Completed Research Projects
The role of working memory capacity in reading comprehension has been well established by numerous studies in the first language and few studies in the second language. Working memory is measured by various span tests such as reading span and operation span. A common feature of these tests is that they require processing and storage of information at the same time. Research has shown that the type of WM test that has the highest correlation with reading comprehension is the reading span test. However, the methodological inconsistencies in the development of reading span tests make it difficult to generalize the findings from these studies. One such inconsistency is the language used to measure working memory capacity in the second language. While reading span is measured in the first language in some studies, it is measured in the second language in others. Moreover, the type of task used in processing the sentences is also inconsistent. While some tests require judging syntactic accuracy of sentences, others require judging semantic veracity. The aim of this study is to investigate whether such inconsistencies in the measurement of reading span affect the validity of reading span tests. Criterion-related validity and construct validity are two main dimensions of test validity. The former can be investigated through correlational data whereas the latter involves examing test takers’ mental processes while they take the test. Since the available conventional techniques used to investigate test takers’ mental processes interfere with the natural test taking process, recording test takers’ eye movements while they complete the test overcomes such weakness. This method provides valuable information about test takers’ strategies, thus is an alternative method in construct validation. Examining eye movements in construct validation is a new method and has been used in few studies. Thus the main goal of this project is to investigate how methodological inconsistencies in the development of reading span tests affect the validity of these tests through tracking eye movements of test takers in the context of second language reading comprehension processes.
MLARG involves the implementation of mobile learning (m-learning) technologies in foreign language teaching to enhance language learning facilities of students coming from lower socioeconomic backgrounds (ages 16-17) in vocational high schools. Thus, this project is both innovative – e.g., use of technology in foreign language education, and inclusive – i.e., designed for young people at risk groups . The project involves the development of methodology and language learning materials suitable for mobile language learning (MLL), and its implementation. Therefore, it can be said that the methodology and the content developed for MLL and m-learning infrastructures will be the major outcome of the project.
The aim of the present project is to use mobile learning technologies (MLT) to design language teaching materials and methodology for young people (ages 16-17) with limited financial resources studying at vocational high schools. The main reasons for choosing Mobile learning (m-learning) can be listed as follows: (i) m-learning helps learners to develop positive attitudes towards literacy both in school subjects and technology; (ii) m-learning motivates learners to take part in activities in mobile medium of communication (MCM) via multimedia tools, such as, mediaBoard, portal page, and clips; (iii) m-learning allows “anywhere”, “anytime” and “personalized” learning for everyone (Atwell, 2005). Since during the implementation of the project, the participant will have access to m-learning facilities; it is considered that using m-learning at “anytime and anyplace” will give young people at risk groups a strong feeling of being taken care of, valued, and included in the society. M-learning will also allow them to personalize their way of learning and increase their self-esteem and confidence. Moreover, in the project, through use of m-learning technologies the content will not be presented in a fixed environment but in various environments, such as, PDAs, Cascading Style Sheets and Small Screen Rendering (SSR).
This study aims to examine article use in late second language (L2) learners of English in three different semantic contexts (i.e., [+definite; +specific]; [-definite; +specific]; [-definite; -specific]). To this end, L2 acquisition of English articles by native speakers of Turkish—a language without an article system—is investigated to identify the most problematic semantic context(s) of article use. Findings will contribute to verify previous assumptions that suggest that irrespective of the first language, most adult L2 learners have problems in correctly supplying the indefinite article “a” in [-definite; +specific] contexts.
This project aims to identify the language transfer phenomenon in early bilingual children by examining specific linguistic features such as the use of articles. The study compares the spoken data collected from the monolingual English children to the Turkish-English, German-English, and Serbo-Croation-English simultaneous bilingual children aged between 4-7 via three different oral tasks (story telling, puppet game, picture description). The acquisition of English articles (the, a/an and zero article) is analyzed in threee semantic contexts (+definite; +specific; -definite;- specific; -definite; +specific).
