Academic literature on the topic 'Immersion method (Language teaching) Evaluation'

The widespread introduction of distance learning in secondary schools during the spread of the coronavirus infection COVID-19 had a significant impact on the development of new methods of teaching aspects of a foreign language and types of foreign language speech activity based on distance technologies. Mastering the skills of monologue speech is one of the requirements for the level of mastering a foreign language by students by the time they graduate from a secondary school. At the same time, the development of methods for developing these skills through remote technologies was not the subject of a separate study, which determined the purpose and relevance of this study. Based on the analysis of scientific literature, we develop methods for developing the skills of monologue speech of high school students in the context of distance learning. The methods includes three stages – installation-technological, procedural and evaluation – and fourteen corresponding steps: 1) goal, objectives, subject of the project, evaluation criteria; 2) technical issues of project implementation; 3) discussion of information security issues; 4) students mastering new active vocabulary; 5) immersion of students in the problems of the monologue; 6) search for the necessary information on the Internet; 7) processing of received foreign language materials; 8) compiling the text of the monologue; 9) recording and posting student podcasts; 10) watching podcasts by students; 11) online discussion of podcasts by students; 12) evaluation of podcasts by the teacher; 13) the teacher evaluates the participation of students in the network discussion of podcasts; 14) self-assessment and reflection of students.

AbstractThis article discusses a two-year telecollaborative project in teacher education that took an integrated approach to teaching about and through technological resources in order to introduce student-teachers to innovative methods for communicative-based language learning through computer-mediated communication (CMC). Via ‘technological immersion’, student-teachers in two groups in Spain and the US were required to work together online to give peer feedback and evaluation of several activities, including teaching sequences. They also co-created podcasts, along with accompanying educational activities. Some of the tools used were Moodle, Skype, emails, wikis, Second Life and podcasting. The article analyzes and discusses multimodal data collected during the collaboration. Results indicate that the online collaboration enhanced teacher development through opportunities unavailable in more traditional teacher education classrooms and enabled student-teachers to better make connections between theory and practice.

The introduction of Arabic Education in Nigeria is long before the advent of modern education system in the area. It is a known fact that the first medium of formal education was Arabic language. Although, Arabic has since been replaced by English language right from the colonial period as a means of education and general communication, but it is given a special attention in the Nigerian education system because of its historical antecedents and its relationship with Islam. However, there are numerous challenges militating against the teaching of Arabic language in Nigeria. Some of these challenges could be social, economic, political etc. Recently, the Boko Haram insurgency has contributed negatively to the development of Arabic language in Nigeria because of its direct effects on the Nigeria Arabic Language Village (NALV) Ngala, Borno State; an institution responsible for the cultural and language immersion for Arabic students in Nigerian Higher institutions. Therefore, this paper aims at evaluating the impact of this insurgency on the development of Arabic education in Nigeria. Qualitative method of data collection was used as the basic research tools for this work. The paper relied mainly on interview to ascertain some of the facts mention therein. Focus is on the effects of Boko Haram on Nigeria Arabic village and the spillover effects on Arabic language in Nigerian Universities.

