Second language learning
95 theses under this subject heading
The effects of mnemonics on L2 vocabulary learning
This thesis aims to investigate the effect of mnemonics on second language (L2) vocabulary acquisition through a meta-analysis methodology. By conducting a comprehensive review of the literature on mnemonics in L2 vocabulary learning, this study explores their potential as a valuable tool for enhancing vocabulary acquisition skills among second language learners. The analysis incorporates findings from three studies, which collectively provide evidence suggesting a positive influence of mnemonics on L2 vocabulary acquisition. Moreover, this research presents a collection of innovative and unique mnemonic examples to contribute practical resources for future studies in the field. These mnemonic examples aim to support the exploration of mnemonic strategies in teaching and learning L2 vocabulary. The results of the meta-analysis indicate the potential benefits of mnemonics in improving learners' ability to retain and recall new vocabulary items, particularly for individuals with lower proficiency levels. Ultimately, this thesis seeks to contribute to the existing body of knowledge on mnemonics in L2 education, highlighting their potential and inspiring further investigation into their practical application for optimizing L2 vocabulary acquisition.
A longitudinal conversation analytic study on L2 construction learning in a kindergarten classroom
This study documents the intricate relationship between classroom interaction and L2 learning by bringing empirical evidence for L2 construction learning in a kindergarten EFL classroom. The longitudinal video-recorded data were collected from a face-masked kindergarten classroom during the Covid-19 pandemic and examined using Multimodal Conversation Analysis. The analysis showed the emergence of two L2 constructions as the immediate learning objects and the retrospective and prospective examination of the data allowed for the documentation of their gradual sedimentation into two different learners' L2 repertoires. For the better understanding of the learners' and the teacher's roles in shaping the learning processes, the analysis was organized as (i) teacher initiated L2 construction learning (i.e., little bit) and (ii) learner initiated L2 construction learning (i.e., me too). With the examination of the cases of little bit, interactional routines, embodied explanations, translanguaging, choral repetition, understanding checks, repairing dispreferred responses, and designedly incomplete utterances were found as the teacher practices deployed strategically for the introduction and circulation of the construction to facilitate L2 construction learning. The analysis of the construction me too indicated the learners' collaborative accomplishment of resolving an interactional trouble as the point of emergence, and the focal learner's peer-prompted and finally unprompted use of the construction in situ. Accordingly, learner initiated L2 construction learning was enacted as an outcome of the prominent role of peers, thus their learner initiatives, in creating learning opportunities. The findings bring new insights into L2 learning in kindergarten classrooms and provide rich pedagogical implications to kindergarten language teachers.
The relationship between high school students' l2 digital identities and their self-efficacy
Language learner identity is the core of learners' choices, perceived roles, and ways to portray themselves to the world in their learning process. With the rise of informal digital learning of English, many learners learn English on various platforms with diverse goals and motivations. This situation makes language learners create a second language (L2) digital identity by leading them to assume new roles suitable for these digital learning platforms. Numerous studies have been conducted to investigate the impacts of these constructed identities on learners' language skills or willingness to communicate. However, there is a scarcity of research on how language learners construct their L2 digital identities, and whether these identities affect learners' beliefs about their capabilities in the classroom. Therefore, by focusing on learners' experiences and feelings in digital language activities and their beliefs about their abilities in classroom tasks, this study uncovered the relationship between learners' L2 digital identity constructions and their self-efficacy. Adopting an exploratory sequential mixed method, this study used semi-structured interviews and structured questionnaires as the data collection tool which were collected from 116 high school students. Interviews were analyzed with thematic analysis and questionnaires were analyzed with correlation and regression analysis. The findings showed that there is a positive relationship between learners' L2 digital identities, their classroom involvement and English self-efficacy. The study will raise teachers' and educators' awareness of learners' needs and wants and help them to keep up with this era's changing needs through new digital-based language materials and methods supporting autonomous learning. Keywords: Language learning, second language (L2) digital identity, self-efficacy, informal digital learning of English, high school student
Teacher factor on anxiety level of university preparatory school learners' speaking
Anxiety has been seen by many teachers and researchers as a barrier in language learning process as it prevents the learners from learning effectively. Also, determining the impacts of negative feelings on language learning process is quite important for teachers since these feelings may be a mental block for the learners by preventing them from using comprehensible input they get. Although there are numerous studies on the impact of anxiety level in language classrooms and on the reasons that might cause anxiety, there are relatively fewer studies on teachers' impact on anxiety level of learners' speaking. With this in mind, this study aims to explore the role of the teachers on anxiety level of university prepapartory school learners' speaking skill. For this study, a quantitative research design with the help of an online questionnaire, which was administered to the university preparatory learners studying at a state university based in Ankara, was used. Based on the data analysis, the research presented here showed how teachers can increase or decrease the anxiety level of foreign language learners especially while they are speaking the target language. The findings can contribute to a better learning environment with lower affective filter by revealing the relationship between teacher and learners' anxiety level.
