A journal study of the spoken English learning experience of prospective international teaching assistants.

摘要

The purpose of this journal study was to describe and explore the Spoken English (SE) learning experience of prospective international teaching assistants (ITAs) in an intermediate SE course in order to improve the teaching and learning in SE courses. Five Asian student volunteers were selected to participate in the study. The participants wrote eight weekly journal entries on specified topics of their SE learning experience. Using the journal entries as a frame of reference, I conducted three interviews with each participant. In addition, I wrote classroom fieldnotes, conducted member checks, and included other notes from video presentations, speaking practices, and Exit Interviews.; Five main themes emerged. First, the participants' prior EFL learning and obstacles in their interactions with native speakers did not allow them to practice their spoken language. Second, pronunciation, vocabulary, and fluency were main concerns in their SE learning. Third, instrumental motivation played an important role in their learning. Fourth, the participants experienced positive changes in their attitude and thinking towards learning SE, through their ITA course. Fifth, reflection made a difference in their SE learning.; These findings yielded five conclusions. First, reflection activities should be an important part of ITA SE courses. Second, ITA learners need to be encouraged to make positive changes in their thinking and attitude about learning SE, because these changes seem to have a beneficial effect on their language learning. Third, because motivation plays a significant role in the ITAs' passing the university SE requirement, it is important that the learners think about what they are doing to accomplish this goal. Fourth, ITAs need to be more responsible toward, reflective on, and aware of their SE learning than they currently are in SE courses. Finally, increased awareness of factors in the EFL and ESL setting that affect the ITAs' learning of SE will help instructors and tutors, as well as ITAs and their advisors or other professors, in understanding the SE learning process of ITAs.