação do conjunto de estratégias motivacionais previamente estabelecido.In this work we have studied the motivation of Brazilian students in classes of Spanish as a foreign language, in formal learning contexts. We assume that student motivation is a complex construct which involves factors of various contexts (personal, family, scholastic, social etc.), and which can be influenced by a series of choices which the teacher makes during the course. Through the bibliographic revision executed, and used as a foundation, especially in the theoretical models of Zoltán Dörnyei (1990, 1994, 2001a, 2001b) and the empirical study which we have carried out, we aim to: i) deepen our knowledge about the concept of motivation and specific factors related to it; ii) establish a set of teaching strategies focusing on the motivation of students in foreign language classes; iii) assess the degree of motivation of students and teachers of nine Spanish groups in one of the Language Study Centers in São Paulo City, as well as its underlying causes; iv) check to what extent the teachers use determined motivating strategies in the classroom; v) propose and evaluate the application of a process of intervention in one of the groups involved; vi) re-evaluate and complement the set of strategies presented. The theoretical study performed has showed us the importance of an integral vision of learning in which cognition and emotion are closely linked. Besides this, we have reflected on concepts directly related to motivation (anxiety, self-esteem, self-concept, self-confidence, independence, interest, curiosity, etc.) and we described a set of teaching strategies which we have used in the empirical study. The empirical research performed had a mixed methodology: the first of the four stages composing it had a quantitative character and the others were based on the collection and qualitative analysis of data (or, more precisely, on case study and action research). The empirical results showed that: i) both the students and teachers of Spanish involved in the study were motivated, but there is room for improvements that would result in higher degree of motivation among the students; ii) there is a difference between the strategies which the teacher with whom we performed our study claims to use and those which were actually observed in the classroom; iii) there are also differences among the opinion of students and teachers about the degree of motivation caused by specific activities; iv) the implementation of pedagogical changes can lead to increased student motivation. We have concluded our study with the revision and complementation of the set of motivation strategies previously established.
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Quiroga, Valeria Veronica. "A autonomia no processo de ensino-aprendizagem para a formação de professores de língua estrangeira : espanhol /." Assis : [s.n.], 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/11449/93927.
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Orientador: Mariângela Braga NorteResumo: Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo verificar se o estudo autônomo é desenvolvido e como isso se realiza pelos estudantes de Espanhol como Língua Estrangeira, num curso que visa a formação de professores. A possibilidade desta pesquisa surgiu a partir de algumas inquietações relacionadas ao processo de ensino-aprendizagem de línguas estrageiras. Tal tipo de investigação foi possível através de leituras acerca da Pesquisa Heurística, que proporciona o auto-conhecimento do pesquisador e as implicações de suas características pessoais com o objeto investigado, conforme ensina Moustakas (1990). Utilizo, também, nesta pesquisa, a metodologia qualitativa. Os dados coletados estão a cargo de observações da sala de aula, respostas a questionários específicos e entrevistas áudio-gravadas. Todos estes dados convergem para uma análise interpretativista, com as intervenções necessárias para modificar certas situações, quando necessário. Este é o modelo indicado pela pesquisa-ação, pontuada por Thiollent (2003)... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo)
Abstract:The purpose of this research is to investigate whether students enrolled in a University Spanish Language and Literature Teacher Education Course engage themselves in self-study activities and, in positive case, how and in what extent they do it. The inicial adea for this work was raised in answer to my concern about foreign language learning and teaching questions and processes. The development of the investigation is related to Heuristic survey which brings the possibility of including the researcher's personal history as part of the study, as pointed out of Moustaka's (1990). The metodology is grounded on a qualitative approach. Data were gathered through classroom observation, questionaries and audio-recorded interviews, on an action-research basis (THIOLLENT, 2003)... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)
Mestre
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Hyte, Heidi D. "The Effects of Computer-Based Metacognitive Strategy Training for Adult Second Language Learners." BYU ScholarsArchive, 2002. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/4816.
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The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a metacognitive language learning strategy training program that was implemented into computer-assisted language learning (CALL) software on second language learners' independent use of metacognition and language learning strategies (LLS). Questions under investigation included what effect this metacognitive training had on learners' independent use of metacognition, the differences in use of metacognitive strategies between fast and slow language learners, and the effect of learners' perceptions of metacognition on their use of LLS and specific metacognitive strategies.The subjects included 239 missionaries learning Spanish as a second language at the Missionary Training Center (MTC) in Provo, Utah where the learners experienced a rigorous, two-month language training program in their second language. The missionaries were randomly assigned to either the experimental group, which consisted of 120 missionaries, or control group, composed of 119 missionaries.
