El aprendizaje en una comunidad en internet de profesores de español como segunda lengua: estudio etnográfico virtual de la comunidad Todoele

In the digital era the availability of resources for online learning has multiplied along with personal learning environments. Proof of this is the proliferation of phenomena in the internet like Open Educational Resources or the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) and the vast diversity of Online Communities of Practice (OCoP). The former is the object of study in the present Thesis. As Juan Freire (2012: 71) wrote: “The education is already happening, specially outside of educational institutions and formal process of education.” The OCoP garnered attention in the research community during the last few years. And, according to published research, online communities are turning into an emerging phenomena not only for “digital natives” (White, 2011) but also for lifelong learning (Wenger et al, 2002; Dubé et al, 2006; Lai et al, 2006) and specially as a tool for teacher training (Garrido, 2003; Murua, 2015). Teachers develop, through these tools, networks of self support, share didactic material, and look for solutions to common problems while undertaking initiatives towards even more collaboration. The present thesis is a study of Comunidad Todoele (CT) one of the most reputable networks for Spanish as a Foreign Language Teachers (ELE, from it’s Spanish acronym). Currently the community has near 11,000 members and it’s main purpose is researching, describing, and theorising the formative processes that happen inside the network from the perspective of those experiencing it. Debate is centred on the questions: What relevant knowledge do the teachers get from the community? In which way are these processes of learning developed? In other words, How, and what, do teachers learn in these environment?..

Educational software in english to the awareness in a preschool education supervised context

Information and communication technologies play an increasingly important role in society, in the sense that all areas and professions make use of digital resources. The school can not be brushed off this reality, aim to create full subjects and integrated in society today. Educational software can be used very early in the education of children, but they must be carefully and monitoring. This article aims to present the results of the use of educational software in English to the awareness of context with children of pre-school education in kindergarten, nursery center Redemptorist Fathers - The smallest fox in White Castle, a 21 group children under 5 years. Early awareness of foreign language such as English can be started with digital multimedia capabilities and various software available on the market. However, the small study described the case reveals some resistance from parents and educators, in the preparation of these to choose and monitor the use of ICT by children, in addition to also highlight the self-interest of the children involved and their learning a few words in English language in different contexts of daily worked. The study opens perspectives on close monitoring needs of such uses and training of educators in the field of use of resources multilingual awareness in pre-school education.

Digital literacy matters. Increasing workforce productivity through blended English language programmes

Current workplace demands newer forms of literacies that go beyond the ability to decode print. These involve not only competence to operate digital tools, but also the ability to create, represent, and share meaning in different modes and formats; ability to interact, collaborate and communicate effectively using digital tools, and engage critically with technology for developing one’s knowledge, skills, and full participation in civic, economic, and personal matters. This essay examines the application of the ecology of resources (EoR) model for delivering language learning outcomes (in this case, English) through blended classroom environments that use contextually available resources. The author proposes the implementation of the EoR model in blended learning environments to create authentic and sustainable learning environments for skilling courses. Applying the EoR model to Indian skilling instruction contexts, the article discusses how English language and technology literacy can be delivered using contextually available resources through a blended classroom environment. This would facilitate not only acquisition of language and digital literacy outcomes, but also consequent content literacy gain to a certain extent. This would ensure satisfactory achievement of not only communication/language literacy and technological literacy, but also active social participation, lifelong learning, and learner autonomy.