Uluslararası öğrencilere yönelik akademik Türkçe söz varlığının tespiti
Türkçenin söz varlığına yönelik çalışmalar incelendiğinde, bu çalışmalarda söz varlığının farklı açılardan ele alındığını söylemek mümkündür. Söz konusu çalışmalardan birkaçı şöyle tasnif edilebilir: Sözcüklerin kökenlerini merkeze alıp zaman içinde geçirdikleri değişimleri ortaya koyan çalışmalar, sözcüklerin yapısına odaklanıp aldıkları ekleri, bu eklerin kullanım alanlarını inceleyen araştırmalar veya sözcüklerin anlamlarını esas alıp kullanıldıkları bağlamdan hareketle kazandıkları anlama odaklanan çalışmalar. Alanyazın ışığında tasnifteki çalışmalar tarandığında, hâlihazırda akademik Türkçeye yönelik çok az sayıda söz varlığı çalışması olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Bu tespitten hareketle çalışmada, derlem dilbilim aracılığıyla akademik dilin doğal kullanım örneklerinin saptanması ve bir sözcük listesi aracılığıyla öğrenim/öğretim ortamına taşınması amaçlanmıştır. Bu amaç doğrultusunda öncelikle akademik Türkçeye yönelik temsil gücü yüksek, geniş kapsamlı ve dengeli bir özel derlem oluşturulmaya çalışılmıştır. Türkçenin Akademik Derlemi (TAD) adı verilen bu derlemden hareketle oran, aralık, dağılım ve disiplin ölçütleri göz önünde bulundurularak 1567 sözcük içeren Türkçenin Akademik Sözcük Listesi (TASL) hazırlanmıştır. Oluşturulan akademik derlem ve akademik sözcük listesiyle uluslararası öğrencilerin B2 düzeyinden başlayarak özellikle akademik Türkçe derslerinde ders içi ve ders dışı uygulamalarda yararlanabilecekleri bir materyal geliştirilmiştir. Eğitim amaçlı bu materyal, yalnızca öğrencilerin değil öğreticilerin, materyal tasarımcıların, sınav geliştiricilerin ve söz varlığı çalışmaları yapan araştırmacıların da kullanımına sunulmuştur. Böylelikle akademik Türkçe dersleri için tanımlanabilir, gerçekçi hedeflerin belirlenmesi ve uluslararası öğrencilere daha nitelikli bir akademik Türkçe eğitimi verilmesine yönelik bir adım atıldığı düşünülmektedir.
International students' second language pragmalingistic change, culture shock and social identity relation
This mixed-methods study explores the interrelationships among pragmalinguistic development, culture shock, and social identity of 40 international students in the Bridge to Academic Success in English (BASE) program at Renison University College affiliated by University of Waterloo. Data were collected using a questionnaire, discourse completion tests, and semi-structured interviews, and analyzed through SPSS, CCSARP coding manual used by Blum-Kulka et al., and thematic analysis. The findings suggest that participants experienced culture shock, as shown by the questionnaire, DCTs, and interviews. Pragmalinguistic development also improved, bringing participants closer to native speakers, as measured by the control group of Canadian undergraduate students. Participants reported decreased interpersonal stress over time, indicating the BASE program's positive impact on social identity. This study contributes to the literature on second language acquisition and cross-cultural communication, providing insights into the complex relationships among pragmalinguistic development, culture shock, and social identity of international students. Utilizing the CCSARP coding manual and thematic analysis provides rigor and credibility to the study's findings. This study's comprehensive approach distinguishes it from prior research that focused on a single aspect of international student experiences. Conducting the research in a particular cultural context offers a unique perspective on the international student experience at Renison University College. The study provides a nuanced and holistic understanding of the challenges international students face when adapting to new language and culture. These findings may assist educators, researchers, and practitioners in providing necessary support and resources to international students to succeed in their academic and personal growth.
