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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Language and languages study'

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Published: 10 December 2022
Last updated: 28 January 2023

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1

Chavula, Catherine. "Using language similarities in retrieval for resource scarce languages: a study of several southern Bantu languages." Doctoral thesis, Faculty of Science, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/33614.

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Most of the Web is published in languages that are not accessible to many potential users who are only able to read and understand their local languages. Many of these local languages are Resources Scarce Languages (RSLs) and lack the necessary resources, such as machine translation tools, to make available content more accessible. State of the art preprocessing tools and retrieval methods are tailored for Web dominant languages and, accordingly, documents written in RSLs are lowly ranked and difficult to access in search results, resulting in a struggling and frustrating search experience for speakers of RSLs. In this thesis, we propose the use of language similarities to match, re-rank and return search results written in closely related languages to improve the quality of search results and user experience. We also explore the use of shared morphological features to build multilingual stemming tools. Focusing on six Bantu languages spoken in Southeastern Africa, we first explore how users would interact with search results written in related languages. We conduct a user study, examining the usefulness and user preferences for ranking search results with different levels of intelligibility, and the types of emotions users experience when interacting with such results. Our results show that users can complete tasks using related language search results but, as intelligibility decreases, more users struggle to complete search tasks and, consequently, experience negative emotions. Concerning ranking, we find that users prefer that relevant documents be ranked higher, and that intelligibility be used as a secondary criterion. Additionally, we use a User-Centered Design (UCD) approach to investigate enhanced interface features that could assist users to effectively interact with such search results. Usability evaluation of our designed interface scored 86% using the System Usability Scale (SUS). We then investigate whether ranking models that integrate relevance and intelligibility features would improve retrieval effectiveness. We develop these features by drawing from traditional Information Retrieval (IR) models and linguistics studies, and employ Learning To Rank (LTR) and unsupervised methods. Our evaluation shows that models that use both relevance and intelligibility feature(s) have better performance when compared to models that use relevance features only. Finally, we propose and evaluate morphological processing approaches that include multilingual stemming, using rules derived from common morphological features across Bantu family of languages. Our evaluation of the proposed stemming approach shows that its performance is competitive on queries that use general terms. Overall, the thesis provides evidence that considering and matching search results written in closely related languages, as well as ranking and presenting them appropriately, improves the quality of retrieval and user experience for speakers of RSLs.
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2

Yu, Yuanfang. "Foreign language learning : a comparative study of Australian and Chinese University students /." St. Lucia, Qld, 2002. http://www.library.uq.edu.au/pdfserve.php?image=thesisabs/absthe16092.pdf.

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3

Mohamed, Mohamed Abdulla. "Ellipsis : a contrastive study of Swahili and English discourse /." Access Digital Full Text version, 1986. http://pocketknowledge.tc.columbia.edu/home.php/bybib/10620175.

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4

Shimizu, Katsumasa. "A cross-language study of voicing contrasts of stop consonants in Asian languages." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 1990. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/20185.

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5

Mackenzie, Kevin Roderick. "Teachers' beliefs about classroom practice: implications for the role of second language acquisition theory inteacher education." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1998. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31944887.

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6

Berg, Kristofer K. "A comprehensive study of the teaching of foreign language at the elementary school level." Online version, 2003. http://www.uwstout.edu/lib/thesis/2003/2003bergk.pdf.

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7

Tipa, Thep-Ackrapong Steffensen Margaret S. "Fossilization a case study of practical and theoretical parameters /." Normal, Ill. Illinois State University, 1990. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/ilstu/fullcit?p9101128.

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Thesis (D.A.)--Illinois State University, 1990.
Title from title page screen, viewed November 15, 2005. Dissertation Committee: Margaret Steffensen (chair), Irene Brosnahan, Bruce Hawkins, Maurice Scharton, Sandra Metts. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 211-218) and abstract. Also available in print.
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8

Johnson, Brianne J. McManness Linda M. "Foreign language learning : an exploratory study on the external and internal influences affecting success /." Waco, Tex. : Baylor University, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/2104/3959.

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9

Wong, Chin Han. "An analysis of factors predicting graduation of students at Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center." Thesis, Monterey, Calif. : Springfield, Va. : Naval Postgraduate School ; Available from National Technical Information Service, 2004. http://library.nps.navy.mil/uhtbin/hyperion/04Dec%5FWong.pdf.

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10

Gignoux, Alicia. "Heritage learners of Mexican descent in higher education a qualitative study of past and present experiences /." Diss., [Missoula, Mont.] : The University of Montana, 2009. http://etd.lib.umt.edu/theses/available/etd-03092010-150316.

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11

Jagacinski, Ngampit. "Tai Lue of Xishuangbanna in China's Yunnan province : description and a study of the OV order in the ?au construction /." The Ohio State University, 1987. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1487327695621807.

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12

Finocchiaro, Carla Maria. "Language maintenance shift of a three generation Italian family in three migration countries : an international comparative study /." Connect to thesis, 2004. http://eprints.unimelb.edu.au/archive/00001745.

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13

Seffert, Gabriele. "Factors that lead American foreign language students to discontinue the study of the target language past the minimum requirement." [Denver, Colo.] : Regis University, 2007. http://165.236.235.140/lib/GSeffertPartI2007.pdf.