L’interaction comme méthode d’apprentissage du Français langue étrangère (FLE) en Suède

Mon travail s’inspire de l’idée de la Direction nationale de l’enseignement scolaire suédoise (Skolverket, 2011) qui suggère que « les élèves doivent avoir la possibilité de développer une capacité de communication et de compréhension de la langue ». Mon mémoire commence par une introduction générale, continue avec une analyse des manuels utilisés dans l’apprentissage du FLE et des activités favorisant l’interaction - échange réciproque verbale ou non verbale, pour terminer par une conclusion générale. Comme il n’existe pas d’enseignement sans méthodes appropriées, il existe des manuels qu’on peut utiliser afin de faciliter l’apprentissage par l’interaction de la langue cible. Les activités de communication orale et écrite d’ordre pédagogique sont indispensables. Tout comme l’écrit Revue française de pédagogie (1994 :133) « La classe est un système social complexe dont les parties sont en interaction dynamique, acteurs (enseignant et élève[s]), situation, matière selon des statuts sociaux. ». Pour effectuer mes recherches, j’ai porté mon attention sur l’analyse des manuels scolaires qu’il m’a été permis de consulter. Il s’agit des manuels d’entraide comme : Mais oui 3 et Escalade littéraire. Concernant l’analyse du matériel didactique favorisant l’interaction, ces deux manuels proposent des exercices de réflexion selon le niveau de l’apprenant. Dans mon travail, je m’intéresse à l’aspect didactique et linguistique de ces deux manuels scolaires.

Tools for enhancing oral proficiency and cultural understanding in teaching Arabic online to non-native speakers

One of the main challenges learners of Arabic as a foreign language face in Australia is the lack of opportunities to practice the language with native speakers of Arabic outside the classroom boundaries to enhance their language skills in general and their oral proficiency in particular. Learners have so little exposure to Arabic outside the classroom. This restriction in L2 exposure in the formal academic framework is due to the limited face-to-face learning time and, more significantly, is compounded by lack of exposure to the language’s authentic use settings. Students are often isolated from the target language’s authentic discourse communities and native speakers. This situation is exacerbated for Cloud (online) students studying in relative isolation. All of these factors make developing communicative oral fluency in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) more difficult and challenging for many learners, particularly for Cloud learners. Deakin University is the only university in Australia that offers Arabic in both Campus and Cloud modes of delivery. This paper discusses an innovative approach used at Deakin University to enable online learners of Arabic to practice their developing skills by listening, practicing, and experiencing directly how the language is used outside the classroom boundaries. In addition to providing Cloud learners with an Arabic online environment rich with interactive opportunities to practice the language, it was also necessary to provide the learners with tools such as the virtual classrooms, chat rooms, discussion forums and social media language partner programs, to practice their oral fluency and enrich their learning experience.

Exploring implementation of dialogical inquiry into a Korean English classroom

An alternative approach to the teaching and learning of spoken English in Korea was investigated to maximise students’ collaborative meaning-making through dialogical inquiry. It was concluded that oral proficiency of foreign language could be facilitated by a learning environment that is oriented to student interaction and is responsive to social and cultural identities of students.

Relatório no âmbito da unidade curricular prática de ensino supervisionada, realizada na Escola Secundária/3 Rainha Santa Isabel de Estremoz

