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Migrant families often invite grandparents to move to Australia when babies are born. In order to provide support to their families, many of these grandparents have to retire from their own professional careers and migrate to Australia to start new lives. Some speak English as an additional language, with or without formal education, prior to arriving in Australia. Once in Australia, these senior migrants can only access limited government-funded English learning, and they are frequently left to capitalize on informal learning. This paper discusses a case study of two Chinese-heritage senior migrants and the role English plays in their lives, and grandparenting in Australia. We argue that having the English capability for everyday activity within the family is key to their overall well-being, and that drawing directly on their past experiences and learning strengths can enhance their quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proponents of translanguaging are often not aware of the history of code-switching research and the relevance of this research for a range of the claims they make, for example on the issue of the separability of systems. While it is understandable that new paradigms try to emphasize how different they are from others, we cannot see why and how a new approach is different from previous ones unless a fair presentation is given of the position of others and detailed evidence is provided of the claims that are being made. In this rebuttal I show that the translanguaging literature owes a lot to the literature on code-switching, and that the translanguaging practices as found in the instructions to teachers look very similar to examples of code-switching as found in the extensive academic literature. In addition, many of the recommendations for pedagogical practice are not as novel as the proponents of translanguaging would like us to believe: many teachers when they hear about translanguaging say that they have been doing it for years but haven't had a name for it. It is time for the translanguaging papers to now recognize that the translanguaging agenda developed out of the ideas of other excellent researchers in bilingualism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This cross-sectional study attempts to investigate the impacts of linguistic landscape (LL) tasks on EFL teacher candidates' understanding of English in local and global contexts. To this end, three cohorts of student teachers carried out LL fieldwork, uploaded images of English signage to an LL application, Lingscape, and submitted a mini research paper on the use of Englishes. They also wrote a reflective journal featuring a discussion of their experiences. Qualitative content analysis was utilized to interpret the data for the purpose of illustrating major themes emerging from the data. The findings highlighted a heightened awareness among student teachers towards locating and reflecting on Englishes in everyday contexts, an improved understanding of English as a lingua franca and Global Englishes, and their intentions to adopt Global-Englishes-oriented language teaching practices in the future. The study concludes by discussing the implications of this approach, and calls for a wider inclusion of LL-centred tasks in EFL teacher education curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

English medium instruction (EMI) is seen as a site for improving students' English language, yet the role of the EMI lecturer in achieving this is contested. Views on what constitutes appropriate training and professional development for EMI lecturers also differ regarding English language skills and EMI-specific methodology. Using Q methodology, this paper explores these issues from a particular perspective, a synthetic viewpoint based on six EMI lecturers with very similar views. Its voice is pro-EMI yet has significant concerns regarding the workload involved, is insecure about its own linguistic performance, fears a loss of subject content depth, and questions the effectiveness of EMI for students learning a subject. The paper highlights the importance of such feelings in relation to perceived language and pedagogy challenges and considers the broader implications for EMI teacher training interventions regarding the practices of disciplinary knowledge-building and the linguistic and communicative resources used to enact them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital literacy is high on the educational agenda in many countries as it is seen as an essential attribute of a discerning citizenry and a competitive workforce. A host of frameworks and conceptualizations have been proposed—both from scholars and from transnational organizations—for the curricular implementation of digital literacy in educational institutions. While there seems to be consensus on what digital literacy is, what has received much less attention in scholarly discussions of digital literacy is the ways in which it is also, fundamentally, an ideological practice. This paper considers what it means to say that digital literacy is an ideological practice and what such a recognition means for teaching or developing it in schools, particularly in the ELT classroom. I critique the prevalent focus on skills and outline how we may develop digital literacy as social practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The instructional rationale behind critical pedagogy is to provide students the opportunity to voice their personal stories and opinions, and to reflect and act upon social concerns relevant to their daily lives. Students can then practice being agents of transformation in their own lives, starting in the classroom. This paper is based on the first author's experience of experimenting with critical pedagogy when she was teaching in the UAE. It justifies the suitability of implementing Paulo Freire's problem-posing model with younger EFL learners. Outlining the tenets of critical pedagogy developed by Freire, the authors support the practical nature of the model and its transference to a primary setting. The authors explicate Freire's problem-posing model as five phases, providing a background and case study application for each phase. The intention is to present a practical guide for teachers wishing to implement critical approaches in the EFL classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The action-oriented approach (AoA) is a powerful basis to inform teaching, learning, and assessment in the classroom that identifies learners as social agents and focuses on language learning through language use. This paper answers the call for developments that help teachers teach and learners learn in an AoA-informed way. We argue that cognitive discourse functions (CDFs) align with AoA, helping to develop learner thinking by focusing on the learners' use of language. We complement our conceptual discussion referring to the process of developing a self- and peer-assessment tool informed by AoA and CDFs and the initial application of this tool in an advanced academic writing course in a Japanese university with B1 and B2 level students. We discuss how this tool