The assessment for this module is a reflective portfolio consisting of two tasks from a selection of six. These tasks relate to the themes covered by the module. In general, you will be expected to reflect on your experiences, use appropriate new terminology and concepts to describe and reflect on those experiences, gather and critically analyse new evidence of language learning across different situations.
You may submit one task for formative feedback over the course of the semester. You will therefore have opportunities to revise your work before final submission.
Your portfolio should include:
· Introduction
· First task
· Second task
· Conclusion
· References and scholarly appendices
The introduction should indicate the scope of the portfolio, show any links between the two topics and indicate why these topics are of relevance or importance to you. The conclusion should indicate what you feel you have learnt about second language learning from completing the portfolio.
The portfolio as a whole has a notional word allocation of 4000 words. Your portfolio should not be more than 4400 words and you may incur penalties if your assignment is longer than this. There are no precise requirements for the components, but we would suggest that each of your tasks should be around 1500 words. Your introduction and conclusion might be roughly 500 words each.
Your reference list should be in the Leeds Harvard style.
Your appendices may include any materials you use in your tasks or examples of analysed data.
EDUC5931M Analysing Language Learning: Assessment Portfolio: Task 1
Focus: Communicative Language Ability
Rationale: The purpose of this task is to help you consolidate and extend your understanding of concepts to do with communicative language ability, as constructed by for example Bachman and Palmer (2010), and widely used assessment frameworks such as the CEFR (Council of Europe, 2011). A secondary aim is to encourage you to work collaboratively, with one other colleague, and to begin to learn about interviewing as a research methodology.
Instructions:
1. Reflect on your own abilities in English. Consider your strengths and weaknesses at a phonological level, a lexico-grammatical level and a discoursal level. What areas do you feel confident about? What areas do you feel uncertain about?
2. Look at the recommended reading for Session 1.
3. Look at the CEFR specifications at the link below and highlight the phrases that describe what you can do. https://rm.coe.int/CoERMPublicCommonSearchServices/DisplayDCTMContent?documentId=090000168045bb52
4. Find a partner.
5. Prepare to interview your partner to answer the following questions:
1) Where does your partner place her/himself on the CEFR scales?
2) What evidence can your partner advance to support these self-assessments?
When you prepare to interview your partner, think about the following:
· How will you make sure your partner feels comfortable talking to you? How will you put your partner at ease?
· How will you take notes on your partner’s answers?
· In most cases you will need to follow up one or other of the questions above with other questions to clarify or to get the interviewee to expand or explain. What questions might you need to ask?
· To help you prepare, Drever (2003), referenced below is a very short, handy reference book on carrying out semi-structured interviews.
6. Interview your partner.
7. Write a brief report detailing and commenting on your partner’s self-assessment. This report should refer to relevant theories of communicative language ability. This should be roughly 1500 words. You may structure this in the way you see best but we would advise you to consider the following:
· A very brief introductory para showing the aim and scope of the report.
· A brief discussion of the concept of CLA and of the use of CEFR as a way of measuring CLA.
· A brief indication of your data-collection and analysis procedure.
· A presentation and discussion of your participant’s self-assessment, using direct quotation from the data to support your points.
· You may wish to conclude with a very brief reflection on what, if anything, your investigation has taught you about CLA.
There is a sample assignment on Minerva to which you may wish to refer for comparison.
References:
Bachman, L. and Palmer, A.S. 2010. Language assessment in practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Drever, E. 2003. Using semi-structured interviews in small-scale research: A teacher's guide. Rev. ed. Glasgow: Scottish Council for Research in Education.
Council of Europe. 2011. Common European framework of reference for languages: Learning, teaching, assessment. Strasbourg: Council of Europe.
EDUC5931M Analysing Language Learning: Assessment Portfolio: Task 2
Focus: Input, Interaction and Output in Second Language Learning
Rationale: The purpose of this task is to help you consolidate your understanding of the role of input, interaction and output in SLL, with a focus on negotiation of meaning. For this purpose, you will be introduced to research techniques of transcription and data analysis. The following task is based on Shehadeh (2001) and Varonis and Gass (1985).
Instructions: This study will involve describing a picture to someone else who will draw it. You will record your interaction, transcribe part of it and then analyse it. The aim is to identify how meaning was negotiated in a part of the interaction and to identify any data relevant to understanding SLL.
1. Familiarise yourself with key ideas about the role of input, interaction and output by reading some of the recommended reading for Sessions 3 and 4.