O presente relatório foi produzido no âmbito da unidade curricular Prática de Ensino Supervisionada, que faz parte do Mestrado em Ensino do Português no 3º Ciclo do Ensino Básico e Ensino Secundário e de Espanhol nos Ensinos Básico e Secundário, sob a orientação da Professora Doutora Ângela Maria Franco Martins Coelho de Paiva Balça. Identifica-se, na sua essência basilar, como um trabalho reflexivo-descritivo sobre a prática aplicada e efetuada no ano letivo 2015/2016, no lecionamento das disciplinas de Português em duas turmas de 10º ano, e de Espanhol – Língua Estrangeira I numa de 7º ano, na Escola Secundária/3 Rainha Santa Isabel, de Estremoz. Além do mais, também constitui o expoente de todo o processo levado a cabo durante os dois anos do Mestrado, o qual permitiu e conduziu à revisão, modificação, inovação e progressão em matéria de conceitos, ideias, noções, ações e teorias, quer fossem mais antigas ou recentes. Este é o produto final e contributo para o desenvolvimento e melhoria a nível pessoal e profissional. Através do conhecimento da literatura teórica e da sua aplicação na ação, a reflexão compromete-nos a cumprir uma prática fundamentada e apoiada em toda a documentação mundial, europeia e portuguesa normativa e de referência para o exercício da profissão docente o mais completo e eficaz possível. Mais do que um relatório, é uma avaliação orientativa da dimensão transformadora no desempenho docente que, na sua parte mais cogitativa, expõe estruturalmente: a observação e o seu registo; a observação em contexto; a planificação; a orientação; a componente letiva – aulas lecionadas (análise, aprendizagem e melhorias) e a pesquisa reflexiva na abordagem dos inquéritos passados nas turmas de Português e de Espanhol; e, por fim, a abordagem reflexiva sobre a avaliação formativa das aprendizagens realizada às turmas de 10º ano, na disciplina de Português; ABSTRACT: This report was produced in the scope of Supervised Teaching Practice’s curricular unit, which is part of the Master’s Degree in Teaching Portuguese for the 3rd stage of Primary Education and Secondary Education, and Spanish Foreign Language Teaching for Primary and Secondary Education, under the supervision of Dr. Ângela Maria Franco Martins Coelho de Paiva Balça. In its basic essence, this is a reflective and descriptive paper about practices applied and performed for the 2015-2016 school year to teach Portuguese, in two tenth grade classes, and Spanish as a Foreign Language, in one seventh grade class at Rainha Santa Isabel School of Estremoz. Furthermore, it outlines the entire process carried out during the two years of the Master’s Degree, which provided and led to review, change, breakthrough, and advancement regarding concepts, ideas, assumptions, and theories, whether they were pre-existing or more recent. This is the final product and the contribution towards development and improvement in personal and professional terms. Through knowledge of theoretical literature and applying it to practice, the reflection leads us to compile substantiated and supported practice in all worldwide, European, and Portuguese standards and reference documentation for the most effective pursuit of the profession. More than a report, this is an evaluation of transformation in teaching performance that structurally examines the following: observation and its registration; observation in the field; lesson design; guidance and monitoring; a teaching component (analysis, apprenticeships, and improvements) with a reflective element based on the results of the Portuguese and Spanish class surveys; and, finally, a reflexive approach about formative assessment of student learning that took place within the Portuguese course.

Londres et les Britanniques dans l’ancienne grammaticographie du Portugais comme langue étrangère (XVIIe- XIXe siècles)

Observant le corpus des grammaires de portugais langue étrangère, depuis la deuxième moitié du XVIIe siècle, nous constatons que Londres a été une capitale éditoriale du monde grammatical portugais et les Britanniques (étudiants et commerçants) un public cible privilégié. L’œuvre A Portuguez Grammar : or, Rules shewing the True and Perfect way to learn the said language (1662) – la première publication grammaticale connue de portugais langue étrangère – a été publiée à Londres, lors du mariage royal de l’infante portugaise Catherine de Bragance et Charles II d’Angleterre, afin de servir, selon son auteur, le militaire français Monsieur de la Molière : “a deux sortes de personne en Angleterre, aux gens de commerce (…) & aux gens de Cour” (“to two sorts of Persons in England : to people of Traffique and Commerce (…) And to Persons of the Court”). La production et la circulation de grammaires de portugais comme langue étrangère écrites en anglais et publiées à Londres continuent pendant les XVIIIe et XIXe siècles ; ville où ont été commercialisées et exportées des œuvres grammaticales portugaises comme celles de J. Castro (1731), António Vieira (1786), Richard Woodhouse (1815), Luís Francisco Midosi (1832), Alfred Elwes (1876), Charles Henry Wall (1882). Notre propos dans cette étude est, d’abord, d’analyser ce mouvement grammatical luso-britannique, notamment un ensemble de grammaires de portugais produites dans l’espace anglophone. De plus, nous estimons contribuer à l’étude des anciennes grammaires de portugais comme langue étrangère dans le cadre de l’historiographie linguistique canonique, partant du fait que ces œuvres font partie de l’historie de la grammaire des vernaculaires européens.