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14

Jarman, Jay. "Combining Natural Language Processing and Statistical Text Mining: A Study of Specialized Versus Common Languages." Scholar Commons, 2011. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/3166.

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This dissertation focuses on developing and evaluating hybrid approaches for analyzing free-form text in the medical domain. This research draws on natural language processing (NLP) techniques that are used to parse and extract concepts based on a controlled vocabulary. Once important concepts are extracted, additional machine learning algorithms, such as association rule mining and decision tree induction, are used to discover classification rules for specific targets. This multi-stage pipeline approach is contrasted with traditional statistical text mining (STM) methods based on term counts and term-by-document frequencies. The aim is to create effective text analytic processes by adapting and combining individual methods. The methods are evaluated on an extensive set of real clinical notes annotated by experts to provide benchmark results. There are two main research question for this dissertation. First, can information (specialized language) be extracted from clinical progress notes that will represent the notes without loss of predictive information? Secondly, can classifiers be built for clinical progress notes that are represented by specialized language? Three experiments were conducted to answer these questions by investigating some specific challenges with regard to extracting information from the unstructured clinical notes and classifying documents that are so important in the medical domain. The first experiment addresses the first research question by focusing on whether relevant patterns within clinical notes reside more in the highly technical medically-relevant terminology or in the passages expressed by common language. The results from this experiment informed the subsequent experiments. It also shows that predictive patterns are preserved by preprocessing text documents with a grammatical NLP system that separates specialized language from common language and it is an acceptable method of data reduction for the purpose of STM. Experiments two and three address the second research question. Experiment two focuses on applying rule-mining techniques to the output of the information extraction effort from experiment one, with the ultimate goal of creating rule-based classifiers. There are several contributions of this experiment. First, it uses a novel approach to create classification rules from specialized language and to build a classifier. The data is split by classification and then rules are generated. Secondly, several toolkits were assembled to create the automated process by which the rules were created. Third, this automated process created interpretable rules and finally, the resulting model provided good accuracy. The resulting performance was slightly lower than from the classifier from experiment one but had the benefit of having interpretable rules. Experiment three focuses on using decision tree induction (DTI) for a rule discovery approach to classification, which also addresses research question three. DTI is another rule centric method for creating a classifier. The contributions of this experiment are that DTI can be used to create an accurate and interpretable classifier using specialized language. Additionally, the resulting rule sets are simple and easily interpretable, as well as created using a highly automated process.
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15

Pulfer, Charles E. "A comparison of the ability of novices and experienced third generation language programmers to learn fourth generation languages." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 1987. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/26111.

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This thesis describes research which was carried out to determine whether novices could program in fourth generation languages as well as experienced third generation programmers. It was thought that experience with a third generation language could be transferred to a fourth generation environment. This hypothesis was tested using a completely randomized block design lab experiment consisting of two factors and a block. The two factors were experience with third generation languages, and complexity of the task. The block was the educational institution where the lab sessions were conducted. Each of the factors and the block had two levels. The specific hypotheses tested were: 1. Experienced third generation language programmers will record higher mean scores on both simple and complex tests of fourth generation languages. 2. The difference in test scores, between simple and complex fourth generation language tasks, will be greater for novices than for experienced third generation language programmers. 3. Experience with other software tools, especially report writers, query languages, and other fourth generation languages will affect the subjects' performance on the fourth generation language tests. Using FOCUS as the fourth generation language, lab sessions were run for fifty-seven subjects. The results indicate that experience with third generation languages affects a subject's performance on simple tests of fourth generation languages. The results also indicate that the experience has no effect on complex tests of fourth generation languages. Because of a lack of data, no meaningful conclusions could be reached for hypothesis number three. We feel experienced third generation language programmers scored higher than novices on simple 4GL reporting tests because experienced 3GL programmers had skills which were very similar to the skills needed in a simple 4GL reporting application. There are several possible ways of explaining why experienced programmers could do no better than novices on complex 4GL reporting tests. One possible explanation follows; because complex 4GL reporting commands are so different from third generation language commands, third generation language programmers had no advantage over novices. A second explanation might be that the complex test was too difficult, or too long. As a result of this difficulty, no one was able to perform very well. We conclude that experienced programmers should be preferred over novices when applications involve simple 4GL commands. More research is necessary to determine if in fact novices can perform as well as experienced third generation language programmers on complex 4GL tasks.
Business, Sauder School of
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16

Calder, Maryna. "Self-assessment of lexical knowledge in second language vocabulary acquisition." Thesis, Swansea University, 2013. https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa43186.

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17

Love, Susan. "French and Tây Bò̂i in Vietnam : a study of language policy, practice and perceptions /." Title page, contents and abstract only, 2000. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09ARM/09arml897.pdf.

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18

Tan, Siew Imm. "Languages in contact: a corpus-based study ofMalaysian newspaper English." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2006. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B45015673.

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19

Itakura, Hiroko. "Dominance in L1 and L2 conversation : a study of Japanese male and female learners of English /." Thesis, Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1998. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B20540693.

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20

Huber, Jeanine L. "The Use of the First Language (L1) and the Target Language (TL) in the Foreign Language Classroom." PDXScholar, 1995. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/5029.

