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Affiliation of Author(s):英语学院
Journal:Language Teaching Research
Funded by:无依托项目研究成果
Abstract:This study investigated the negotiations and challenges experienced by five Chinese ESL students of Commerce through their engagement in an academic presentation in a regular content course at a Canadian university. Multiple sources of data were collected, including interviews, class observations, group discussions, emails, field notes, assignment drafts and course materials. Data analysis showed that, in their preparatory activities outside the classroom, students employed peer-peer dialogues (group discussions and e-mail exchanges) to clarify the task requirements, generate ideas, seek peer comments, and coach rehearsals. However, the academic presentation, especially open discussion part, was a great challenge to them, related to their underdeveloped English conversation ability, their unfamiliarity with participatory communication modes in the Canadian classroom, and their limited experience with group work. To compensate for their limited sense of conversational abilities, they chose to present a thorough case analysis rather than engaging the class in discussion through their presentation as expected by the instructor. The students eventually understood the norms of academic presentation in this content course through their observation of the instructor’s reaction to their presentation in class and subsequent presentations of their classmates and realized that they should approach assignments according to the requirements. Implications drawn from these findings are discussed.
Indexed by:Journal paper
Volume:14(2), 141-160
Translation or Not:no
Date of Publication:2010-04-26
First Author:Yang Luxin