Increasing preoccupations and interest manifested for the Romanian language as a foreign language compose a focused and clear expression in the volume “Romanian as a foreign language. Methodology and cultural applicability”, launched at the Turku University publishing house, Finland (2018). The editors, Paul Nanu (Department of Romanian Language and Culture, University of Turku, Finland) and Emilia Ivancu (Department of Romanian Studies of the Adam Mickiewicz University of Poznań, Poland) with this volume, continue a series of activities dedicated to the promotion of the Romanian language and culture outside the country borders. This volume brings together a collection of articles, previously announced and briefly presented at a round table organized by the two Romanian lectors, as a section of the International Conference “Dialogue of cultures between tradition and modernity”, (Philological Research and Multicultural Dialogue Centre, Department of Philology, Faculty of History and Philology, “1 Decembrie 1918” University of Alba Iulia). The thirteen authors who sign the articles are teachers of Romanian as a foreign language, either in the country or abroad. The challenge launched by the organisers pointed both at the teaching methods of Romanian as a foreign language – including the authors’ reflections upon the available textbooks (Romanian language textbooks) and the cultural implications of this perspective on the Romanian language. It is probably no accident that the first article of the aforementioned volume – “Particularities of teaching Romanian as a foreign language for the preparatory year. In quest of “the ideal textbook’’ (Cristina Sicoe, University of the West, Timișoara) – brings a strict perspective upon that what should be, from the author’s point of view, “the ideal textbook”. The fact that it does not exist, and has little chances ever to exist, could maybe be explained by the multitude of variables which appear in practice, within the didactic triangle composed by teacher – student – textbook. The character of the variables is the result of particular interactions established between the components of the triad. A concurrent direction is pointed out by the considerations that make the object of the second article, “To a new textbook of Romanian language as a foreign language’’ (Ana-Maria Radu-Pop, University of the West, Timișoara). While the previous article was about an ideal textbook for foreign students in the preparatory year of Romanian, this time, the textbook in question has another target group, namely Erasmus students and students from Centres of foreign languages. Considering that this kind of target group “forms a distinct category”, the author pleads for the necessity of editing adequate textbooks with a part made of themes, vocabulary, grammar and a part made of culture and civilization – the separation into parts belongs to the author – that should consider the needs of this target group, their short stay in Romania (three months to one year) and, last but not least, the students’ poor motivation. These distinctive notes turn the existent RFL textbooks[1] in that which the author calls “level crossings”, which she explains in a humorous manner[2]. Since the ideal manual seems to be in no hurry to appear, the administrative-logistic implications of teaching Romanian as a foreign language (for the preparatory year) should be easier to align with the standards of efficiency. This matter is addressed by Mihaela Badea and Cristina Iridon from the Oil & Gas University of Ploiești, in the article “Administrative/logistic difficulties of teaching RFL. Case study”. Starting from a series of practical experiences, the authors are purposing to suggest “several ideas to improve existent methodologies of admitting foreign students and to review the ARACIS criteria from March 2017, regarding external evaluation of the ‘Romanian as a foreign language’ study programme”. Among other things, an external difficulty is highlighted (common to all universities in the country), namely the permission to register foreign students until the end of the first semester of the academic year, meaning around the middle of February. The authors punctually describe the unfortunate implications of this legal aspect and the regrettable consequences upon the quality of the educational act. They suggest that the deadline for admitting foreign students not exceed the 1st of December of every academic year. The list of difficulties in teaching Romanian as a foreign language is extremely long, reaching sensitive aspects from an ethical perspective of multiculturalism. This approach belongs to Constantin Mladin from Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Macedonia, who writes about “The role of the ethical component in the learning process of a foreign language and culture. The Macedonian experience”. Therefore, we are moving towards the intercultural competences which, as the author states, are meant to “adequately and efficiently round the acquired language competences”. In today’s Macedonian society, that which the author refers to, a society claimed to be multiethnic, multilingual and pluriconfessional, the emotional component of an intercultural approach needs a particular attention. Thus, reconfigurations of the current didactic model are necessary. The solution proposed and successfully applied by Professor Constantin Mladin is that of shaking the natural directions in which a foreign language and culture is acquired: from the source language/culture towards the target language/culture. All this is proposed in the context in which the target group is extremely heterogeneous and its “emotional capacity of letting go of the ethnocentric attitudes and perceptions upon otherness” seem to lack. When speaking about ‘barriers’, we often mean ‘difficulty’. The article written by Silvia Kried Stoian and Loredana Netedu from the Oil & Gas University of Ploiești, called “Barriers in the intercultural communication of foreign students in the preparatory year”, is the result of a micro-research done upon a group of 37 foreign students from 10 different countries/cultural spaces, belonging to different religions (plus atheists), speakers of different languages. From the start, there are many differences to be reconciled in a way reasonable enough to reduce most barriers that appear in their intercultural communication. Beneficial and obstructive factors – namely communication barriers – coexist in a complex communicational environment, which supposes identifying and solving the latter, in the aim of softening the cultural shock experienced within linguistic and cultural immersion. Several solutions are recommended by the two authors. An optimistic conclusion emerges in the end, namely the possibility that the initial inconvenient of the ethnical, linguistic and cultural heterogeneity become “an advantage in learning the Romanian language and acquiring intercultural communication”. Total immersion (linguistic and cultural), as well as the advantage it represents as far as exposure to language is concerned, is the subject of the article entitled “Cultural immersion and exposure to language”, written by Adina Curta (“1 Decembrie 1918” University of Alba Iulia). Considered to be a factor of rapid progress and effectiveness of acquisition, exposure to language that arises from the force of circumstances could be extended to that what may be named orchestrated exposure to language. This phrase is consented to reunite two types of resources, “a category of statutory resources, which are the CEFRL suggestions, and a category of particular resources, which should be the activities proposed by the organizers of the preparatory year of RFL”. In this respect, we are dealing with several alternating roles of the teacher who, besides being an expert, animator, facilitator of the learning process or technician, also becomes a cultural and linguistic coach, sending to the group of immersed students a beneficial message of professional and human polyvalence. A particular experience is represented by teaching the Romanian language at the Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. This experience is presented by Nicoleta Neșu in the article “The Romanian language, between mother tongue and ethnic language. Case study”. The particular situation is generated by the nature of the target group, a group of students coming, on the one hand, from Romanian families, who, having lived in Italy since early childhood, have studied in the Italian language and are now studying the Romanian language (mother tongue, then ethnic language) as L1, and, on the other hand, Italian mother tongue students who study the Romanian language as a foreign language. The strategies that are used and the didactic approach are constantly in need of particularization, depending on the statute that the studied language, namely the Romanian language, has in each case. In the area of teaching methodology for Romanian as a foreign language, suggestions and analyses come from four authors, namely Eliana-Alina Popeți (West University of Timișoara), “Teaching the Romanian language to students from Romanian communities from Serbia. Vocabulary exercise”, Georgeta Orian (“1 Decembrie 1918” University of Alba Iulia) “The Romanian language in the rhythm of dance and hip-hop music”, Coralia Telea (“1 Decembrie 1918” University of Alba Iulia), “Explanation during the class of Romanian as a foreign language” and Emilia Ivancu (Adam Mickiewicz University of Poznań, Poland), “Romanian (auto)biographic discourse or the effect of literature upon learning RFL”. The vocabulary exercise proposed to the students by Eliana-Alina Popeți is a didactic experiment through which the author checked the hypothesis according to which a visual didactic material eases the development of vocabulary, especially since the textual productions of the students, done through the technique that didactics calls “reading images”, were video recorded and submitted to mutual evaluation as well as to self-evaluation of grammar, coherence and pronunciation. The role of the authentic iconographic document is attested in the didactics of modern languages, as the aforementioned experiment confirms once again the high coefficient of interest and attention of the students, as well as the vitality and authenticity of interaction within the work groups. It is worth mentioning that these students come from the Serbian Republic and are registered in the preparatory year at the Faculty of Letters, History and Theology of the West University of Timișoara. Most of them are speakers of different Romanian patois, only found on the territory of Serbia. The activity consisted of elaborating written texts starting from an image (a postcard reproducing a portrait of the Egyptian artist Eman Osama), imagining a possible biography of the character. In the series of successful authentic documents in teaching-learning foreign languages, there is also the song. The activities described by Georgeta Orian were undertaken either with Erasmus students from the preparatory year at the “1 Decembrie 1989” University of Alba Iulia, or with Polish students (within the Department of Romanian Studies in Poznań), having high communication competences (B1-B2, or even more). There were five activities triggered by Romanian songs, chosen by criteria of sympathy with the interests of the target group: youngsters, late teenagers. The stake was “a more pleasant and, sometimes, a more useful learning process”, mostly through discovery, through recourse to musical language, which has the advantage of breaking linguistic barriers in the aim of creating a common space in which the target language, a language of “the other”, becomes the instrument of speaking about what connects us. The didactic approach, when it comes to Romanian as a foreign language taught to students of the preparatory year cannot avoid the extremely popular method of the explanation. Its story is told by Coralia Telea. With a use of high scope, the explanation steps in in various moments and contexts: for transmitting new information, for underlining mechanisms generating new rules, in evaluation activities (result appreciation, progress measurements). Still, the limits of this method are not left out, among which the risk of the teachers to annoy their audience if overbidding this method. Addressing (Polish) students from the Master’s Studies Program within the Romania Philology at the Adam Mickiewicz University of Poznań, Emilia Ivancu crosses, through her article, the methodological dimensions of teaching Romanian as a foreign language, entering the curricular territory of the problematics in question by proposing an optional course entitled Romanian (auto)biographic discourse”. Approaching contact with the Romanian language as a foreign language at an advanced level, the stakes of the approach and the proposed contents differ, obviously, from the ones only regarding the creation and development of the competence of communication in the Romanian Language. The studied texts have been grouped into correspondence/epistolary discourse, diaries, memoires and (auto)biography as fiction. Vasile Alecsandri, Sanda Stolojan, Paul Goma, Neagoe Basarab, Norman Manea, Mircea Eliade are just a few of the writers concerned, submitted to discussions with the help of a theoretical toolbox, offered to the students as recordings of cultural broadcasts, like Profesioniștii or Rezistența prin cultură etc. The consequences of this complex approach consisted, on the one hand, of the expansion of the readings for the students and, on the other hand, in choosing to write dissertations on these topics. A “tangible” result of Emilia Ivancu’s course is the elaboration of a volume entitled România la persoana întâi, perspective la persoana a treia (Romania in the first person, perspectives in the third person), containing seven articles written by Polish Master’s students. Master’s theses, a PhD thesis, several translations into the Polish language are also “fruits” of the initiated course. Of all these, the author extracted several conclusions supporting the merits and usefulness of her initiative. The volume ends with a review signed by Adina Curta (1 Decembrie 1918 University of Alba Iulia), “The Romanian language, a modern, wanted language. Iuliana Wainberg-Drăghiciu – Textbook of Romanian language as a foreign language”. The textbook elaborated by Iuliana Wainberg-Drăghiciu (“1 Decembrie 1918” University of Alba Iulia) respects the CEFRL suggestions, points at the communicative competences (linguistic, sociolinguistic and pragmatic) described for levels A1 and A2, has a high degree of accessibility through a trilingual dictionary (Romanian-English-French) which it offers to foreign students and through the phonetic transcription of new vocabulary units.

