Influence of Dialect Features on Connection between Teachers and Students - Research Proposal Example

Influence of Dialect Features on Connection between Teachers and Students Name Institution Influence of Dialect Features on Connection between Teachers and Students Aims According to research scholars, usage of dialect features tends to have substantial implications on the relationship between teachers and students. In addition, dialects features might have substantive influence of the performance levels of the students in accordance with the course objectives. This makes it ideal for the researchers to determine the relationship between dialect features and performance levels, as well as improved connection between students and teachers in pursuit of educational goals and targets. The purpose of this research is to examine how the usage of dialect features can help a teacher to connect with his or her students. In the course of achieving this purpose, the study will focus on the following aims: i. To determine how a teacher can use dialect features to connect with his or her students ii. To determine the influence of usage of dialect in affecting the student’s perception of a teacher iii. To determine the relationship between dialect features and performance levels of the students iv. To assess how teachers can effectively use dialect features to enhance grasping and understanding of the concepts by the students Background Information According to George Bernard Shaw, Britain and the United States are two nations divided by a common language. Culturally, the two entities are further apart, but just how similar are the English spoken in Britain and American English. It is true that there are plenty of differences between the English spoken in the United Kingdom and the United States. The first thing to point out is that the Brits and Americans have the potentiality of understanding each other perfectly and efficiently. Anecdotally, some American citizens find certain British dialects harder to understand. On the other hand, Brits tend to be more used to the American English because of the exposure through movies and music. In the course of learning English, the choice of whether to learn British or American English proves to be much less important or significant in comparison to the choice of study destination (Trentman, 2011). There are diverse dialect features in the case of the United States and the Great Britain because of the opportunity to develop language over time. It is the obligation of teachers to help students appreciate the culture and heritage behind dialect features and language, especially when that language does not adhere to the rules of the Standard English (Shafiro, Khamis-Dakwar, Kharkhurin, 2013). This approach provides the perfect platform for the increase in the performance levels of the students while adhering to their educational goals and targets in diverse learning institutions across the globe. Similarly, students have the opportunity to utilize these concepts to connect with their teachers while seeking to acquire their educational goals and targets at the end of the academic period. The study will focus on the usage of dialect features among international students in the case of Australia. This will provide substantial opportunity to understand the implications of dialect features on connection between teachers and students, as well as improvement of the level of performance of the students pursuing educational goals and targets at the end of the academic period. Literature Review There are numerous research exercises on the topical issue (Kuo, 2011). These studies have been essential in the development of the platform for the generation of the research questions aiming to bridge the gap concerning the scope of the research. In the first instance, Trentman (2011) focused on offering a comprehensive Arabic dialect through assessment of the empirical evidence for the transfer of the familiar dialect knowledge to unfamiliar dialects. Arabic comes out as a diglossic language (Major, 2015). In addition, the article notes the need for the learners to become come competent in both Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and a spoken dialect (Major, 2015). Nevertheless, Arabic dialects are typically not taught in the United States’ classrooms. This is because of the question as to which dialect to teach in diverse classrooms. The study focused on assessment of two cases in relation to transfer between familiar dialect listening ability and unfamiliar. Ya-Hui (2011) focused on assessment of the language challenges faced by international graduate students in the context of the United States. According to this research article, universities and colleges in the United States require international graduate students to offer certain English proficiency documents in accordance with their admission applications prior to their admission to the relevant programs. The study focused on presentation of diverse recommendations and suggestions to prepare, as well as assist the international graduate students in adjusting or adapting towards overcoming their language challenges. One of the essential issues prominent in this article is the influence of dialect in enabling such international students to overcome their challenges in grasping aspects of the English language. This is the initial platform towards addressing their inadequacies in relation to improved performance and connection with the students (Al Yaari & Almaflehi, 2013). Sadeq et al (2013) focused on the assessment of the problem of translating the prepositions at, in, and on into Arabic under the influence of an applied linguistic approach. According to the study, prepositions tend to pose major issues or problems when translated from English into Arabic. In addition, the accurate mappings between English-Arabic prepositions seem very difficult to determine by the relevant Arab learners or students. According to the findings of the study, Saudi EFL students encounter diverse problems in relation to the use and usage when transferring simple prepositions from English into Arabic. Hamad Shabeb (2011) focused on investigating the attitudes towards varieties of spoken English in a Multi-lingual Environment. The study suggests a need for more research on the relationship between perceived