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Oftentimes it is the foreign language classroom that provides the basic foundation for language exposure and acquisition. In the context of the foreign language classroom there is not much exposure to the TL outside of this setting. This being the case, the quantity of the TL should be relatively high as it is an essential requisite for language acquisition. In addition, most recent research tends to suggest that high quantities of TL from the instructor is ideal. The main purpose of this study has been to focus on university-level foreign language classrooms to explore the issue of language choice, Ll or TL, among instructors. Over a ten week period, six languages were observed and audiotaped on five separate occasions. The study asked the following questions: 1) If Ll (English) is used in university-level foreign language classrooms, what is the ratio of Ll to TL?; 2) For what purposes is the Ll used?; 3) What are teachers' and students' perceptions and attitudes regarding use of the Ll in the foreign language classroom? A categorization grid was created to answer the second research question. A student questionnaire and teacher interview were administered to answer the third research question. The results were analyzed using descriptive statistics. It was found that three out of the six languages used the Ll an average of 10% or less of the time, while the remaining three languages used the Ll for an average of 13% or more of the time. In regard to the second research question, four out of the six languages used the Ll most frequently for the purposes of language analysis and vocabulary translation. This investigation has attempted to explore and discuss practices within some foreign language classrooms at the university-level and to create greater awareness of those practices.
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21

Nel, Joanine Hester. "The comprehension and production of later developing language constructions by Afrikaans-, English- and isiXhosa-speaking Grade 1 learners." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/97144.

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Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2015.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigated the comprehension and production of articles, quantifiers, binding relations and passive constructions as later developing constructions (LDCs) by 27 Grade (Gr) 1 monolingual Afrikaans-speaking learners with Afrikaans as language of learning and teaching (LOLT), 31 bilingual isiXhosa-speaking learners with English as LOLT and 31 monolingual isiXhosa-speaking learners with isiXhosa as LOLT in three non-fee-paying schools, each in a different low socio-economic status area, in the Stellenbosch area of the Western Cape Province in South Africa. The overarching aim of this study was to determine which LDCs these learners are capable of comprehending and producing at the start of Gr 1 and what progress they make in terms of these LDCs during their Gr 1 year. The English and isiXhosa LOLT groups were then compared on how they fared on the LDCs in their respective LOLTs in order to ascertain whether the English language proficiency of the English group is at such a level at the start of Gr 1 that they can, without disadvantage, undergo schooling successfully in English. Data were collected on articles, binding relations, quantifiers and passive constructions by using the informal language assessment instrument, the Receptive and Expressive Activities for Language Therapy (Southwood & Van Dulm 2012a), which makes use of picture selection- and pointing tasks for assessment of comprehension and sentence completion, picture description- and question answering tasks for assessment of production. The results showed that for the Afrikaans and English groups all four LDCs are indeed later developing and are only mastered after the end of Gr 1. For the isiXhosa group, quantifiers and passive production are mastered by the end of Gr 1. In terms of the language-in-education and teaching policy, the results show that the time allocated to listening to and producing language in Gr 1 is sufficient for children whose first language is also their LOLT, whereas it is not sufficient in the case of English additional language learners. The latter group made significant progress in all LDCs assessed, but still performed worse than their isiXhosa-speaking peers, for whom there was a match between first language and LOLT. The implication of the results are that (i) the Foundation Phase school curriculum should be refined so as to consider the needs of all Gr 1 learners, as learners enter Gr 1 with different language skills and different levels of preparation for the tasks which lie before them, (ii) teachers should be assisted to foster the development of language skills in additional language learners, and (iii) the institution of a universal Gr R year, which is free to those who cannot afford school fees, should be considered a necessity. Without ensuring that all children enter Gr 1 with an adequate language foundation on which literacy development can build, historical inequalities still present in South Africa will likely be perpetuated rather than systematically removed.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die begrip en produksie van lidwoorde, kwantifiseerders, bindingsverhoudings en passiefkonstruksies as later-ontwikkelende konstruksies (LOKs) deur Graad 1 (Gr 1)-leerders. Die deelnemers was 27 eentalige Afrikaanssprekendes met Afrikaans as taal van leer en onderrig (TLO), 31 tweetalige isiXhosa-sprekendes met Engels as TLO en 31 eentalige isiXhosa-sprekendes met isiXhosa as TLO, in drie nie-skoolfondsbetalende skole, elk in 'n ander area met lae sosio-ekonomiese status in die Stellenbosch-omgewing in die Wes-Kaap Provinsie van Suid-Afrika. Die oorkoepelende doel van hierdie studie was om te bepaal watter LOKs hierdie leerders in staat is om te verstaan en te produseer aan die begin van Gr 1 en watter vordering hulle in terme van hierdie LOKs maak tydens hul Gr 1-jaar. Die Engelse en isiXhosa TLO-groepe is vergelyk in terme van hoe hulle gevaar het op die LOKs in hul onderskeie TLOs, ten einde vas te stel of die Engels-taalvaardighede van die Engelse TLO-groep op so 'n vlak aan die begin van Gr 1 is dat hulle sonder benadeling hul skoolopleiding suksesvol in Engels kan ontvang. Data is ingesamel oor lidwoorde, bindingsverhoudings, kwantifiseerders en passiefkonstruksies met die informele taalassesseringsinstrument, die Reseptiewe en Ekspressiewe Aktiwiteite vir Later-ontwikkelende Taalvaardighede (Southwood & Van Dulm 2012a), wat gebruik maak van prentseleksietake vir die assessering van taalbegrip en van sinsvoltooiings-, prentbeskrywings- en vraagbeantwoordingstake vir die assessering van taalproduksie. Die resultate het aangetoon dat al vier LOKs wel later ontwikkelend is vir die Afrikaanse en Engelse TLO-groepe en slegs bemeester word ná die einde van Gr 1. Vir die isiXhosa-groep is kwantifiseerders en passiefproduksie teen die einde van Gr 1 bemeester. Gegee die taal-in-onderwys- en onderrigbeleid toon die resultate dat die tyd wat toegeken is aan die ontwikkeling van luister- en taalproduksievaardighede in Gr 1 voldoende is vir kinders wie se eerste taal ook hul TLO is, terwyl dit onvoldoende is in die geval van Engels Addisionele Taalleerders. Laasgenoemde groep het beduidende vordering gemaak oor hul Gr 1-jaar in alle LOKs, maar het steeds swakker gevaar as hul isiXhosa-sprekende eweknieë wie se eerste taal en TLO ooreenstem. Die implikasies van die resultate is (i) dat die grondslagfase-skoolkurrikulum verfyn behoort te word met inagname van alle Gr 1-leerders se taalbehoeftes, omdat leerders Gr 1 betree met verskillende taalvaardigheidsvlakke asook verskillende vlakke van voorbereiding vir die take wat voorlê in Gr 1, (ii) dat onderwysers gehelp moet word om die ontwikkeling van taalvaardighede vir Addisionele Taal-leerders te bevorder, en (iii) dat die instelling van 'n universele Gr R-jaar, gratis vir diegene wat nie skoolfonds kan bekostig nie, as noodsaaklik beskou behoort te word. As daar nie verseker word dat alle kinders Gr 1 betree met ‘n voldoende taalbasis waarop geletterdheidsontwikkeling kan bou nie, sal historiese ongelykhede, steeds teenwoordig in Suid-Afrika, waarskynlik eerder voortgesit as stelselmatig verwyder word.
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Kim, Jean. "Negotiating multiple investments in languages and identities : the language socialization of Generation 1.5 Korean-Canadian university students." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/2797.

