Foreign Language for Content: Aiming to Develop Lifelong Learning Dispositions

361 Pages·2015·2.17 MB·English

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Department of Middle-Secondary Education and
Middle-Secondary Education and Instructional
Instructional Technology (no new uploads as of
Technology Dissertations
Jan. 2015)
Spring 5-11-2012
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Svetoslava Dimova
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/msit_diss
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Dimova, Svetoslava, "Foreign Language for Content: Aiming to Develop Lifelong Learning Dispositions."
Dissertation, Georgia State University, 2012.
doi: https://doi.org/10.57709/2764379
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ACCEPTANCE

This dissertation, FOREIGN LANGUAGE FOR CONTENT: AIMING TO DEVELOP
LIFELONG LEARNING DISPOSITIONS, by SVETOSLAVA DIMOVA, was prepared
under the direction of the candidate’s Dissertation Advisory Committee. It is accepted by
the committee members in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of
Philosophy in the College of Education, Georgia State University.

The Dissertation Advisory Committee and the student’s Department Chair, as
representatives of the faculty, certify that this dissertation has met all standards of
excellence and scholarship as determined by the faculty. The Dean of the College of
Education concurs.

____________________________ ______________________________
Gertrude M. Tinker-Sachs, Ph.D. Peggy M. Albers, Ph.D.
Committee Chair Committee Member

____________________________ ______________________________
M. Sue Barry, Ph.D. Deron R. Boyles, Ph.D.
Committee Member Committee Member

____________________________
Date

_____________________________
Dana L. Fox, Ph.D.
Chair, Department of Middle-Secondary Education and Instructional Technology

_____________________________
R. W. Kamphaus, Ph.D.
Dean and Distinguished Research Professor
College of Education
AUTHOR’S STATEMENT

By presenting this dissertation as a partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
advanced degree from Georgia State University, I agree that the library of Georgia State
University shall make it available for inspection and circulation in accordance with its
regulations governing materials of this type. I agree that permission to quote, to copy
from, or to publish this dissertation may be granted by the professor under whose
direction it was written, by the College of Education’s director of graduate studies and
research, or by me. Such quoting, copying, or publishing must be solely for scholarly
purposes and will not involve potential financial gain. It is understood that any copying
from or publication of this dissertation which involves potential financial gain will not be
allowed without my written permission.

_________________________________
Svetoslava Taneva Dimova
NOTICE TO BORROWERS

All dissertations deposited in the Georgia State University library must be used in
accordance with the stipulations prescribed by the author in the preceding statement. The
author of this dissertation is:

Svetoslava Taneva Dimova
3805 Laxey Court
Austell, GA 30106

The director of this dissertation is:

Dr. Gertrude Tinker-Sachs
Department of Middle-Secondary Education and Instructional Technology
College of Education
Georgia State University
Atlanta, GA 30303 - 3083
CURRICULUM VITAE

Svetoslava Taneva Dimova

ADDRESS: 3805 Laxey Court
Austell, GA 30106

EDUCATION:
Ph.D. 2012 Georgia State University
Teaching and Learning
Ed.S. 2006 Auburn University
French Language Education
B.A./M.A. 1986 Kliment Ohridski University
French Philology

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
1999 - Present French Language Teacher
Campbell High School, Cobb County, GA.
2007 Part-Time French Language Instructor
Kennesaw State University
1998 - 2005 Part-Time French Language Instructor
Fort Gillem, GA
1996 - 1999 ESOL Teacher
Green Acres ES, Hayes ES, Lost Mountain MS,
Harrison HS, Cobb County, GA
1996 - 1998 Part-Time French Language Instructor
Berlitz Language Center, Atlanta, GA
1983 - 1988 French Language Teacher
Bulgaria

