28.3972, Diss: Applied Linguistics; English: Edward A. Lockhart: ''English as a Foreign Language through Whole Brain Teaching in Primary School''

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LINGUIST List: Vol-28-3972. Thu Sep 28 2017. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 28.3972, Diss: Applied Linguistics; English: Edward A. Lockhart: ''English as a Foreign Language through Whole Brain Teaching in Primary School''

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Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2017 12:37:19
From: Edward Lockhart [edwardalvar.lockhart at urv.cat]
Subject: English as a Foreign Language through Whole Brain Teaching in Primary School

 
Institution: Rovira i Virgili University 
Program: Programa de Doctorat en Llengua, Literatura i Cultura 
Dissertation Status: Completed 
Degree Date: 2016 

Author: Edward A. Lockhart

Dissertation Title: English as a Foreign Language through Whole Brain Teaching
in Primary School 

Dissertation URL:  http://hdl.handle.net/10803/401558

Linguistic Field(s): Applied Linguistics

Subject Language(s): English (eng)


Dissertation Director(s):
Joaquin Romero

Dissertation Abstract:

The purpose of this dissertation is to explore how the use of the di erent
tools and techniques inside the Whole Brain Teaching methodology a ects the
process of learning English as a foreign language in mainstream primary
education. Whole Brain Teaching is a methodology that was designed to teach
subjects through the mother tongue of the students. Nevertheless, the
extensive use of gestures, the frequent pair work, the motivational tools and
the fact that the learners often have to repeat what the teacher explains,
suggest that this methodology could enhance the teaching and learning process
of English as a foreign language both in terms of general language acquisition
and the motivation of the learners. Two research hypotheses are formulated.
The first one explores whether Whole Brain Teaching can enhance the process of
language acquisition regarding the language skills of the learners. The second
research hypothesis aims to see how the use of Whole Brain Teaching techniques
a ect the motivation of the learners.

These hypotheses were tested in a mainstream primary school with an
experimental design that involved a control and an experimental group. During
three months, both groups received the same content, but only the experimental
group received it through Whole Brain Teaching techniques. The study was
performed from a mixed- methods perspective, with a quantitative part that
measured the changes in the English command of the learners and the changes in
their motivation, and a qualitative part that explored the whole process and
the impressions of the teacher to support or question the quantitative results
and to give a better insight of what happened in the process. The changes in
the English command were measured through listening, reading and writing tests
designed by the publisher of the textbooks used in the school and through a
speaking test to check the fluency, use of vocabulary and pronunciation of the
learners. The changes in motivation were assessed through an adaptation of the
mini-AMTB (Attitude Motivation Test Battery). The mini-AMTB was adapted to
suit the characteristics of nine year-old learners and was piloted in the same
school with two other groups. Nevertheless, the results after the experiment
suggested that the test was not as reliable as it had seemed and it was
piloted again, this time in a pre-test/post-test situation that proved the
unreliability of the test.

The results partially support the first hypothesis, showing significant di
erences regarding the listening and the reading and writing skills of the
learners. Regarding the speaking skills, however, that was not the case. As
far as the second hypothesis is concerned, the quantitative results are,
although non-significant, negative for the experimental group. On the other
hand, the qualitative part of the study and the reviewed literature question
those results.

Enough evidence has been found to support the potential of the Whole Brain
Teaching method for the instruction of English as a foreign language in
primary school.




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