İkinci/yabancı dil olarak Türkçe öğrenenlerin sözel hatalarına ilişkin öğretici tercihleri ve tutumları
Bu araştırmanın amacı ikinci/ yabancı dil olarak Türkçe öğrenenlerin sözel hatalarına ilişkin öğretici tercihleri ve tutumlarının nasıl olduğunu ortaya koymaktır. Bu noktadan hareketle çalışmada öğrenicilerin başlangıç ve orta düzeylerinde ne tür hatalar yaptıkları, öğreticilerin hangi düzeltme geri bildirimlerini tercih ettikleri ve öğrenici tepkileri incelenmiştir. Çalışmada nitel araştırma türlerinden olan gözlem ve görüşme tekniği kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın veri tabanını oluşturmak amacıyla Ankara'da bulunan Özel Mengütaş Dil Eğitim Merkezi'nden başlangıç ve orta düzey; Gazi Üniversitesi TÖMER'den (Türkçe Öğretim Merkezi) sadece orta düzeylerdeki sınıflarda gözlem yapılmış ve sınıflardan ses kaydı alınmıştır. Başlangıç ve orta düzeylerinde beşer sınıf olmak üzere toplam 10 sınıftan ses kaydı alınmıştır. Ayrıca geri bildirim tercihlerinin anlaşılması maksadıyla 8 öğreticiyle mülakat yapılmıştır. Elde edilen veriler ışığında, öğrenicilerin sözel iletişim süreçlerindeki hataları, Ranta ve Lyster'ın (1997) düzeltme geri bildirim stratejileri temelinde incelenmiştir. Sınıf içi gözlemler sonucunda elde edilen verilere göre öğrenicilerin başlangıç düzeyinde en çok söz dizimsel ve ses bilgisel hatalar; orta düzeyde ise söz dizimsel ve sözcüksel hatalar yaptığı gözlemlenmiştir. Sınıf içi gözlemlerde başlangıç düzeyinde en çok tercih edilen geri bildirimler açık düzeltme, söyletim ve üst dilsel geri bildirimken; orta düzeyde açık düzeltme ve yeniden biçimlendirme stratejileridir. Mülakatta verilen cevaplar incelendiğinde öğreticiler başlangıç düzeyinde açık düzeltme, yeniden biçimlendirme ve tekrar etme; orta düzeyde ise üst dilsel geri bildirim, söyletim ve açıklığa kavuşturma talebini sıklıkla kullandıklarını ifade etmiştir. Ancak öğreticiler tarafından uygulamalarda ve mülakatta tercih edilen geri bildirimlerin aralarında tutarlılık olmadığı tespit edilmiştir. Konuşma hatalarına yönelik geri bildirim verme sıklığı incelendiğinde uygun zamanda ve uygun şekilde verilen düzeltme geri bildirimlerinin öğreniciler üzerinde olumlu bir etkide bulunduğu kanısına varılmıştır. Ayrıca konuşma akıcılığını bozmamak ve öğreniciyi konuşmaya güdülemek amacıyla öğreticilerin her konuşma hatasına düzeltme geri bildirimi vermemesi gerektiği sonucuna varılmıştır. Anahtar Sözcükler: Hata, yanılma, yanlış, sözel hatalar, düzeltme geri bildirimleri.
Özgüvenin ikinci dil edinimindeki etkisi
Some of the English language students with learning difficulty are suffering from the problem of self-confidence. But the problem of this feeling hasn't been solved. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between lack of self-confidence and success of language acquisition. In this study we examined the assertiveness level of 178 students (female and male) from Atatürk University and İstanbul Aydın University. These students participated in the study during the 2013-2014 academic year.The Rathus Assertiveness Schedule was applied in this study. The statistical analysis of data is obtained by the inventory results and exam scores of these students who learn English language.178 students were randomly chosen from İstanbul Aydın University and Erzurum Atatürk Universty.89 of them were from İstanbul and the other 89 students were from Erzurum. The Rathus Assertiveness Schedule (RAS) was used first and then the relationship between these students' assertiveness and their exam scores were examined. Results are evaluated in terms of some sub-variables such as gender, sections, and universities. Keywords: Self-confidence, Acquisition of language, Assertiveness.
