Search results for " Language learning"

Improving Textual Competence in a Second Language Initial Literacy Classroom

2019

The paper aims to illustrate some textual learning activities developed for an L2 Italian initial-literacy classroom, and, in particular, for illiterate plurilinguals (mostly unaccompanied foreign minors). The activities in question belong to an experimental proposal that consists of a specific textual teaching module integrated with a second-language initial literacy course employing the communicative/affective-humanistic teaching approach. Textual activities are normally proposed to intermediate and advanced level literacy learners in second- language classrooms, in order to fully develop reading and writing abilities (i.e. functional literacy). However, based on the importance of learner…

Understanding idioms : a comparison of Finnish third grade students of national senior secondary school and IB Diploma Programme

2006

Computer assisted language learning and the internationalisation of the Portuguese language in higher education contexts

2015

The internationalisation of the Portuguese language has become a priority for academic institutions of different Portuguese-speaking countries which are trying to adapt to the current context of globalisation and ubiquitous communications through digital media. In order to achieve it, several challenges should be faced, namely providing international students with resources aimed at helping them improve their Portuguese while fostering its use in academic and scientific contexts. This can be done by identifying, creating and editing high-quality teaching materials which bear in mind the sociocultural, political, economic and linguistic contexts; using the Information and Communication Techn…

Learning French in the UK setting : policy, classroom engagement and attainable learning outcomes

2019

Due to the contemporary dominance of English as global lingua franca, all other “foreign languages” face a number of challenges in formal education. This paper describes the recent evolution of policy and practice regarding foreign language education in England, with a particular focus on early language learning. Evidence from a classroom study of French as foreign language is used to illustrate primary school instructional practices and children’s engagement in this setting, and their learning outcomes. Conclusions are drawn concerning sustainable approaches to the teaching of languages other than English in the early school years, in an English - dominated linguistic landscape. peerReview…

Emotions and Autonomy in Foreign Language Learning at University

2018

<div> <p>This article explores the role of emotions in foreign language learning at university level. Drawing on the recent literature regarding the affective dimension in language learning, it illustrates the ways in which students experience emotions in foreign language learning. Particular emphasis is given to the way in which students’ emotions, both positive and negative, emerge and change during their learning process. The article presents a study conducted among university students learning English in a co-directed and autonomy-inspired environment. Following a qualitative approach, students’ emotional expression was investigated, by means of individual advising sessions …

Five Ways in Which Computational Modeling Can Help Advance Cognitive Science

2019

Abstract There is a rich tradition of building computational models in cognitive science, but modeling, theoretical, and experimental research are not as tightly integrated as they could be. In this paper, we show that computational techniques—even simple ones that are straightforward to use—can greatly facilitate designing, implementing, and analyzing experiments, and generally help lift research to a new level. We focus on the domain of artificial grammar learning, and we give five concrete examples in this domain for (a) formalizing and clarifying theories, (b) generating stimuli, (c) visualization, (d) model selection, and (e) exploring the hypothesis space.

Investigating young Finnish CLIL pupils’ perceptions of foreign language use through visual narratives

2022

Abstract This article explores how pupils in early CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) education perceive language skills and use. The participants were 25 French-medium and 16 English-medium CLIL pupils in Grade 2 (aged 8 years). They had received CLIL education since the 1st Grade. The data were visual narratives drawn by the pupils and some associated open-ended questions they answered in writing. The data were analyzed using visual and content analysis. The results show that the pupils’ perceptions of language were a combination of traditional and modern views of language. The pupils compartmentalized the different languages as separate entities. They mostly saw language bei…

Emotional intelligence as a mediator in the relationship between neuroticism and L2 achievement

2020

Abstract The present study investigates the interaction of the higher-order personality trait of Neuroticism and the lower-order personality trait of Emotional Intelligence (trait EI) in the context of foreign language acquisition (FLA). A mediation model was applied to explore the pathway from Neuroticism via trait EI to self-rated L2 skills. The reported results show that the trait EI is not only a significant predictor of the self-reported L2 speaking proficiency, but also a mediator in the relationship between Neuroticism and self-rated L2 speaking proficiency. Consequently, trait EI could be regarded as an important variable in the FLA context because its positive impact on self-percei…

Foreign Language Students’ Perceptions of Their Identity

2019

Foreign language learning innvolves cognitive, affective and social functioning of the persons involved in this experience. As a social practice, it is also related to the learners’ perceptions of their identity, specifically to their language identity which refers to the relationship between one’s sense of self and the language used to communicate. This implies that using a system of communication, the speaker develops a new sense of self that remains in a dynamic relation with other senses of self, based on (an)other language(s) the person knows.Language learners’ identity is no longer defined as fixed and stable but as “complex, contradictory and multifaceted” (Norton 1997, p. 419). It i…

Enabling the full participation of university students with disabilities: seeking best practices for a barrier-free language centre

2015

Recent research has shown that 3.4% of university students in Finland have a diagnosed or observed illness or disability that affects their learning at the university level. The University of Jyväskylä Language Centre embarked on an organised, ongoing research and intervention project to enable appropriate teaching practices to suit the needs of all students. The process, thus far, has shown there is a need to clarify the rights and obligations of students and teachers to enable an atmosphere of mutual trust. A survey of the Language Centre teachers showed that all had taught students with disabilities during their university careers. Teachers wanted more information about disabilities, suc…