This study is framed in the context of the pre-service masters degrees in the teaching of languages (Spanish as a foreign language + Portuguese as a mother tongue, and Spanish + English as foreign ...languages) given at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Porto. This training is preparation for the teaching of languages in lower and upper secondary education in Portugal. During the second year of these masters degrees, trainees conduct a teaching practicum in secondary schools and prepare a reflective portfolio related to this experience. One of the sections of this document is based on the descriptors of the European Portfolio for Student Teachers of Languages (EPOSTL). In this study, seventy-five trainee portfolios were collected from 2014 to 2019 and the written reflections related to the EPOSTL descriptors associated with “Culture” were selected for analysis. The objective was to analyse trainees’ concerns, interests and perceptions about culture and its didactics in Spanish classroom, and in light of this, consider how to improve the training offered.
Estudios previos demuestran que los segmentos L2 son más fáciles de adquirir que los suprasegmentos. En un contexto EFL, la influencia de la L1 parece minimizarse a medida que los aprendices ganan ...dominio L2. Nuestro estudio explora el efecto de la transferencia del español como L1 y del dominio del inglés como L2 en la producción de vocales y acento nuclear, por medio de la comparación acústica de las emisiones de aprendices de niveles elemental y avanzado de inglés en Chile. Los resultados indican mejoría a mayor dominio L2, aunque todavía lejos del nivel nativo. En cuanto a las vocales, persisten ciertos problemas con la posición de la lengua a pesar del dominio, con dependencia excesiva en la intensidad para producir vocales tensas. En cuanto al acento nuclear, la correcta ubicación del núcleo mejora a mayor dominio y las producciones empiezan a reflejar los correlatos acústicos de una variedad del inglés, aún con una dependencia excesiva en la duración para marcar el núcleo. Se requiere más investigación, como en ritmo y en fluidez, para tener una comprensión más holística de los efectos de la transferencia de L1 y el dominio de L2 en inglés L2. Palabras clave: EFL, español chileno, transferencia L1, dominio L2, parámetros acústicos. Previous studies show that L2 segments are easier to acquire than suprasegments. In an EFL context, the L1 influence seems to be minimized as learners gain L2 experience. Our study explores the effect of L1 transfer from Spanish and L2 experience in English on the production of vowels and nuclear accent, by comparing acoustically the productions of elementary and advanced learners of EFL in Chile. Results indicate improvement with higher L2 experience, although still far from native speakers. Concerning vowels, certain problems with tongue advancement and height persist at advanced levels, with overreliance on intensity to produce tense vowels. Regarding nuclear accents, correct nucleus placement improves with experience, and productions start to reflect the acoustic correlates of one English variety, still with a tendency to over rely on duration to mark the nucleus. Further research is warranted, such as on rhythm and fluency, to have a more holistic understanding of the effects of L1 transfer and L2 experience on L2 English. Keywords: EFL, Chilean Spanish, L1 transfer, L2 experience, acoustic parameters.
Summary CNS metastases are the most common cause of malignant brain tumours in adults. Historically, patients with brain metastases have been excluded from most clinical trials, but their inclusion ...is now becoming more common. The medical literature is difficult to interpret because of substantial variation in the response and progression criteria used across clinical trials. The Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology Brain Metastases (RANO-BM) working group is an international, multidisciplinary effort to develop standard response and progression criteria for use in clinical trials of treatment for brain metastases. Previous efforts have focused on aspects of trial design, such as patient population, variations in existing response and progression criteria, and challenges when incorporating neurological, neuro-cognitive, and quality-of-life endpoints into trials of patients with brain metastases. Here, we present our recommendations for standard response and progression criteria for the assessment of brain metastases in clinical trials. The proposed criteria will hopefully facilitate the development of novel approaches to this difficult problem by providing more uniformity in the assessment of CNS metastases across trials.
Background Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are growing in popularity, but little is known about the extent to which these products are advertised to consumers. Purpose To estimate expenditures ...for e-cigarette advertising in magazines, TV, the Internet, newspapers, and radio in the U.S. from 2011 to 2012. Methods E-cigarette advertising data were obtained from leading media intelligence companies, Kantar Media and Nielsen. Estimated e-cigarette advertising expenditures were summarized across media channels for 2011 and 2012. Additional information on brands advertised and market-level buys (i.e., local versus national) also was examined. Results Overall, e-cigarette advertising expenditures across media channels tripled from $6.4 million in 2011 to $18.3 million in 2012. Expenditures were highest in magazines and TV and lowest in newspapers and on the Internet. More than 80 unique brands were advertised, but blu eCigs dominated ad spending, comprising 76.7% of all e-cigarette advertising expenditures in 2012. National markets were increasingly targeted from 54.9% of ad buys in 2011 to 87.0% of ad buys in 2012. Conclusions E-cigarette advertising expenditures are increasing, with a greater focus on national markets and TV ads, which will likely increase consumer awareness and use of e-cigarettes in the future. Federal-level efforts are needed to mandate that e-cigarette companies report their advertising expenditures. Future studies should examine how e-cigarette advertising expenditures and message content influence consumer awareness of, interest in, and use of e-cigarettes.
Diagnostic accuracy studies are, like other clinical studies, at risk of bias due to shortcomings in design and conduct, and the results of a diagnostic accuracy study may not apply to other patient ...groups and settings. Readers of study reports need to be informed about study design and conduct, in sufficient detail to judge the trustworthiness and applicability of the study findings. The STARD statement (Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies) was developed to improve the completeness and transparency of reports of diagnostic accuracy studies. STARD contains a list of essential items that can be used as a checklist, by authors, reviewers and other readers, to ensure that a report of a diagnostic accuracy study contains the necessary information. STARD was recently updated. All updated STARD materials, including the checklist, are available at http://www.equator-network.org/reporting-guidelines/stard. Here, we present the STARD 2015 explanation and elaboration document. Through commented examples of appropriate reporting, we clarify the rationale for each of the 30 items on the STARD 2015 checklist, and describe what is expected from authors in developing sufficiently informative study reports.
PDF