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to investigate the application of a computer mediated curriculum in the instruction of advanced written academic communication skills in a non-immersion situation. While previous studies have focused upon collaborative writing within a computer networked environment (Gregor & Cuskelfy 1994), the use of computer-tutorial programs (Warschauer, Turbee & Roberts 1996), or the additive effects of supplemental computer-based instruction (Chun 1994), the present study dealt with the implementation of a fully computer based EFL writing curriculum through the use of authentic electronic computer programs. The following research questions were posed at the outset of the study:1. To what extent does the use of authentic tools, tasks and environment encourage communicative competence in the computer networked EFL academic writing classroom?2. What is the effect of computer mediated instruction on teacher-student interaction, collaborative learning, and students' attitudes and motivation?3. What are the benefits gained from a computer-assisted portfolio assessment?The investigation design consisted of an experimental group which studied exclusively in the computerised lab and a control group which was taught in a regular classroom according to conventional teaching methods. Data collecting instruments comprised background and attitude questionnaires, on-site observations, informal interviews, and systematic evaluation and assessment. Findings indicate that authentic tools, tasks and environment are a strong motivating factor. While the compter-nelworked environment enhanced the teacher-student interaction, it diminished peer collaboration. Computer-assisted portfolio assessment appears to be advantageous to both the instructor and students.