2. Choose a picture that you can describe. (See examples below but do not use these in your task).
3. Find a partner. Please arrange to meet at a quiet space, or online. You will need to be able to record your dialogue, and you will need your picture, a pen/pencil and a piece of paper.
4. Give your partner the paper and pencil but keep the picture to yourself. It is important that your partner does not see the picture. Start the recording. You will describe the picture to your partner and your partner will draw, while you describe. Let your partner ask questions and respond as required.
5. Choose one minute of your interaction and transcribe it. Please include as much detail as possible, including errors, repetition, hesitation, etc. You may want to check the accuracy of your transcription with your partner.
6. Study your transcription carefully, and note examples of (not limited to):
a. Feedback (e.g. confirmation checks, clarification requests, recasts)
b. Indicators (e.g. explicit indication of non-understanding, echo, non-verbal response, summary, surprise reaction, inappropriate response, over response)
c. Response (e.g. repetition, expansion, rephrasing, acknowledgement, reduction)
8. Use this analysis to write notes showing how meaning was negotiated in the transcribed interaction. The key thing is to identify what caused problems and how they were resolved (or not!).
9. Write a brief report showing how meaning was negotiated in the transcribed part of the interaction and indicating any instances of negotiation that might be relevant to understanding SLL. Your report should be roughly 1500 words and should refer to relevant theories of interaction and language learning. We suggest you use short extracts of the transcription in the main body of the report to support your points but please include the transcribed and annotated excerpt in the appendices. These are not included on your word count. You may structure this report in the way you see best but we would advise you to consider the following:
· A very brief introductory para showing the aim and scope of the report.
· A brief discussion of the concept of negotiation of meaning and of its role in SLL
· A brief discussion of the analytical framework you will use to analyse your data. (This and the bullet above will be your ‘literature review’.)
· A brief indication of your data-collection and analysis procedure.
· An account of the way meaning was negotiated in the interaction, using your analysed data to support your points. NB: what we are not looking for here is simply a set of examples of the different negotiation devices listed in your analytical framework. What we want to understand is how meaning was negotiated through the use of these devices.
· Please conclude with a very brief reflection on what, if anything, your data may suggest about the role of negotiation of meaning in SLL. NB: it is perfectly possible that your data will show nothing that is relevant! If so, say so!
There is a sample assignment on Minerva to which you may wish to refer for comparison.
References:
Shehadeh, A. 2001. Self‐and other‐initiated modified output during task‐based interaction. Tesol Quarterly. 35(3), pp.433-457.
Varonis, E.M. and Gass, S. 1985. Non-native/non-native conversations: A model for negotiation of meaning. Applied Linguistics. 6(1), pp.71-90.
Appendix: Sample images to describe
Please note that these are only examples and you will have to choose an image for your partner to describe yourself. Remember! Your partner cannot see the image until s/he has finished drawing it.
EDUC5931M Analysing Language Learning: Assessment Portfolio: Task 3
Focus: Second Language Speech Production and Performance
Rationale: The purpose of this task is to help you consolidate your understanding of concepts to do with second language (L2) speech production and L2 speaking performance, in particular the concepts of complexity, accuracy and fluency (CAF), through carrying out a task which investigates the role of task repetition in speech production. A secondary aim is to introduce you to research techniques of L2 speech transcription and analysis.
Instructions: You are going to conduct a small research study. This study will involve asking an L2 speaker of English to talk in English about a time when they were very happy. They will do this twice and you will compare their speech performances with regard to accuracy, fluency and complexity.
1. Familiarise yourself with key ideas about complexity, accuracy and fluency by reading the recommended reading for Session 6.
2. Find a partner who speaks English as a second language. They could be someone of any proficiency but it may be particularly interesting to choose somebody with a relatively low level of English. This might be a friend or family member, for example.
3. Arrange to meet this person either face to face or via Skype, Wechat etc.
4. Give the person the following instruction: Talk about a time that you were very happy. Think about where you were, who was with you, what happened and why you felt so happy. Record the person’s response.
5. When the person has finished, give the following instruction: OK I want you to do that again. Talk about a time that you were very happy. Think about where you were, who was with you, what happened and why you felt so happy. Record the person’s response.
6. Transcribe (write down) the first 30 secs of both recordings, being careful to include everything that is produced by the speaker (including errors, repetition, non-word sounds etc.)