An investigation on the influence of temperament on l2 achievement in Turkish intermediate level of efl speakers
Since the dawn of psychology, there have been studies conducted to understand human beings behavior and reason behind these actions and reactions and how it affects language acquisition, including L2 acquisition. This study examined the awareness of temperament types among Turkish L2 speakers, and went on to analyze if and how the various temperament affect language learning, acquisition and skills in intermediate level Turkish English language learners. The primary data consisted of 50 males and females to make a total of 100, all took a personality test to determine the category they belong to in their temperament, and in addition went through tests based on different language: vocabulary, grammar, comprehension, and reading, while also being tested in an oral interview for the speaking aspect of L2. The subjects for data collection were purposively selected, and the collated data were analyzed using SPSS (version 20.0) while utilizing ANOVA and Spearman's Correlation Analysis. The findings showed that there was a limited knowledge of what the four temperaments are by the respondents. However, some have an idea what their temperaments might be. This means that majority are aware of the differences in human behavior, and some actually took their time to study what temperaments may be and how it affects human behavior. There was the high awareness of sanguine-phlegmatic tendencies by the respondents. In addition, the role that temperament played in reading is important, which means that the temperament one has goes a long way to either positively or negatively influence the ability to read in English. However, when it came to writing, speaking and listening, the influence of temperament may not be important as they were not significantly correlated to any temperament type. The study concluded that the findings have serious implication for both the students of EFL and the language teachers, and that temperament shows some kind of role in the performance of the second language learning in Turkish learners. Also the teachers should encourage the most reticent students by increasing opportunities for communication and try to make sure that the most outspoken do not drown the latter or hinder them from learning. Keywords: EFL Speaking; Personality; Eysenck; Phlegmatic; Sanguine; Choleric; Melancholic; L2; L1; SLA
Raising pragmatic competence in foreign language classrooms
Second language pragmatics has recently been a prevailing topic in the field of second language teaching. While many studies have been conducted about why, how and what to incorporate regarding the teaching of pragmatic competence, there are still unsolved issues about them. This study addresses the possibility of developing pragmatic competence in EFL classrooms through well-designed curricular courses. The study also examined the impact of proficiency in expediting pragmatic production in English L2 learners. Fifty senior university students (25 males; 25 females) with English high proficiency attended the course, participating in a pre-test before instruction began and a post-test upon course completion. The study addresses several significant questions, namely the relationship of proficiency and development of pragmatic competence, the impact of class-based explicit instruction in raising competence, and the role of gender as an influencing factor affecting competence. Unlike previous studies, this study covered more than one aspect of pragmatic production, including inference, implicatures, structural errors in meaning and interpretation, and speech act (requests, refusals, apology and offer). The study produced key findings that can help inform and improve the incorporating of pragmatic competence in language study; proficiency level significantly impacts pragmatic competence; pragmatic-based curricula are supportive in constructing competence; gender factor does not affect learning pragmatics, as both genders performed similarly in the tests. Eventually pragmatic competence can expectedly be raised via classrooms-based courses.
Applying TPACK to foster dynamic Language acquisition in an ESL/EFL classroom: A systematic review
Integrating technology in the teaching of English as foreign/second language infusing TPCK – Technological pedagogical and content knowledge framework as introduced by Mishra & Koehler (2006) plays an important role in the 21st century on how to foster pedagogical improvement of education, as well still considered a new field for researchers and educators. Educators' knowledge and competence of ICT usage within a classroom setting, is highly required in achieving the learning objectives. As of result, a systematic literature review probes TPCK application in EFL/ESL classroom of over than 60 journal articles, published between, 2011-2019 and books were studied and reviewed. On the one hand, English teaching principles, methods, and activities were particularly reviewed and discussed with relation to TPCK foundation, on the other hand, the review focused on investigating technology integration among pre-service teachers, and TPCK-framework among EFL/ESL in teacher education programs. Based on the reviews, it was deduced that TPCK-framework ought to be profoundly explored and additional empirical studies to be conducted applying TPCK to achieve technology integration whereby fostering dynamic EFL/ESL teaching and learning, as well, led to integral recommendations for the improvement of TPCK framework for pre-service teachers in teacher education programs.
İngilizce dil öğretiminde kısa öykünün kullanımı ve konuya ilişkin öğretmen görüşleri üzerine bir araştırma
Evrensel bir dil olan İngilizce'nin öneminin artmasıyla birlikte, dili daha interaktif, hızlı ve kalıcı bir şekilde öğretmenin ve öğrenmenin de önemi artmıştır. Bu sebeple çeşitli yöntem, teknik ve yaklaşımlar kullanılmaya başlanmıştır. Edebiyatın, İngilizce dil öğretimindeki önemi de tam manasıyla bu ihtiyaçtan doğmuştur. "Bu çalışma söz konusu durumu İngilizce dil öğretiminde kısa öykünün kullanımı ve konuya ilişkin öğretmen görüşleri nelerdir?" başlığıyla incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Bu araştırmanın temel amacı, alanda asıl oyuncular olan öğretmenlerin konu hakkındaki görüşlerini bütün açıklığı ile gözler önüne sermektir. Çalışma ayrıca kısa öykü kullanımının yabancı dildeki yeri ve önemi üzerine durmuştur. Araştırma nitel yöntemin görüşme tekniği aracılığıyla gerçekleştirilmiştir. İlk olarak görüşmede yer alan soruların belirlenebilmesi için alan uzmanlarından destek alınmıştır. On altı farklı öğretmen ile yapılan görüşme sonucunda, kısa öykünün yabancı dil öğretimindeki yeri araştırılmış ve yadsınamayacak derecede önemli olduğu anlaşılmıştır. Öğretmenlerin görüşlerinden elde edilen bulgulara göre edebiyatın türlerinden biri olan kısa öykünün kullanımı, dil öğretimini hem kolaylaştırmıştır hem de daha eğlenceli hale getirmiştir. Ancak, müfredatın yoğunluğu, öğrencilerin derse karşı olan ilgi ve tutumları, ailelerin sosyo-ekonomik durumları ve sınıfların kalabalık olması gibi olumsuz etkenler nedeniyle, kısa öykü anlatımının uygulama aşamasında çeşitli dezavantajlar barındırdığı katılımcılar tarafından ortak bir görüş olarak ifade edilmiştir.