В статье анализируются методические основы метода погружения как рабочей среды для обучения РКИ в контексте межкультурной коммуникации. Рассматривается социокультурная составляющая современного и актуального языкового материала, на базе которого происходит формирование коммуникативной компетенции и умений и навыков межкультурной коммуникации учащихся, что должно быть положено в основу современных национально ориентированных средств обучения РКИ. The article analyzes the methodological foundations of the immersion method as a working environment for teaching Russian as a foreign language in the context of intercultural communication. The article considers the socio-cultural component of modern and relevant language material, on the basis of which the formation of communicative competence and skills of intercultural communication of students takes place, which should be the basis of modern nationally-oriented means of teaching Russian as a foreign language.

<p>Teaching a foreign language to young children has been an increasingly dominant trend in most globalized societies. While there is abundant literature that supports teaching a foreign language at an early age through language immersion programs, little is known about the efficiency of strategies used to explicitly teach new vocabulary words in a foreign language to young learners. This empirical investigation aimed to assess and compare the efficiency of two mnemonics that have been traditionally used to explicitly teach new foreign language words: the Keyword Method (KWM) and the Total Physical Response (TPR). Results indicate that the KWM is more effective than TPR in teaching new vocabulary words in a foreign language to early elementary school children.</p>

Early language learning for children is increasingly common, and the majority of parents and the public do not see it as superfluous or overburdening children. Moreover, teaching a foreign language to very young children has been an increasingly dominant trend in most globalized societies. While there is abundant literature that supports teaching a foreign language at an early age through language immersion programs, little is known about the efficiency of strategies used to explicitly teach new vocabulary words in a foreign language to young learners. This empirical investigation aimed to assess and compare the efficiency of two mnemonics that have been traditionally used to explicitly teach new foreign language words: the Keyword Method (KWM) and the Total Physical Response (TPR). Results indicate that the KWM is more effective than TPR in teaching new vocabulary words in a foreign language to early elementary school children.

This article discusses the features of the personal-oriented training methodology TBL (Task-Based Learning), which is based on communicative tasks with the aim of immersion in the language environment. The authors of the article emphasize the advantages of the TBL method compared to traditional methods of teaching English in the university system. In the article the features of group work at the lessons of English are revealed and the factors which influence on its efficiency are formulated. The TBL method is actively used by the authors in their work with students of economic specialties, the experience of implementing the method is also reflected in the analysis of one of the communicative situations.

