• Speech Sciences
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.207-219
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• 2006

The present study was designed to investigate the comprehension of 'who' and 'what' questions in 2- to 3-year-old normal children. Sixty children were divided into 3 groups depending on their ages, i.e., age groups 2;6-2;11, 3;0-3:5, and 3;6-3;11. Three types of 'who' questions and 2 types of 'what' questions were generated depending on the attached case markers, i.e., who-nominative, who-accusative, who-dative, what-nominative, and what-accusative. The children watched 36 cuts of short video recordings. After watching each cut, they were asked to answer one of the 5 types of wh-questions. For the 'who-nominative' and 'what-accusative' questions, even the late 2-year-old children performed with over 70% of accuracy, and the late 3-year-old children performed with over 95% of accuracy. For the 'who-accusative' and 'who-dative' questions, the late 2-year olds exhibited difficulty in comprehension with performance accuracy of 41% and 33%, respectively. However, the late 3-year olds could comprehend those questions correctly with over 90% of accuracy. On the other hand, in answering 'what-nominative' questions, the children did not show rapid development across the age groups, as the mean performance accuracies of the 3 groups were 39%, 49%, and 59%, respectively. The results indicated that children's understanding of a wh- question is largely affected by the case of the interrogative.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.137-160
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• 2001

This paper is to suggest the way to improve EFL reading skill through semantic mapping by leveled group activities. Semantic mapping is a categorical structuring of information in graphic forms or diagrams. It can be used to activate and organize background knowledge on topics in classrooms. For small group activities, the class is divided into higher leveled groups and lower leveled groups of four members based on their grades. The teaching process has three stages: Pre-reading, while-reading, and post-reading. In the pre-reading stage, students discuss what they know about the topic. They map ideas with a brainstorming technique. In the while-reading stage, they read the text about the topic. While they are reading, they could ask some questions they might have and discuss the information in the text and categorize them with semantic mapping. In the post-reading stage, they discuss what they thought of the topic and add some information about the topic with semantic mapping. For the subjects of this study, third grade, middle school students were selected: 41 students for the experimental group and 35 students for the control group. The experimental period covered almost one semester from March to August, 2000. The results were as follows: 1) The students in the experimental group had higher scores in reading comprehension than those in the control group when semantic mapping was used; 2) The use of semantic mapping in reading comprehension was found to be much more effective in the higher leveled group than in the lower leveled group; 3) The results of questionnaires showed that many students became more interested and motivated in English, and semantic mapping helped them to participate positively in reading the English text. Thus, using semantic mapping by leveled group activities can be an effective alternative to traditional teaching methods for teachers who desire to improve reading skill in middle school students' English classes.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.99-116
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• 2001

Testing is a procedure used to measure a sample of behaviour in order to discover how well a seafarer performs, usually in comparison with others, or compared with identified performance criteria. In this context It is important that the test, in whatever form it is being used, yields consistent results by being valid, reliable and practical. Whilst we can only take a sample of a person's knowledge or comprehension about topic in this way, testing methods do provide a more reliable estimate of performance than most other observational techniques; unsystematic or irregular observation being too unreliable. The method of examination has been specified in the provisions of Regulation 12 of the Decree of the ship officers act as followings. Other necessary matters for conducting oral and written examinations have been set out by the Minister. But written examination is too shortage of period and small number of question to cover the qualification of each level and oral test is just simple and namely Traditionally, written examinations have been provided as the only means for determining the acquisition of knowledge by the mariner. Typically, the examination formats have taken the format of either an essay or multiple choice examinations. Essay items, used in the vast majority of subject examination(not in Korea), consisted of three basic types: situational, descriptive and computational. The level of certificate being examined determined the number and mix of the type of essay questions selected. Oral question has again been used by assessors of seafarer in a wide variety of contexts. Also, oral questioning is often used when observation of performance is undertaken to ask why a certain action has been taken, or to be broaden the scope of what has been observed. At end, Each techniques have their own advantage and disadvantage, so we have to choose some or all of the following techniques, depending upon the certificate, qualification or job for which the trainee is aiming. But in high lank, we have to use both of essay type and multiple choice and with enough time of oral test at least 30 minutes. Who would be the assessor? According to the STCW Code Section A-I/6, instructors, supervisor and assessors are appropriately qualified for particular types and levels of training or assessment of competence of seafarers either on board or ashore, as required under the Convention, in accordance with the provisions of this section.