The main purpose of this study is to explore the effects of L2-based explicit/implicit knowledge types and working memory (WM) capacity on L2 reading comprehension. In this context, the study also aims to investigate how WM capacity is related to declarative and procedural memory systems, as a thorough understanding of this relationship is essential for the realization of the main purpose. That is, how WM interacts with the declarative system, known to store conscious explicit knowledge, which it handles through controlled processes, and the procedural system, known to store unconscious implicit knowledge, which it handles through automatic processes. The reasons for these investigations stem from two fundamental issues in L2 learning. One involves the (non)interface between explicit and implicit knowledge types, i.e. whether the two types of knowledge are independent of or dependent on each other. Another issue that is of great interest in L2 learning is the role of declarative and procedural knowledge as components of long-term memory in L2 performance. Based on Ullman’s declarative/procedural model (2001, 2004), which points to gradual attenuation of procedural memory and enhancement of the declarative memory after puberty, it is known that those linguistic functions that are subserved by the declarative system in the L2 are regulated by the procedural system in the L1. Therefore, it can be argued that explicit knowledge and controlled processes play an important role in late L2 learning. One wonders, then, how the cognitive reliance on one type of knowledge (explicit) and processing (controlled) affects the development of reading comprehension in the L2. Those linguistic aspects (e.g. morphosyntax) that normally depend on automatic processing as implicit pieces of information in the L1 are handled by controlled processes of explicit information in the L2, thereby imposing unnecessary loads on WM’s limited capacity. This leads to bottom-up processing of a reading text at graphemic, phonological, morphological, lexical, semantic, and syntactic levels. This process takes up so much of the reader’s attentional control that the restricted capacity of WM becomes unavailable or partially available to implement the top-down reading tasks. Consequently, the current study, taking account of these specific issues, examines the relationship between explicit and implicit knowledge types with respect to L2 competence. Next, it aims to explore the way each type of knowledge is related to the functions of WM capacity in the L2. Finally, the independent contributions of explicit linguistic knowledge, implicit linguistic knowledge and WM capacity to L2 reading comprehension are investigated.
This study aims to increase the target language awareness of senior pre-service English teachers when they teach English during a practicum. For this purpose, the target language awareness training sessions will be offered by the researcher/supervisor in order to improve the student teachers’ target language use in the classroom during FLED 416 course (Seminar on Practice Teaching in EFL) in the Spring semester of the 2009-2010 academic year. The teacher trainees and the supervisor will work on their grammatical and vocabulary knowledge and examine their own target language use when teaching English in practicum schools. One of the main purposes of this study will be to investigate the challenges that non-native pre-service English teachers experience in their target language use when they do their practicum in actual language classrooms. The data collection instruments will include classroom observations, videotaping the lessons, feedback sessions, and discussion meetings with the teacher trainees. This study will particularly explore the challenges that the teacher trainees encounter while introducing the lesson, giving instructions, implementing an activity, using English for classroom management, and finishing the lesson for the purpose of improved instruction.
This project aims to investigate the interaction patterns of secondary school students in EFL classrooms. In order to understand interaction patterns in a classroom context, it is necessary to analyze the following: duration of the interaction, type of interaction, turn-taking strategies of the participants, interruption, initiation, floor yielding, backchannel responses, roles of the participants. The data is collected via video and audio recordings in the classroom. Both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods are used.
The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of using corpora within a data-driven learning approach in teaching V+N collocations to advanced level Turkish learners of English. For this study, data was collected from first year ELT students currently enrolled at a compulsory composition course at Boğaziçi University, Foreign Language Education Department. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected through four types of instruments: a V+N collocation test, a collocation judgment test, a self evaluation questionnaire and semi-structured interviews.
This study investigates the English language teacher hiring criteria of private school owners or heads of departments in İstanbul and the role of native-speakerness in their hiring decisions. The study also looks into how the participants perceive the strengths and weaknesses of native/expatriate vs. non-native-English-speaking/local/Turkish teachers. The data for the study were collected through a 15 item questionnaire. The questionnaire was sent to a purposeful sample of primary and high schools in Istanbul and 92 questionnaires were usable. The results showed that Professional training and Pronunciation seems to be the most important criteria in hiring teachers while Country of citizenship is perceived to be the least important. Being a native English speaker is regarded important only by a 25% of the participants. The participants perceived that local teachers are the most successful in teaching grammar rules whereas Fluency in speaking English is perceived as the strongest aspect of expatriate teachers. The reverse is also true. Local teachers’ Fluency in English is perceived to be their least strong aspect while their Ability to teach grammar is perceived to be very high.