Eine vergleichende studie zum zweitspracherwerb geflüchteter frauen in der Türkei und Deutschland
Today, migration and flight are among the most discussed topics. Turkey and Germany are two of the top five largest host countries. After arrival, the refugees encounter the legal and language-political framework of the countries. This doctoral thesis focuses on the language acquisition of female refugees in Turkey and Germany. Whit the central question, research was carried out how female refugee can become successful language learners and which factors promote and delay language acquisition. Triangulation was used as a research method, and questionnaire and interview techniques were developed and applied in both languages. For the comparative study, 210 female refugees in Berlin and Adana were questioned about language acquisition strategies, language understanding, course and living conditions. Quantitative and qualitative data was categorized, statistical analyzed and evaluated. Thes similarities and differences in the language acquisition oft the female regugees were presented. The study shows that the reasons for the differences are related to age, education, first and foreign language skills, number of children, use of the national language in everyday life and length of language course attendance, so that they could be proven significant in the analysis. It can be conculuded that flexible course times, the inclusion of female teachers and childcare during the language course should be made possible in Germany. In addition, the need for systematic language teaching in Turkey, as in Germany, as well as the consideration and development of the subject Turkish as a second language, must be planned and integrated for the linguistic inclusion of refugees in Turkey. Keywords: flight, asylum, female refugees, language acquisition, Germany, Turkey, Berlin, Adana
The nature of dialogic reflection on L2 spoken performances of tertiary-level students
This study aims to explore the nature of dialogic reflections of L2 tertiary level learners on their spoken performances through qualitative sociocultural research. To conduct the study, 24 tertiary level L2 learners were given six different speaking tasks throughout 12 weeks, and they did the tasks in the classroom with their pairs and audio-recorded their conversation. Then, the learners listened to their performances and reflected on them dialogically with their pair, and audio-recorded their reflections. The learners yielded 22 hours of interaction with their peers. All the tasks and reflections were recorded, transcribed, and categorized through MAXQDA, a software platform. To analyze the data, sociocultural theory-based analysis methods, which are microgenetic approach and sociocultural discourse analysis, both of which are included in microanalysis methods, were used. The findings revealed that there are two main categories occurring while reflecting dialogically. The most common one is showing regulatory behaviors, and the other one is having affective involvement. In the dialogic reflection sessions, regulatory behaviors appeared in two ways; (1) the learners either initiated a conversation by asking questions, making suggestions, asking for guidance or clarification, and raising awareness or (2) showed regulated behaviors by scaffolding their pairs, making language-related explanations, and establishing mutual understanding between each other. Besides, affective involvement happed in two ways; the first one happened when learners felt their achievement, and secondly when they wanted to praise their pairs or themselves. Finally, the findings give implications for the use of reflection with learners, learner improvement, and classroom interaction.
A sequential analysis of task entering practices in paired role-play tasks
Assessment of L2 learners' interactional competence (IC) as part of oral proficiency has recently increased since the understanding of L2 speaking has been expanded with social-situational language use. L2 oral proficiency assessment studies have attempted to define what entails IC construct and to provide evidence to its unfolding across different assessment settings including oral proficiency interviews, group/pair discussions, and role-plays. However, there is still scant evidence to what entails IC since previous research has focused on limited interactional setting (e.g., L2 requests, Al-Gahtani & Roever, 2012; L2 refusals, Al- Gahtani and Roever, 2018) and practices (e.g., topic management, Galaczi, 2014; Kley, 2019). Examining 49 paired role-play interactions with conversation analysis (CA), this study investigates how test takers initiate telling their unfulfilled childhood dreams. The findings show that test takers either project their telling through preliminaries (n = 38) or directly launch (n = 11) their telling. Further investigation demonstrates that the test takers transform the initiation of paired role-plays into a collaborative interactional event even when the telling of a childhood dream is directly launched. Additionally, the test takers draw on a variety of preliminary sources that are sequentially consequential, namely pre-pre sequences, pre-question sequences, pre-telling sequences, and story prefaces. Varying practices at the task entrance imply that assessment protocols should start within the task initiation phase and that preliminaries as a defining feature of IC can be used within such moments for scoring. For this purpose, an evidence-based rubric built on the test takers' observed practices are offered. Keywords: interactional competence assessment, conversation analysis, role plays, preliminaries