accent, comprehensibility, and actual comprehension. Valeriy (2012) focused on the assessment of perceptual confusions of American-English Vowels and Consonants by Native Arabic Bilinguals. The research article is vital in the determination of the influence of dialects for the achievement of improved performance (Mishra, 2012). These studies are vital in understanding, as well as implementing the dialect features to enhance connection between teachers and students in pursuit of competitiveness in the learning institutions. From the above review, it is essential to note the substantial need for execution of more research studies with the intention of bridging the existing gaps within the phenomenon of interest. For instance, it is critical to focus on the examination of the influences of dialect features in improving concentration levels of the learners seeking to grasp or acquire substantial information on the topic of interest. This is through utilization of the dialect features to motivate and engage the students effectively and efficiently with the intention of participating fully towards the achievement of the goals and targets of the course. There should also be increased assessment of the influence of dialect features in operating as factors of social identity and security in acquisition of sense of belonging. Theoretical Positioning Dialect refers to the grammatical and syntactic variations away from the Standard English. Individuals tend to use diverse languages with the intention of setting them apart from others, thus enabling them to fit into particular social groups and norms (Bani-Khaled, 2014). From this perspective, dialect is an illustration of a concept for the acquisition of sense of belonging. The need for social identity is vital in understanding the ‘match concept and theory’. This is because of the tendency of changes to occur rapidly because of environmental factors. For instance, influx of visitors might fuel the desire of the local population to present their identity as belonging to that location. This demonstrates the concept of functional theoretical perception (AlHammadi, 2013). From this perspective, change has the potentiality of occurring because of the needs of the users, thus the perfect platform for the creation of the s-curve. It is essential to note that “s-curve” relates to the pace at which change occurs. Another critical theoretical position, which is ideal in understanding the phenomenon, is the wave model. This theoretical perception notes that if there is a particular grammatical, lexical, or semantic change within a language, accent, or a dialect, it might spread out from this area into general language in a similar manner as the shock waves from the epicenter of an earthquake. In addition, this model notes that the further away from the ‘centre’ of these changes either socially or geographically and individual is, the less likelihood there is a significant impact on their language (Lin, 2011). This explains the reasons the multicultural youth dialects of London have little effect on the middle class dialects in the case of Edinburgh under the influence of the social and geographical boundaries. In the current context of research, scholars have focused on understanding the influences or implications of the dialect theory of communicating emotion (Richards, Schmidt, R. W. (2013). According to this theoretical perception, expressive displays tend to show cultural variations similar to linguistic dialects, thus providing the perfect platform for reduction or decrease in the accuracy of recognition by out-group members. This theoretical model is ideal in understanding the influence of cultural diversity and geographical distance in the generation of differences in dialect features, which tend to affect grasping of knowledge. The theory defines dialect as an essential form of activating diverse muscles for the same expressions. Hegel also focused on understanding the issue of dialect, thus providing the platform for studying the nature of dialect (Jaidev, 2011). This is through development of the Hegel’s theory of dialectic. According to this theoretic positioning, dialectic proves to be both a method of demonstration and an ontological principle in relation to linguistics. As a method, dialect is essential in illustration of the necessity of development or transition from one stage of consciousness to another category of logic, which is relatively higher in comparison to the previous category. As an ontological principle, dialect is vital in understanding diverse phenomena because of the sense of belonging to the group (Al Yaari & Almaflehi, 2013). These theoretical attributes are essential in developing the perfect platform for studying and understanding the influences or implications of dialect features in enhancing connection between teachers and students in pursuit of educational goals and targets. Research Questions Research questions are critical in the determination of the research design and data collection instruments in pursuit of effectiveness and efficiency in relation to addressing the demands and expectations or scope of the study. In order to achieve the stated purpose of this study, the research will focus on the assessment of the following questions: i. How might a teacher use dialect features to connect with his or her students effectively and efficiently? ii. What is the influence of dialect features on the students’ perception of their teachers? iii. What is the relationship between the usage of dialect features and performance of the students in relation to the subject or course of interest? iv. How can a teacher use dialect features to facilitate improved grasping and understanding of the relevant concepts. Methodology Research Design In the course of executing the research questions, purposes, and hypotheses, the study will focus on the adoption and utilization of the qualitative research design because of the nature and scope of the study. The study approach will be essential in collecting and utilizing data in relation to the participants’ own categories or perceptions of meaning. In addition, qualitative research design will be essential in the assessment of a limited number of cases in substantial depth, which will be ideal in effective description of this complex phenomenon. Qualitative research design will