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Sehgal, Sapna. "Individual Differences in the Development of the Oral Fluency of American learners of Spanish Studying Abroad." Doctoral thesis, Universitat de Barcelona, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/673694.
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This doctoral dissertation examines the effects of a short stay abroad (SA) experience on second language (L2) oral fluency development, taking into consideration individual differences in cognition and the study abroad experience. Relatively little attention has been paid to the cognitive aspects that influence L2 oral fluency gains. Following Segalowitz’s (2010) model, which emphasizes the underlying cognitive processes that affect L2 speech development, the present study investigates both utterance and cognitive fluency, specifically looking at the relationship between inhibitory control (an under-researched aspect of L2 cognition in the SA context) on L2 fluency gains. Forty-nine American students studying Spanish abroad in Barcelona were tested. First, this study investigates whether L2 oral fluency improves over a short stay abroad period, using an in-depth battery of L2 oral fluency measures. Second, we examine the relationship between L2 oral fluency gains and inhibitory control in the SA context, as we hypothesized that greater inhibitory control ability was related to L2 oral fluency gains. Third, we assess the extent to which individual differences in SA experience factors (such as the amount of self-reported language use, living situation and hours of language classes taken) affect L2 oral fluency gains over the SA period.
Picture based speech elicitation tasks were used to collect both L1 and L2 oral fluency data, and L2 oral fluency results were adjusted for the L1 where possible. To measure inhibitory control, both non-linguistic and linguistic inhibitory control tasks were used: a Simon task, a Letter (Phoneme) Decision task, and an L1-L2 and L2-L1 language switching task. Participants also completed a post-test questionnaire about their study abroad language use and experience.
Results showed little improvement in L2 speed, breakdown, and repair fluency development after a stay abroad. Participants spoke for a longer duration and had longer fluent runs. Contrary to our predictions, after adjusting for the L1, speed fluency data showed that participants spoke significantly slower at the end of their stay, while breakdown fluency results indicate that participants exhibited more silent and filled pauses at the end of their day, only becoming significantly less disfluent on one breakdown fluency measure (between clause silent pauses). A composite disfluency measure showed participants, on average, were less fluent in their L2 at post-test.
Inhibitory control ability was not found to relate to L2 oral fluency gains for most measures. A decrease in one disfluency measure –filled pauses between speech units (ASUs) – was significantly related to performance on the Letter (Phoneme) Decision test. Interestingly, participants were able to switch significantly faster into Spanish at the end of their stay than the beginning, which may be one indicator of increased inhibitory control.
Most fluency gains were not related to self-reported language use or other experience factors. Only 4 (of 25) fluency measures were significantly related to self-reported language use, one
measure was significantly related to classroom instruction hours, and one was significantly related to living situation. The results imply that these specific experiential factors themselves do not have a large impact on participants’ L2 oral fluency gains while abroad, although questionnaire data indicates participants perceived these factors to greatly affect their L2 oral fluency development.
Taken together, our findings suggest that a study abroad experience does not necessarily lead to L2 oral fluency gains. Measuring frequency and duration in L2 oral fluency measures and adjusting for the L1 brings insight to the data. Experience factors do not relate to L2 oral fluency gains, contrary to participant expectations and beliefs. Findings from the present study could be applied to pedagogy in the development of future SA programs.Esta tesis doctoral investiga los efectos de una estancia en el extranjero en el desarrollo de la fluidez de la lengua castellana de un grupo de 49 americanos que estudiaron durante tres meses en Barcelona. Siguiendo el modelo cognitivo de Segalowitz (2010), que se concentra en los procesos cognitivos detrás de la producción oral en segundas lenguas (L2), este estudio investiga tanto el concepto de fluidez en el discurso como la fluidez cognitiva que influye en el discurso. Primero, este estudio evalúa si una estancia corta en el extranjero resulta en una mejora de la fluidez oral, usando una batería de medidas, ajustándolas a la manera individual de hablar en inglés. Segundo, investigamos la relación entre las mejoras en la fluidez y el control de la inhibición, un aspecto de la cognición poco estudiado en lingüística. En tercer lugar, evaluamos cómo las diferencias individuales en su experiencia afectan la mejora del idioma durante la estancia en el extranjero. Los participantes realizaron pruebas del discurso en castellano e inglés, pruebas de inhibición lingüísticas y no lingüísticas, y un cuestionario sobre la experiencia después de la estancia. Los resultados muestran muy poca mejora en la fluidez en el L2 en las tres categorías de fluidez: la rapidez, la disrupción por disfluencias en el discurso y la repetición y autocorrección de errores. Contrario a las expectativas, los participantes hablaban con menos rapidez y fluidez al final de la estancia, en la mayoría de las medidas, menos una – tenían significadamente menos pausas en la mitad de las cláusulas en comparación al principio de la estancia. La inhibición no estaba relacionada con los cambios y mejoras en la fluidez, aunque los participantes pudieran cambiar del inglés al castellano más rápido al final de la estancia. Muy pocas medidas de fluidez estaban relacionadas con los factores de experiencia, indicando que estos factores no influyen en la fluidez, aunque el cuestionario muestra que los participantes lo creen. En conclusión, los resultados de este estudio pueden ser útiles para la pedagogía con el fin de crear nuevos programas de estudio en el extranjero.