İkinci dil olarak Türkçe öğrenenlerin evrensel, kültürel ve dilsel mizahı anlama düzeyi
Mizah, dil gibi insana özgü becerilerden biri olarak sosyal iletişimi kimi zaman olumlu kimi zaman da olumsuz yönde etkileyen unsurlardan biridir. Bu bağlamda mizah, ikinci dil konuşucusu için hedef dil kültürüne dahil olmak adına önemli bir rol oynamaktadır. Öte yandan öğrenicilerin hedef dildeki mizah algısına, mizahi türlere aşinalığı sosyal tecrübelerini olumlu yönde gerçekleştirmelerini sağlayacaktır. Sosyal kabulün yanı sıra mizahın tepkilerinden biri olarak gülme dil öğretim sınıflarında da öğrenimi kolaylaştırıcı bir etki sağlayabilir, eğlenceli hale getirerek hedef dile olan motivasyonu arttırabilir. Bu bağlamda söz konusu araştırma, evrensel, kültürel ve dilsel mizah türlerinden hangisinin ikinci dil konuşucusu tarafından daha yüksek düzeyde kavrandığını belirlemeye çalışmaktadır. Araştırmada B2 ve üzeri düzeydeki 25 katılımcıya grafik mizah anlama sorularının bulunduğu Mizah Kavrayış Testi yöneltilmiş ve hedef dil mizahını anlamaları yönündeki öznel ve nesnel değerlendirmeler incelenmiştir. Mizah Kavrayış Testi, evrensel, kültürel ve dilsel olmak üzere üç ayrı mizah alt türünden otantik karikatürler içermektedir. Elde edilen bulgular ışığında dil öğretim sınıflarında mizah algısını geliştirmeyi hedefleyen etkinlikler için önerilere yer verilmiştir. Anahtar Sözcükler: Mizah, Kavrayış, İkinci Dil Öğrenimi, Evrensel Mizah, Kültürel Mizah, Dilsel Mizah.
A case study on the parameters underlying patterns of change in directed motivational currents
Following the introduction of "Directed Motivational Currents (DMCs)" theory in recent years to account for highly robust and productive motivational surges in second/foreign language learning (L2), we have witnessed the emergence of a wide range of studies seeking to enhance our understanding of this unique type of motivational phenomenon. However, research into DMCs as a construct is still lagging behind in the Turkish EFL context. Besides, although L2 motivation research is going through a paradigm shift nowadays that recognizes motivation as a dynamic phenomenon, there remains very little discussion on the dynamic nature of DMCs. Against this background, the aim of the current study is twofold: 1) to offer additional evidence on the validity of DMCs as a construct in the Turkish EFL context, 2) to investigate the parameters that cause motivational fluctuations in learners' DMC-induced motivational trajectory. The study utilized a qualitative database collected from 3 focal EFL learners studying in a private university in Turkey. First, ebbs and flows in participants' motivational trajectories were identified via self-plotted motigraphs over 4 weeks. Then, each participant was interviewed once a week to determine what caused their motivational fluctuations and the interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings indicated that a DMC is a highly complex, dynamic, and personal experience. The findings also revealed that learners' DMC experience is influenced by a multitude of social, personal and contextual factors. Taken together, the findings provide implications for how to facilitate the use of DMC-type motivation in L2 classroom settings.
The impact of metacognitive instruction on EFL learners' listening comprehension skill
The study explored the impact of an 8-week process-based metacognitive instruction with pedagogical procedures on listening comprehension performance and metacognitive awareness of 37 EFL listeners in Turkey regarding different listening proficiency levels and preparatory school backgrounds. A mixed-methods research design with a quasi-experimental study, including a pretest-posttest and an experimental-control group, was adopted in this study. The quantitative data were collected through the Metacognitive Awareness Listening Questionnaire (MALQ) to measure metacognitive awareness of listening before, during, and after metacognitive instruction, and an IELTS listening test as pretest and posttest to measure listening comprehension performance. The qualitative data was collected through stimulated recall protocols from the experimental group during and after the instruction to determine any changes in their metacognitive awareness over metacognitive instruction. Results showed that the experimental group showed a statistically significant increase in their listening performance on the final test to a medium extent. However, their metacognitive awareness of listening showed a non-significant increase at the end of the study, and this was also analyzed regarding the subdimensions of the MALQ. Besides, the experimental group had a significantly higher level of overall metacognitive awareness than the control group to a medium extent. Furthermore, more- and less-successful L2 listeners and preparatory school backgrounds made considerable differences in the study. Also, the quantitative findings on metacognitive awareness of listening were supported by some qualitative findings. Implications and suggestions for future research on learning and teaching L2 listening with the process-based metacognitive instruction were lastly discussed.
