Academic Papers
Sociolinguistics in Language Education: Data Collection & Analysis
Identifying Anxiety in Young Adult Learners Co-authored with Zahra Atefi and Michelle Hilario
The present study used mixed methods to investigate the sources and effects of classroom anxiety in young adults and to determine whether or not the same factors shown to induce anxiety in learners within language classrooms also manifested within a non-language classroom. The participants were 33 students enrolled in an English composition class in a local community college in Los Angeles, California. Based on their background, the students were divided into three different groups: monolingual speakers of English (MSE), Generation 1.5, and English as a second language (ESL). The data collection and integrated analyses were carried out via a three-phase grounded theory method, in which both quantitative and qualitative means of data collection were utilized and analyzed: demographic information questionnaire, five-point Likert scale, and long-answer formatted questionnaire. The findings suggest that, with certain varying degrees among the learners, the most salient and direct sources of anxiety present in the three groups were: (1) test type; (2) teacher characteristics; (3) class arrangements; (4) peer pressure; and, (5) learning strategies. The implications from this study suggest that teachers should get to know their students earlier in the course in order to provide them with a relaxing and safe environment, giving all students equal opportunity to participate and succeed in the classroom.
Identifying Anxiety in Young Adult Learners Co-authored with Zahra Atefi and Michelle Hilario
The present study used mixed methods to investigate the sources and effects of classroom anxiety in young adults and to determine whether or not the same factors shown to induce anxiety in learners within language classrooms also manifested within a non-language classroom. The participants were 33 students enrolled in an English composition class in a local community college in Los Angeles, California. Based on their background, the students were divided into three different groups: monolingual speakers of English (MSE), Generation 1.5, and English as a second language (ESL). The data collection and integrated analyses were carried out via a three-phase grounded theory method, in which both quantitative and qualitative means of data collection were utilized and analyzed: demographic information questionnaire, five-point Likert scale, and long-answer formatted questionnaire. The findings suggest that, with certain varying degrees among the learners, the most salient and direct sources of anxiety present in the three groups were: (1) test type; (2) teacher characteristics; (3) class arrangements; (4) peer pressure; and, (5) learning strategies. The implications from this study suggest that teachers should get to know their students earlier in the course in order to provide them with a relaxing and safe environment, giving all students equal opportunity to participate and succeed in the classroom.
atefi&hilario&hilliard.classroomanxiety.pdf | |
File Size: | 529 kb |
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Phonetics for Language Teachers: Annotated Bibliography
Evaluating Pronunciation: Constructs, Features, and Issues of Pronunciation Assessment
In this annotated bibliography, I review current research in
order to answer three research questions pertaining to assessment of the
pronunciation of English language learners:
- What are the constructs used in evaluating the productive pronunciation of English language learners?
- Which features of English pronunciation affect these constructs? Are they all necessarily focused on pronunciation?
- What are the practical issues associated with the assessment of pronunciation?
evaluatingpronunciation.pdf | |
File Size: | 398 kb |
File Type: |