18.463, Diss: Applied Linguistics: Retorta: 'Efeito retroativo do vestibul...'

[LINGUIST Network]

LINGUIST List: Vol-18-463. Mon Feb 12 2007. ISSN: 1068 - 4875.

Subject: 18.463, Diss: Applied Linguistics: Retorta:  'Efeito retroativo do vestibul...'

Moderators: Anthony Aristar, Eastern Michigan U <aristar at linguistlist.org>
            Helen Aristar-Dry, Eastern Michigan U <hdry at linguistlist.org>
 
Reviews: Laura Welcher, Rosetta Project / Long Now Foundation  
         <reviews at linguistlist.org> 

Homepage: http://linguistlist.org/

The LINGUIST List is funded by Eastern Michigan University, Wayne
State University, and donations from subscribers and publishers.

Editor for this issue: Hunter Lockwood <hunter at linguistlist.org>
================================================================  

To post to LINGUIST, use our convenient web form at
http://linguistlist.org/LL/posttolinguist.html.


===========================Directory==============================  

1)
Date: 09-Feb-2007
From: Miriam Retorta < msester at utfpr.edu.br >
Subject: Efeito retroativo do vestibular da Universidade Federal do Paraná no ensino de língua inglesa em nível médio no Paraná: uma investigação em escolas públicas... 

	
-------------------------Message 1 ---------------------------------- 
Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2007 10:13:40
From: Miriam Retorta < msester at utfpr.edu.br >
Subject:  Efeito retroativo do vestibular da Universidade Federal do Paraná no ensino de língua inglesa em nível médio no Paraná: uma investigação em escolas públicas... 
 


Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas - UNICAMP 
Program: Applied Linguistics 
Dissertation Status: Completed 
Degree Date: 2007 

Author: Miriam Sester Retorta

Dissertation Title: Efeito retroativo do vestibular da  Universidade Federal do 
Paraná no ensino de língua inglesa em nível médio no
Paraná: uma investigação em escolas públicas, particulares
e cursos pré-vestibulares 

Linguistic Field(s): Applied Linguistics


Dissertation Director(s):
Matilde Virgínia Ricardi Scaramucci

Dissertation Abstract:

The objective of this thesis is to investigate if the English test of the
University Entrance Examination of UFPR sets off the 'washback' effect in
the teaching/learning of the language in public and private high schools as
well as cramming courses and, if so, what effects they had.  In order to
meet these objectives a qualitative interpretativist investigation was
conducted in which various voices of the school community were heard, such
as the participants of public schools (urban and rural), the private
schools and the cramming courses (private and free ones). Since there was
an intention of having multiple perspectives of the phenomenon, the
scenarios  were chosen because of the great social inequalities of this
country and, therefore, many stakeholders (participants who were directly
or indirectly involved in the phenomenon) were selected to be interviewed.
The data was triangulated, analyzed and discussed. Besides the interview,
class observations were included. The results of this study show that there
was no washback effect of the English test of the University Entrance
Examination of UFPR in public schools. What helped set the teaching goals
of the discipline were the contents suggested in the didactic books adopted
in each school.  In the other scenarios, the washback effect was observed.
The positive effects were the motivation of the directors and teachers to
search for information about the test; motivation of the students to study
harder to pass the test; the test was used to set clear teaching objectives
and reading began to be taught. The negative effects were: anxiety of the
participants of some scenarios and curriculum narrowing. Different
intensities of the washback effect were observed because there were other
factors which interfered in the phenomenon such as information teachers had
about the test, their concept of language, reading and evaluation, their
knowledge of the English language, the directors demanding for the
teachers' best, the social group (parents and students) demanding for the
teachers' best and the chances the students had in being approved, among
others. The official program of the test was used to guide the
teaching/learning of these scenarios. This study offers a theoretical
contribution when it helps us understand a bit more about the washback
effect; methodological contribution due to the research design which is
innovative and broad and, finally, a practical contribution because  it
intends to offer a set of information which can give support to the
teaching and evaluation of the English discipline in high schools. 




-----------------------------------------------------------
LINGUIST List: Vol-18-463