Alanya örneğinde Almanca-Türkçe iki dillilik: Ses, yapı ve anlambilim açısından toplumdilbilimsel bir inceleme
Toplumdilbilimsel temelli araştırmalar artan bir ivmeyle literatürde yerini almaktadır. Bu tezde de toplumdilbilimsel çalışma konularının başında gelen iki dillilik kavramı, Alanya'da yaşayan geç iki dilli Almanların hedef dil Türkçeyi konuşmaları üzerinden ses bilimsel, yapı bilimsel, anlam bilimsel ve söz dizimsel başlıklar altında Alanya merkez alınarak toplumdilbilimsel çerçevede incelenmiştir. Bu sebeple tezin ilk amacı katılımcıların Türkçeyi konuşurken Türkçeden yaptıkları ses bilimsel, yapı bilimsel, anlam bilimsel ve söz dizimsel sapmaları göstermek ve bunları tespit ederken kültürel farkındalık ve hazırbulunuşluk durumlarının onların dil edinim ve öğrenmelerine etkisini ortaya koymaktır. Çalışma sadece Alanya'da yaşayan yetişkin Türkçe bilen Almanları kapsarken; çalışmaya katılan bir erkek dışında katılımcıların tamamı kadın olduğu için cinsiyet, katılımcıların geldikleri eyaletler farklılık oluşturduğu için de eyaletlerin ağız özellikleri kapsam dışı tutularak standart Almanca temel alınmıştır. Bu çalışmada, yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme, gözlem ve içerik analizi olmak üzere birden fazla araştırma yöntemi uygulanmıştır. Yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme, önceden hazırlanan yazılı soruların katılımcıya sözlü olarak sorulması ve yanıtların ses kayıt cihazıyla kayda alınmasıyla birlikte not alma şeklinde gerçekleşmiştir. Gözlem yöntemi ise Türkçeye yönelik yaklaşım ve tutumlar bölümüne veri sağlamak amacıyla tercih edilmiştir. Yapılan çalışmada gözlem ve görüşme yoluyla elde edilen nitel araştırma verileri içerik analiziyle incelenmiştir. Yapılan çözümlemeler ve değerlendirmelerden, katılımcıların daha çok ana dil kaynaklı olmak üzere hedef dil olarak Türkçeden ses bilimsel, yapı bilimsel, anlam bilimsel ve söz dizimsel olarak sapma yaptığı, gönüllü göçle gelen katılımcıların Türkçeye ve Türk kültürüne karşı olumlu yaklaştıkları sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Anahtar Sözcükler Yabancı Dil Olarak Türkçe Öğretimi, Alanya'daki Almanlar, Toplumdilbilim, Geç İki dillilik, Dil Edinimi, Ses bilim, Yapı bilim, Anlam bilim, Söz dizimi, Türk Kültürü
The impact of regulatory focus on second language learners' oral production and motivation
The present study aims primarily to find out whether different instructional framing conditions named as promotion and prevention and learners' inherent regulatory orientations affect second language (L2) learners' speaking task performance in individual speaking tasks. The general design of the study is based on regulatory focus theory (Higgins, 1997, 1998) and regulatory fit theory (Higgins, 2000). A total of 70 B2 level English learners studying at an English preparatory unit of a foundation university in Ankara participated in the study. A mixed method research design consisting of quantitative and qualitative data collection procedures was implemented. For the quantitative part, initially, survey methodology was used. As a part of the experimental design, L2 learners were assigned to the promotion and prevention instructional conditions to carry out the speaking tasks. Semi-structured interviews and teacher diary keeping methods were implemented as parts of the qualitative data collection. The results showed that L2 learners' regulatory foci influenced their performance in the speaking tasks in the prevention experimental condition. However, this result was not clear in the promotion experimental condition. Some performance differences were realized between students in the prevention and promotion conditions in terms of pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, fluency and comprehensibility. It was found out that students in the prevention condition had better performance in terms of vocabulary usage and grammatical accuracy, whereas students in the promotion condition had better performance in terms of fluency. The implications of the study are applicable to the areas of L2 curriculum, syllabi and material preparation processes, individual learner differences, L2 testing and assessment. Keywords: regulatory focus, regulatory fit, prevention focus, promotion focus, L2 motivation and success, L2 speaking skill
The predictors of intercultural communicative competence in Turkish and Kazakh settings: Academic self-concept and L2 motivational self-system
The aim of the present study was to determine Kazakhstani and Turkish pre-service teachers' level of Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC), academic self-concept and L2 motivational self-system and to investigate the nature of relationship among these constructs. To do so, the study followed the paradigm of sequential exploratory mixed methods research, in which the data were collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. ICC scale developed by the researcher, Academic Self-Concept Scale (Liu & Wang, 2005) and L2 Motivational Self-System Scale (Taguchi et al., 2009) were administered to pre-service ELT teachers in Kazakhstan and Turkey. Two groups of participants involved in the study: pre-service ELT teachers (N=314) from Turkey took part in the pilot study and pre-service ELT teachers from Kazakhstan (N=307) and Turkey (N=258) participated in the main study. To analyze the quantitative data descriptive statistics, correlation, regression analyses and content analysis were used. The results indicated that pre-service ELT teachers in Kazakhstani and Turkish educational contexts had high levels of ICC, academic confidence and academic effort, ideal L2 self, ought to L2 self and attitudes to learning English. Further results revealed that statistically significant differences existed between Kazakhstani and Turkish pre-service teachers in terms of their level of ICC, academic confidence and ought to L2 self-guide. Regression analyses revealed that while the best predictor of Kazakhstani pre-service ELT teachers ICC was academic confidence, Turkish pre-service ELT teachers ICC was best predicted by their ideal L2 self.
