| 1. |
- Henry, Alastair, 1963-, et al.
(författare)
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Motivational Strategies and the Reframing of English : Activity Design and Challenges for Teachers in Contexts of Extensive Extramural Encounters
- 2018
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Ingår i: TESOL quarterly (Print). - : Wiley. - 0039-8322 .- 1545-7249. ; :2, s. 247-273
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Motivational strategies are underresearched, and studies so far conducted have been in sociolinguistic contexts where English is not extensively encountered outside the classroom. Given also that little is known about strategies relating to the design and content of classroom activities, the purpose of this study is to identify and critically evaluate strategies focusing on activity design and content in classroom activities that, in a setting where students have extensive extramural English encounters, teachers have found to be effective in generating motivation. Using Dörnyei's (2001) taxonomy of motivational strategies as an analytical tool, 112 descriptions of motivational activities provided by a randomly drawn sample of secondary EFL teachers in Sweden (N = 252) were content-analyzed with a focus on design and content. Providing support for Dörnyei's proposals, the results reveal the prominence of activities that enable students to work with authentic materials (cultural artefacts produced for a purpose other than teaching) and in ways that can be experienced as authentic. Activities involving digital technologies which provide opportunities for creativity are also prominent. Use of authentic materials places high demands on teachers' pedagogical and linguistic skills. In contexts where students respond positively to such activities, teachers' language awareness skills become of significant importance.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Bengtsson, Andreas, 1988-
(författare)
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The effects of extramural language : Relationships between engagement in Japanese language activities and general Japanese language proficiency
- 2023
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Many L2 learners believe they learn their target language by using it extramurally, i.e. outside the classroom. This topic, language learning as a result of engagement in L2 use, has garnered increased attention in the last decade. However, there is still a distinct lack of research. To date, most research offers snapshot studies of single groups of learners at similar L2 proficiency levels, and English is by far the most commonly researched target language.The present study quantitatively investigates the relationship between extramural Japanese and general Japanese language proficiency among adult learners studying at university in Sweden. It aims to do so both cross sectionally, using five different Levels of proficiency to investigate the moderating impact of proficiency at a macro level, and longitudinally, in order to move beyond correlations and provide empirical data on causal direction. In total, data were gathered from 168 individuals, many of whom participated in the study at different Levels, during a period of two and a half years. Data were analysed using non-parametric correlations and Bayesian regression.Results show that the participants engaged in extramural Japanese for considerable amounts of time every week. Some forms of Japanese language use (e.g. reading text and speaking face-to-face) related to general Japanese language proficiency, whereas others did not (e.g. listening to music and watching video with TL subtitles). These relationships were largely positive, although some relationships were negative or mixed. Proficiency level was a moderating factor, and different forms of language use had varying relationships with general Japanese language proficiency depending on participants’ Levels of study. In addition, the results suggest that extramural L2 use influenced proficiency but proficiency did not influence extramural L2 use. This is among the first studies to show such an effect empirically.Overall, the study makes significant contributions to our understanding of the connection between extramural L2 use and proficiency, which has implications on the applicability of results to other languages. Furthermore, the study also provides an innovative research framework for investigating extramural L2 use, which should be robust and valid for any target language.
