Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemRater consistency and judgment in the direct assessment of second language writing ability within the certificates in spoken and written English( 1998)The introduction of competency-based models of language and literacy education in Australia has, to a large degree, coincided with an increased emphasis on direct assessment as the most common means of evaluating second language writing ability within the Adult Migrant English Program. The key problem in directly assessing writing ability is having two or more raters arrive at a similar judgment or rating for the same piece of writing. While there is a long tradition of research on rater consistency and judgment in the holistic assessment of writing ability, similar research on the direct assessment of second language writing ability within the context of competency-based language and literacy education is almost non-existent. This study aims to determine the degree to which the performance criteria designed to assess second language writing ability within the Certificates in Spoken and Written English can ensure acceptable levels of rater consistency, and to describe the decision-making behaviours and strategies used by raters when reading for the purposes of assessment. The think-aloud verbal reports of six experienced ESL raters assessing three texts written by intermediate level adult ESL learners were transcribed and subjected to a rigorous interpretive analysis. In terms of rater consistency, analysis of raters verbal reports indicated that while there was generally a high degree of rater consistency at the overall performance or text level there was considerably tess agreement at the level of individual performance criteria. Analysis of the data revealed that raters adopted distinctive styles or approaches to reading for the purposes of assessment and that raters interpreted and applied the performance criteria statements in a range of different ways. These findings have significant implications not only for the development of competency-based assessment procedures but also for the training of raters. v11
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ItemHow does teacher questioning influence the verbal responses of Asian background ESL learners?( 1999)This thesis is a case-study of two English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers working with one class of tertiary level students from Asian backgrounds in a large English language centre. The thesis seeks to explore the types and frequencies of teachers' questions and the extent to which the length of student responses is affected by those questions from both a quantitative and a qualitative perspective. Teachers' and students' attitudes towards questions are examined as well. In relation to the form of questions, the study found that the two teachers asked significantly more X-questions than nexus and alternative questions, which was congruent with their preference for question types. However, in terms of the function of questions, one teacher asked more referential questions while the other teacher asked more display questions (Long and Sato, 1983). The study found that statistically, topics, in general, did not influence teachers' selection of questions and students' responses. On average student answers to either kind of questions were short, though individual differences did exist. However, through a close examination of the transcripts of these individual lessons, the conclusion was the opposite. Topics did affect the formation and function of the teachers' questions and students responses as well. When talking about topics with which students were familiar and which required less vocabulary, teachers' tended to use X- questions and they were usually referential. Those questions triggered longer student utterances. Display questions, on the other hand, were often used to check knowledge, and students' responses to these were short. This suggests that referential-like X-questions are powerful in the certain circumstances where students are familiar with the topics they are talking about. Teachers' appropriate application of such questions might trigger longer students' utterances and gradually facilitate the development of learners' oral competency.
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ItemAustralian reactions to Chinese EFL speakers( 1999)Paralanguage encompasses many areas of non-verbal communication, and is a vital part of interactional communication. Despite its significance, it is a relatively neglected area in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom. Besides a lack of paralanguage awareness and explicit teaching in using Target Language (TL) paralanguage, paralanguage factors are strongly tied to cultural influences; in this way a mismatch between utterance and non-verbal signals may commonly result, causing confusion and/or irritation, and leading to a breakdown in interpersonal harmony. This not only affects the ongoing interactional process at the time, it may also have repercussions on future encounters. Chinese EFL Iearners, who form a sizeable group of EFL learners, are particularly vulnerable to the dangers of paralanguage incongruity when interacting in English with native English Speakers (NES), due to the wide gap that exists between the EFL learners' first language and culture, and that of the NES. This thesis examines these issues in the context of Australian NES responses' to adult Chinese EFL speakers, and identifies those areas of paralanguage which produce a negative reaction in the former group, as well as the nature of that negative reaction. This would aid selection of EFL curriculum and ultimately contribute to meeting the need for interactional competence by Chinese EFL learners.
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ItemTeacher attitudes towards Malaysian English( 1999)This study is designed to assess the international intelligibility of two of the sub-varieties of Malaysian English (ME), namely the acrolect (the standard form of ME) and the mesolect (the colloquial form of ME). It also aims to examine the attitudes of English teachers towards these varieties, and explore the relationship between teachers' attitudes towards and the international intelligibility of ME. This study was carried out through the administration of a questionnaire. The rationale behind this study is structured on sociolinguistic grounds, and the criteria of teachers' judgements and evaluations of the varieties are based on their own perceptions of language use and their concepts of language behaviour. The findings of this study indicate that teachers generally hold negative attitudes towards the mesolect, and positive attitudes towards the acrolect. They believe that the mesolect is less standard, formal and grammatical than the acrolect. It is also found that the mesolect is less intelligible than the acrolect to most teachers. Although teachers have positive attitudes towards the acrolect of ME, they do not think that it is on a par with other varieties such as British, Australian and American English. In general, British English is viewed as the best variety in terms of standardness, clarity and originality. Most teachers who come from Korea, Japan and Vietnam where American English is the pedagogical model for ELT (English Language Teaching) favour American English. Some Australian teachers favour Australian English as its use is linked to their national identity. Most teachers hold negative attitudes towards Malaysian English and Indian English, as they are not familiar with those varieties and experience difficulties understanding them due to distinctive pronunciation and intonation. It is concluded that familiarity with a variety and intelligibility of a variety may be important factors affecting one's attitudes towards that variety. The findings of this study may not only add to the existing body of knowledge but also have pedagogical implications for ELT in the Malaysian context as well as in the international context.