also provide the opportunity for integration of individual case information though execution of cross-case analysis and comparisons in the development of quality findings and conclusions relating to the topic of interest. Moreover, qualitative research design is ideal for the execution of this research because of the influence of the concept to offer improved understanding and description of people’s personal experiences of the phenomenon, thus the insider’s perception or point of view. The research design will also be vital in the identification of the contextual and setting factors in relation to the phenomenon under investigation. This provides the perfect platform for in-depth analysis of the phenomenon in relation to the local contexts. It is also possible to utilize this approach in the course of examining or evaluating dynamic processes with reference to documentation of the sequential patterns and change. The research will have the opportunity to exploit primary qualitative method of grounded theory with the intention of generating tentative and exploratory theory of the phenomenon under the influence of inductive logic. It is also ideal to incorporate the research design to facilitate increased determination and understanding of how participants interpret constructs in the educational platforms. In addition, qualitative research design will be ideal for the development and execution of this study because of the potentiality of the approach to enable collection of data in naturalistic settings. Moreover, the research design tends to be responsive to the local situations, as well as conditions and the needs of the stakeholders. This indicates that the approach will provide responsive solutions to changes, which occur during the collection of data, thus enabling the research to shift the focus of the study as a result. Finally, the approach is vital in the determination of idiographic causation in relation to understanding the complex phenomenon in the educational contexts. Data Collection The study will incorporate both interviews and questionnaires in the collection of appropriate qualitative data with the intention of enhancing understanding on the role of dialect features in developing substantive connection between the teacher and his or her students. These approaches are ideal in the examination of the social constructs aiming at the achievement of the goals and targets of the study in accordance with the research questions and objectives. Interviews are appropriate for the collection of the qualitative data because of the massive implication in enabling collection of quality data. This is evident in the convenience of the interviews, as well as flexibility of the research instruments in accordance with the needs of the researcher and the research participants. It is the obligation of the research to collect or generate quality data in accordance with the research questions and objectives. In the course of achieving these goals, utilization of interviews will enable the study to inquire more from the research participants in relation to the phenomenon of interest. In addition, the approach will enable the researcher to follow up on the answers or responses by the research participants on the research questions. This will enable the study to adopt and utilize quality data in explaining the complex phenomenon. On the other hand, utilization of questionnaires will be essential because of the flexibility and convenience of the data instruments in accordance with the large population sample. Furthermore, integration or administration of the questionnaires will enable the study to understand and quantify qualitative data from the study of the phenomenon, which will be ideal in understanding the theories and models in utilization of the dialect features. Sample Size and Techniques The study will focus on the assessment of the research questions and objectives while considering the stated background of the students. This is through organizing and executing a random sampling technique with the intention of obtaining 100 research participants to sustain the collection of data with reference to the phenomenon of interest. These attributes will be ideal in collecting and understanding data from diverse perceptions and viewpoints. Random sampling will be ideal for the generation of the research participants, thus the perfect platform towards elimination or reduction of biasness during data collection. The study will also consider organization and execution of interviews, as well as administration of the questionnaires to 20 educational practitioners with substantial information and knowledge concerning the scope of the study. These attributes are essential towards the achievement of the goals and targets of the study while adhering to the research questions and objectives. Data Analysis The study will focus on the utilization of the thematic analysis techniques to analyze potential data concerning the phenomenon with reference to usage of dialect features to generate substantial connection between students and teachers. This will relate to identification of the patterns in relation to data from the research participants on the issue of interest. It will also be possible to utilize regression analysis in the quantification of the qualitative data concerning the scope of the study. These techniques will be essential in the generation of quality data prior to development of appropriate theoretical models and relations to the existing theories. Ethics Ethics comes out as one of the most essential aspects in relation to the achievement of quality research. This is because of the need for transparency, credibility, validity, and reliability in the collection and analysis of data. In order to achieve these goals, the study will adhere to numerous ethical implications and requirements. In the first instance, the study will consider the usage of universal research methods in the collection, analysis, and documentation of the findings in accordance with the research questions and objectives. Secondly, the study will focus on submitting an application to the IRB for the execution of this study. These ethical issues will be ideal in the improvement of the credibility and authority of the study in accordance with the research questions and hypotheses. The study will generate and