LINGUIST List 23.664 Wed Feb 08 2012 Diss: Applied Ling/Socioling: Garaverlas: 'Language Teaching in ...' Editor for this issue: Xiyan Wang <xiyanlinguistlist.org> To post to LINGUIST, use our convenient web form at http://linguistlist.org/LL/posttolinguist.cfm. Directory         1.     Konstantinos Garaverlas , Language Teaching in Compulsory Education: Communicative competence and written speech Message 1: Language Teaching in Compulsory Education: Communicative competence and written speech Date: 07-Feb-2012 From: Konstantinos Garaverlas <kosgar21yahoo.gr> Subject: Language Teaching in Compulsory Education: Communicative competence and written speech E-mail this message to a friend Institution: University of Ioannina Program: PhD Prorgam in Language Teaching Dissertation Status: Completed Degree Date: 2010 Author: Konstantinos Garaverlas Dissertation Title: Language Teaching in Compulsory Education: Communicative competence and written speech Linguistic Field(s): Applied Linguistics                             Sociolinguistics Dissertation Director: Athanasios Gotovos Vasso Tokatlidou Leonidas Athanasiou Dissertation Abstract: This research investigates whether and to what extent progress on communicative competence regarding reading comprehension is differentiated in relation to factors as sex, place of residence, social position and use of a language other than Greek at home. It took place in the scholar seasons 2004/05 and 2005/06 and examined pupils of the 3rd grade of Greek High school (this point signifies the end of the compulsory education in Greece). In order to meet this objective I used a sample of 572 Greek High school students. These students were divided into equal numbers of participants residing in a Greek city of more than 1000000 residents (Thessaloniki), a Greek city of about 100000 residents (Ioannina) and Greek villages of 1 to 5000 residents. I designed a new assessment tool, a language test, which the addressed questions raised by this research. This test had to be completed by the pupils within two (2) school hours (two sessions of forty-five (45) minutes) each and was subsequently collected by the test administrator to ensure the validity of the research. The participants retained their anonymity. The results from the present study show that there is not a main effect of the variable Use of a language other than Greek at home on student communicative competence in reading comprehension. In contrast, it was found that there are students who lag in performance because they live in rural areas or because they come from a lower social class. In addition, sex is related with the student's communicative competence in reading comprehension. This means that language courses in Greek schools do not seem to be organized in a way that allows all groups of students to develop the same level of linguistic ability regarding reading competence. Based on these results, we could argue that there are negative consequences for students, who share these characteristics. If we take into account that the school's role is to help students in future social and professional choices, something which is decisive for their lives, our results suggest that there are not equal opportunities for all students in these areas. On the whole, this dissertation supports that evidently the teaching of language courses in Greek schools needs to be altered. The Greek Ministry of Education must realize that students come from different backgrounds and, therefore, they do not have the same needs. Should this happen, changes in teaching materials and in the monitoring of the teaching programs must follow. Since the language programs in Greece take into account these parameters in their original design, the correct implementation of them could be the answer to the problem. Read more issues|LINGUIST home page|Top of issue Page Updated: 08-Feb-2012       About LINGUIST    |   Contact Us       While the LINGUIST List makes every effort to ensure the linguistic relevance of sites listed on its pages, it cannot vouch for their contents.