7. Study your transcriptions carefully and analyse them in terms of complexity, accuracy and fluency
a. Think about how you will measure complexity, accuracy and fluency. You may use the references below to give you some ideas.
b. Analyse the excerpts
c. Note any differences between the two performances. Were your hypotheses (predictions) correct?
d. What theories related to L2 speech production can you use to explain your findings?
10. Write a brief report detailing and commenting on your findings. Your report should refer to relevant theories of speech production and performance. This should be roughly 1500 words. Please include the transcribed and annotated excerpts as appendices. You may use short extracts of the transcriptions in your report. You may structure this in the way you see best but we would advise you to consider the following:
· A very brief introductory para showing the aim and scope of the report. Please bear in mind that this task focuses on the impact of task repetition on speech production.
· A brief discussion of the concepts of speech production, complexity, accuracy and fluency, and the possible impact of task repetition.
· A brief presentation of the analytical framework you will use to analyse your data.
· A brief indication of your data-collection and analysis procedure.
· A presentation and discussion of your data, using direct quotation from the data to support your points.
· A brief indication of what your investigation indicates about the effect of task repetition on speech production and what doing the task has taught you about speech production.
There is a sample assignment on Minerva to which you may wish to refer for comparison.
References:
Bygate, M. 2001. Effects of task repetition on the structure and control of oral language. In: Bygate, M., Skehan, P. and Swain, M. eds. Researching pedagogic tasks second language learning: Teaching and testing. Pearson Education. pp. 23-48
Ellis, R. 2009. The differential effects of three types of task planning on the fluency, complexity, and accuracy in L2 oral production. Applied Linguistics, 30(4), pp. 474-509.
Housen, A., & Kuiken, F. 2009. Complexity, accuracy, and fluency in second language acquisition. Applied Linguistics, 30(4), pp. 461-473.
Kormos, J. 2014. Speech production and second language acquisition. Abingdon: Routledge.
Levelt, W. J. 1989. Speaking: From intention to articulation (Vol. 1). Cambridge, MA: MIT press.
Lynch, T., & Maclean, J. 2000. Exploring the benefits of task repetition and recycling for classroom language learning. Language Teaching Research, 4(3), pp. 221-250.
EDUC5931M Analysing Language Learning: Assessment Portfolio: Task 4
Focus: Second Language Learning Motivation
Rationale: The purpose of this task is to help you consolidate and extend your understanding of concepts to do with second language (L2) learning motivation (e.g. extrinsic/intrinsic motivation, integrative/instrumental motivation, L2 possible selves etc.). A secondary aim is to start learning how to analyse qualitative interviews (Braun and Clarke, 2006).
Instructions: You are going to conduct a small study aiming to explore an L2 learner’s motivation to learn English. This study will involve interviewing an L2 learner and asking them to reflect on their experiences of learning English and consider what had an impact on their motivation to learn it.
1. Familiarise yourself with key ideas about motivation in second language learning by reading some of the items on the recommended reading list for Session 7.
2. Decide what motivation theory you are going to use as the basis for your study (e.g. L2 motivational self-system (Dörnyei, 2009), self-determination theory (Ryan and Deci, 2000) etc.).
3. Design 4-5 interview questions aiming to understand your participant’s motivation to learn English. These questions should be based on the motivation theory you have selected.
4. Choose a person who has an experience of L2 learning (e.g. a friend, colleague, family member).
5. Arrange to meet this person either face to face or via Skype/Wechat and introduce your study. Make sure you gain their consent before conducting the interview.
6. Conduct the interview. You need to record the interview to be able to analyse it.
7. Listen to the recording of the interview. You need to identify and transcribe the parts which you think are interesting and/or important (approximately one page).
8. Study your transcript carefully and analyse it having in mind the motivation theory you have selected:
a. Read the transcript and highlight words/phrases which you think are important.
b. Write codes (what the highlighted words/phrases represent) on the margins.
11. Write a brief report discussing your participant’s L2 learning motivation, referring to relevant literature. This should be roughly 1500 words. Please include the annotated transcript as an appendix. You may use short extracts of the transcription in your report. You may structure this in the way you see best but we would advise you to consider the following:
· A very brief introductory para showing the aim and scope of the report.
· A brief discussion of the concept of motivation making reference to the principal models but leading to a presentation of the model you will use for your analysis and a rationale for this choice.
· A brief indication of your data-collection and analysis procedure.