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| 4. |
- Bergström, Denise
(författare)
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Words in school : A study of vocabulary learning support in the Swedish EFL classroom
- 2023
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Vocabulary is a central but difficult aspect of learning English. EFL students face a considerable challenge in acquiring a vocabulary sufficient for communication, which means knowing many words and having a deep and varied knowledge of them. Researchers therefore argue that students need support to succeed in this endeavor, especially in an instructional context, where time and language exposure are limited. Although vocabulary research has provided many insights as concerns the nature of vocabulary learning, little is known about vocabulary learning in school. This thesis investigates vocabulary learning support in the Swedish secondary school EFL classroom in four empirical studies. The overall purpose of the studies was to illuminate the vocabulary component in areas that structure and organize the EFL classroom. It comprises two qualitative interview studies with teachers (n = 14) and materials developers (n = 8) respectively, and two content analyses of teaching materials focusing on the target words and learning conditions provided in the reading texts and the accompanying vocabulary exercises. The results illuminate how vocabulary is positioned and how the vocabulary component is treated in the classroom. The findings from the interview studies show that although the teachers and the materials developers stated that vocabulary is important, they attested to not perceiving vocabulary as a prominent aspect of the EFL classroom. This was found to be a result of their understanding of vocabulary development as an incidental process. Much in the same vein, the interviewees expressed that they do not prioritize working explicitly with vocabulary in class and rely on words to be acquired when students engage in other activities. The results also show that the vocabulary component in the classroom is mainly unplanned, both in regard to both target words and vocabulary learning activities. Neither the teachers nor the materials developers reported any systematic approaches to planning vocabulary instruction. Similarly, the teaching material analyses reveal that the vocabulary component is not structured in a way that is in accordance with research-based suggestions. The thesis indicates that the Swedish EFL classroom is unlikely to provide sufficient vocabulary learning support, which, in turn, can have considerable implications for students’ learning in school. The findings are discussed in relation to central contextual factors such as communicative language teaching, the Swedish curriculum and extramural English.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Byman Frisén, Liliann, et al.
(författare)
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Policy in Practice : Teachers’ Conceptualizations of L2 English Oral Proficiency as Operationalized in High-Stakes Test Assessment
- 2021
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Ingår i: Languages. - : MDPI. - 2226-471X. ; 6:4, s. 1-23
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Assessment of foreign/second language (L2) oral proficiency is known to be complex and influenced by the local context. In Sweden, extensive assessment guidelines for the National English Speaking Test (NEST) are offered to teachers, who act as raters of their own students' performances on this high-stakes L2 English oral proficiency (OP) test. Despite guidelines, teachers commonly construct their own NEST scoring rubric. The present study aims to unveil teachers-as-raters' conceptualizations, as these emerge from the self-made scoring rubrics, and possible transformations of policy. Data consist of 20 teacher-generated scoring rubrics used for assessing NEST (years 6 and 9). Rubrics were collected via personal networks and online teacher membership groups. Employing content analysis, data were analysed qualitatively to examine (i) what OP sub-skills were in focus for assessment, (ii) how sub-skills were conceptualized, and (iii) scoring rubric design. Results showed that the content and design of rubrics were heavily influenced by the official assessment guidelines, which led to broad consensus about what to assess-but not about how to assess. Lack of consensus was particularly salient for interactive skills. Analysis of policy transformations revealed that teachers' self-made templates, in fact, lead to an analytic rather than a holistic assessment practice.
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| 7. |
- Byman Frisén, Liliann, et al.
(författare)
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Vad kan en elev som kan prata engelska? Didaktisk transposition av muntlig färdighet i lärares matriser för bedömning av det nationella provet
- 2023
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Ingår i: Utbildning och lärande. - : Högskolan Dalarna. - 1653-0594. ; 17:2, s. 11-38
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Swedish students’ oral proficiency in English as a foreign/second language (L2) is tested annually in a part of the English national test entitled Speaking (test construct: oral production and interaction), which students’ own teachers both administer and assess. Despite access to extensive assessment guidelines from the Swedish National Agency for Education, many teachers choose to construct their own scoring rubrics for assessment. In this study, we examine teachers’ professional knowledge about assessment of oral proficiency in L2 English, as it emerges from policy transformation in these teacher-generated rubrics. Data consists of 20 rubrics for assessment of Speaking in years 6 and 9. Rubrics were collected through professional networks and two English-teacher groups on Facebook. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze teachers’ conceptualizations of the test construct, as well as similarities and differences between conceptualizations. Results showed consensus of what to assess, but not necessarily how, which was particularly salient for interaction. Analysis of policy transformation indicated that when teacher-generated scoring rubrics were used for assessment of Speaking, each criterion was considered separately, making them beneficial for formative feedback. The professional knowledge that emerged is therefore formed by teachers’ dual roles – as examiner and teacher – in the test situation.
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| 8. |
- Collberg, Philippe, et al.
