i-manager's Journal on English Language Teaching (JELT)


Volume 2 Issue 2 April - June 2012

Article

Construct Validity in Formative Assessment: Purpose and Practices

Samantha Rix*
*University of Northern Iowa.
Rix, S. (2012). Construct Validity In Formative Assessment: Purpose And Practices. i-manager’s Journal on English Language Teaching, 2(2), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.26634/jelt.2.2.1823

Abstract

This paper examines the utilization of construct validity in formative assessment for classroom-based purposes.  Construct validity pertains to the notion that interpretations are made by educators who analyze test scores during formative assessment.  The purpose of this paper is to note the challenges that educators face when interpreting these scores and states that how the scores are used, instead of the actual score itself, is integral for conveying the two parts of the General Validity Theory; actions and structures.  The paper continues by intertwining the idea that validation can eventuate only if evidence is being supported by different sources.  Finally, the paper concludes by providing examples of how educators can prevent misinterpretation and deter bias whilst using the validity argument when conducting formative assessments.

Research Paper

Inter language Variability and Mapping Problem: A Competence Or a Performance Effect?

Fatemeh Behjat* , Firooz Sadighi**
* English Language Department, Islamic Azad University, Abadeh Branch, Abadeh, Iran.
** Islamic Azad University, Shiraz Branch, Shiraz, Iran.
Behjat, F., and Sadighi, F. (2012). Interlanguage Variability And Mapping Problem: A Competence Or A Performance Effect ? i-manager’s Journal on English Language Teaching, 2(2), 7-13. https://doi.org/10.26634/jelt.2.2.1824

Abstract

One of the intricate properties of second language acquisition is that some types of grammatical feature appear to be acquired easily and in a native-like way, while others remain persistently difficult. There is much evidence related to the issue in the current empirical studies, and the issue raises an important explanatory problem for a theory of second language acquisition. In this paper, an attempt is made to shed light on the point whether the variability in morpho-syntactic features in adults’ L2 production is due to a competence or a performance effect. On the basis of the evidence gained through the literature in the field, it is concluded that both competence and performance effects are involved in the optionality of the use of inflectional morphology. This paper also reveals that through the development of interlanguage, there is nothing as impairment, whether local or global, to hinder the correct grammatical representation of underlying syntax; morphology will be learned, and morphological paradigms are gradually added to the lexicon, in the same way as words do.

Research Paper

The Impact of Text Difficulty on EFL Learners’ Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary Learning

Lu-Fang Lin*
* Associate Professor, Institution of Applied English, National Taiwan Ocean University, Taiwan.
Lin, L. (2012). The Impact Of Text Difficulty On Efl Learners' Reading Comprehension And Vocabulary Learning. i-manager’s Journal on English Language Teaching, 2(2), 14-24. https://doi.org/10.26634/jelt.2.2.1825

Abstract

This study investigated which level of graded reader was most appropriate for Chinese-speaking learners of various English abilities and whether there were significant differences in comprehension and vocabulary acquisition when different English proficiency (EP) groups read texts of varying difficulty levels. Eight-two senior high school students in Taiwan were divided into low, medium and high EP groups (LEP, MEP, and HEP). They read graded readers at Level 2, Level 3, and Level 4 after class and completed comprehension and vocabulary tests, and a text difficulty questionnaire. The results show, first, that the most suitable graded readers for LEP, MEP, and HEP groups were found. Second, there were significant differences among the three EP groups in the comprehension and vocabulary test scores of these readers. Third, there was a significant correlation between text comprehension and vocabulary acquisition when each group read the text appropriate for its level of linguistic competency. Armed with the results, instructional recommendations are presented.

Research Paper

Efficacy of Self Regulated Strategy Instruction in Planning and Organization of Opinion essays of ESL/EFL writers at Tertiary Level

Maruthi Kumari Vaddapalli* , Helen Woerner**
* Assistant Professor, Department of Languages and Translation, Dhofar Univeristy, Salalah, Oman.
** Lecturer, Department of Languages and Translation, Dhofar Univeristy, Salalah, Oman.
Vaddapalli, M. K., and Woerner, H. (2012). Efficacy Of Self Regulated Strategy Instruction In Planning And Organization Of Opinion Essays Of ESL/EFL Writers At Tertiary Level. i-manager’s Journal on English Language Teaching, 2(2), 25-31. https://doi.org/10.26634/jelt.2.2.1826

Abstract

Writing is an essential academic skill. Effective writing is a complex process requiring the skillful use of techniques and strategies( Zimmerman and Reisemberg,1997). Unlike skilled writers, struggling writers lack certain strategies and techniques that could help them become effective writers. The present study investigates the effectiveness of SRSD with struggling EFL/ESL writers at the tertiary level. A classroom-based intervention study aimed to determine whether simplifying the writing task by automatizing certain mechanical elements through strategy training using SRSD reduces students’ cognitive load, allowing them to engage in higher order thinking processes. The study was conducted  at a university in Oman. Baseline, terminal and maintainance probes were administered to determine participants’ relative gains in task achievement, organization, lexis and grammar. The essays were evaluated using a conventional 9 point scale and the results were analyzed. The results revealed considerable gains in organization and lexis indicating that automatization of the more mechanical elements of the writing process enabled students to write better quality essays. These results indicate that SRSD can be an effective method of instruction for stuggling/underprepared EFL/ESL writers at the university level.

Research Paper

The Relationship Between Efl Reading And Existential-Phenomenology

Leyla Tercanlioglu* , Oktay Akarsu**
* Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey.
** Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey.
Tercanlioglu, L., and Akarsu, O. (2012). The Relationship Between Efl Reading And Existential-Phenomenology. i-manager’s Journal on English Language Teaching, 2(2), 32-47. https://doi.org/10.26634/jelt.2.2.1827

Abstract

This study reviews an overall theoretical framework of two major phenomena: reading and existential-phenomenology. Nine different predominant theories in reading education, their attributes, effective reading techniques and educational studies of learners’ experiences towards effective reading will be examined with some basic issues to grasp the progression of learning theories applied throughout the centuries to assist learners and instructors to overcome difficulties with reading. Literature on existential phenomenology will be reviewed to display this approach and its importance in a research. The reviews of these theories and the approach lead to the proposal for the studies outlined subsequently in the thesis.