Aquesta tesi doctoral investiga els efectes d’una estada a l’estranger en el desenvolupament de la fluïdesa en la llengua castellana d’un grup de 49 americans que van estudiar durant tres mesos a Barcelona. Seguint el model cognitiu de Segalowitz (2010), que es concentra en els processos cognitius darrere de la producció oral en les segones llengües (L2), aquest estudi investiga tan el concepte de fluïdesa en el discurs com la fluïdesa cognitiva que influeix en el discurs. Primerament, aquest estudi avalua si una estada curta a l’estranger resulta en una millora de la fluïdesa oral, utilitzant una bateria de mesures, ajustant-les a la manera individual de parlar l’anglès. En segon lloc, investiguem la relació entre les millores en la fluïdesa i el control de la inhibició, un aspecte de la cognició poc estudiat en la lingüística. Tercerament, avaluem com les diferències individuals en la seva experiència afecten en la millora de l’idioma durant l’estada a l’estranger. Els participants van realitzar proves del discurs en castellà i en anglès, proves d’inhibició lingüística i no lingüística, i un qüestionari sobre l’experiència després de l’estada. Els resultats mostren molt poca millora en la fluïdesa en la L2 en les tres categories de fluïdesa: la rapidesa, la disrupció per disfluències en el discurs i la repetició, i l’autocorrecció d’errors. Contrari a les expectatives, els participants parlen amb menys rapidesa i fluïdesa al final de la seva estada, en la majoria de les mesures, menys una -tenien significativament menys pauses en la meitat de les clàusules en comparació al començament de l’estada. La inhibició no estava relacionada amb els canvis i millores en la fluïdesa, encara que els participants poguessin canviar de l’anglès al castellà més ràpidament al final de l’estada. Molts d’aquests factors no influeixen en la fluïdesa, encara que el qüestionari mostra que els participants ho creuen. En conclusió, els resultats d’aquest estudi poden ser útils per la pedagogia amb la finalitat de crear nous programes d’estudi en l’estranger.
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Reynolds, Adrian K. "Intersections of Contexts and Concepts in Learning to Teach: A Qualitative Case Study of the Appropriation of the Communicative Language Teaching Approach by Pre-service Teachers of Spanish in the United States." The Ohio State University, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1338306655.
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Reeves, Robin A. "El juego lingüístico multilingüe y la narración de identidad: evidencia de diarios de una estudiante de español." Connect to resource online, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/1805/1115.
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Thesis (M.A.)--Indiana University, 2007.Title from screen (viewed on July 23, 2007). Department of World Languages and Cultures, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). Advisor(s): Marta Antón, Kimmaree Murday, Paz Rabanal. Includes vitae. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 82-86).
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Espinoza, Moore Jaime E. "Los Hispanohablantes de Herencia en las escuelas secundarias: El caso práctico de Worthington, Ohio [Heritage Spanish Speakers in Secondary School Settings: A Case Study of Worthington, Ohio]." Ohio University Honors Tutorial College / OhioLINK, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ouhonors1275673327.
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Bruno, Fatima Aparecida Teves Cabral. "Lo que uno/a comprende, lo que uno/a dice - compreensão e produção do espanhol como língua estrangeira por adultos brasileiros em situação de ensino e aprendizagem." Universidade de São Paulo, 2006. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/8/8145/tde-14122006-162306/.
