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School of Continuing Education

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Browsing School of Continuing Education by Subject "English as a second language"

Now showing 1 - 9 of 9
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    Answer the question: a research project
    (2020) McLean, Terence; Talandis Jr., Jerry
    As you probably know from experience, many Japanese students have trouble answering questions during English class. Why is that? According to Harumi (2011), the roots of this phenomenon lie in a complex mixture of linguistic, psychological, and socio-cultural factors. There is, in fact, quite a large culture gap in how silence is interpreted. For example, from a Japanese view point, the silent response from the student above could be seen as a means to save face, avoid difficulty, or request help. On the other hand, from a "western" perspective, the silence may come off as a sign of disinterest, boredom, or laziness. This phenomenon makes it very difficult for teachers to facilitate active learning (Harumi, 2001) and presents a risk of misunderstanding during cross-cultural encounters (King, 2005), both in Japan and while traveling or studying abroad. As a result, silence in the EFL classroom is widely acknowledged as a serious problem (King, 2013; Humphries, Akamatsu, Tanaka, & Burns, in press). It is therefore essential we help our students promptly respond to questions, whether they know the answer or not.
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    Games of lies: grill the teacher
    (2020) McLean, Terence
    This game gives students the opportunity to listen to claims by the teacher, “liar extraordinaire,” and to use question forms to determine which statements are true and which are lies. Some students may have difficulty with question forms; therefore, the opportunity to do so in a fun way can help them to develop the skills necessary to "grill" and catch the teacher in a lie. Furthermore, more proficient students can learn about pragmatic awareness and competence related to asking personal questions.
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    Giving students a fighting chance: pragmatics in the language classroom
    (2004) McLean, Terence
    In order to give language learners a fighting chance outside the classroom, teachers must provide them with consciousness-raising opportunities for developing pragmatic awareness. By attending to pragmatic factors in second-language (L2) situations, students will be better able to make informed choices in negotiating effective communication. This article examines the potential use of the pragmatic discourse completion task (DCT) as a springboard for discussion in the L2 classroom. A description of a DCT used in a study involving advanced L2 learners at the University of Alberta (Ranta, 2002) is provided. The author also provides suggestions for developing students' pragmatic awareness.
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    Question practice: the personal-assistant mock job interview
    (2024) McLean, Terence
    This activity is one way for students to practice forming questions in English as they engage in a fun, communicative task: The Personal-Assistant Mock Job Interview. It should follow lessons on asking and answering questions in English as well as using modals and expressions of ability (can, able to, etc.). Students will have learned about forming yes/no and Wh- questions. Especially, students should be introduced to how Wh- questions are formed, depending on what information they are looking for (the subject or the object): Q: Why do you want this job? (looking for the object—the reason), Q: Who can work evenings? (looking for the subject—the person), Q: When are you available to start working? (be verb following the Wh- question word).
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    Quick tip: sentence variety and zombies
    (2017) McLean, Terence
    As an English as an additional language (EAL) instructor, I am charged with the daunting task of teaching university program–bound international students how to write using a variety of the fabulous four English language sentence types: simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex. Some students go the choppy route and use too many simple sentences, while others try a little too hard and think that the more complex the better, which does not always get the point or argument across.
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    World Englishes in the ESL context, eh
    (2005) McLean, Terence
    Sure, we speak English, but just whose English do we speak? If Singapore and India can have their own hybrids of so-called World Englishes, how about my father? Can Russell from Glace Bay be the spokesperson for Cape Breton English? As an ESL instructor in Canada, should I teach my students more than standard Canadian English? Better yet, should I acknowledge that my many of advanced-level students already speak one kind of English--a World English? The world is changing - my job is changing - again.
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    A world Englishes mini-unit for teachers to use in the EFL context
    (2004) McLean, Terence
    Although awareness of the importance of recognizing World Englishes is increasing throughout EFL literature, there remains a need to ensure that this trend is indeed reflected in course curricula, materials development, and pedagogy. The purpose of this paper is to present a practical suggestion for implementing a World Englishes mini-unit into the EFL classroom in Japan. Students should be encouraged to consider themselves within the concept of WE-ness as Japanese speakers of English--giving them a sense of identification with a personalized variety of English. If we can instill a deeper sense of confidence in young learners of EFL, then perhaps they will be better able to actively communicate in a foreign language that, until now, they have probably believed to be a thing owned by others. English is something we speak; it is not something they own.
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    Young ESL newcomers need a chance to adjust
    (2004) McLean, Terence
    The first day of school must be made as smooth as possible in order for children to feel both at ease and safe. While the major objective of ESL programs is to prepare students for smooth transition into mainstream classrooms, the immediate objective regarding the welcoming of ESL newcomers is social. Educators have the responsibility of providing a supportive environment that will aid in the establishment of a stress-free transition to school life for young English as a Second Language (ESL) newcomers. They must be given a chance to adjust.