Summary: | 碩士 === 國立臺灣科技大學 === 應用外語系 === 105 === ABSTRACT (English)
It is well-documented that cultural-oriented instructions work well in English as Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms not just linguistically, but also culturally. However, how culture teaching can affect the outcome of English remedial instructions remains to be seen. The aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of the integration of culture teaching into a remedial English course to a group of junior high school low achievers, including the students’ overall learning achievement along with their learning attitudes toward the instructions. Twelve seventh graders who have failed the English subject in the first semester of the 2016-17 school year with the grade from 45 to 59 comprised the participants of this study. 12 remedial English cultural-oriented instructions were carried out by the researcher during a period of 10 weeks from April 8th, 2017 to June 10th, 2017. The data collected in this study were pre- and post-tests, learning attitude questionnaires, focus group interviews and participants’ weekly journals. Findings were reported from data collected through the assessment of the pre-test and the post-test to determine the progress and compare the achievement levels from before and after the instruction. Questionnaires were used to assess the effect upon learning attitudes toward the use of cultural-oriented materials. Finally, focus group interviews and weekly journals were used to provide a more in-depth understanding of the participants’ thoughts on cultural-oriented materials and their implications in a remedial instruction. The results were significantly positive. It also enhanced the notion that EFL teachers can teach low-achieving students effectively by designing materials that utilize innovative approaches aim to best fit the needs of the students.
Key words: Culture, EFL, learning attitudes, learning achievement, remedial instruction
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