Relatório no âmbito da unidade curricular prática de ensino supervisionada

Integrado na unidade curricular Prática de Ensino Supervisionada do Mestrado em Ensino de Português no 3.º ciclo do Ensino Básico e Ensino Secundário e de Espanhol nos Ensinos Básico e Secundário, este Relatório incide sobre os documentos legais e orientadores que envolvem e orientam a atividade docente e sobre a sua prática específica, considerando a planificação, a condução de aulas, bem como a avaliação de aprendizagens no âmbito do processo de ensino-aprendizagem do Espanhol como língua estrangeira. Assim, são duas as dimensões sobre as quais centramos este trabalho, uma teórica e outra prática, que relacionamos criticamente ao longo de todo o Relatório. A par destas dimensões, também o nosso percurso profissional é alvo de reflexão, procurando, a partir da mesma, perceber-se quais os desafios experienciados e as competências adquiridas, tendo sempre o aluno e as suas aprendizagens como destinatário e principal alvo das conclusões alcançadas; Abstract: Report within the course Supervised Teaching Practice Included in the course Supervised Teaching Practice of the Master Degree in Portuguese and Spanish Teaching in the middle and upper schools, this report focuses on the legal and guiding documents which involve and direct the teaching activity and on its specific practice, considering lesson planning, organization as well as learning assessment within the teaching-learning process of Spanish as a foreign language. Therefore, there are two aspects over which we focus this assignment, one theoretical and other practical, which we critically relate along all Report. Aside these two aspects, our professional development is also object of reflection, seeking, from that same reflection, to understand the challenges experienced and the skills acquired, having always the student and his learnings as the receiver and main target of the achieved conclusions.

The extracurriculum in an input-poor environment

This paper reports on the experiences of an extracurricular program in English language learning (ELL) that was implemented in an institute of technology in the hinterland of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Following the guidelines set out in an impact study of the reform of curriculum change in Hong Kong (Adamson & Morris, 2000), this study takes account of the context of the particular socio-cultural and political environment in which the research program takes place. Three distinct phases emerged in the career of the extracurricular program - the establishment of the program; successful implementation; and the decline. The study identifies three key factors that shaped these phases: teacher motivation; student motivation and its various influences; and available resources (including collegial and administrative support). The findings suggest that of the key factors impacting on the ELL extracurriculum, student motivation was the most influential.

The place of writing in first grade Kuwaiti english education : a sociological case study

A hybridized society, Kuwait meshes Islamic ideologies with western culture. Linguistically, English exists across both foreign language and second language nomenclatures in the country due to globalization and internationalization which has seen increasing use of English in Kuwait. Originally consisting of listening, speaking, reading and writing, the first grade English curriculum in Kuwait was narrowed in 2002 to focus only on the development of oral English skills, and to exclude writing. Since that time, both Kuwaiti teachers and parents have expressed dissatisfaction with this curriculum on the basis that this model disadvantages their children. In first grade however, the teaching of pre-writing has remained as part of the curriculum. This research analyses the parameters of English pre-writing and writing instruction in first grade in Kuwaiti classrooms, investigates first grade English pre-writing and writing teaching, and gathers insights from parents, teachers and students regarding the appropriateness of the current curriculum. Through interviews and classroom observations, and an analysis of curriculum documents, this case study found that the relationship between oral and written language is more complex than suggested by either the Kuwaiti curriculum reform, or international literature concerning the delayed teaching of writing. Intended curriculum integration across Kuwait subjects is also far more complex than first believed, due to a developmental mismatch between English pre-writing skills and Arabic language capabilities. Findings suggest an alternative approach to teaching writing may be more appropriate and more effective for first Grade students in the current Kuwait curriculum context. They contribute also to an emerging interest in the second and foreign language fields in the teaching of writing to young learners.