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND ORGANIZATIONS:
2009 - 2010 American Association for Applied Linguistics
(AAAL)
2005 - Present American Council for the Teaching of Foreign
Languages (ACTFL)
2003 - Present American Association of Teachers of French
(AATF)
2005 - Present Southern Conference Of Language Teaching
(SCOLT)
2005 - Present Foreign Language Association of Georgia (FLAG)
PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS:
Dimova, S & Roberson, M. (2011, October; 2010, October; 2009, October; 2008,
October; 2007, October; 2006, October; 2005, October; 2004, October).
Comparing International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement foreign
language programs. Presentation at Auburn University, Auburn, AL.
Dimova, S. (2011, April). Prospectus writing and defense. Web seminar for doctoral
students at Georgia State University College of Education, Atlanta, GA.
Barry, S., Dimova, S. & Roberson, M. (2010, November). Enhancing content area
learning and building lifelong learning habits. Presented at the American
Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages Annual Convention,
Boston, MA.
Bell, C., Dimova, S. & Wiesendanger, M. (2010, October; 2009, October) –Advanced
Placement French Language teacher workshop. Georgia Department of
Education, Atlanta, GA.
Dimova, S. (2010, May; 2009, May; 2008, May; 2007, May). Ethnographic project:
Cross-cultural study of the notion and use of free time in American and
French cultures. Presentation at Auburn University, Auburn, AL.
Dimova, S. (2010, March). Foreign language instruction: Enhancing content area
learning and building lifelong learning habits. Presented at the American
Association of Applied Linguistics Annual Convention, Atlanta, GA.
Barry, S., Dimova, S. & Drums, L. (2009, March). Ethnographic projects: Cross-cultural
studies in US, France, and Mexico. Presentation at Foreign Language
Association of Georgia annual conference, Atlanta, GA.
Barry, S., Dimova, S. & Roberson, M. (2008, April). Action research projects in foreign
language at the secondary level of education. Presented at the Southern
Conference Of Language Teaching annual conference, Myrtle Beach, SC.
Dimova, S. (2007, August). Implementing the Georgia foreign language performance
standards in the classroom. Presentation at Cobb County School District
inservice workshop.
Barry, S., Dimova, S. & Drums, L. (2007, April). Ethnographic projects: Cross-cultural
studies in US, France, and Mexico. Presented at Alabama Association of
Teachers of Foreign Languages annual conference, Birmingham, AL.
Barry, S., Dimova, S. & Roberson, M. (2007, March). Developing listening skills in
French and Spanish: classroom activities and assessment. Half-day
workshop presented at the Southern Conference Of Language Teaching
annual conference, Atlanta, GA.
Dimova, S. (2007, March). Action research: French language for learning in other
subject areas. Presented at poster session at the Southern Conference Of
Language Teaching annual conference, Atlanta, GA.
Barry, S., Dimova, S. & Drums, L. (2006, November). Ethnographic project: Cross-
cultural study of the notion and use of free time in American and French
cultures. Presented at the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign
Languages annual convention, Nashville, TN.
Barry, S., Dimova, S. & Roberson, M. (2005, March). Oral assessments in foreign
language. Presentation at Southern Conference Of Language Teaching
annual conference, Orlando, FL
ABSTRACT

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FOR CONTENT: AIMING TO DEVELOP
LIFELONG LEARNING DISPOSITIONS
by
Svetoslava Dimova

In the context of emphasis on English language, mathematics and science within
the American educational system (No Child Left Behind, 2001), foreign language
education appears to be increasingly dissociated from educational priorities. Ways to
create relevant goals and optimize the effects of foreign language teaching emerge
through the use of communication technologies and connections to academic content.
This qualitative study explores the relationship between high school students’
skills in French as a foreign language (L2), their cognitive strategies during reading in
L2 for academic content, and their motivation to read authentic French texts. The
following questions guided the study: 1) How do students internalize the task of self-
selected online reading in L2 for content understanding pertaining to their History of the
Americas course? 2) What processes and skills do students evidence and draw upon to
locate and read for information in L2?, and 3) What are the implications for building a
theory of student motivations for extensive reading in L2 beyond the classroom context?
The study was realized in the setting of an International Baccalaureate (IB)
program, where 4 key informants were selected, and analysis was presented in the form
of 4 case studies. Informants’ French language proficiency ranged from intermediate-mid
to advanced levels (ACTFL Guidelines, 1999). Data collection occurred during 8 weeks
and included three rounds of formal, phenomenological interviews, classroom
observations, and students’ learning journals. Data were analyzed through the lens of
Activity theory (Engeström, 1999) and motivation theory (Keller, 2008) in order to
determine emerging themes.
While both L2 skills and interest in historical content influenced the task
completion, and informants used multiple strategies to search and read, internalization
and motivation aspects related to acquiring content superseded those related to increasing
language skills. Informants’ differences in attitudes toward the curriculum integrative
task were additionally caused by their ideas of content appropriateness in a L2 course.
Development of cultural awareness and critical thinking was also primarily shaped by
interest in content. Findings from the analysis suggested further directions for L2
classroom instruction that could lead to developing students’ lifelong learning
dispositions.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FOR CONTENT: AIMING TO DEVELOP
LIFELONG LEARNING DISPOSITIONS
by
Svetoslava Dimova

A Dissertation

Presented in Partial Fulfillment of Requirements for the
Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
in
Teaching and Learning
in
the Department of Middle and Secondary Instruction and Technology
in
the College of Education
Georgia State University

Atlanta, GA
2012
Copyright by
Svetoslava T. Dimova
2012