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The increasing number of immigrants in North America has made Generation 1.5 students--foreign-born children who immigrated to their host country with their first- generation immigrant parents (Rumbaut & Ima, 1988)--a significant population in Canadian and American schools (Fix & Passel, 2003; Gunderson, 2007). Of these students, many enter universities while still in the process of learning English as a second language (ESL). This often presents them with unique educational needs and challenges, which sometimes results in a “deficiency-oriented” view of Generation 1.5 university students (Harklau, 2000). However, much of the immigrant education research has thus far been limited to K-12 students, and the applied linguistics literature on Generation 1.5 university students has mostly examined their experiences within college and university ESL, writing, or composition program settings in the U.S. Therefore, this study addresses the gap in the literature through a qualitative multiple case study exploring the language socialization of seven Generation 1.5 Korean-Canadian university students. Triangulated data were collected over ten months through individual and group interviews with students and three English course instructors, questionnaires, students’ personal writings, and field notes. Drawing on the perspectives of language socialization (Duff & Hornberger, 2008) and language and identity (Norton, 2000), this study examined the contextual factors involved in the students’ language socialization processes and further investigated how these factors affected the students’ investments in languages and identities, as manifested in their everyday practices. The findings suggest that 1) in an ever-changing globalized world, the characteristics, including the educational goals and needs, of today’s Generation 1.5 Korean-Canadian students were considerably different from those of their predecessors; 2) through the complex interplay between their past, present, and future “imagined” experiences, the students were socialized into various beliefs and ideologies about language learning and use, often necessitating negotiations of investments in their identities and in their first, second, and sometimes third languages; and 3) given the diverse backgrounds and linguistic goals of these students, Generation 1.5 language learners should be seen from a “bi/multilingual and bicultural abilities” perspective rather than from a “deficiency-oriented” perspective. The study concludes with implications for policy, research, and pedagogy.
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Hawkins, Marty Ford. "Spellling through writing : a qualitative study of instructional strategies to promote developmental spelling /." free to MU campus, to others for purchase, 2003. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/mo/fullcit?p3115554.

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24

Coetzee, Renee Wilma. "Beyond buzzwords : towards an evaluation framework for computer assisted language Learning in the South African FET sector." Thesis, Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/2729.

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Thesis (MPhil (Modern Foreign Languages))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009.
The evaluation and selection of software is a complex undertaking best performed by those with applicable specialised skills and knowledge. When it comes to a field like CALL, which draws on the theory and best practice of a variety related disciplines, language teachers in the South African FET sector are unlikely to possess those specialised skills and knowledge beyond language learning content. In an effort to make the evaluation and selection of CALL software a more productive process, the literature pertaining to the components that constitute CALL and the South African FET context was reviewed. Based on this an evaluation framework was developed incorporating all the crucial contextual elements. The choice of a framework as opposed to a checklist was motivated by a need to reflect context at a variety of levels, combined with the flexibility allowing customisation for use in a variety of language learning settings.
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Perovuo, Matilda. "Our love, our language : A qualitative study on non-native speakers’ experiences of bilingual couplehood, language emotionality and self-perception in different languages." Thesis, Stockholms universitet, Centrum för tvåspråkighetsforskning, 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-157187.