This cross-sectional inquiry examines first-, third-, and eighth-grade dual immersion students' use of Spanish and English when interacting with their teachers and peers in a U.S. school. Findings are based on classroom interactions, student and teacher interviews, and student questionnaires intended to determine when students diverged from using the language of instruction and whether their age or language background affected their language use. In addition, teachers' impact on student language use is examined, and other factors affecting language use—such as the length of a students' stay in the United States—are discussed. An overall preference for English was found among first and third graders, while eighth graders spoke more Spanish to their peers and teachers. Findings indicate that this language behavior may have been more than a function of the students' age. It appeared to be linked to students' language background, teaching activities that promoted students' positive identification with Spanish language and Hispanic culture, the absence of native English speakers, and the presence of Spanish-dominant newcomers.

This study investigates students', parents' and teachers' beliefs about first language literacy experiences at home and at school. Written questionnaires and interviews were used as tools of inquiry. The students were grade five, majority language students in an early immersion program. Students, parents and teachers were asked about their beliefs on first language reading development, literacy experiences at home as well as at school, second language impact on first language and related topics.
Results showed that all students in the study had similar types of literacy experiences at home, regardless of reading ability. By adhering to an Emergent Literacy perspective, parents provided many diverse opportunities for their child(ren) to engage in literacy activities at home. The school had similar views about the importance of literacy practices. Students' literacy experiences at home appear to be in synchrony with their literacy experiences at school. This finding aligns with the aims of a Social Construction of Literacy perspective.
Learning to read in a second language did not hinder a child's development of first language reading, although for students having difficulty reading in the first language, the addition of a second language seemed to pose some difficulties for some students.
Recommendations are made for future research into family literacy in immersion programs and a follow up study. Research on individual differences among siblings could provide insight into why some children appear to have difficulties reading in their first language while others do not. A follow up study on some or all of the participants would provide continuing data on immersion students' literacy at home and at school.

This project fills a void in the area of dual immersion program implementation. Although there are general guidelines that exist, there is a paucity of specific guidelines that explicitly delineate the implementation of these critical components in the current accountability climate. We need to move beyond general categories and tailor them to the unique needs program models within situated contexts.

Student attrition has always been a problem for French immersion programs, especially at the high school level. In response to a lack of current research, this study seeks to discover if the problem persists. It also examines how today's French immersion high schools are dealing with other problem areas identified in research done in the past. These areas include, among others, students' learning challenges, behavioural challenges, and difficulties with the French language. The study documents the attrition rates from 1990 to 2004 in three high schools in Manitoba that are French immersion centres. In an effort to understand why students remained or left the immersion programs, 35 teachers, 220 current students, and 18 former students who have left the program to attend English schools were surveyed. All three sample groups' perceptions of the program show that while many things that were considered problematic in the literature are no longer a concern, other issues continue to persist. Furthermore, the data show that male and female students tend to leave the French immersion program for different reasons. However, the common motive that instigates the decision to leave appears to be the perception that higher grades can be achieved in an English school.
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This inquiry examines observations made by nine former participants in the 1996 Dalhousie University Summer Language Bursary Program (SLBP) in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The SLBP is a five-week residential total second language immersion characterized by its intensity. In individual interviews, the informants were encouraged to explore whether and to what extent they had perceived changes in themselves as a result of their participation in the immersion program. These changes were not related to target-language proficiency. Rather, they focused primarily on aspects of the informants' self-perceived or other-perceived identities, which are conceived of as contextual, multiple, fluid and dynamic. Analysis of these observations indicates that changes to identity may indeed be an important byproduct of intensive second language immersion. Elements of such personal growth include perceived increases in participants' senses of resourcefulness, self-confidence, wanderlust, autonomy, open-mindedness, and sociability. Informants also enumerate the SLBP's unique factors which promote changes in self-perception. Changes in participants' perspectives on identity are not viewed simply as incidental immersion outcomes. Rather, they are viewed as components of 'personal competence', both as factors in and results of successful participation in residential total second language immersion.