Two takes on the critical - unabridged

This is an unabridged, earlier version of a paper later substantially revised and abridged in Norton and Toohey (2004), Critical Pedagogies and Language Learning.

Translation and news making : a study of contemporary arabic television

Arabic satellite television has recently attracted tremendous attention in both the academic and professional worlds, with a special interest in Aljazeera as a curious phenomenon in the Arab region. Having made a household name for itself worldwide with the airing of the Bin Laden tapes, Aljazeera has set out to deliberately change the culture of Arabic journalism, as it has been repeatedly stated by its current General Manager Waddah Khanfar, and to shake up the Arab society by raising awareness to issues never discussed on television before and challenging long-established social and cultural values and norms while promoting, as it claims, Arab issues from a presumably Arab perspective. Working within the meta-frame of democracy, this Qatari-based network station has been received with mixed reactions ranging from complete support to utter rejection in both the west and the Arab world. This research examines the social semiotics of Arabic television and the socio-cultural impact of translation-mediated news in Arabic satellite television, with the aim to carry out a qualitative content analysis, informed by framing theory, critical linguistic analysis, social semiotics and translation theory, within a re-mediation framework which rests on the assumption that a medium “appropriates the techniques, forms and social significance of other media and attempts to rival or refashion them in the name of the real" (Bolter and Grusin, 2000: 66). This is a multilayered research into how translation operates at two different yet interwoven levels: translation proper, that is the rendition of discourse from one language into another at the text level, and translation as a broader process of interpretation of social behaviour that is driven by linguistic and cultural forms of another medium resulting in new social signs generated from source meaning reproduced as target meaning that is bound to be different in many respects. The research primarily focuses on the news media, news making and reporting at Arabic satellite television and looks at translation as a reframing process of news stories in terms of content and cultural values. This notion is based on the premise that by its very nature, news reporting is a framing process, which involves a reconstruction of reality into actualities in presenting the news and providing the context for it. In other words, the mediation of perceived reality through a media form, such as television, actually modifies the mind’s ordering and internal representation of the reality that is presented. The research examines the process of reframing through translation news already framed or actualized in another language and argues that in submitting framed news reports to the translation process several alterations take place, driven by the linguistic and cultural constraints and shaped by the context in which the content is presented. These alterations, which involve recontextualizations, may be intentional or unintentional, motivated or unmotivated. Generally, they are the product of lack of awareness of the dynamics and intricacies of turning a message from one language form into another. More specifically, they are the result of a synthesis process that consciously or subconsciously conforms to editorial policy and cultural interpretive frameworks. In either case, the original message is reproduced and the news is reframed. For the case study, this research examines news broadcasts by the now world-renowned Arabic satellite television station Aljazeera, and to a lesser extent the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC) and Al- Arabiya where access is feasible, for comparison and crosschecking purposes. As a new phenomenon in the Arab world, Arabic satellite television, especially 24-hour news and current affairs, provides an interesting area worthy of study, not only for its immediate socio-cultural and professional and ethical implications for the Arabic media in particular, but also for news and current affairs production in the western media that rely on foreign language sources and translation mediation for international stories.

Tow Takes on the Critical

This important volume on the critical pedagogical approach addresses such topics as critical multiculturalism, gender and language learning, and popular culture. Critical pedagogies are instructional approaches aimed at transforming existing social relations in the interest of greater equity in schools and communities. This paperback edition on the pedagogical approach addresses such topics as critical multiculturalism, gender and language learning, and popular culture. Committed to language education that contributes to social justice - and the political, economic, and sociocultural changes such justice requires - the contributors explore the meaning of creating equitable and critical instructional practices, by exploring diverse representations of knowledge. In addition, recommendations are made for further research, teacher education, and critical testing. Graduate students and researchers in TESOL, applied linguistics, and education will find this volume a thought-provoking and comprehensive presentation of theory and practice in this important new area of scholarship.