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Ungureanu, Manuela L. "Naturalism and dualism in the study of language and mind." Thesis, McGill University, 1998. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=35720.

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The contemporary study in the philosophy of language concentrates extensively on a cluster of questions defining the problem of linguistic knowledge (Evans 1981, Davies 1989, Dummett 1991). What explains a speaker's language mastery? Is it knowledge that underwrites our linguistic abilities, and if so, what is the nature of this knowledge? Is rationality an intrinsic feature of language mastery, and if so, how does an account of linguistic knowledge accommodate the connection between language and rationality? While philosophers emphasize the importance of such questions for an account of language, the only systematic response to them has been based almost exclusively on research in psycho-linguistics, and in cognitive science, generally. And prominent cognitivists, such as Chomsky, use their view of linguistic knowledge to promote fervently the naturalistic ideal that the language researcher adhere faithfully to the methodology of the natural scientist, and to provide a thorough critique of any alternative (i.e., non-naturalistic or dualist) approach to language (Chomsky 1995a).
In the thesis, I respond to the negative side of cognitivism, and defend a non-naturalistic approach to linguistic knowledge which I call interpretivism. I argue that when applied to interpretivism the cognitivist's critique is rather inconclusive. And, by itself, the cognitivist's explanation of language does not imply that interpretivism is invalid, but rather leaves room for it. The cognitivist explicates linguistic knowledge either as a system of computational states (Stich 1975) or as a set of intentional states (Dwyer and Pietroski 1996). And while under the computationalist construal the cognitivist cannot address the rationality of language, under the intentionalist construal he does not do full justice to it. The interest of interpretivism lies thus in its emphasis on the rational aspects of language, and on the related idea that linguistic knowledge is multifarious: not only intentional or computational, but also similar in kind to the capacity for thought. Following Sellars [1960/1963], I introduce a broad view of explanations of human behaviour within which both the cognitivist and the interpretivist model of explanation are tenable. I conclude that there is room and a need for a non-naturalistic approach to linguistic knowledge, and that naturalism cannot be the only defensible strategy in the study of language.
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Wong, Shiu-yu Winnie. "Agrumentative writing in L1 Chinese and L2 English : a study of secondary six students in Hong Kong /." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1995. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B14709351.

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Boswell, Paul Duane. "Acquisition versus long-term retention of Japanese words and syntax by children and adults: Implications for the critical period hypothesis in second language learning." Diss., The University of Arizona, 1993. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/186502.

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The critical period hypothesis for second language learning, which states that young children learn additional languages better than adults, lacks unambiguous empirical support as well as a coherent theoretical model. An experimental study was conducted which analyzed child-adult differences in difficulty of acquisition and long-term retention for rules of syntax and words in Japanese, a language unfamiliar to the subjects. The results of this study found no advantage for children over adults either in acquisition or long-term memory. However, relative to the difficulty of acquisition, the children had lower forgetting rates for words than for rules when both materials were learned completely. In the lexical study, the children's performance at retention was closer to the adults' than at acquisition, whereas in the syntax study, the opposite was the case. These results confirm the existence of developmental differences in the forgetting rates of different materials. Such results imply that, if there is an advantage for learning language at an early age, it might be localized in lexical retention.
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Chuk, Yim-ping Joanne. "Learning to teach, teaching to learn a longitudinal study of student teachers' autonomous development /." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 2010. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B4401417X.

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No, Seon-Hye. "Language socialization in two languages, schoolings, and cultures: a descriptive qualitative case study of Korean immigrant children." Diss., University of Iowa, 2011. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/1251.

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This is a descriptive qualitative study that explored Korean and English learning for Korean transnational immigrant children living in the United States. The study design included qualitative methods. Observations of five children in a Korean language school offered information about how they were taught Korean to retain their heritage language and culture. Additional observations of two of the children in their respective local public schools offered descriptions of their experiences learning English and U.S. public school culture. Interviews with the three teachers in these classrooms, as well as with three of the children's mothers, added background information and extended the observations. A thematic analysis process led to further understanding about the differences in the three classroom learning environments and described the ways instruction was delivered, the ways the individual children demonstrated their language learning, and the cultural context in each setting. The study found that the Korean language school and English speaking elementary schools were essential for the Korean immigrant children to improve their language proficiency in two languages as well as to learn different cultural and educational expectations.
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Britz, Lize. "Suggestopaedie als alternative Methode in der aktuellen Diskussion zu Fremdsprachenmethoden : Theorie und Praxis im sudafrikanischen DaF-Kontext." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/85772.

