First Advisor

Kimberley Brown

Term of Graduation

Spring 1995

Date of Publication

5-10-1995

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (M.A.) in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

Department

English

Language

English

Subjects

English language -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- Foreign speakers, Homework, Notebooks

DOI

10.15760/etd.6785

Physical Description

1 online resource (2, vi, 90 pages)

Abstract

ESL students virtually swim in an environment rich in opportunities to learn English. Every billboard, newspaper, TV show, and person on the street provides new language. However, many ESL students do not take full advantage of this English environment. Often, English learning is viewed primarily as a classroom experience, when much more could be gained if students were learners outside the classroom, as well. That is the problem addressed in this thesis.

This problem was investigated through action research with the teacher/researcher's high intermediate level writing class at PSU. The teacher/researcher implemented a strategy to motivate students to learn outside the classroom which included student-generated language notebooks. Data recorded included: personal characteristics of the subjects, input on the language notebooks, instructor feedback on the notebooks, teacher's log, audiotaped student-teacher conferences and classroom discussions, and student surveys.

Analysis of the results revealed several promising techniques to motivate students to learn outside the classroom. A language notebook may be most effective if it includes a wide variety of input, including culture and record of the sources of entries. Furthermore, the notebooks should be given as extra credit, along with other options. In addition, student/teacher conferences were found to be effective to communicate the concept of out-of-classroom learning and to elicit student opinions and suggestions.

Rights

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Comments

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Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/28538

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