Metalinguistic Awareness and the Accuracy of Postgraduate TEFL Students’ Writing: Teacher’s Focus vs. Learners’ Focus
محورهای موضوعی : language teaching
1 - Department of English, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran
کلید واژه: Writing, Focus on Form, Grammatical Accuracy, Metalinguistic Awareness,
چکیده مقاله :
The sway of the pendulum in language pedagogy towards conscious learning processes marks the paramount role of metalinguistic awareness. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to compare the impact of teacher-oriented vs. learner-generated metalinguistic awareness activities on Iranian TEFL students’ writing accuracy. Sixty participants in three intact classes were randomly assigned as one control, and two experimental groups. All the participants received the same process-oriented instruction based on identical teaching materials. In the first experimental group, the teacher-focus metalinguistic awareness (TFMA) group, however, a collection of various form-focused activities, compiled by the teacher, was assigned and reviewed in the class weekly. In the learner-focused metalinguistic awareness (LFMA) group, the same assignments were assigned as supplementary self-study activities. The control group did not receive any structural assignments. The treatment perpetuated for six sessions and the analyses of the data obtained from the writing post-test revealed that both TFMA and LFMA groups outperformed the control group by producing more accurate writing and that the TF group surpassed the LF group. The findings lend credence to the significance of language awareness in EFL contexts and offer a number of pedagogical implications.
حرکت آونگ آموزش زبان به سوی فرآیندهای آگاهانه آموزشی نقش مهم آگاهی فرازبانی را مورد تاکید قرار می دهد. پژوهش شبه تجربی حاضربا هدف مقایسه میزان تاثیر آگاهی فرازبانی فعالیتهای جهت داده شده توسط معلم و فعالیتهای انجام شده توسط زبان آموزان بر صحت دستوری نوشتار دانشجویان کارشناسی ارشد آموزش زبان انگلیسی طراحی گردید. شصت آزمودنی در سه کلاس نگارش پیشرفته به صورت تصادفی به یک گروه شاهد و دو گروه تحقیق نامگذاری شدند و در کلیه کلاسها آموزش فرآیند-محور بر اساس مطالب آموزشی یکسان به اجرا در آمد. در گروه تحقیق اول که گروه آگاهی فرازبانی معلم کانونبود مجموعه ایی از تمرینات صورت-محور گردآوری شده توسط معلم به عنوان تکلیف تعیین و بصورت هفتگی توسط دانشجویان انجام و در کلاس بررسی می شد. در گروه تحقیق دوم، گروه فراگیرکانون، این تمرینات تنها به عنوان تکالیف جانبی خودآموزی به دانشجویان ارائه گردید درحالی که گروه کنترل هیچگونه تمرین دستوری اضافی انجام ندادند. تحلیل آماری نتایج پس آزمون نوشتاری در پایان دوره آموزشی شش هفته ایی نشانگر میزان بالاتر صحت دستوری در نوشتار گروههای تحقیق در مقایسه با گروه کنترل و برتری گروه معلم کانون نسبت به گروه فراگیر کانون بود. نتایج این پژوهش اهمیت آگاهی فرازبانی در بافتهای زبان دوم را از یکسو و نقش اساسی معلم در جهت دادن به این آگاهی از سوی دیگر مورد تاکید قرار می دهد و کاربردهای آموزشی آن مورد بحث قرار خواهد گرفت.
Andrews, S. J. (2007). Teacher language awareness. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Andrews, S. J. (2003). Teacher language awareness and the professional knowledge base of the L2 teacher. Language Awareness, 12(2), 81-95.
Andrews, S. J. (1999a). Why do L2 teachers need to ‘Know About Language’? Teacher metalinguistic awareness and input for learning. Language and Education, 13(3), 161-177.
Andrews, S. J. (1999b). The metalinguistic awareness of Hong Kong secondary school teachers of English.(Unpublished PhD thesis).University of Southampton.
Arabaski, J. ,& Wojtaszek, A. (Eds.) (2011).Aspects of culture in second language acquisition and foreign language learning. London: Sringer-Heidelberg Dordrecht.
Bahardoust, M., &RaoufMoeini, M. (2012).Lexical and grammatical collocations in writing production of EFL learners.The Journal of Applied Linguistics, 5(1), 61-86.
Birjandi, P., Alavi, S. M., &Salmani-Nodoushan, M. (2004).Advanced Writing. Tehran: Zabankadeh Publications.
Breen, M. P. (2001). Learner contributions to language learning. New York: Pearson Education.
Breen, M. P., & Littlejohn, A. (Eds.).(2000). Classroom decision-making. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Cazden, C. R. (1974). Play with language and metalinguistic awareness: One dimension of language experience. The Urban Review, 7, 28-29.
Crookes, G., &Gass, S. M. (1993).Tasks in a pedagogic context: Integrating theory and practice. Philadelphia: Multilingual Matters.
DeKeyser, R. M. (2003). Implicit and explicit learning. In C. J. Doughty & M. H. Long (eds.), Handbook of research in second language teaching and learning (pp.313-349). Oxford: Blackwell.
Eckman, F., Bell, L., & Nelson, D. (1988).On the generalization of relative clause instruction in the acquisition of English as a second language.Applied Linguistics, 9, 1-20.
Edalat, H. (2008). Writing and related problems for EFL students.The Journal of Applied Linguistics, 1(2), 18-34.
Ellis, R. (2005). Instructed second language acquisition: A literature review.Wellington: Ministry of Education.