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Thesis (MA)-- Stellenbosch University, 2013.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The following thesis aims to contribute to the field of teaching German as a foreign language. It investigates the evolutionary history of Suggestopaedia, an alternative teaching method which originated during the late 1970s. The Bulgarian psychiatrist, Dr. Georgi Lozanov, discovered that relaxation and a stress-free environment promote both accelerated learning and memory retention. Further research proves that the combined elements and techniques of this method play a significant role to positively manipulate brain activity as well as individual perceptions, which could eventually result in the development of the personality. The author of this study analyses both the contributions and shortcomings of Suggestopaedia, reporting from personal experience gathered while teaching at a university in South Africa, and subsequently suggests an altered version of the suggestopaedic teaching ways. Various foreign language teaching methodologies are examined and evaluated while the main focus remains on Suggestopaedia and its principle of holistic learning. By exploiting the eclectic aspects of the suggestopaedic teaching method, this thesis investigates to what extent selected elements of different conventional methods can be integrated into Suggestopaedic teaching. Thereby the author ultimately proposes a holistic, enriched and modernized variant of Lozanovs Suggestopaedia for the teaching of German at schools in South Africa, by demonstrating practical examples executed at a private school.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis poog om ʼn bydrae te lewer tot die gebied in die onderrig van Duits as ʼn vreemdetaal. Dit ondersoek die evolusionêre geskiedenis van Suggestopedie wat as „n onderrigmetode in die laat 1970‟s ontstaan het. Die Bulgaarse psigiater, dr. Georgi Lozanov, het bevind dat „n ontspanne en stresvrye omgewing beide versnelde leer en geheue retensie bevorder. Verdere navorsing toon dat die gekombineerde elemente en tegnieke van hierdie metode „n betekenisvolle rol speel om brein-aktiwiteit positief te manipuleer en individuele persepsies positief te beïnvloed, wat ten slotte ʼn persoonlikheidsontwikkeling tot gevolg kan hê. Die skrywer van hierdie studie analiseer sowel die bydrae asook die tekortkominge van Suggestopedie aan die hand van persoonlike ervaring wat versamel is tydens onderrig aan „n Suid-Afrikaanse universiteit. Hieruit word dan „n gewysigde weergawe van suggestopediese onderrig voorgestel. Verskeie vreemdetaal-onderrigmetodes word ondersoek en geassesseer, terwyl die fokus steeds op Suggestopedie en die beginsel van holistiese leer bly. Deur gebruik te maak van die eklektiese aspek van die suggestopediese leermetode, ondersoek die skrywer tot watter mate geselekteerde elemente van verskillende konvensionele metodes geintegreer kan word met Suggestopedie. Met bogenoemde navorsing inaggeneem, stel die skrywer gevolglik „n holistiese, verrykte en gemoderniseerde weergawe van Lozanov se Suggestopedie voor, aan die hand van praktiese voorbeelde wat by „n privaatskool toegepas is.
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32

Weyrick, David. "The utilization of pedagogical techniques sensitive to potential student frustration in the study of New Testament Greek." Theological Research Exchange Network (TREN), 1990. http://www.tren.com.

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33

Sepeng, Johannes Percy. "Grade 9 second-language learners in township schools : issues of language and mathematics when solving word problems." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1455.

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Second language (English) learning of mathematics is common in South African mathematics classrooms, including those in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa where isiXhosa speakers are taught in the language that is not spoken at home by both teachers and learners. The purpose of this research was to investigate issues of language, both home (isiXhosa) and the language of learning and teaching (LoLT), i.e. English, when 9th grade second language learners engage in problem-solving and sense-making of wor(l)d problems in multilingual mathematics classrooms. In addition, the aim of the study was to explore whether the introduction of discussion and argumentation techniques in these classrooms can ameliorate these issues. The study used a pre-test – intervention – post-test mixed method design utilising both quantitative and qualitative data. The data collection strategies for the purpose of this study included interviews (learners [n=24] and teachers [n=4]), classroom observations, and tests (experimental [n=107] and comparison [69]) in four experimental and two comparison schools in townships of Port Elizabeth. This study is framed by socio-cultural perspective which proposes that collective and individual processes are directly related and that students‘ unrealistic responses to real world problems reflect the students‘ socio-cultural relationship to school mathematics and their willingness to employ the approaches emphasised in school. Analysis of the data generated from pre- and post-tests, interviews and classroom observation schedule suggest that the interventional strategy significantly improved the experimental learners‘ problem-solving skills and sense-making abilities in both English and isiXhosa (but more significantly in English). The statistical results illustrate that the experimental group performed statistical significantly (p < .0005) better in the English posttest compared to comparison group. The data also suggests that the interventional strategy in this study (discussion and argumentation techniques) positively influenced the participating learners‘ word problem-solving abilities. The experimental group appeared to show a tendency to consider reality marginally better than the comparison group after the intervention. In particular, learners seemed to make realistic considerations better in the isiXhosa translation post-test compared to the English post-test. A large practical significant (d = 0.86) difference between the experimental group and the comparison group was also noted in the isiXhosa translation compared to a moderate practical significance (d = 0.57) noted in the English tests after the intervention. As such, the results of the study suggest that the introduction of discussion and argumentation techniques in the teaching and learning of mathematics word problems had a positive effect on learners‘ ability to consider reality during word problem-solving in both languages. Analysis of learners‘ interviews suggests that, although English is the preferred LoLT, they would prefer dual-use/parallel-use of English and isiXhosa for teaching and learning mathematics. There was also evidence of the benefits of code-switching throughout most of the lessons observed, coupled with instances of peer translation, and/or re-voicing. Overall results in this study illustrate that number skills displayed and mathematical errors made by learners seem to be directly related to language use in the classroom.
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Khweyane, Matshelane Anna. "The influence of the dialect Sepulana on learning of Sepedi at Sabie Circuit, Mpumalanaga Province, South Africa." Thesis, University of Limpopo, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10386/1674.

