ELT Journal - current issue

ELT Journal 62/2: Announcement

2008-03-11

An ethnographic diary study

Hall, G. — 2008-03-11

This article examines a small-scale ethnographic survey of a single classroom. Drawing on the collected data, the discussion focuses on some of the problems encountered whilst collecting and interpreting data through self-report diaries. Amongst the issues considered are the perceptions of teachers and learners and their ability to articulate these perceptions, revealing that key assumptions need to be made explicit before appropriate conclusions can be drawn from the data. The article also discusses how variation within the data might be the result of the specific diary approach developed.

The article concludes positively, however, suggesting that explicit recognition of these difficulties can still lead to fruitful, localized approaches to the data.

The impact of TESOL on maths and science teachers

Feryok, A. — 2008-03-11

This article looks at a teacher trainer development programme designed in response to the shift from Malay-medium to English-medium instruction in Malaysian secondary maths and science teaching. The programme presented a group of 25 Malaysian maths and science teachers with principles and methods from teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL). The immediate aim was to prepare them to design and implement an in-service workshop for other maths and science teachers by focusing on task-based learning and teaching (TBLT). At the interim point in the programme, written assignments and classroom observations showed that the teachers had begun to understand the value of tasks for teaching content in English.

Improving scores on the IELTS speaking test

Issitt, S. — 2008-03-11

This article presents three strategies for teaching students who are taking the IELTS speaking test. The first strategy is aimed at improving confidence and uses a variety of self-help materials from the field of popular psychology. The second encourages students to think critically and invokes a range of academic perspectives. The third strategy invites a close inspection and utilization of the marking criteria published in the IELTS handbook. These strategies were applied to a small group of students who sat the test in September 2005 and their scores are presented and analysed. There is some evidence that the strategies were effective in raising scores on the speaking component.

Teacher research for professional development

Atay, D. — 2008-03-11

Current in-service education and training programmes (INSET) are often found to be unsatisfactory due to the fact that they do not provide the teachers with opportunities to be actively involved in their development and to reflect on their teaching experiences. This study presents an INSET programme in which Turkish EFL teachers were provided with relevant theoretical knowledge along with guidance for research, reflection, and collaboration. Results of the study showed that although teachers faced difficulties in conducting and reporting their research, the programme had a positive impact on their professional development. Thus, a research-oriented programme of this kind may help to resolve the problems and difficulties associated with INSET programmes in general.

Student perceptions of computerized tests

Pino-Silva, J. — 2008-03-11

The challenge to test small groups by means of microcomputers demands appropriate software design and sound test design. To comply with this demand, students' beliefs or perceptions on the advantages and disadvantages of a computerized test were tapped. Overall, self-reported advantages outnumbered disadvantages to a significant degree. This was taken as a strong indication that test-takers' perceptions of the computerized test appear to be positive. This is an encouraging finding, since user perceptions and criticism are crucial in the acceptance, implementation, and improvement of computerized tests.

A step forward: investigating expertise in materials evaluation

2008-03-11

This article reports on a study investigating the textbook evaluation techniques of novice and experienced teachers, which was conducted by the Language Teaching Expertise Research Group (or LATEX) within Lancaster University's Department of Linguistics and English Language. Three ELT teachers were chosen to evaluate the student and teacher editions of a newly-released ELT textbook using the technique of concurrent verbalization. The results of the research add to the growing body of knowledge on expertise, providing insight into the differences between the teachers with respect to their various evaluation strategies. They also point to implications for the development of teacher education and training.

Meaningful form: transitivity and intentionality

Saraceni, M. — 2008-03-11

Grammar has often found itself at the centre of innovations in English language teaching. In the last forty years the role of grammar has gone through three main stages: absolute prominence, exclusion, reintroduction with caution. These three stages have been associated respectively to three different approaches to instruction: ‘focus on forms’, ‘focus on meaning’, and ‘focus on form’. In the third stage, the teaching of grammar is meant to take place as the need arises during communicative activities. Even in such cases, however, there appears to remain a fundamental distinction between form and meaning. This paper suggests that such a distinction is unnecessary, given that form has its own semantic value. A practical task is proposed which analyses the semantic value of the grammatical system of transitivity, showing how it expresses the idea of intentionality.

Exploiting transcriptions of identical subject content lessons

Harfitt, G. J. — 2008-03-11

This article describes a strategy employed on a teacher training course in Hong Kong involving the use of lesson transcriptions. Transcriptions from two course participants' English lessons were used to arouse greater classroom language awareness and promote reflection in one of the teachers, who was initially very reluctant to accept comments and suggestions on her teaching and interactive decision making in the classroom. Her attitude underwent a transformation following her exposure to lesson transcriptions taken from another teacher working in a different school but who was teaching the same subject content as she was. The article will document the changes in this experienced ELT teacher and will also show how emphasis upon lesson transcriptions as an alternative to the more conventional video-recording can promote self-reflection and raise awareness of classroom interaction, and exert a powerful influence on teaching and learning.

Learner self-beliefs

Mercer, S. — 2008-03-11

Graded readers in English

Hill, D. R. — 2008-03-11

World Englishes: Implications for International Communication and English Language Teaching * English in the World: Global Rules, Global Roles

Maley, A. — 2008-03-11

English as a Lingua Franca: Attitude and Identity

Rajagopalan, K. — 2008-03-11

Discourse Analysis

McCarthy, M. — 2008-03-11

From Corpus to Classroom: Language Use and Language Teaching

Tribble, C. — 2008-03-11

Social bookmarking

Eastment, D. — 2008-03-11

iatefl

Greenall, S. — 2008-03-11