Exploring the role of multimedia glosses and strategy use in second language listening comprehension and incidental vocabulary learning in a mobile environment
This study seeks to investigate the effects of multimedia glosses on second language listening comprehension and incidental vocabulary learning in a mobile environment. The study also explored the strategies used by second language learners as they interacted with listening and multimedia glosses. Based on the multimedia principle of Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (Mayer, 2001), three types of gloss conditions were tested (textual-only, pictorial-only, textual-plus- pictorial). Two other conditions with no glosses included; one of these conditions allowed the learners to regulate their listening through an audio control tool as in the gloss conditions, the other did not allow any kind of control to the learner, except starting the audio file and restarting it. A listening application for mobile devices was developed and optimized for mobile phones. 116 participants with a low-level proficiency level in English were randomly assigned to one of these conditions. To assess their L2 listening comprehension and incidental vocabulary learning, immediate free recall and unannounced vocabulary tests were administered. The participants' interaction with the listening text and glosses was tracked in order to examine the strategies they employed. The findings indicated that access to glosses facilitates recognition and production of vocabulary with the type of gloss having a nonsignificant effect. On the other hand, glosses had no effect on L2 listening comprehension. The results also indicate that when glosses were available, analytical listening strategies were employed more often than global listening strategies. When no glosses were available, students showed an equal tendency for either analytical or global listening. In addition, the participants preferred to use the available glosses simultaneously, i.e. as they interacted with the text. The study concluded that while access to glosses promoted vocabulary recognition irrespective of gloss types, gloss use did not have a significant effect on overall L2 listening comprehension.
Interrelationships among L2 linguistic knowledge, working memory functions, and L2 reading
The purpose of the study is to investigate the relationships between processing/storage functions of working memory (WM) and explicit/implicit second language (L2) knowledge as well as the contributions of these variables to L2 reading comprehension. Participants were 84 moderately proficient late adult learners of English. WM capacity was measured through reading span tasks administered in L1 and L2 and an operation span task. An untimed grammaticality judgment test (GJT) and a metalinguistic knowledge test were administered to measure explicit linguistic knowledge in the L2 while a timed GJT and an elicited oral imitation test were used to measure implicit linguistic knowledge. Reading comprehension scores were obtained from a retired paper-based TOEFL. Results suggest that WM's storage function is language independent and it is not affected by the type of secondary task employed. The findings also suggest that WM's processing function is not task-dependent. Furthermore, results corroborate previous studies arguing against a trade-off between the processing and storage functions of WM. Based on the findings regarding the relationship between linguistic knowledge and WM capacity, it can be argued that the type of knowledge assessed by the so called implicit knowledge tests could actually be automatized explicit linguistic knowledge resulting from large amounts of practice in late adults learners of advanced proficiency in an instructional context. This automatized and primarily explicit L2 linguistic knowledge and WM's processing function are the best predictors of L2 reading comprehension, demonstrating the dominant role of automatized knowledge in efficient L2 reading comprehension for instructed L2 learners.
Comparing L2 learners' strategy use in literal vs. inferential reading: A Cognitive validity study through eye - tracking
In language testing, a test's cognitive validity is assessed in terms of the match between cognitive processes elicited from a reader and the processes which a test taker would use in non-test conditions. A reading test should require readers to go through levels of comprehension for enhanced cognitive validity. Herein, the importance of careful examination of the cognitive processes of readers taking a reading test should be examined closely. As such, this study was motivated by the need to determine if eye movements could provide valuable information about test takers' cognitive processes as they answer literal and inferential questions in a standardized reading test. To this end, the participants' eye movements in interest areas were analyzed in detail using eye-tracking methodology considering its precedence over other techniques. Results of the study displayed that eye movements of competent and experienced readers do not differ showing they go through similar cognitive processes. Also, it was seen that there is a significant difference in the eye movements in certain interest areas but not in others while answering literal vs. inferential questions depending on going through levels of comprehension and using variety of reading strategies, substantiating the cognitive validity of the test. This study is important in terms of its exploratory findings and methodology as only a few studies in educational research examine cognitive processing and validity in second language through eye-tracking.