https://repositorio.una.ac.cr/bitstream/11056/7949/1/priciplesoflanguajeslearningandtaching-jbogarin.pdf

Principles of language learning and teaching

自然界和人类社会中存在着大量的中间状态，人类的语言也是如此。大多数人在出生后首先习得和掌握的是他的母语（mother tongue），在以后的人生中，会有机会学习第二语言（secongd language）或目的语（target language）。所谓中介语是指第二语言学习者建构起来的介于母语和目的语之间的过渡性语言，它处于不断的发展变化过程中，并逐渐向目的语靠近。

中介语（interlanguage）初探

The role of the first language in foreign language learning

The purposes of the present study were to examine the language errors in a writing of English major students in a Thai university and to explore the sources of the errors. This study focused mainly on sentences because the researcher found that errors in Thai EFL students’ sentence construction may lead to miscommunication. 104 pieces of writing written by 26 second-year English major students who enrolled in the Writing II course were collected and analyzed. Results showed that the most frequently committed errors were punctuation, articles, subject-verb agreement, spelling, capitalization, and fragment, respectively. Interlingual interference, intralingual interference, limited knowledge of English grammar and vocabulary, and carelessness of the students were found to be the major sources of the errors. It is suggested that intensive knowledge of English grammar and vocabulary be taught to Thai EFL students. Moreover, the negative transfer of students’ first language should be taken into account in English writing classes. This finding also implies that explicit feedback on students’ writing errors is genuinely needed.

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An Analysis of Errors in Written English Sentences: A Case Study of Thai EFL Students.

Background University students are expressing an increased need for mental health support. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are being integrated into university stress-reduction programmes globally. We conducted a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) assessing MBI effects on university students' mental and physical health. Methods We searched nine databases, including grey literature and trial registries. Two independent reviewers extracted data following a prospective public protocol. Results Fifty-one RCTs were included. In comparison with passive controls, and when measured shortly after intervention completion, MBIs improve distress, anxiety, depression, well-being, rumination, and mindfulness with small to moderate effect sizes, with no benefit found for blood pressure, sleep, life satisfaction, resilience, worry, and thought suppression. Evidence for self-compassion is inconclusive. Effects last beyond three months for distress and mindfulness, with no data on other outcomes. Compared with active control groups, MBIs significantly improve distress and state anxiety, but not mindfulness, depression, well-being, affect, trait anxiety, or emotion regulation. Results were robust to adjustment for multiple testing, but RCTs' risk of bias is generally high. Moderator analyses did not find differential intervention effects according to intervention duration, delivery mode, or sub-populations. Conclusions MBIs may be helpful to students but higher-quality research is needed.

Mindfulness-Based Interventions for University Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials.

International students’ enrollment in higher education in the US has expanded considerably in the last decades. In this study, international students’ experiences were examined in academic and sociocultural settings. Through qualitative interviews, the findings revealed that international students deal with academic challenges, social isolation, and cultural adjustment. Specifically, academic challenges included communication with professors, classmates, and staff. Consequently, they have to deal with social isolation when engaging in different group activities. Culturally, they need to confront the different ways of thinking and doing in the US. In order to overcome these challenges, students have adopted resources that mainly are derived from the university to overcome these challenges. Thus, as demonstrated in this study, having a better understanding of these students’ academic challenges, university faculty and staff can recognize students’ needs and effectively offer supportive campus resources and services. The university needs to be prepared to meet students not only academically but also socially and culturally. This study also suggests that some preparations need to be made by the university that will embrace international students upon their arrival.

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International Student's Challenge and Adjustment to College

This study seeks to explore five 6 th grade EFL learners' major writing problems by analyzing the nature and distribution of their writing errors and it also investigates factors that cause errors in their writing in English through email communication This study examined EFL learners’ writing samples and followed taxonomy: grammatical, lexical, semantic, mechanics, and word order types of errors Findings showed that participants made more mistakes on interlingual/transfer errors than on intralingual/developmental errors Students used their L2 habits, rules, and patterns in the second language writing However, students also had intralingual errors due to the overgeneralizations and partial exposure to the target language In addition, students also included internet linguistic features in their writing Some implications are drawn this study First, for learners, error provided indications for teachers to understand what grammar is difficult for EFL learners Teachers can include these errors in the teaching For teachers explicit instructions on different errors are needed, and teachers should provide a context where fluent and accurate language use should be modeled to learners

/pdf/types-and-attributes-of-english-writing-errors-in-the-efl-3s4hiw7j9a.pdf

Types and Attributes of English Writing Errors in the EFL Context—A Study of Error Analysis

This study aims to examine EFL university students’ perceptions about cross-cultural videoconferencing presentations for professors in the United States. Nineteen Taiwanese English-as-foreign-language university students who studied in a night program for a bachelor’s degree attended the study. Each of them was free to choose a topic related to Taiwanese cultures and individually made a 25-min presentation plus a five-minute question-and-answer session. After the presentation, they watched recordings of their presentations, completed a five-point Likert-scale attitude survey, and wrote down their reflections. The results showed that the participants were positive about the activity. Based on the analysis of their reflections, the participants acknowledged various aspects of the cross-cultural presentations, such as the opportunities to use English meaningfully, motivation to prepare for the project, and the authentic nature of the interaction. However, the participants had concerns about their language abilities, anxiety, and limited preparation time. Finally, they mentioned the impact the presentation had on them. Pedagogical implications and suggestions for future research are provided.

/pdf/efl-university-students-perceptions-about-cross-cultural-2lptlub2.pdf

Hsiao-ping Wu

Papers

International Student's Challenge and Adjustment to College

Types and Attributes of English Writing Errors in the EFL Context—A Study of Error Analysis

EFL university students’ perceptions about cross-cultural presentations via videoconferencing