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30 June, 2014

Reflection Log on Research

Chapter 8 – How to Research Second Language Writing
            Ethnography as a research technique in SLA writing fascinates me as I contemplate on dealing with foreign students, their works, teaching materials and the culture as a whole. Landa Jocano, a renowned Filipino author who wrote books in Values Education and Sociology came up with outputs containing genuine ideas and insights about Filipinos whom the author directly associated with during the data gathering process. The writer’s sincerity surfaced in her description of each individual’s values and beliefs that the books captured the interest of most educators and made them utilize the said materials. Jocano applied ethnography in Social Science field and she triumphed in making us understand the culture embodying each group of Filipinos in accordance with their economic condition and location. I, having read her books, conclude that the author’s sacrifices paid off as these materials make reliable references for topics concerning the Philippines and its people.
In SLA research, on the other hand, ethnography as a technique has been proven to be very beneficial despite the expenses it requires. Prof. Andy Peña’s experience when he was working on his thesis verified this. He dealt with foreign people, observed their ways, learned their language and of their culture and ended up understanding his topic and respondents beyond expectation. The PNU professor’s accomplishment proved that ethnography technique distinctively impacts SLA research and education as it does not just provide information, validate a theory, describe a policy or anything. Above all, it affords researchers very dependable answers to their queries and a complete understanding of the topic and research participants. The last of the examples is the study on L2 writing assessment at which the same research technique was utilized. It resulted to significant findings which directed the educator to adopting and developing new approaches to L2 writing assessments.  Peñaflorida (2000) asserts that new trends and approaches – portfolio assessment, protocol analysis, learning logs, journal entries and dialogue journals – would be practical alternatives in L2 writing assessments and if adopted would let L2 educators do away with their age-old practices. This qualitative research technique guarantees L2 teachers sound judgment of the SLA learning process, the learners and others. Apparently, ethnography in SLA writing led to enriched curriculum and learning materials for L2 writing and proper assessment of L2 students’ written outputs.
           
Chapter 9 – How to do Research on Second Language Reading
            I teach Fourth Year high school students. Thus, I teach my students comprehension more than reading. Understanding texts by foreign authors has always been a burden to L2 learners. I observed and realized that the problem springs from particular words or expressions which represent something not found in the Filipino culture that when translated to Filipino results to a meaning that leads to their misunderstanding of the text. For example, the word mistress in Frederick Douglass’s “How I learned to Read and Write.” My students interpreted it as concubine for the dictionary gives such a meaning. They missed the thought that in the author’s culture the word means woman master. This is just one of those which made us laugh in class as I let them realize the context based on the writer’s culture or the text’s origin. Thus, whenever I give them a text to read I see to it that I let them know the author’s background first or provide them pieces of information concerning the origin of the selection so as to guide them to the correct interpretation of it. A different interpretation of the text would be acknowledged though so long as the opinion given is supported by literature.
            As a researcher, I may not venture in a study on L2 reading, primarily because the author, Keiko Koda (as cited in Mackey & Gass, 2012, p.  158) already indicated that “Doing research on second language reading is a challenging enterprise”.  Another reason is that I find research on language acquisition very interesting that I can relate to the experiences of most L2 learners. Now, I realize how important connection between the topic and the researcher is to the undertaking for without this link the motivation to pursue a certain study cannot be guaranteed.       
                                                                                                                   
Chapter 10 – How to Collect  and  Analyze Qualitative Data
            Friedman discussed Qualitative Research Traditions in SLA and drew my interest in conversation analysis which I have been reading about lately. One study by Peñaflorida entitled “Teacher Talk and Student Talk in College Freshman Science Laboratory Class” is an example of this. The researcher aimed at describing and analyzing class talk in the science laboratory class. In the study, the observer concluded that the teacher’s dominance in the teacher-student interaction is evident and that students only talk as they answer questions. Further, Peñaflorida realized that the teacher often repeats the student’s reply instead of giving feedback, an act which defeats the purpose of asking questions. As a teacher, this study impacts me for I do the same in my class. I do initiation and elicitation and most of the time mine is the longest of all the sentences said during the teacher-student interaction. Further, I am guilty of not giving feedback after the student’s response to a question. Yes, the researcher is right. The purpose of asking a question is to evaluate the learner’s comprehension of the lesson; thus, giving feedback after his response to a question is necessary. Students in classes observed were oriented to speak only in L2, whether they interact with the teacher or their classmates. This instruction, I think, could have been another factor why learners performed classroom tasks by compulsion rather than by motivation. It could have been conformation to the policy which prevented them to freely express their opinions and totally interact with anybody else in the classroom, an act which defies the objective of a task-based language teaching, that is, “To communicate socially in the target language and above all, to develop the skills necessary to take part in academic study (Nunan, 1991). Based on the researcher’s findings, exploration on the topics discussed was not manifested as students demonstrated reluctance in sharing their ideas. This observation supports the idea that L2 use in the classroom prevents spontaneous interaction among participants in a class discussion/activity thus limiting students of the occasions to delve into the topic and to appreciate the learning process. The subject observed is not English but the fact that the teacher-student interaction is in this language, the situations presented can be considered suitable opportunities for students’ L2 learning, only if the teacher had been flexible about classroom rules and concerned on students’ learning rather than on pedagogic tasks and language policy.
            As a researcher, I am interested in the application of CA to my future study considering my eagerness to discover the meaning of my students’ unsolicited talks in class. My students and I speak the same language, yes. However, there are times that they seem to speak in an English language that only them understand.  This observation poses curiosity on me and an idea that should CA be applied by L2 teachers in L2 teaching-learning situations, students’ difficulties and needs on L2 education would be dealt with accordingly as the teacher would not only understand her students’ talk features that are inside the interaction but also those which are outside of it (Nunan, 1991).
           
Chapter 15 – Why, When, and How to Replicate Research
I used to think that replication is done for the researcher’s convenience and that doing so would not bring anything beneficial to the field. I was wrong. Replication is legal and can be done depending upon the researcher’s intent or the study’s benefit.
In the field of education numerous studies had been replicated, researches which paved the way to new trends and approaches and these served as bases for curriculum advancement. I remember how my teacher in English compelled us to memorize Jack be nimble, Jack be quick…, Ba ba black sheep and others in a terrible accent and pronunciation. Checking our understanding of the texts never took place and there was no explanation given as to why we were made to memorize them. Thus, I finished my Elementary education without soliciting my teacher’s answers to all of my questions. In high school, memorization of facts was the style. Subjects were taught as they were. Grammar rules were recited and speaking in English in the classroom was a primary requirement. These brought us agony for years. When I got to tertiary level, enlightenment came upon me. So, we used to have a content-based curriculum in Elementary and high school which is why we memorized a lot. Connections between classroom and real life tasks were not established, thus making the learning process distressing. CLT-based curriculum came next and we, college students, were engaged in various activities which gave us opportunities to express ourselves. Therefore, language learning became significant to me. This continued as I became a teacher. Years passed and UbD framework was introduced. Language learning became even more relevant. And as K to 12 curriculum came to existence, its framework defined communicative competence as the output of language learning. Content to be taught and competencies to be enhanced among language learners have been identified, thus making language learning more meaningful. Students’ chance to socially interact in the target language became greater. The orientation of language learning significance to their education and future careers intensified the learners’ concentration and focus. Thus, language teaching was no longer as tedious as it had been. These innovations are the results of research replications. Based on these, it can be therefore concluded that replication if done properly and religiously yields better ends.
References :
Mackey, A. & Gass, S.M. (2012). Research Methods in Second Language Acquisition.   

Oxford : Blackwell.

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