A Qualitative Assessment of a Foreign Language Whole Language Class英文资料.pdfVIP

FOREIGN LANGUAGE A N N A L S . VOL. 36, N O . I 77 I A QualitativeAssessment of a-Foreign Language Whole Language Class David Schwarzer The University of Texas at Austin Abstract: This study had two goals: (1) to provide insights on how to assess a Whole-Language Foreign Language Class (WLFLC), and (2) to field test qualitative research methods for a WLFLC. The setting was a Hebrew-language class based on eight established principles of WLFLCs. The class was assessed through the analysis of formal semistructured interviews with four students; students’ reflective midterm papers and final class evaluations @om their portfo- lios); and the teacherhesearcher’s reflective journal, which included field notes and anecdotal records. Three themes emerged: (1) tensions between teacher- and student-centered instruction; (2) tensions between negotiated and predetermined curricula; and (3) becoming part of a multi- culturallmultilingual community. When the class started in August it was a new experiment for you as well for us, and there were a lot of expectations and misunderstandings in your class and with you. Sometimes people didn’t understand what your objectives were, and along with that, they did not have the maturity to just take “the ball in their court,”