Discourse markers are defined as a “glue” that binds pieces of knowledge together to bring reader... more Discourse markers are defined as a “glue” that binds pieces of knowledge together to bring reader’s attention. The aim of this research is to find out the functions of metadiscourse markers in “The News” newspaper. This is a corpus based study consisting of 20000 words of data. The data is collected from the Pakistani English newspaper opinions (PENO) “The News” (TN) newspaper of one month Sep, 2019. This paper uses a mixed method approach, both qualitative and quantitative. This study is based on Hyland’s model of DCs. The results of this study have been shown that DMs are used for coherence, as cohesive devices. This paper answers the questions of “what”, “why”, and “which”. The quantitative results of this study revealed that textual markers were used more frequently in PENO. The study is limited to sufficient amount of data. The study can prove helpful for researchers for further studies about functions of MMs.
This research evaluates an English language textbook from CLIL perspective. For this purpose, an ... more This research evaluates an English language textbook from CLIL perspective. For this purpose, an intermediate level (grade-11) English language textbook has been selected and analyzed utilizing Coyle's conceptual framework of 4Cs (i.e. content, cognition, communication and culture).Content, communication, and culture have been explored through a checklist, whereas cognition has been explored by developing a corpus from the questions given in the exercises of the textbook and analyzing in the light of Bloom's taxonomy. The results reveal certain breeches between CLIL features and the textbook's contents. Layout, learning outcomes, organization of the content, subject matter, authenticity of the text, exercises, and focus on language skills does not seem to match with CLIL perspectives. Listening and speaking skills are observed to be ignored. Moreover, the exercises do not seem to foster critical thinking and interaction between students and teachers. Most of the questions are observed covering only first two levels (i.e. knowledge and comprehension) of Bloom's taxonomy. The study concludes that CLIL principles are not integrated in the textbook. Therefore, the textbook is not suitable to an ESL/EFL setting.
The aim of this research is to identify the grammatical and communicative functions performed by ... more The aim of this research is to identify the grammatical and communicative functions performed by the semantic category of verbs, i.e. Private verbs and Suasive verbs. A corpus was compiled from 200 universities of two countries namely as: Pakistan and India. The data was collected from three different parts of prospectus, i.e., About us, Facilities and VC messages. For this study, multidimensional tagger analysis was used as theoretical framework. MAT Tagger was used for the tagging of linguistic features as well as counting the frequencies of selected linguistic features. On the basis of distributional pattern, the communicative functions was investigated performed by these verbs according to the grammatical structure and functions with the association of cooccurring lexical items. The results shows that private verbs and Suasive verbs are extensively used in all the sections of Pakistan with highest frequency than in the sections of India. On the basis of these pervasive features, the research proved that these verbs perform the function of information, marketing as well as persuasion.
The shift in the status of English as a lingua franca has challenged native-speaker culture in En... more The shift in the status of English as a lingua franca has challenged native-speaker culture in English language teaching and learning. That is why it is not enough to expose language learners through monoculture language teaching. Rather being communicatively competent, learners may require inter-cultural understanding. Therefore, the aim of this research is to investigate the representation of cultures through different senses in Oxford Progressive English (OPE), Level-10 (Rachel Redford, 2016). As OPE caters the needs of Pakistani language learners, it is hypothesized that learners’ source culture prevails more than other two cultures (i.e. international, and target). To confirm this hypothesis, a detailed content analysis of cultural senses (prevailed in OPE) is carried out through Adaskou, Britten and Fahsi (1990). The results show that the frequency of reading texts in OPE is highly imbued with learners’ target culture that is followed by the international culture, and least by...
The aim of this review article is to explore the principles involved in testing reading abilities... more The aim of this review article is to explore the principles involved in testing reading abilities. It considers the key issues i.e. the selection of text for testing reading comprehension, item format, text length, use of different genres and the role of background knowledge to test individual student levels or processes. Most of the studies followed different taxonomies to test reading comprehension. Bloom's taxonomy had extensively been used by many researchers to measure low and high order skills. The data was collected from different sources i.e. books and journals. Results, based on previous literature, showed that the construction of reading tests was highly dependent on the purpose of measuring intended skills or sub skills at lower and higher cognitive levels of the students. Text selection and its length, text type, item formats, background knowledge of test takers were considered according to the levels of test takers.
This research evaluates an English language textbook from CLIL perspective. For this purpose, an ... more This research evaluates an English language textbook from CLIL perspective. For this purpose, an intermediate level (grade-11) English language textbook has been selected and analyzed utilizing Coyle's conceptual framework of 4Cs (i.e. content, cognition, communication and culture).Content, communication, and culture have been explored through a checklist, whereas cognition has been explored by developing a corpus from the questions given in the exercises of the textbook and analyzing in the light of Bloom's taxonomy. The results reveal certain breeches between CLIL features and the textbook's contents. Layout, learning outcomes, organization of the content, subject matter, authenticity of the text, exercises, and focus on language skills does not seem to match with CLIL perspectives. Listening and speaking skills are observed to be ignored. Moreover, the exercises do not seem to foster critical thinking and interaction between students and teachers. Most of the questions are observed covering only first two levels (i.e. knowledge and comprehension) of Bloom's taxonomy. The study concludes that CLIL principles are not integrated in the textbook. Therefore, the textbook is not suitable to an ESL/EFL setting.
