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    A longitudinal study of responses to in-service teacher education by Vietnamese English language teachers : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Second Language Teaching at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1998) McCook, Fiona Constance
    This study seeks to provide an insight into aspects of Vietnamese classroom interaction and teaching practices which are identified as fundamental by language teachers. It examines the responses, among Vietnamese high school teachers, to in-service teacher education using elements of the reflective model to inform the longitudinal research design. The subjects for the study are 15 teachers nominated for an in-service course at the Binh Dinh Department of Education. The focus of this research, the primary data, comprises diaries and questionnaires collected before, during, and after the in-service programme over a period of seven months. Supplementary information, secondary and peripheral data, used to interpret and inform the analysis of primary sources, comprises observation notes, audio diary entries, teacher belief questionnaires and student questionnaires. Content analysis reveals that teachers are concerned primarily with student response in class, that is, the displays of emotion in relation to the lesson, and student language performance. Performance is conceptualised as accurate reproduction of prescribed texts. In addition, the teachers' reflections foreground the primacy of the teacher-student relationship and the collective orientation of classroom activity. In a culture that does not emphasise trial and adaptation teachers also show a correspondingly low tolerance of ambiguity and a rejection of anything judged to be ad hoc. "Tried and true" methods are preferred. Confidence is cited as a major reason for not attempting new techniques in the classroom pointing to a need for a mentoring relationship between teacher educators and teachers in future in-service programmes. There is a higher than expected rate of reflectivity in diary entries though this is confined chiefly to evaluations of directly observable student behaviour. There are few attempts to probe reasons for performances that fail to meet teacher expectations. The study concludes with a model of the reflective teacher educator process.
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    The new English curriculum : a study of text complexity in reading and written English : a thesis submitted as partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education, Massey University
    (Massey University, 1998) Capper, Hilary
    This research examines the teaching methods in a Year 7 distance education English programme in relation to text complexity in reading and written English. It considers student performance, processes, resources and teaching strategies. The research focuses on the assessment and teaching of text complexity in reading and written English in relation to student aptitude. It explores how the students' needs were met in the years 1996-1997 and considers the implications for teachers of the new English curriculum in relation to the assessment and teaching of text complexity. Consideration is also given to criticism of the new English curriculum especially where it is relevant to the teaching of text complexity in reading and written English. The thesis therefore has two aspects to it. Firstly the criticisms of the new curriculum and the English curriculum, in particular, are examined and the implications these criticisms may have for the teaching of text complexity are considered. Secondly a Year 7 English programme developed in distance mode at The Correspondence School is researched in light of the requirements of the new English curriculum as it relates to text complexity in reading and written English.
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    Communication apprehension of Chinese ESL students : a thesis completed in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Second Language Teaching at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1996) Mak, Barley Shuk Yin
    This study investigates the communication apprehension (CA) as defined by Horwitz et al (1986) of a group of Chinese ESL secondary students in New Zealand. The relative importance of a number of sources (educational, social, and cultural) of CA which have been identified for Chinese students of English is considered. The relationship between CA, wait time and certain in-class practices such as questioning and voluntary speaking is examined. A further aspect of the study explores the ways in which students can articulate suggestions for coping with CA. The relative importance of sources of CA is investigated by means of interviews, a ranking exercise and verbal reports. A questionnaire and "classroom" session further corroborate the sources of CA in relation to certain in-class practices and wait-time. Scenarios (hypothetical situations) are used to examine the strategies which these students considered effective for coping with CA. Results indicated that language distance between Chinese and English contributed strongly to CA among Chinese ESL students because the two languages are substantially different in terms of language structure and use. Culture also emerged as an important dimension in CA in the present study and that the students' cultural background affected their learning style, attitudes towards certain in-class practices and expectations in school. It was also found that speaking in front of the class and insufficient preparation were important sources of CA within the classroom. Students reported on both the affective and practical ways in which they attempted to cope with CA. The thesis concludes with an examination of the methodological and theoretical implications of the study. The present research has highlighted the importance of applying the case study approach to further CA studies. It has also demonstrated that language distance, preparation time and affective variables are among some of the important elements which have been neglected by previous anxiety research. A number of tentative and practical recommendations from the study are proposed together with suggestions for further research.
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    Making English : the National English Syllabus Committee and the re-defining of high school English in New Zealand, 1969-1983 : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in History, Massey University (Albany), New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2013) Laing, Charles
    The English curriculum is in some ways at the forefront of high school educational politics. Language and literature are inherently political insofar as they can reflect, challenge, or normalise ways of thinking about or seeing the world. The language we inherit, learn, imitate, and use is a signifier to others of who we are, where we have come from, what we believe, what social groupings we might belong to. The literature we study reflects the values of our societies and those of individuals in our societies, and can be used to persuade, challenge, undermine, or reinforce our beliefs. On a practical level, English has traditionally been, and still remains, the only subject in which a certain level of proficiency is required for entrance into tertiary education, and the national demand for literacy is intrinsically and philosophically bound to a nation’s perception of its collective intellectual status. Students use language across all curriculum areas and English is the language that is the most widely understood in this country; as a result, people widely link proficiency in it to a young person’s social and vocational potential. This means that, historically, high school English syllabi / curricula have assumed a symbolic role in reflecting philosophical and political directions in education that transcend the notion of subject-­‐as-­‐academic-­‐discipline. By studying the process of English syllabus / curriculum development and the agents of change, we can better understand how, and to what extent, such factors influence our educational framework.
