Papers by Vicky Papachristou
Language in Focus: Contemporary Means and Methods in ELT and Applied Linguistics, 2019
Teaching, a career choice many make when they are still young, seems an easy professional solutio... more Teaching, a career choice many make when they are still young, seems an easy professional solution, traditionally suited to women and affording a ''convenient'' lifestyle. This description of teaching reflects an antiquated idea of what being a teacher actually entails. Likewise, the identity of teachers has changed and keeps shape-shifting, so it is in constant and growing need of redefinition. Therefore, teachers seem trapped in a perpetual vicious circle in which certainties become doubts and doubts hopefully lead to more self-reflection and new certainties. This paper aims to present the findings of an ongoing research into how EFL teachers in Greece construct their own identity (what being a 21 st century language teacher means to them), how the construction of this identity is related with their studies (retrospective connection), and/or their development. Finally, insights will be shared in terms of the potential changes that may need to be implemented in teacher education. To this end, a digital research based on a questionnaire has been conducted via social media and a google form. The preliminary results revealed that EFL teachers in Greece are clearly aware of what is required to be an expert in the field, yet they hesitate to characterise themselves as such; age and years of experience are more important than teacher education in constructing their identity, and the most experienced teachers view construction of identity as highly significant in terms of their professional development, thus investing consistently in it.
Language in Focus: Contemporary Means and Methods in ELT and Applied Linguistics, 2019
This paper presents results of a study which assessed students' and teachers' views on the use of... more This paper presents results of a study which assessed students' and teachers' views on the use of songs, lyrics and poetry in foreign language teaching. Previous studies have shown that these media can help learners improve English language skills irrespective of age; however, in Greece, no relevant studies have been conducted. This study focuses on Greek learners of English, between 8 and 17 years old, and English language teachers. Data were collected through questionnaires which were disseminated both digitally and in person. They examined whether songs, lyrics and poetry can improve English language skills, whether age plays a role in learning via these means, the possible factors that could encourage or discourage teachers from using them and whether teaching experience would influence their use. The findings revealed that these means could help learners acquire foreign language skills and that they are more widely used by less experienced teachers.
19th International Symposium on Theoretical and Applied Linguistics, 2011
The paper discusses the effectiveness of pronunciation teaching of English to Greek state school ... more The paper discusses the effectiveness of pronunciation teaching of English to Greek state school students aged 16 years old. More specifically, it examines the production of English vowels by Greek learners of English in an English Foreign Language (EFL) context. Two different teaching methods were implemented, which resulted in having two different experimental groups; an explicit vs. an implicit one. The former received explicit teaching of English pronunciation through a variety of activities while the latter was taught implicitly via the use of recasts. The results showed that Greek students of both experimental groups experienced difficulties in producing the target vowels. As regards vowel quantity (duration), it was found that the implicit and control groups produced some target vowel values which were consistent with those of native speakers.
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Papers by Vicky Papachristou