Bücher von Li-Shih Huang

This research uses Vygotsky¿s sociocultural theory and Halliday¿s systemic function linguistics to explore raising awareness of strategy use on second language learners¿ reported strategy use and oral language production. The study involves two groups of advanced adult ESL learners. The experimental group members received a strategy use awareness-raising session and engaged in task-specific reflection about their strategy use immediately after their weekly speaking activities. The comparison group members did not receive a strategy use awareness-raising session, but engaged in freewheeling reflection immediately after their identical weekly speaking activities. Research findings from the quantitative and qualitative data shed light on the efficacy of heightening learners¿ awareness of strategy use through in-class awareness-raising sessions and post-speaking activity strategy-specific reflection. In pedagogical terms, the findings offer instructors important information about language learners' strategic behaviours and about how language-learning classrooms can incorporate reflective practice that enables learners to develop a metacognitive awareness of their ongoing learning.

Academic Communication Skills is designed to assist international graduate students as they create their own opportunities to expand their linguistic and strategic repertoires in academic English conversations. The needs of international graduate students are often different than those of others who have learned English as an additional language because they participate in academic conversations at advanced levels, encounter daily opportunities to discuss topics about which they have sophisticated knowledge, and are required to share their expertise with others (in their roles as teaching assistants or research assistants). As students progress in their academic studies, they increasingly understand that their fluency in academic oral communications plays an important role in their academic performance and future career options. While they recognize the importance, many voice frustrations, finding that speaking English is more difficult than writing and engaging in impromptu dialogues is more difficult than presenting prepared monologues. This book is an excellent resource for either classroom instruction or for self-study. It provides effective confidence-building strategies that speakers can try when participating in a range of different academic interactions. By guiding both students and instructors in examining common conversational challenges in academic environments, including many of the assumptions that frequently cause miscommunication, the book provides proven strategies for increased effectiveness and confidence in cross-cultural academic conversations.