· A presentation and discussion of your data, using direct quotation from the data to support your points.
· You may wish to conclude with a very brief reflection on what, if anything, your investigation has taught you about the role of motivation in SLL.
There is a sample assignment on Minerva to which you may wish to refer for comparison.
References:
Braun, V. and Clarke, V. 2006. Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology. 3(2), pp. 77-101.
Dörnyei, Z. 2009. The L2 motivational self system. In: Dörnyei, Z. and Ushioda, E. eds. Motivation, language identity and the L2 self. Bristol: Multilingual matters, pp. 9-42.
Ryan, R. and Deci, E. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist. 55(1), pp. 68-78.
EDUC5931M Analysing Language Learning: Assessment Portfolio: Task 5
Focus: Age and Second Language Learning
Rationale: The purpose of this task is to help you consolidate and extend your understanding of the impact of age in second language learning. A secondary aim is to encourage you to read critically and to discuss these issues collaboratively.
Instructions:
1. Reflect on your own experience of learning English as an L2. Consider how your L1 may have influenced your learning of English, i.e. the ways in which and the areas on which your L1 may have had an effect.
2. Refer back to the reading materials of Week 8 and familiarise yourself with key ideas to do with age in second language learning.
3. Choose one specific empirical study mentioned in the session. Read the paper carefully paying particular attention to what it suggests about age and second language learning.
4. Form a small group of three-four people who have chosen the same empirical study.
5. Meet as a group and discuss the study. The following questions might serve as a guide for your group discussion:
1) What is the purpose of the study and the research questions?
2) What is the context of the study and who are the participants?
3) How was the data collected and analysed?
4) What are the key findings of this study about L1 transfer?
5) What are the pedagogical implications of the study?
12. Write a brief report detailing and commenting on the empirical study. This should be roughly 1500 words. In the commentary, you will need to refer to a wider literature on age and second language learning. You may structure this in the way you see best but we would advise you to consider the following:
· A very brief introductory para showing the aim and scope of the report.
· A brief discussion of the role of age in SLL to provide a theoretical context for your discussion of the chosen paper.
· A summary of the chosen paper in terms of aim, methods and findings.
· A discussion of the paper in relation to the ideas about the role of age in SLL that you mentioned in your theoretical context.
· You may wish to conclude with a very brief reflection on what, if anything, your work on the task has taught you about the role of age in SLL.
There is a sample assignment on Minerva to which you may wish to refer for comparison.
EDUC5931M Analysing Language Learning: Assessment Portfolio: Task 6
Focus: Cross-linguistic Influence in Second Language Learning
Rationale: The purpose of this task is to help you consolidate and extend your understanding of concepts to do with the first language influence on second language acquisition. A secondary aim is to encourage you to read critically and discuss collaboratively the role of L1 influence in second language learning.
Instructions:
1. Reflect on your own experience of learning English as an L2. Consider how your L1 may have influenced your learning of English, i.e. the ways in which and the areas on which your L1 may have had an effect.
2. Refer back to the suggested reading for Week 9 and familiarise yourself with key ideas concerning L1 influence.
3. Choose one specific empirical study mentioned in class. Read the paper carefully paying particular attention to what it suggests about L1 influence.
4. Form a small group of three-four people who have chosen the same empirical study.
5. Meet as a group and discuss the study. The following questions might serve as a guide for your group discussion:
· What is the purpose of the study and the research questions?
· What is the context of the study and who are the participants?
· How was the data collected and analysed?
· What are the key findings of this study about L1 influence?
· What are the pedagogical implications of the study?
6. In groups, share your own experiences of learning English as the L2. Discuss how your L1 has influenced your learning of English.
7. Write a brief report detailing and commenting on the empirical study. This should be roughly 1500 words. In the commentary, you will need to refer to a wider literature on L1 influence. You may structure this in the way you see best but we would advise you to consider the following:
· A very brief introductory para showing the aim and scope of the report.
· A brief discussion of the role of crosslinguistic influence in SLL to provide a theoretical context for your discussion of the chosen paper.
· A summary of the chosen paper in terms of aim, methods and findings.
· A discussion of the paper in relation to the ideas about the role of crosslinguistic influence in SLL that you mentioned in your theoretical context.
· You may wish to conclude with a very brief reflection on what, if anything, your work on the task has taught you about the role of crosslinguistic influence in SLL.
There is a sample assignment on Minerva to which you may wish to refer for comparison.