The Use of Supplementary Material for Teaching Children and Adolescents in ESL Classes

By

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to take this chance for thanking my research facilitator, friends and family for the support they provided me and their belief in me as well as guidance they provided without which I would have never been able to do this research.

DECLARATION

I, (Your name), would like to declare that all contents included in this dissertation stand for my individual work without any aid, and this dissertation has not been submitted for any examination at academic as well as professional level, previously. It is also representing my very own views and not essentially those that are associated with the university.

Signed __________________ Date _________________

ABSTRACT

In this study, we tried to conduct an analysis of the supplementary material used in ESL classes in a holistic context. The main focus of the research is on the material being used in ESL classes and their assessment is carried out in terms of sentence structure, readability, vocabulary, length of the sentences, use of figurative expression, etc and tried to gauge its overall effect on the level of comprehension of the students. The study also threw light on some of the basic definitions and concepts pertaining to acquisitions of a second language, the importance of English Language and the ways of teaching in ESL classes. This study is conducted in the context of Singaporean ESL classes for teaching children and adolescent learners.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTii

DECLARATIONiii

ABSTRACTiv

Background of the study1

Aims and Objectives3

Significance of the Study3

Research Questions5

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW6

Second Language6

Mother tongue and foreign language7

Figure 1: Model Of English Language Learner Student Features And Instructor Indices Determining Englishlanguage Learner Student Results13

The Formulas of Readability14

Measures of Vocabulary14

Complexity of the Sentence16

figure 2: Learning Cycle In Esl Class Settings23

Relations between the core curriculum of English as a Second Language and other elements of the Training Program of ESL Schools23

Relations with the broad areas of learning23

figure 3: Language Field Of A Community Learner26

Relations with other disciplines26

Understanding of Text28

Sense of competence28

Reading as an Interactive Process32

What does the reader brings to the task?32

Syntactical Complexity of ESL text36

Theories of Language Acquisition37

Educational Applications of Relevant Theory of Chomsky45

The Functional Approach45

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY48

Research Design48

Literature Search48

Keywords49

Definition of Qualitative Research49

Research Method50

Literature Selection Criteria51

Search Technique51

Theoretical Framework51

CHAPTER 4: ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION52

Lesson planning problems52

Problems with materials53

Problems with students53

The Variables of Content53

Figure 4: Pre and Post Assessment of ESL Subgroup54

Figure 5: Academic Activity in ESL Classes55

Linguistic Variables56

Vocabulary56

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION59

REFERENCES62

APPENDICESi

Table 1: Teaching a Foreign Languagei

Table 2: Learnersiv

Table 4: Teaching Techniquesx

Table 5: Different Teaching Contextsxiii

Table 6: Supplementary Materialxvi

Table 7: Aspects of Theory of Syntaxxix

Table 8: Material and Human Resourcesxxi

Table 9: Learning Situations and Evaluationxxiii

Table 10: Understanding of Textxxv

Table 11: Evaluation of Competencyxxvi

(PLEASE SEE THE REQUIRED ADDITIONAL TABLES IN THE APPENDICES)

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

Language is a means of communication and everyone learns a language to communicate from early childhood. Language is very important because it serves as a means for people to exchange their ideas, thoughts and feelings with each other. Without language, life would have been impossible for survival as the ability of a man to think and talk makes him different from and ...