Qatar National Convention Centre

Qatar National Convention CentreTeachers’ Uses of the Target (L2) and First Language (L1) in Foreign LanguageClassrooms: Effective Use of L1 to Teach L2Presenter: Zohreh Eslami, Texas A&M UniversityBased on research findings, the premise that students’ L1 should not be used when teaching L2 ischallenged. Effective use of L1 for teaching L2 by a highly competent Qatari nonnative-English-speakingteacher is presented to show the facilitative effects of using L1 for teaching L2.Cooperative Development or the Art of Teacher MaintenancePresenter: Magdalena Rostron, Qatar FoundationThe session considers the idea of teaching as learning, through teacher training, education, anddevelopment. It focuses on cooperative development as one of the most accessible, effective, andsustainable forms of professional support and improvement.Let Me Tell You a Story: The Folktales and Fables FactorPresenter: Maggie Mieske, Qatar University Foundation ProgramSince storytelling is such a strong oral tradition in Arab culture, can reading stories aloud to school childrenmotivate Arab university students to read and achieve more academically? This presentation reports onaction research that incorporates reading aloud and service learning, the methods and materials used, andthe remarkable results.16:30–18:00 Networking ReceptionSunday, 2 October08:30–09:00 Networking and Exhibits09:00–10:00 Plenary SessionThe Good Language Learner: What We Have Learned From Research About Attitude andMotivationFeatured Speaker: Kassim Ali Shaaban,Second language acquisition research has shown that language learners vary considerably in the rateof success in acquiring a new language, in the frequency and type of learning strategies they use, andin their motivation for acquiring a new language. This presentation begins with a brief overview of theresearch and factors that contribute to successful language learning experiences. It then focuses on the roleof attitude and motivation in learning English as a second language and highlights research conductedon Middle Eastern students. The presentation emphasizes two main points: First, different students havedifferent motives for learning English: Their perceptions and beliefs about language learning differ; theirexpectations and efforts vary; and their engagement in their learning is not uniform. Second, learners’attitudes toward the second language are not constant; they may change depending on sociocultural andcontextual educational changes.6