Still Images for Written English Communication (Part 3). Students' Photographs as a Stimulus for Interaction and Essay Production

Autor/in	Wood, David John
Titel	Still Images for Written English Communication (Part 3). Students' Photographs as a Stimulus for Interaction and Essay Production
Quelle	1 (2015) 1, S.47-56 (12 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Schlagwörter	English (Second Language); Writing (Composition); College Students; Foreign Students; Photography; Essays; Language Proficiency; Teaching Methods; Progress Monitoring; Student Improvement; Language Fluency; Visual Aids; Writing Instruction; Instructional Effectiveness; Student Motivation; Second Language Instruction; Active Learning; Difficulty Level; Questionnaires; Course Evaluation; Foreign Countries; Japan + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Schreibübung; Collegestudent; Fotografie; Essay; Aufsatzunterricht; Language skill; Language skills; Sprachkompetenz; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Anschauungsmaterial; Schreibunterricht; Unterrichtserfolg; Schulische Motivation; Fremdsprachenunterricht; Aktives Lernen; Schwierigkeitsgrad; Fragebogen; Ausland
Abstract	Despite the stream of directives about improving students' English communicative ability from the Japanese Education Ministry since 2003 [1-4] significant development has remained elusive. One obstacle to communication (as an individual and a cooperative faculty) is the inflexible "one-size-fits-all" philosophy of commercial textbooks (and thus the pedagogy they entail) which fail to meet students' unique inter-expressive objectives. Accordingly, we examine whether a non-text approach typified by "Dogme" [5] principles can enhance EFL students' ability to communicate in English by asking if Japanese college students' proficiency develops during their spoken and written production when using their own photos, as opposed to the traditional textbook-teaching styles in all their other classes. The 60 students whose production was analyzed had close ability levels in their pre-course language proficiency tests, increasing the validity of the study to monitor development. This study was indicated by the success of the approach in both motivating students and improving their English communication ability over several years of its application, firstly with sophomores studying conversation, and subsequently with first year students learning reading and writing. Many English department students taught by a wide range of experienced text-dependent teachers are disinclined to attend optional conversation classes, and see no development according to anonymous and often frank course-end evaluations. They derive insufficient appeal and motivation to communicate in English using textbooks. The data in this latest consideration was collected over six months starting in early 2014 from two classes' randomly selected language production samples. We analyze data from both classes to assess development by comparing fluency, accuracy and complexity changes in recordings and photo essay interaction questions. Feedback is given in the appendix. [For Part 1, see ED554061 and for Part 2, see ED554583.] (As Provided).
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01