(författare)
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Scene-setting i tränares instruktioner och återkoppling
- 2022
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Ingår i: Språk i skola, på fritid och i arbetsliv : Aktuella arenor för svensk forskning inom tillämpad språkvetenskap - Aktuella arenor för svensk forskning inom tillämpad språkvetenskap. - : ASLA. - 2004-108X .- 1100-5629. - 9789187884290 ; 29, s. 167-185, s. 167-185
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Artikeln behandlar ett återkommande språkligt mönster i idrottstränares instruktioner och återkoppling till tränande barn. Mönstret utgörs av ett tvåledat yttrande där ett instruerande led föregås av ett orienterande led med lägre informationsvärde och en delvis annan funktion. I artikeln beskrivs detta orienterande led som scene-setting, vilket syftar på att den orientering som föregår och förbereder instruktionen är nödvändig för att yttrandet i sin helhet ska fungera kommunikativt. Förekomsten av scene-setting i tränares instruktioner får konsekvenser för hur yttrandet struktureras språkligt, och i artikeln åskådliggörs detta genom analyser av två strukturer: dels en V3-struktur där en initial när-sats följs av en sats med rak ordföljd, dels en kontrasterande satsrelation som påverkar möjligheten att använda konjunktion. En central slutsats är att instruktionernas utformning är starkt påverkad av de speciella kommunikativa villkor som präglar en träningskontext som inkluderar barn.
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| 9. |
- Gyllstad, Henrik, et al.
(författare)
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Effects of Word Definitions on Meaning Recall : A Multisite Intervention in Language-Diverse Second Language English Classrooms
- 2022
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Ingår i: Language learning. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0023-8333 .- 1467-9922. ; 73:2, s. 403-444
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Vocabulary experts recommend first language (L1) translation equivalentsfor establishing form–meaning mappings for new second language (L2) words, espe-cially for lower proficiency learners. Empirical evidence to date speaks in favor of L1translation equivalents over L2 meaning definitions, but most studies have investigatedbi- rather than multilingual learners. In our study, we investigated instructed Englishvocabulary learning through an intervention study in six language-diverse secondaryschool English classrooms in Sweden (N=74) involving three conditions for presen-tation of word meanings: (a) definitions in the L2 (English), (b) translation equivalentsin the shared school and majority language (Swedish), and (c) translation equivalents inthe shared school and majority language plus other prior languages among the learners(Swedish and other). Based on overall weighted mean effect sizes and mixed-effects modeling, the results showed that conditions that involved L1 translation equivalentsyielded higher scores than did target language definitions in immediate posttests with asmall effect size but no differences in delayed posttests.
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| 10. |
- Gyllstad, Henrik, et al.
(författare)
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Investigating the effect of monolingual, bilingual and multilingual language teaching conditions on vocabulary learning in English classrooms in Sweden
- 2020
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Ingår i: ASLA-symposiet 2020 : Abstraktsamling. - : Association suédoise de linguistique appliquée. ; , s. 22-22
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Although research indicates cognitive (Wu et al., 2013) and social (Cummins, 2017) benefits of drawing on students’ whole language repertoires, and vocabulary experts emphasizing the merit of using L1s to establish initial form-meaning mapping (Schmitt, 2008), classroom-based research on what teaching/learning practices may be effective in multilingual classrooms is scarce.We present results from an intervention comparing the effects on vocabulary learning of three week-long teaching/learning conditions: English Only (EO); English and Swedish (E&S); and English, Swedish and any Other language(s) (E&S&O) that learners know. Participants are learners (age 15-16) in six intact classes.Teaching materials for each of the three conditions comprised (1) a text, including 12 controlled and piloted English target words, (2) vocabulary exercises and (3) vocabulary lists covering the target words, the latter being either EO, E&S, or E&S&O. We used a counter-balanced, within-subject design, featuring pretest–3 x treatment–immediate posttest–delayed posttest. The vocabulary test format targeted meaning recall knowledge at all test times, with answers in any language allowed. Learners were instructed to follow the imposed condition each week. Gain score analyses (ANOVAs) of three classes showed that all performed better in the E&S condition, irrespective what week this treatment condition took place. Thus, learning English vocabulary with Swedish translation equivalents yielded higher gain scores for all classes. We will present results for all six classes (Total N = c. 120), and factors such as language proficiency, language dominance, preferred teaching/learning approach, and perceived learning will be incorporated as covariates in the analysis.
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