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Esta tese dedica-se a observar, a partir de um teste experimental, o processamento (momento em que os aprendizes manipulam os dados da língua estrangeira) da forma uno/a do espanhol, utilizada para referências ora mais ora menos genéricas, bem como o processo (sucessão de estados ou de mudanças, no nosso caso, ao longo da aplicação dos testes) pelo qual passam esses aprendizes de língua espanhola - de diferentes grupos, com diferentes características, que têm como língua materna o português brasileiro - ao enfrentarem a tarefa solicitada. O aprendiz, ao passar por diferentes momentos de processamento da forma uno/a, que vemos como um processo, às vezes consegue e outras vezes não consegue compreender os sentidos que essas formas podem recobrir no espanhol, o que ocorre tanto com aquele aprendiz que recebeu instrução formal sobre a forma uno/a como com aquele que não a recebeu. Com base nos dados aos quais o aprendiz se viu exposto, este por vezes produz e por vezes não produz enunciados adequados na língua estrangeira, assim como também produz novas possibilidades compatíveis com esse fenômeno tão peculiar que é a interlíngua, que concebemos como variável e sincrética. Com base na experiência realizada, defendemos nesta tese, que produção e compreensão são processos sistêmicos e simultâneos realizados pelos aprendizes em cada processamento, valendo-se de seus conhecimentos prévios de natureza gramatical e pragmático-discursiva, tanto da língua estrangeira que está aprendendo, quanto da sua língua materna, bem como de suas experiências anteriores e de seus conhecimentos de mundo. Isto significa dizer que o aprendiz, tal como qualquer sujeito, possui \"(...) um cérebro para a linguagem, não só para a gramática\" (Possenti, 1992: 75) e, por isso, passamos a considerá-lo um sujeito complexo. O modelo interpretativo que defendemos tem sua base epistemológica na teoria da complexidade, visto que, no momento do processamento, as informações que vêm da gramática, do discurso, da pragmática e de outros conhecimentos prévios interagem simultaneamente como um sistema dinâmico, porque obedecem a uma organização que alterna entre estabilização e desestabilização, imprevisibilidade, instabilidade e descontinuidadeThis thesis presents experimental research regarding the processing (moment in which beginners manipulate the foreign language data) and the process (sequence of conditions or changes; in our study, a sequence of tests) of the use of the Spanish form uno/a (used for more or less generic references) by different groups of Brazilian students learning Spanish as a foreign language in Brazil. Different outcomes result when the beginner undergoes different processing experiences of uno/a. Both the beginner who received the formal instruction about uno/a and the one who did not sometimes do and sometimes do not understand the different meanings of these forms in Spanish. In spite of the input to which the beginners are exposed to, they may or not produce adequate utterances in the foreign language and they can also create new uses consistent with the interlanguage phenomenon, conceived as variable and syncretic. In this thesis, production and comprehension are defended as systemic and simultaneous processes performed by the beginners in each processing procedure, articulated with their previous grammatical, discursive and pragmatical knowledge both of the foreign and native language, including also their previous experiences and knowledge of world. That is to say that the beginner, as anyone else, possess \"(...) a brain for the language, not only for the grammar\" (Possenti, 1992: 75) and, therefore, can be viewed as a complex being. The interpretative model defended in this work has its epistemological basis in the complexity theory. Second language processing is seen as a complex dynamic system which simultaneously relate grammar, discourse, pragmatics and other previous knowledge into an organization that changes itself from stability to instability, imprevisibility and discontinuity
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Zagrobelny, Maria. "¿Cómo influye el grado de la motivación intrínseca del aprendiente sobre la intensidad y variabilidad del aprendizaje del vocabulario? : Un estudio sobre la motivación y las estrategias de aprendizaje del vocabulario en aprendientes adultos de ELE en España." Thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för språk (SPR), 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-57491.
