A cross-cultural and linguistic approach to enhancing ESL students

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A cross-cultural and linguistic approach to
enhancing ESL students vocabulary acquisition
using computer-assisted learning scaffolding

• For the XIIIth International CALL Research
  Conference at the University of Antwerp
• Jia (Joan) Li (OISE/UT)

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Outline

• Background and context
• Methodology
• Major research findings
• Significance

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Background and Context

• Serious English Academic English literacy
• Ontario Secondary Literacy Tests

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Methodological overlap and mismatch
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24 Chinese ESL students in Grades 9-10 and 5 ESL
teachers
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A sample of popular comic books
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Chinese story books
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Bilingual instructions

• Chinese vocabulary equivalents

• Grammatical explanations in Chinese

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Samples of bilingual electronic handheld
dictionaries in the ESLB class
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A mixed methodology design

• Three phases
• Initial semi-structured interviews/conceptual
  analysis
• Reading experiments/repeated measures ANOVAs
• Oxfords strategy inventory of language learning
  (SILL) and follow-up interviews/Descriptive
  statistics and thematic analysis

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Reading Experiments
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Vocabulary Levels Tests

• Monolingual Vocabulary Levels Tests
• bridge
• crossing _____ image
• double _____ without delay
• immediately _____ twice as much
• piece
• reflection

• Bilingual Vocabulary Levels Tests
• bridge
• crossing _____ ??,??
• double _____ ??
• immediately _____ ???
• piece
• reflection

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WordNet monolingual dictionary
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Monolingual/bilingual dictionary
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Unknown words database
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Blank words feature in the practice mode
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Parts of speech feature in the grammar mode
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Findings

• An apparent preference for vocabulary
  instructional strategies
• Mismatches identified between Chinese and North
  American vocabulary teaching approaches that
  students experienced
• Compensatory strategies

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Bilingual-resourced strategies students preferred
Strategies Students Preferred Bilingual-Based
Students Strategies Reading bilingual books 5
Students Strategies Using electronic bilingual dictionaries 80
Students Strategies Using online bilingual dictionaries 25
Students Strategies Using online translation programs 20
Students Strategies Translating passages and taking notes 10
Students Strategies Memorizing vocabulary using English-Chinese word lists 10
Students Strategies Asking classmates for meanings (bilingual peer coaching) 25
Students Strategies Speaking English with competent bilingual friends 5
Students Strategies Watching TV in English with Chinese subtitles 15
Teachers Strategies Providing Chinese definitions of words 10
Teachers Strategies Encouraging students to understand word meanings in Chinese 10
Strategies in Need Providing detailed and explicit explanations (T) 30
Strategies in Need Asking classmates for meanings (bilingual peer coaching) (S) 10
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Findings continued

• Repeated-measures ANOVAs
• technology-supported scaffoldings
• Significant variations
• existing levels of English proficiency
• differences in understanding word meanings
  between L1 and L2

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Time versus Version
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Significance

• A resource-orientated functional approach versus
  dichotomy of language teaching and learning
  approach
• Bilingual vocabulary levels tests
• Feasible recommendations
• explicitly promoting the use of L1
• employing a diversity of Chinese approach-based
  memorization strategies

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A cross-cultural and linguistic approach to
ELLs literacy development in a multilingual
Canada

• Bridging ELLs literacy gap
• Mainstream instructional practices
• - students cultural, educational and
  linguistic capital their legacy of learning
  experiences, L1 competence
• - students increasing orientation towards
  technology

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Thank youEmail jiali_at_oise.utoronto.ca