The Journal of Language Teaching and Learning

1-17

Authors: Alla Zareva

The questions addressed in the study concerned the way two word‐related factors (i.e., lexical category and word frequency) interplayed with two learner‐related characteristics (i.e., proficiency and word familiarity) and influenced 1) L1 and L2 users’ knowledge of vocabulary, 2) their preference to build specific types of lexical connections among the words they know, and 3) their ability to maintain networks of associations as an indicator of the connectivity of their lexicons. Three groups of participants—L1 speakers of English, L2 advanced, and L2 intermediate users of English—responded in writing to a word association test containing words balanced for lexical class (nouns, verbs, adjectives) and frequency of occurrence (high, mid, low). The findings revealed a complex picture of interactions between the word‐related and learner‐related factors but, whenever the effects of the variables could be disentangled, proficiency and lexical class had a stronger influence on the organization of the L1 and L2 lexicons than word frequency alone. Keywords: Lexical connectivity; word associations; structure of the L1 and L2 mental lexicon; effects of lexical class, word frequency, proficiency level, and word familiarity.

30-43

Authors: Minhee Eom

This study evaluated four hypothesized L2 listening models to examine underling structures of L2 listening. These listening models represented different underlying structures of thirteen listening ability variables derived from the scores of a listening section of the TOEFL (N = 450). Model 1 posited a single factor structure model of general L2 listening; Model 2 a two‐factor structure of short and long textual lengths; Model 3 a three‐factor structure of a general language attribute and two types of comprehension; and Model 4 a four‐factor structure of two types of language knowledge and the same two comprehension factors of Model 3. Using confirmatory factor analyses with LISREL, the study compared the overall model fit indices of Chi‐Square (χ2 M) Test, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA), Comparative Fit Index (CFI), and Root Mean Square Residuals (RMSR) and concluded that Model 4 was the best fit model of listening. In the selected four‐factor model, two language factors represented organizational and functional knowledge, whereas the other two suggested varying degrees of comprehension complexities. The selected model empirically supported the framework of cognitive models of language ability and other theoretical descriptions of language knowledge and comprehension processes.   Keywords: L2 listening model, cognitive language model, underlying structures, CFA, overall model fit

57-66

Authors: Odilea Rocha Erkaya

Comprised of fable, myth, legend, tall tale, and folk tale, traditional literature, defined by Mateo (2008) as coming from the “oral tradition of storytelling before being written down” (para. 1), is read by many people in different countries. Nevertheless, most English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instructors prefer students to read authentic texts written for native speakers of English. The researcher believes that instructors should choose traditional stories from students’ homelands because: 1. students will be motivated to read their own stories in English; 2. beginning students will not worry about getting acquainted with a different culture;    3. intermediate/advanced students will explore cultural aspects of stories without fear of criticizing them openly; and 4. instructors will be able to concentrate on vocabulary already known in the first language (L1) and guide students to learn vocabulary in context. To illustrate how to select stories to accommodate the needs of EFL students at all fluency levels, traditional Turkish literature in the form of stories of Nasreddin Hodja will be used since the researcher’s students are Turkish nationals.   Keywords: Traditional Turkish stories, Nasreddin Hodja’s stories; motivation to read; cultural awareness; vocabulary in context; vocabulary development  

1-38

Authors: Jane Hanson

Reflection is endorsed as a cognitive catalyst in teacher education (Richards, 1990). However, foreign language teacher educators know little about how reflection is utilized by student teachers in learning to teach foreign languages (Freeman & Johnson, 1998). This qualitative study used Geeʹs discourse analysis (2005) to examine how three foreign language student teachers used reflective journal writing to form meaningful connections between existing knowledge and events of student teaching practice. Results suggest that utilizing discourse analysis to examine the role of reflection in learning how to teach may give insights into development and function of a second language cultural identity.   Keywords: Reflection, journal writing, student teachers, discourse analysis, second language teaching, cultural identity

54-63

Authors: Ali Rahimi, Maryam Eftekhari

This study dealt with code‐switching in EFL classroom contexts at tertiary level in Iran, where English instruction tends to begin late at secondary schools. It aimed to explore the ʹtrigger wordsʹ responsible for cognitive code switching using Clyneʹs (2003) classification, the possible functions of code switching, as well as the EFL instructorsʹ perceptions of code switching. To achieve these objectives, one general English class and one ESP class for computer major students were observed and the two classroom instructors were interviewed. Analysis of data revealed that triggered code switching manifestations in both EFL contexts were different, with the greater frequency of code switching taking place in engineering ESP context. Moreover, ʹproper nounsʹ and ʹlexical transferʹ were the frequently observed types of trigger words responsible for code switching in General and ESP contexts respectively. It also displayed the six functions code switching served in Iranian EFL classrooms. The EFL instructors believed that code‐switching was an effective teaching strategy when facing low English proficient learners. They perceived it useful regarding various functions that it served in Iranian EFL classrooms. Keywords: Psycholinguistics, code switching, trigger words