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    The applicability of the writing center and online writing lab to Malaysian tertiary education : a dissertation presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in English at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2006) Tan, Bee Hoon
    The importance of writing ability cannot be overstated, be it writing in the first or second language. Yet, students' lack of writing skills remains a constant complaint, especially in the contexts of English as a second language (ESL). In the quest for an intervening mechanism, Writing Centers (WCs) and Online Writing Labs (OWL), originating in North America, have proved effective. The success of Writing Centers seems to lie in their pedagogical approach of "improve the writer, not the writing" and the practice of non-directive and non-judgemental individualised student-centered one-on-one tutoring. This, then, motivated the present research to focus on the applications of WCs and OWLs in ESL tertiary education. The main research question examined is: in what ways are the theory and praxis of the WC and OWL applicable to ESL tertiary contexts of Malaysia? In establishing the applicability of WCs and OWLs to ESL tertiary students in Malaysia, this study conducts a series of thematic investigations on WCs and OWLs in North America, ESL students and writing in English for Academic Purposes and innovations in tertiary education, a case study on the status of English in Malaysia, and a survey on the writing needs and writing support in English at a Malaysian university. A comparison is also made among North American, European and Asian WCs and OWLs. The five investigations culminate in the formulation of a conceptual framework for the ESL WC approach and an action plan to implement the approach. The essence of the WC approach is in the application of writing centers as writing pedagogy, learner support and immersive language learning environments. The present research contributes towards the critical development and application of WCs and OWLs in universities in the Asian region where English functions as a second or foreign language. The initiative is also a pioneer innovation study in the field of WCs and OWLs for its application in Malaysian universities. Hence the study may contribute toward improved writing instruction, a new and comprehensive learner support system in the proposed WC framework, and the relevance of an immersive language learning environment.
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    Written feedback in a freshman writing course in the U.A.E. : instructors' and students' perspectives on giving, getting and using feedback : a dissertation presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Second Language Teaching at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2008) Shine, Elva Anne
    Instructors' frustration with the feedback/revision cycle in a tertiary setting provided the impetus for this study examining the complex issue of written feedback on L2 writing. Areas of contention considered included the type of feedback offered, when to offer it and how to present it to encourage maximum use by students as well as the actual use students made of the written feedback. An ethnographic approach led to three case studies being conducted in academic writing classes in a university in the United Arab Emirates. The students' and the instructors' perspectives were drawn on as well as those of other interested parties including other instructors in the department and writing center tutors. Interviews, focus groups and email exchanges were the principle sources used to gather participants' views. In addition, students answered questionnaires on instructor and peer feedback procedures. Essays were examined in terms of instructor and peer feedback, and the students' responses to that feedback were examined. The data gathered from these sources exposed contradictions and misunderstandings. It appeared that students had little faith in peer feedback but a strong desire for instructor feedback, which they believed they used when revising; however, instructors doubted that most students made any significant use of feedback or even revised productively. Examination of the essays suggested that: instructors did not always offer the feedback they intended to offer focusing more on grammar than content, and sometimes instructors underestimated how much feedback students attempted to act on. The study identified that key problems for students were: understanding the extent of revisions anticipated, knowing what to concentrate their efforts on and knowing how to act on the feedback, especially if they had exhausted their ideas on a topic. In addition, the difficulty of providing clear, usable feedback suggests that rather than relying extensively on written feedback, other ways of assisting students to revise their writing should be considered. The study suggests that feedback that relates explicitly to classroom instruction, and exposure to revision strategies are two techniques that offer a lot of potential for improving students' responses to written feedback. Instructors should also consider making their feedback strategies and expectations of the students explicit. Finally, individual variables mean that it is unlikely that one approach will work for all students; therefore, instructors need to be flexible and respond according to the needs of the student.
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    The nature and dynamics of collaborative writing in a Malaysian tertiary ESL setting : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Linguistics at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2006) Yong, Mei Fung
    This classroom-based study provides insights into the nature of collaborative writing in a Malaysian tertiary ESL setting. It tracked the collaborative writing processes of three case study groups over one semester and elicited students' reflections on their collaborative experience. The study focussed on three case study groups formed by nine undergraduates who were enrolled in an academic writing course in a large public university in Malaysia. The individuals volunteered to be involved in the study and they self-selected their group members. Multiple research instruments were used for data collection. The primary data was comprised of audio and video-recordings of the case studies' collaborative writing sessions over three writing tasks. Interviews, journal entries, and a questionnaire supplemented the primary data. The use of various techniques ensured that data collection was sufficiently covered in breadth and in depth. Results showed that the collaborative writing process was a complex phenomenon. The nature of collaboration is influenced by group composition, role flexibility, and task complexity. The findings reveal that familiarity with group members is crucial for group cohesion; it provided a safe and comfortable working environment. Flexibility in role-taking also helped the groups to carry out their collaboration effectively. Leader, contributor, and gate-keeper roles were interchangeable across groups and across tasks except for the scribe role. It was found that as tasks increased in complexity, conflict also intensified. During negotiations and resolutions of conflicts, the students had considered cultural issues, such as sensitivity to face and group harmony. Other affective factors such as cooperation, willingness to share, team spirit, and tolerance aided the collaboration while apathy and domineering behaviour were detrimental. These multiple factors, which differed from one case study to another, shaped the distinctiveness of each group. Nonetheless, findings from the students' transcripts and personal reflections revealed that group collaboration changed and became more positive over time. This study provides a revised definition of collaborative writing. The three case study groups shared some common features, such as mutual interactions, sharing of expertise, conflict, and use of colloquial sentence particles. However, there were other features which were peculiar to each group, namely, self-questioning talk, use of local language, creative use of language, and humour. These features not only mediated the writing processes, but also expanded the students' knowledge construction and language acquisition. Based on the analyses, a number of implications have been drawn regarding the use of collaborative writing in the classroom. The study culminates with several recommendations for future research.