Ellis, R., & Yuan, F. (2004).The effects of planning on fluency, complexity and accuracy in second language narrative writing.Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 26, 59-84.
Ellis, R. (1989). Are classroom and naturalistic acquisition the same? A study of classroom acquisition of German word order rules. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 11, 305-328.
Ferris, D. (1999). The case for grammar correction in L2 writing classes: A response to Truscott (1996). Journal of Second Language Writing, 8(1), 1-11.
Foster, P., &Skehan, P. (1999). The influence of source of planning and focus of planning on task-based performance.Language Teaching Research, 3(3), 215-247.
Graaff, R., &Housen, A. (2009).Investigating the effects and effectiveness of L2 instruction.In H. L. Michael and J. D. Catherine, The handbook of language teaching, (pp.726-55). Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Hinkdel, E. (2004). Teaching academic ESL writing: Practical techniques in vocabulary and grammar. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Hyland, K. (2003).Second language writing. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Lan, T. W. (2011). English metalanguage awareness among primary school teachers in Hong Kong. GEMA Online TM Journal of Language Studies, 11(1), 1-16.
Lightbown, Pl., Spada, N., & Wallace, R. (1980). Some effects of instruction on child and adolescent ESL learners. In R. Scarcella& S. Krashen (Eds.), Research in second language acquisition (pp. 162-172). Rowley, Mass.: Newbury House.
Keh, C.L. (1990). Feedback in the writing process: A model and methods for implementation. ELT Journal, 44(4), 294-304.
Kumaravadivelu, B. (2006). Understanding language teaching: From method to postmethod.New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Association.
Kumaravadivelu, B. (2003). Beyond methods: Macrostrategies for language teaching. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Long, M. H. (1996). The role of the linguistic environment in second language acquisition.In W. Ritchie and T. Bhatia (Eds.), Handbook of second language Acquisition (pp. 413-468). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
Long, M. H. (1983). Linguistic and conversational adjustments to non-native speakers.Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 5, 177-193.
Nunan, D., Berry, R., & Berry, V. (2002).Language awareness in language education. Hong Kong: University of Hong Kong.
Pica, T. (1983). Methods of morpheme quantification: Their effect on the interpretation of second language data. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 6, 69-78.
Pienemann, M. (1989). Is language teachable? Applied Linguistics, 10, 52-79.
Piri, F., Barati, H., &Ketabi, S. (2012). The effects of pre-task, on-line, and both pre-task and on-line planning on fluency, complexity, and accuracy–the case of Iranian EFL learners’ written production.English Language Teaching, 5(6), 158-167.
Richards, J.C., & Rodgers, T. S. (2001). Approaches and methods in language teaching (2nd edition), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Robb, T., Ross, S., &Shortreed, I. (1986). Salience of feedback on error and its effect on EFL writing quality.TESOL Quarterly, 20(1), 83-95.
Seifoori, Z. (2008). The significance of peer-editing in teaching writing to EFL students.The Journal of Applied Linguistics 1(2), 131-146.
Seifoori, Z. (2009). The impact of metacognitive strategies-based training and levels of planning on accuracy, complexity and fluency of focused task-based oral performance. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Campus, Tehran, Iran.
Seifoori, Z., &Shokri, A. (2012).The effect of formal instruction of conjunctions and lexical ties on the cohesion of Iranian EFL students’ written discourse. Paper presented at the 38th International Systemic Functional Congress, Lisbon, Portugal.
Skehan, P. (1996). A framework for the implementation of task-based instruction.Applied Linguistics 17(1), 38-62.
Sahriffian, F. (2011).Cultural conceptualizations and language: Theoretical framework and applications. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company.
Sahriffian, F., & Palmer, B. (Eds.) (2007).Applied cultural linguistics: Implications for second language learning and intercultural communication. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company.
Swain, M. (1985). Communicative competence: Some roles ofcomprehensible input and comprehensible output in its development. In S.Gass& C. Madden (Eds.), Input in second language acquisition (pp.235-253). Rowley, MA: Newbury House.
Swain, M., &Lapkin, S. (1995). Problems in output and the cognitive processes they generate: A step towards second language learning. Applied linguistics 16, 371-391.
Thornbury, S. (1997).About language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Torresan, P. (2007). Intelligences and styles in language teaching: What is the difference? Didáctica.Lengua y Literatura, 19, 315-325.
Truscott, J. (2007). The effect of error correction on learners’ ability to write accurately.Journal of Second Language Writing, 16(4), 255-272.
Waslander, D., &Stephany, G. (1983).Evaluation of English as a second language program for Southeast Asian students.TESOL Quarterly, 17(3), 473-480.
Wenden, A. (1991). Learner strategies for learner autonomy. London: Prentice-Hall.
Wenden, A. L. (2002). Learner development in language learning.Applied Linguistics, 23(1), 32-55.
White, J., &Ranta, L. (2002).Examining the interface between metalinguistic task performance and oral production in a second language.Language Awareness, 11(4), 259-290.
Wigglesworth, G., &Storch, N. (2009). Pair versus individual writing: Effects on fluency, complexity and accuracy. Language Testing, 26(3), 445-446.
Yuan, F., & Ellis, R. (2003).The effects of pre-task planning and online planning on fluency, complexity and accuracy in L2 oral production.Applied Linguistics, 24(1), 1-27.
Zhu, H. (2011). The Application of multiple intelligences theory in task-based language teaching. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 1(4), 408-412.