The purpose of this study was to determine the English language skills of minority language children (experimental group) in a early total French Immersion program by comparing them with those of English-speaking children in French Immersion (English control group), and with those of minority language children in a regular English program (minority control group). Ten grade one children comprised each of the three groups of children. Listening comprehension of English was assessed using two standardized tests of English comprehension (the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test and the Token Test for Children). English speaking skills were assessed using the Clark-Madison Test of Oral Language (a standardized test) and a ten to fifteen minute language sample. English metalinguistic skills were assessed with a phoneme deletion task used by Rosner & Simon (1971) and with two tasks used by Pratt, Tunmer & Bowey (1984): a morpheme correction task and a word order correction task. Questionnaires were used to assess attitudes towards the minority language and culture and to determine the children's home and language background. It was hypothesized that the English language skills of the experimental group would be at least as good as those of the English control group and the minority control group. The results supported the hypotheses. The experimental group did as well as the English control group on all of the measures of English comprehension and production tested. The minority control group scored lower than the English control group on all measures of English comprehension and production. They scored lower than the experimental group on the comprehension of complex commands and on the Clark-Madison Test of Oral Language. The three groups scored similarly on all of the metalinguistic tasks except on the morpheme correction task, where the minority control group scored lower than the English control group. Results support the suitability of early total French Immersion for minority language children who have their first language and culture valued and maintained.
Medicine, Faculty of
Audiology and Speech Sciences, School of
Graduate

This study focuses on parental choice for student placement in Two-Way Immersion classes as optional bilingual education. Parents who have their children enrolled in a TWI program in Banning, California responded to a questionnaire and were interviewed about their decision. The analysis of the data indicates that parents value cultural diversity and second language acquisition.

This chapter describes the genesis, implementation, and evaluation of an innovative approach to the intensive use of Academic Podcasting Technology (APT) in the teaching of Spanish to undergraduates at the Australian National University from 2007 to 2009. Students became active users and producers of Spanish language podcasts in a simulated immersion environment. Integrating APT into the educational design of two thematic courses created authentic and engaging socio-cultural contexts for language use while meeting students’ needs for resource accessibility and mobility. Pioneering and exciting in its conception and outcomes, this approach has received very positive feedback from students, and provides a pedagogically-sound model for the effective use of APT in immersive-style language teaching.

The purpose of this research was to investigate how the integration of e-learning in the teaching of English Language could benefit teachers and students at the high school level. This study was done using mixed methods in the form of an exploratory sequential action research where an exploration of teachers' experiences who used e-learning strategies in the teaching of English Language classes was observed and assessed to identify successes and challenges. A total of 15 teachers were trained to use e-learning approaches to improve the teaching and learning process and provided with a training manual after revising the literature relating to the problem. This was accomplished in the study, and an evaluation of the impact was conducted. The findings revealed that the teachers commenced integrating the technologies in their classes and that they are utilizing the strategies that they were exposed to in the training process.

The relevance of comparative legal research (CLR) consists in comparative evaluation of human experience occurring in legal systems of different jurisdictions. It involves a logical and inductive method of reasoning. It is valuable as it brings out the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches, procedures, and institutions. It has a long history and strong tendency of growth in contemporary times. Appropriate choice of comparative components and choice of the criterion of comparison become crucial for the success of comparative legal research. Functionalist study and cultural immersion give social dimension to the comparison. In the context of multicultural society and march of globalization, CLR has attained great scope and potentiality. Its limitations include inadequate understanding of the social background of other jurisdiction, language barrier, and so on. Its attainments are many in various fields of law.

Second language learning can help citizens broaden their thinking capacity and have wide connections to people in the world. Ethiopian governments at different times have been attempting to deliver foreign languages, particularly English, to their citizens. Also, training has been given on how to teach English as a foreign language as well. Thus, this book chapter deals with the theories and practices reflected in ELT as a foreign teaching from the earliest times to the present. Specifically, the syllabus and student books of Grade 10 English, which were in use in three consecutive reigns of Ethiopia, such as Haile Selassie (1930–1974), DERG (1974–1991), and Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) (1991–2022), were assessed and the theories and practices reflected in the teaching materials of each regime, and the changes made in terms of theories, approaches, and methods comparing the past and the present were identified. The audio-lingual method was the most commonly used method during the two regimes (Halie Sillase and DERG). But the content-based and task-based approaches, informed by sociocultural theory, were the most commonly used methods during the EPRDF, as evidenced by the evaluation of teaching materials and practice.