administer consent forms for the participation in the study. This will enable research participants to have substantial knowledge and information about the goals and targets, as well as objectives of the study. The approach will also consider maintenance of the confidentiality of the research participants through utilization of pseudo names during the collection of data. The approach or technique aims at enhancing quality rapports with the research participants during the collection of data. It is critical to focus on the usage of such techniques to ensure that researcher participants participate fully after understanding the scope and aspects of the study. These ethical issues will be ideal in the evaluation of the data effectively and objectively in accordance with the research aims and questions. Timeline The organization and execution of the study, as well as documentation and presentation of the findings of the research will take approximately 10 weeks. The execution of the scope of the study will adhere to the following timeline or research schedule: Week Activity/Objective Week 1 Completion of the course work and approval of the research proposal Week 2 and 3 Completion of Data Collection for first part of the paper Week 4 Submission of the paper to a journal Week 5 and 6 Completion of the field work and revision from the journal Week 7 Second presentation or submission of the paper to the journal Week 8 Completion of the thesis prior to submission to the supervisor Week 9 Submission of the revised thesis to reviewers Week 10 Eventual defense of the research findings and conclusions Potential Educational Implications The study tends to have substantial educational implications in relation. In the first instance, the study aims at enhancing the existing body of knowledge focusing on the usage of dialect features in pursuit of the goals and targets at the end of the research process. From this perspective, the study will offer new aspects of the phenomenon, which will be ideal in relation to adoption and utilization of the dialect features with the intention of improving the performance levels of the students in association with increased connections with their teachers. Similarly, the study will make appropriate recommendations on the influence of dialect features to help curb the issue of diversity in the educational context, thus the perfect platform for improving educational outcomes. The study will also determine the gaps in the research on the usage of dialect features to enhance the performance and level of connection between teachers and students in diverse educational contexts. These aspects will be ideal in understanding underpinning factors and issues towards enhancing impact of educational approaches and systems on the academic growth and development of the students. Conclusion The research will focus on the assessment of how teachers can use dialect features to enhance connection with their students, as well as improvement of the performance levels of the learners. In order to achieve this goal, the study will focus on the utilization of qualitative research design to enhance effectiveness and efficiency in relation to increased understanding of the phenomenon. Moreover, the study will integrate questionnaires and interviews with the intention of collecting research data prior to utilization of the thematic analysis technique to analyze the data in accordance with the research objectives and questions. The study will adhere to ethical issues such as administration of the proposal in accordance with the demands of the IRB. Similarly, the study will offer consent form to the research participants with the intention of enabling them to understand aspects of the study. This approach is vital in enhancing participation of the research participants, thus massive implications of the quality rapport with the participants during the collection of data. The approach will also be ideal in integration of the pseudo names for improved confidentiality, credibility, and reliability of the study. References AlHammadi, F. S. (2013). The Urgent Necessity for Learning and Using English as an International Dialect of Communication in the Arab School System and Universities: A Sociolinguistic Study. International Journal of English Linguistics, 3(2), p46. Lin, L. C. (2011). Understanding Pronunciation Variations Facing ESL Students. Jaidev, R. (2011). Investing in learning English: A case of three Saudi students in Singapore. Reflections on English Language Teaching, 10(1), 25-42. Bani-Khaled, T. A. A. (2014). Attitudes towards Standard Arabic: A Case Study of Jordanian Undergraduate Students of English. International Journal of Linguistics, 6(4), pp-154. Al-Dosari, H. S. (2011). An Investigation of Attitudes towards Varieties of Spoken English in a Multi-lingual Environment. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 1(9), 1041- 1050. Al Yaari, S. A. S., & Almaflehi, N. (2013). The Problem of Translating the Prepositions at, in and on into Arabic: An Applied Linguistic Approach. Journal for the Study of English Linguistics, 1(2), pp-256. Kuo, Y. H. (2011). Language challenges faced by international graduate students in the United States. Journal of International Students, 1(2). Trentman, E. (2011). L2 Arabic dialect comprehension: Empirical evidence for the transfer of familiar dialect knowledge to unfamiliar dialects. L2 Journal, 3(1). Shafiro, V., Levy, E. S., Khamis-Dakwar, R., & Kharkhurin, A. (2013). Perceptual Confusions of American-English Vowels and Consonants by Native Arabic Bilinguals. Language and speech, 56(2), 145-161. Nero, S. J. (Ed.). (2012). Dialects, Englishes, creoles, and education. Routledge. Major, R. C. (2015). Teaching English pronunciation to speakers of Brazilian Portuguese. Estudos Germânicos, 3(2), 175-189. Mishra, S., & Vashishtha, U. (2012). Learning Some Skills for Becoming Better Teacher. INTED2012 Proceedings, 1071-1078. Richards, J. C., & Schmidt, R. W. (2013). Longman dictionary of language teaching and applied linguistics. Routledge. Wei, Y. U. N., & Hu, W. A. N. G. (2013). An Overview of the Studies of Question Category of Chinese Dialects in the Last Ten Years. Journal of Guangdong Radio & Television University, 6, 020. Adger, C. T., Wolfram, W., & Christian, D. (2014). Dialects in schools and communities. Routledge. Read More