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Thesis (M.A. (African Languages))-- University of Limpopo, 2014
The study was intended to investigate the influence and the impact which Sepulana as a dialect has on the learning of Sepedi as the standard language. The findings included among others: Sepulana has a negative impact on the learning of Sepedi as a standard language in Sabie circuit, Bohlabela district of Mpumalanga Province. Secondly, most Sepedi educators who speak Sepulana use the dialect to offer Sepedi in the formal classroom situation, and as such, learners become confused on whether to use Sepedi or Sepulana words. The study recommends that teachers of Sepedi be encouraged to teach Sepedi and not Sepulana in class, and also that teachers should upgrade their Sepedi qualifications to enable them to have in-depth knowledge of the language.
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Zhao, Huajing. "Gender construction and its negotiation in the course of second language learning : a case study of Chinese students learning English as a foreign language in a state secondary school." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 2010. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.609067.

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36

Fisher, Linda. "Constructing beliefs in the foreign language classroom using metaphor as a sociocultural tool." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 2014. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.648820.

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Chan, Hang. "The effectiveness of teaching methods incorporating formulaic sequences for foreign language oral fluency." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 2014. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.648794.

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38

Stear, Ezekiel Glenn. "Dual-language drama as a door to classic literature." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 2007. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/3270.

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The author believes that the mediation of classic literature through drama would increase student's opportunity for academic success on the secondary and post-secondary levels of education. This project develops curriculum and materials using dramatic adaptations of ancient literature created by the author.
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39

Henton, Caroline Gilles. "A comparative study of phonetic sex-specific differences across languages." Thesis, University of Oxford, 1986. http://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:0c4b9ca7-6b19-4832-9ace-bc1d142ac8ae.

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Extensive reviews of phonetic and phonological investigations into sex-related differences reveal a mottled history. The investigations suffer from methodological and theoretical deficits: the most serious being the misrepresentation of the interaction between variables, a lack of homogeneous data and its misinterpretation, and the widespread neglect of women's speech. Existing phonetic databases are shown to be inadequate and poorly-controlled, admitting too many unwanted variables. A very tightly-controlled database, constructed for this research, contains data for eighty female and male speakers of two accents of British English. This contribution is regarded as important per se. Digital acoustic analysis of the data permits quantification of the phonetic divergence shown by the sexes in British English. Previous attempts to normalize the acoustic effects of speaker-sex on vowels have been largely unsuccessful. Here, the application of an innovative auditory normalization procedure reflects how perceptual normalization may be achieved. It further demonstrates that male/female phonetic differences remain after normalisation, which cannot be accounted for by anatomy, but are accountable by social-role conditioning (i.e. learned). These differences are statistically significant. Speaker-sex and gender are thus shown to interact at the phonetic level. Extending this technique to five other languages/dialects corroborates the central hypothesis that the degree to which the sexes diverge phonetically will vary from speech-community to speech-community. Exploration of the possibility that contoids will reveal similar systematicity shows this to be unlikely across languages. The examination of suprasegmental sex-associated differences, however, merits further pursuit. Implications of these experimental findings are discussed for 'inter alia' speech technology, language-planning and medical aids. Using sex-linked differential voice quality as a springboard, it is suggested that sex-appropriate norms are required in speech pathology. The need for socio- phonetics to be recognized as an important new discipline is thus underlined.
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40

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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De, Leo Davide. "The translation of judgments in different and similar legal systems and languages/language varieties : an empirical study." Thesis, University of Surrey, 2011. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.543766.

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42

Fox, Christine M. "Writing across cultures : contrastive rhetoric and a writing center study of one student's journey /." View online ; access limited to URI, 2003. http://0-wwwlib.umi.com.helin.uri.edu/dissertations/dlnow/3141842.

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43

Malie, Tebogo Ma'Khopotso. "Improve your essay writing : the essential guide." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/21239.

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Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The application designed is an attempt to solve the problems that students face in writing well balanced academic essays. These are essays that are correct in structure and form, coherent and cohesive, well referenced, and not plagiarised. These concerns are addressed in five basic units. These are "Where to Start", "The Basic Structure", "Paragraphing", "Referencing" and "Exercises". The exercises serve as a summary of all the units. This application derived out of the needs of the students of the University of Botswana. The content was a result of a needs analysis done through observation and interviews. The evaluation of the application was done by the students themselves and fellow students at Stellenbosch University.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie voorlegging is 'n soeke na 'n oplossing vir die probleme wat studente ondervind om 'n goed-gebalanseerde akademiese essay (werkstuk, proefskrif, tesis) te skryf. Hierdie is essays wat in struktuur en vorm korrek is, duidelik en relevant is, korrekte verwysings het en nie nageskryf (plagiaat) is nie. Die probleme is in vyf afdelings bespreek; nl. "Waar om te Begin", "Die Basiese Struktuur", "Paragrawe", "Verwysings" en "Oefeninge". Die oefeninge dien as opsomming vir al die eenhede. Hierdie voorlegging het ontstaan uit ’n behoefte van die studente by die Universiteit Botswana. Die inhoud was die resultaat van 'n behoefte-analise wat deur observasie en onderhoude gedoen is. Die evaluasie is deur die betrokke studente en studente aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch gedoen.
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Woodman, Karen. "A study of linguistic, perceptual and pedagogical change in a short-term intensive language program." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1998. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk3/ftp04/nq36654.pdf.