Discourse markers are defined as a “glue” that binds pieces of knowledge together to bring reader... more Discourse markers are defined as a “glue” that binds pieces of knowledge together to bring reader’s attention. The aim of this research is to find out the functions of metadiscourse markers in “The News” newspaper. This is a corpus based study consisting of 20000 words of data. The data is collected from the Pakistani English newspaper opinions (PENO) “The News” (TN) newspaper of one month Sep, 2019. This paper uses a mixed method approach, both qualitative and quantitative. This study is based on Hyland’s model of DCs. The results of this study have been shown that DMs are used for coherence, as cohesive devices. This paper answers the questions of “what”, “why”, and “which”. The quantitative results of this study revealed that textual markers were used more frequently in PENO. The study is limited to sufficient amount of data. The study can prove helpful for researchers for further studies about functions of MMs.
This research evaluates an English language textbook from CLIL perspective. For this purpose, an ... more This research evaluates an English language textbook from CLIL perspective. For this purpose, an intermediate level (grade-11) English language textbook has been selected and analyzed utilizing Coyle's conceptual framework of 4Cs (i.e. content, cognition, communication and culture).Content, communication, and culture have been explored through a checklist, whereas cognition has been explored by developing a corpus from the questions given in the exercises of the textbook and analyzing in the light of Bloom's taxonomy. The results reveal certain breeches between CLIL features and the textbook's contents. Layout, learning outcomes, organization of the content, subject matter, authenticity of the text, exercises, and focus on language skills does not seem to match with CLIL perspectives. Listening and speaking skills are observed to be ignored. Moreover, the exercises do not seem to foster critical thinking and interaction between students and teachers. Most of the questions are observed covering only first two levels (i.e. knowledge and comprehension) of Bloom's taxonomy. The study concludes that CLIL principles are not integrated in the textbook. Therefore, the textbook is not suitable to an ESL/EFL setting.
The aim of this research is to identify the grammatical and communicative functions performed by ... more The aim of this research is to identify the grammatical and communicative functions performed by the semantic category of verbs, i.e. Private verbs and Suasive verbs. A corpus was compiled from 200 universities of two countries namely as: Pakistan and India. The data was collected from three different parts of prospectus, i.e., About us, Facilities and VC messages. For this study, multidimensional tagger analysis was used as theoretical framework. MAT Tagger was used for the tagging of linguistic features as well as counting the frequencies of selected linguistic features. On the basis of distributional pattern, the communicative functions was investigated performed by these verbs according to the grammatical structure and functions with the association of cooccurring lexical items. The results shows that private verbs and Suasive verbs are extensively used in all the sections of Pakistan with highest frequency than in the sections of India. On the basis of these pervasive features, the research proved that these verbs perform the function of information, marketing as well as persuasion.
The shift in the status of English as a lingua franca has challenged native-speaker culture in En... more The shift in the status of English as a lingua franca has challenged native-speaker culture in English language teaching and learning. That is why it is not enough to expose language learners through monoculture language teaching. Rather being communicatively competent, learners may require inter-cultural understanding. Therefore, the aim of this research is to investigate the representation of cultures through different senses in Oxford Progressive English (OPE), Level-10 (Rachel Redford, 2016). As OPE caters the needs of Pakistani language learners, it is hypothesized that learners’ source culture prevails more than other two cultures (i.e. international, and target). To confirm this hypothesis, a detailed content analysis of cultural senses (prevailed in OPE) is carried out through Adaskou, Britten and Fahsi (1990). The results show that the frequency of reading texts in OPE is highly imbued with learners’ target culture that is followed by the international culture, and least by...
The aim of this review article is to explore the principles involved in testing reading abilities... more The aim of this review article is to explore the principles involved in testing reading abilities. It considers the key issues i.e. the selection of text for testing reading comprehension, item format, text length, use of different genres and the role of background knowledge to test individual student levels or processes. Most of the studies followed different taxonomies to test reading comprehension. Bloom's taxonomy had extensively been used by many researchers to measure low and high order skills. The data was collected from different sources i.e. books and journals. Results, based on previous literature, showed that the construction of reading tests was highly dependent on the purpose of measuring intended skills or sub skills at lower and higher cognitive levels of the students. Text selection and its length, text type, item formats, background knowledge of test takers were considered according to the levels of test takers.
This research evaluates an English language textbook from CLIL perspective. For this purpose, an ... more This research evaluates an English language textbook from CLIL perspective. For this purpose, an intermediate level (grade-11) English language textbook has been selected and analyzed utilizing Coyle's conceptual framework of 4Cs (i.e. content, cognition, communication and culture).Content, communication, and culture have been explored through a checklist, whereas cognition has been explored by developing a corpus from the questions given in the exercises of the textbook and analyzing in the light of Bloom's taxonomy. The results reveal certain breeches between CLIL features and the textbook's contents. Layout, learning outcomes, organization of the content, subject matter, authenticity of the text, exercises, and focus on language skills does not seem to match with CLIL perspectives. Listening and speaking skills are observed to be ignored. Moreover, the exercises do not seem to foster critical thinking and interaction between students and teachers. Most of the questions are observed covering only first two levels (i.e. knowledge and comprehension) of Bloom's taxonomy. The study concludes that CLIL principles are not integrated in the textbook. Therefore, the textbook is not suitable to an ESL/EFL setting.
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