This chapter belongs to the context of the computer-mediated communication (CMC) for language teaching and learning. Since the introduction of this new communication method, new paths for the teaching and learning of languages have been opened. In this research, virtual discussions in the English language about polemical topics were carried out through the use of the AMANDA program. This program features artificial intelligence principles in the discussion coordination, diminishing the tutor’s workload in the task of coordinating the discussions. The goal of this research was to observe the contributions of the CMC tool for the learning of English by the participating students. In total, 83 upper-intermediate English level students took part. The analyses and final considerations concentrate on the evaluation of the program used as well as the positive and negative aspects observed during this research for the teaching/learning of the English language.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology has been widely used in the education field including foreign language learning and teaching. This study explores university students’ use of AI speech evaluation programs for their individual speaking practice regarding their learning attitudes, user experiences, and learning outcomes. The researchers selected the quantitative research method as the research tool and students from an (English as a medium of instruction) EMI university as the research respondents in this study. The results showed that the majority of respondents had positive attitudes towards using AI speech evaluation programs in their speaking practice independently. They perceived the benefits of using AI speech evaluation programs for their speaking practice in terms of its effectiveness, convenience, efficiency, and usefulness. They were more willing to practice spoken English after using AI speech evaluation programs because these AI programs can meet their personalized needs. However, respondents also raised some problems with the AI speech evaluation programs, such as the limited feedback, high costs, limited content, and inaccurate scores. The results indicated that many aspects of the current AI speech evaluation programs needed to be improved to facilitate future EFL learners’ speaking performance.

To trace the evolution of research strands in published Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) papers over time, a corpus of 426 highly-cited papers in four major CALL journals (ReCALL, CALL, LL&T, and CALICO Journal) was compiled and coded using NVivo 12. All identified aspects of technology-mediated language learning and teaching were collected to produce a comprehensive list of 690 recurring research strands and then, by adopting a constant comparison method, were merged to form 119 unique research strands. The top 10 alone represent almost half of all research strands: Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC), writing, vocabulary, feedback, evaluation, learning environment, telecollaboration, design, speaking, and grammar. This paper provides the rationale for the study along with the methodology for data collection and analysis, with a particular focus on the dominant and intermediary strands to inform future CALL publications.

Performance assessment has emerged as a useful measure of teacher performance and is a valuable form of assessment. The chapter elaborates on the benefits of performance assessment in pre-service teacher training and will present findings of a study which focuses on two English Language Didactics courses of a Higher Education pre-service teacher training program for potential secondary state school ELT teachers of the Republic of Cyprus. The aim of the research was to investigate the trainees' progress, potential teaching ability, and confidence via the means of their assessment. The study conducted supported a mixed method approach, where there was sequential data gathering. The initial phase involved direct observations of student teachers' performance in combination with an evaluation of the lesson plans they would follow. This process informed the second type of data collection, which was conducted via evaluation forms, where student teachers were given the opportunity to evaluate and reflect upon the assessment process.

Social networking services (SNSs) have been popular and essential media to increase lecturer-student interaction, collaboration, and communication as well as lecturers' supervision in Indonesian universities including in teaching English as a foreign language (EFL). This mixed method study utilized a survey and interview as the techniques of data collection which specifically explored the lecturers' perspectives on the use SNSs for personal and educational purposes as well as demographic information related to the experience and frequency using SNSs, ownership (possession) of SNSs, and SNSs popularity. The findings revealed that the participants had much knowledge and experiences with SNSs. Even though most participants found some benefits of SNSs in EFL classes including easing communication, supervision and evaluation, time flexibility, and creativity. There were two barriers that have emerged, including lack of skill and cost to use. Implications and future research are offered to improve technology integration in higher education.

Blended Learning is a learning model that is enriched with traditional learning methods and online education materials. Integration of face-to-face and online learning with blending learning can enhance the learning experience and optimize seat time. In this chapter, the authors present the teaching of an Algorithm and Programming course in Computer Engineering Education via an artificial intelligence-supported blended learning approach. Since 2011, Computer Engineering education in Suleyman Demirel University Computer Engineering Department is taught with a blended learning method. Blended learning is achieved through a Learning Management System (LMS) by using distance education technology. The LMS is comprised of course materials supported with flash animations, student records, user roles, and evaluation systems such as surveys and quizzes that meet SCORM standards. In this chapter, the related education process has been supported with an intelligent program, which is based on teaching C programming language. In this way, it has been aimed to improve educational processes within the related course and the education approach in the department. The blended learning approach has been evaluated by the authors, and the obtained results show that the introduced artificial intelligence-supported blended learning education program enables both teachers and students to experience better educational processes.