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Ssembatya, Henry Hollan. "An analysis of the implementation of the integrated approach in a Luganda language classroom in Uganda." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/14422.

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This qualitative study set out to examine how the integrated approach to language teaching led to an enhancement in Luganda language practices in selected ordinary level secondary schools in the Kampala district of Uganda. The study was positioned within an interpretive paradigm, and employed a phenomenological approach in its intention to uncover the lived experiences and common hidden meanings that participants attached to the phenomena. Purposeful sampling was used to identify 30 teachers from 15 schools and 3 inspectors of school curricula who participated in the study. Data generation strategies included personal interviews and observations which were analyzed according to transcendental phenomenological data analysis methods such as bracketing, horizontalization, clustering into themes, textual description, structural description and textual-structural essence of the study. This study is located in the field of language education and informed by the theoretical framework of the cognitive constructivist theory of learning. In terms of the integrated approach in a Luganda language classroom, the findings show firstly, that teachers held positive perceptions towards the integrated approach in a Luganda language classroom and, as such, they perceived it as a basis for teaching language content and literacy practices collectively through various interactive strategies. Secondly, teachers implemented the integrated approach in a Luganda language classroom as a practical-based activity where learners are engaged in tasks which promote meaningful and real communication in the form of content, task-based instruction, literary texts or readers and contextual or experiential learning. Thirdly, findings on the enhancement of language practices in an integrated Luganda language classroom show that if teachers adopted and implemented the principles of the integrated approach, learners would be motivated to acquire not only the four language practices, but also other related practices such as cognitive, social and interpersonal practices which collectively simplify the language use. Lastly, while teachers are aware of what learners could achieve in an integrated Luganda language classroom, findings indicate that they are demotivated by the many challenges in the implementation process which stem from the teachers, the education system, the learners, and the integrated approach itself. The major implications and recommendations of this study’s findings include: firstly, teachers’ perceptions on the use of the integrated approach in a Luganda language classroom imply that since language learning is a function of social and meaningful classroom interactions learning activities should recognize a teacher as a reflective practitioner, consultant or facilitator of learning rather than an instructor. Secondly, the implementation of the integrated approach in a language classroom would require teachers to be grounded in both practical and theoretical instructional strategies which form a basis for monitoring and engaging learners’ oral and interactive practices. Thirdly, the enhancement of language practices is an outcome of classroom motivation and active interactions which involve creative and critical thinking. Thus, creating and sustaining situations for the enhancement of language practices in a language classroom would require effective branding of learners’ interactive activities with ample opportunities for practice as well as instructional support. Fourthly, considering the perceived challenges in the implementation of the integrated approach, the overall recommendation would be that those challenges need to be resolved if the integrated approach is to be successfully implemented in the context of the Luganda language. An awareness of such challenges provides teachers, educators and policy-makers with insightful ideas in terms of how to manage or change instructional strategies in the classroom.
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Chan, Suk-ching Clarice, and 陳淑貞. "A sociocultural study of second language tasks in business English contexts: an activity theory perspective ontask processes and outcomes." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2010. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B45554444.

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Cassidy, James P. "A case study of standards-based learning and assessment at the Middlebury College language schools : implications for policy and practice /." view abstract or download file of text, 2002. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/uoregon/fullcit?p3055676.

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2002.
Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 236-267). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.
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48

Hirvela, Alan. "A study of the integration of literature and communicative language teaching." Thesis, University of Stirling, 1993. http://hdl.handle.net/1893/2140.

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Since the early 1980s, attitudes toward literature in English language teaching (ELT) have undergone two major changes. First, after a long period in which literature was essentially excluded from ELT, it began to be seen in a more favourable light. Second, literature began to be viewed more as a tool in ELT, rather than as the end towards which ELT students should be led. These changes in attitude have led to a surge of interest in literature in ELT, particularly in the context of Communicative language teaching (CLT). This study examines, in several ways, the nature and the extent of this renewed interest in literature. The study explores the evolution of these changes, and puts them in perspective by creating various classifications for current types of approaches to literature in ELT and CLT. It also investigates the degree to which interest in literature in ELT has moved from research and scholarship to actual practice among teachers. In addition, it attempts to extend literature's applications in CLT by experimenting with the use of literature in a domain of CLT generally regarded as unsuited to literature-based teaching: English for Specific Purposes (ESP). The study also offers a series of proposals through which further integration of literature and CLT can take place.
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Gallagher, John James. "Vernacular language-learning in early modern England." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 2015. https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.708914.

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50

Chavali, Nalini. "Learning from learners : perceptions of self-access language learning in a Hong Kong secondary school /." Thesis, Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 2001. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk:8888/cgi-bin/hkuto%5Ftoc%5Fpdf?B23424400.

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