Report on MyStudy and Life in the U.S.

University of Maryland 马里兰大学

Meng Yaru

Four Major Aspects

• The project

• Study

• Research

• Life

The Project

The ProjectMentor-Rebecca L. Oxford

SILL Strategy Inventory for Language LearningSAS Style Analysis Survey

她的主要著作有《语言学习策略：每个教师都应了解》，《模仿、游戏和语言学习》《世界语言学习策略：跨文化视角》和《语言学习动机：通向新世纪的道路》 . 主编《博采英语》。另外她还发表了 100 多篇广为引用的文章和著作章节

Study

• Auditing courses Self-regulated Learning (SRL) Critical Period Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT) Co-teaching

• Weekly meeting• Peripheral participating Autonomy Instrument (MAP-my approaches and

preferences)--related

Research

• ICT Use in Learning English as an International Language:Chinese college Students in an Inland City (AAAL 2006 in Montreal, Canada)

• Asian Doctoral Students’ Views of WebCT in Education Programs (Aisa TEFL 2006)

• A Journey to Take: the Academic and Cultural Identity Construction of Chinese Teaching Assistants in American Universities ( Hong Kong, 2006)

76.4

5.1

15.2

3.2

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10

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70

80

Freshman

Sophomore

Junior

Senior

ICT UseParticipants: Class levels

Freshmen (76.5%); Sophomores (5.1%); Juniors (15.2%); Seniors (3.2%)

60.2

18.8 15.6 5.5

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Enginnering

Math & Science

Management

Arts &Humanities

ICT UseParticipants: Major

Engineering (60.2%); Math & Science (18.8%); Management (15.6%); Arts and Humanities (5.5%)

ICT Use—Results

• (1) Ownership levels of ICTs were quite low.

• (2) The majority of the participants spent 3-10 hours weekly using ICT for general purposes. Almost 40% of the participants reported that they spent less than one hour for studying English.

• (3) The majority of the participants believed that they needed additional training to use ICT in English courses.

• (4) The participants preferred having a moderate to extensive amount of ICT features in English courses.

ICT Preferences in English Courses

no information technology 4.1%

limited technology features 12.8%

a moderate level of technology

41.0%

technology extensively 40.3%

technology exclusively 1.7%

“I prefer taking English courses that use…”

AAAL 2006 Montreal, Canada

Asian Doctoral Students’ Views of WebCT

Question 1a: What are the advantages of task-based WebCT discussions?

• Triggering of new ideas

• Asian-student-friendly mode

• Community-building, understanding others

• Enhanced self-management and self-organization

• Improved writing

Conclusions• 1. Greatest contributions of WebCT to Asian St

udents were in:– English language improvement (mainly for newcomers)– Developing a sense of belonging and community

• 2. Limited contributions of WebCT to: – Cognition and content learning (depending on how We

bCT was used)– Participants’ teaching methodology

• 3. WebCT was well related to and facilitative of in-class discussions, according to a majority

• 4. Learning style or personality was a factor in the results

Asia TEFL 2006, Japan

The Journey of Chinese TAsResearch Questions

1. What kind of journey do most Chinese TAs experience when constructing themselves?

2. How do they identify themselves academically and culturally as TAs?

3. As a TA in the U.S., what are their reflections on the Chinese language teaching practice when looking back?

4. How do they think future potential Chinese TAs can better prepare themselves?

Results and InterpretationsQuestion 3

• Survey Question 3: What do you think the Chinese language teaching practice when looking back as a TA in the U.S.?

• Test oriented skills like grammar, reading and writing are over-emphasized. On the contrary, the practical skills are ignored.

• More authentic materials, more students and scholar exchanges, more choices to students and teachers, more emphasis on autonomous learning.

Conclusions

• 3 stages of academic construction are demonstrated in general—initial anxiety, interaction attempts and pedagogic improvement.

• Secondly, more participants identify themselves as teachers. Whatever identity, they are very confident in subject matter.

• Thirdly, more students expressed the problematic focus of the Chinese language teaching experience.

• Lastly, their suggestions to the future Chinese TAs also fall into the three aspects an ITA should be trained.

Life

• Festivals

• Funeral

• Dilemma

Wedding

Bridal Shower

Baby Shower