The study of the mechanisms of language and speech abilities has shown that the most effective method of learning a foreign language is the method of full immersion, since students enter the natural language environment and are in it constantly. But the learning process in the classroom, no matter how organized and communicative it may be, cannot replace the real teaching experience. Since the most important factors for effective learning of a foreign language are the language environment and motivation, therefore, the development of new motivational language learning environments, including virtual reality (VR), is the main elements of the learning process. In such an educational space, virtual reality helps students to understand phenomena and situations that cannot be understood and explained using traditional methods in order to become part of the real world through modeling. In general, virtual reality is an ideal learning environment, and the possibilities of its technologies for learning have an extremely high potential for application

In the 21st century one of the reasons for teachers to pursue continuous professional development is experiencing demanding situations in their lessons, because the concept of mixed-ability teaching has broadened schools being open to diversity. Consequently, different pupils learn together in comprehensive schools and have equal rights to quality education. That also regards language learning. In the present article the authors look upon a situation in which a teacher of English in a comprehensive school has to deal with groups of primary school pupils who have varied needs and preferences for learning a foreign language both academically and socially (for example, having problems with reading and understanding the read material, focusing and keeping attention, working in pairs or groups). Therefore, the use of differentiated activities to enhance primary school pupils’ acquisition of the English language is explored. The chosen research method is a case study in which 14 primary school pupils take part. Data collection methods used in the research are observation (a teacher’s diary to notice the pupils’ strengths and weaknesses of learning English and checklists to gather the evidence of the pupils’ learning achievement) and document analysis (test evaluation forms to record the pupils’ learning results and progress). The analysis of the gathered data shows that the use of the chosen differentiated activities, which are based on the ideas of mixed-ability teaching and inclusive education, has helped the pupils improve the acquisition of the English language The results of the case study allow the authors to conclude that the varied needs and preferences pupils have for learning a foreign language are a compelling reason for teachers to find new ways of teaching to be able to help each learner prosper.

Teachers are moral agents. Acting professionally in loco parentis teachers have a legal and moral duty of care to students (DES, 2017). Moreover, they can be regarded as moral ‘role models’ (Bergen, 2006; Lumpkin, 2013). Professional codes of practice assist teachers in their moral agency (Alberta Teachers’ Association, 2004; CDET, 2017; DfE, 2011; Education Council, 2017; Teaching Council, 2012; 2016; World Class Teachers, 2017). In conjunction with official codes of conduct, TE ethics programmes contribute to the development of “a moral language” and raise awareness of moral agency in teaching (Shapira-Lishchinsky, 2010). In 2014 the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG) and the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) jointly developed a cross-institutional training programme entitled ‘The Ethical Teacher Programme’, designed to facilitate student teachers to reflect upon professionalism and ethics during School Placement. The programme incorporated both a study of the Teaching Council Code of Professional Conduct for Teachers (Code) (2012) and explorations of selected ethical ‘case studies’ in teaching, using collaborative learning (CL) and role play strategies. The ‘ethical dilemma’ approach employed mirrored literature studies (Colenerud, 1997; Husu & Tiri, 2003; Klassen, 2002). Unique to the approach, however, was the method of application of selected classical and contemporary ethical philosophies to moral dilemmas in teaching. The programme was designed to include a one-hour introductory lecture on professionalism and ethics (from the perspectives of moral literacy and ethical theory) followed by a two-hour applied workshop. The workshop employed student-centred, active teaching and learning methods, specifically, collaborative learning, role play and case study analysis. Six ethical philosophical principles (or ‘lenses’) were integrated into programme delivery - teleology, deontology, virtue ethics, justice ethics, care ethics and relationality ethics. These lenses were applied to real-world teaching case studies. One cohort to which this training programme is offered annually is the student teachers on the Professional Master of Education (PME) programme in NUIG. The PME cohort (2015-2016) is the focus of the present study. The study sought a critical reflection on, and evaluation of, this training programme, from a student perspective. This study is phase one of a larger on-going study.

This paper deals with teacher roles in classroom management. It begins with two outlines used in teaching process. They concern the teacher, what they can do, and aspire to, and a discussion of classroom management techniques. The outlines are followed by an expansion of many of the points made. Classroom management is included in a course on ESP because most of students will, at some point in their lives, teach English in school. The material is based on our own personal experience of struggling to become a teacher, and our interaction with students and our colleagues. Teacher’s roles take account of teacher’s classroom language, teacher’s responsibilities, and the criticism and the evaluation of teacher’s performance. The teacher who makes great activation of his roles in classroom, tends to be the top and the most first factor that improves classroom management and enriches learners’ knowledge. Quantitative method has been chosen because it provides statistical data from English teachers using questionnaire. Factual information was collected and arranged in graphs. The results were analyzed and compared with previous studies. The participants’ responses provided supportive evidence and were fully consistent with this study