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The study is based on the answers of 106 international students of Spanish as a foreign language from three different private schools in Madrid. The purpose of this paper is to study, firstly, whether or how the intrinsic motivation of adult Spanish learners, their choice of strategies and the time they spend on vocabulary learning outside of the school, are influenced by the their age, gender or mother tongue. Secondly, the aim of this study is to identify whether learners with a higher degree of intrinsic motivation use more of their free time on vocabulary learning and whether they use a greater variety of vocabulary learning strategies than learners with a lesser degree of intrinsic motivation. Apart from the learning intensity and strategic variety, there is the aim of finding particular strategies preferred by the two different motivation groups. The hypothesis regarding the first part of the study is that, while gender and mother tongue probably won't influence the students' intrinsic motivation or the time they spend on vocabulary learning outside of the classroom, age, and in that sense, responsibility, will. Also, learners from different parts of the world are likely to apply different strategies in order to learn and remember the vocabulary so the mother tongue is important regarding their choice of strategies. The hypothesis regarding the second part of this study is that learners with a high degree of intrinsic motivation will use more of their time on vocabulary learning, they will apply a greater variety of vocabulary learning strategies and are more likely to use mnemotechnics and look for conversation possibilities than learners with a lesser degree of intrinsic motivation. The evidence from this empirical study partly supports the hypothesis. Gender had influence on the participants' intrinsic motivation. The evidence suggests that female learners have a higher degree of intrinsic motivation than the male learners. Correlations were found between the metacognitive and cognitive learning strategies of the Romanic and Germanic language group suggesting that learners with a Romanic mother tongue tend to use more metacognitive strategies than any other language group of the research. As for the Germanic mother tongue, the evidence suggest that learners belonging to this group tend to use more cognitive strategies than learners with a Romanic mother tongue. Also, the research results suggest that learners with a higher degree of intrinsic motivation use more time on vocabulary learning. Furthermore, the results indicate that learners with a higher degree of the intrinsic motivation tend to use more memory strategies than those learners with a lower degree of intrinsic motivation.
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Avello, Pilar. "L2 phonological development in speech production during study abroad." Doctoral thesis, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/128624.
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The present study investigates the impact of a 3-month study abroad (SA)
period on second language (L2) phonological development in speech
production by means of acoustic-phonetic measures, as well as listeners’
assessment of perceived foreign accent (FA). Speech samples were
collected from 23 bilingual Spanish/Catalan learners of English before
(Pre-test) and after (Post-test) SA. Acoustic-phonetic measures consisted
of measurements for voice onset time (VOT) in voiceless plosives and for
vowel duration and quality, together with error rate scores resulting from
the computation of pronunciation errors. Perceived FA measures were
obtained from a group of native listeners (n=20) and another group of
non-native listeners (n=37) who performed a rating task. Results failed to
yield a large effect of SA in VOT and vowel measures, although they
indicated a slight decrease in perceived FA and a significant improvement
in error rate scores after SA. High correlations were found between the
acoustic-phonetic measures and the FA ratings.Este estudio investiga el impacto de una estancia de 3 meses en el extranjero (ES) en la producción oral de una segunda lengua (L2) a través de medidas fonético-acústicas y de percepción del acento extranjero. El corpus está constituido por datos orales recogidos de un grupo de 23 aprendices de inglés hablantes nativos de español y catalán. Las muestras de habla fueron recogidas antes (Pre-test) y después (Post-test) de la ES. Las medidas fonético-acústicas incluyen el análisis de la aspiración en oclusivas sordas y de duración y cualidad vocálicas, así como la computación de errores de pronunciación. Las medidas de percepción del acento extranjero fueron proporcionadas por un grupo de oyentes nativos (n=20) y otro grupo de oyentes no nativos (n=37). Los resultados no arrojan mejoras tras la ES en las medidas de producción vocálica y de aspiración, a la vez que indican una ligera mejora en cuanto a la producción de acento extranjero y un descenso significativo en el número de errores de pronunciación. Se hallaron asimismo correlaciones altas entre las medidas fonético-acústicas y las de percepción del acento extranjero.
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Скирда, Тетяна Сергіївна. "Simultaneous learning of two foreign languages: English, Spanish." Thesis, Національний авіаційний університет, 2020. https://er.nau.edu.ua/handle/NAU/44810.
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The study considers the concept of bilingualism, the essence of which is the coexistence and interaction of two languages within one language environment, the learning of the Spanish
language is analyzed, which ranks it as the second language in business after English one. Today, students of higher education institutions often choose Spanish as a second foreign language. Thus, knowledge of two foreign languages makes it possible quickly reach the international level of professional activity and master the intercultural communication of many countries.У нашому дослідженні розглянуто дефеніцію двомовності, сутність якої полягає у співіснуванні і взаємодії двох мов у межах одного мовного середовища, здійснено аналіз вивчення іспанської мови, як другої іноземної мови, яка посідає друге у діловому середовище місце після англійської мови. Сьогодні студенти закладів вищої освіти найчастіше вибирають вивчення іспанської мови як другої іноземної мови. Отже, володіння двома іноземними мовами дають можливість швидко вийти на міжнародний рівень професійної діяльності та оволодіти міжкультурною комунікацією багатьох країн.
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Kaple, Emily J. "IMPROVING SPANISH FOREIGN LANGUAGE LISTENING COMPREHENSION: AIDED BY PRONUNCIATION OR LISTENING PRACTICE?" Oxford, Ohio : Miami University, 2007. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=miami1196214325.
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