can guide learners' understanding of their writing process and fosters learners' responsibility for deciding how they mobilize their linguistic resources to express particular language functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article responds to Wingate and Hakim's paper, where they criticise English Medium Instruction (EMI) research for not drawing on research and practices from EAP. We concur that this cross-fertilisation of knowledge is beneficial for both fields but emphasise the breadth of the current EMI research agenda, which explores several issues beyond English language and academic preparedness. We also counter their claims of a lack of awareness by highlighting several examples of knowledge exchange, much of which has been driven by EMI scholars working within EAP contexts, and vice versa. Finally, we urge caution in recommendations to uncritically adopt EAP practices from Anglophone university settings into EMI settings, due to the complexities associated with EMI growth and provision, where the challenges raised are not necessarily identical. Overall, we agree with the authors that EAP and EMI have much to gain from each other in their shared endeavours and welcome their calls for future research collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth in the provision of English medium instruction (EMI) has led to a significant increase in publications on EMI. Several publications claim that EMI is a young field that is still at the level of 'infancy' in areas such as language-related student support and teacher education. This raises the question why EMI appears not to draw on research and practices from English for academic purposes (EAP), a discipline with a longer history of enquiry into English-medium education. In this paper, we explore convergences between EMI and EAP in the areas of student support, collaboration between language teachers and subject teachers, and teacher education, and suggest some EAP theories and practices that EMI might usefully draw on. We conclude by stressing the need for cross-fertilization between EMI and EAP scholarship and for a joined research agenda that aims to produce more systematic empirical evidence of the benefits of discipline-specific academic language and literacy development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teacher motivation is a key component for increasing teachers' commitment to their professionalism and the quality of their teaching. This paper provides insight into L2 teacher motivation in the context of their sustained engagement with a theatre festival for schools. Drawing on self-determination theory, it investigates how this extracurricular activity enables the teachers to fulfil their individual and professional needs. The findings from eight semi-structured interviews of Slovak ELT teachers suggest the festival offers them a space for satisfaction of their needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness in the long term. The festival enables them to pursue their own intrinsic appreciation of arts and theatre that is then shared with their pupils. Teachers appreciate the co-creative process during the rehearsals, which enhances learners' intrinsic and instrumental value of learning English. They believe the festival fosters their learners' language development in a holistic way, enhancing their emotional and social skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In countries in which opportunities to use a foreign language are mostly limited to the language classroom, teachers and students need to seek occasions to practice it. Luckily for them, virtual worlds provide many ways of practicing the language they study and communicate with many target language speakers. This paper reports a study that investigated changes in motivational dynamics and factors contributing to changes in the levels of motivation as reported by two advanced learners of English. They were asked to use the virtual world Second Life after classes and practice English. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of the data revealed changes in intensity of motivation and several factors responsible for them. On that basis, some guidelines for increasing motivation in the context of virtual worlds are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the implementation of a language learning project in a Japanese EFL classroom in which the trigger, or motivational energy for involvement, came from interacting with English-speaking international students. The project provided a context to investigate the trajectory of one group's (three learners) sustained engagement across three tasks that formed the subgoals of the project. Data sources include learner diaries, engagement questionnaires, and transcripts of task conversations, which together were used to describe the level of engagement for each learner at key times throughout the project. The findings indicate that engagement is sustained by certain flow-like conditions during tasks (i.e. control, interest, challenge-skill balance), group cohesion among project members, and a growing focus on the long-term goal of the project. The results highlight project design features that teachers should consider when implementing projects with the purpose of engaging students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article, the author discusses their efforts as members of the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (IATEFL) to help in mitigating climate change. Also cited are their strategies like recycling paper, food waste, and containers, their issuance of biodegradable membership cards, and their environmentally-responsible actions for their annual international conference.

The aim of this article is to challenge heteronormative as well as homonormative practices in English language teaching. In doing so, the paper demonstrates that both complete absence of LGBTQI+ references in ELT materials, as well as recent attempts to provide more inclusive approaches to materials design and classroom practices, can be problematic for L2 learners irrespective of their sexuality. The paper traces current developments in ELT materials design with regards to inclusive classroom practices and argues that attempts towards exclusivity may reflect (hetero/homo)normative views, and can therefore perpetuate a culture—learning and otherwise—of discrimination and social exclusion. It concludes by identifying the need for an alternative approach—one that does not focus on inclusion but on diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The commonly used categorical system for conditionals (zero, first, second, and third) has been repeatedly demonstrated to be inadequate because it is unable to account for many conditional types attested in actual usage. ELT coursebooks and pedagogic grammars are criticized for ignoring the evidence and persisting with its use, but the reality appears to be that, from the point of view of syllabus designers and materials writers, the usefulness and practicality that the system offers outweighs any concerns related to its accuracy. This paper attempts to resolve this tension by showing how the existing system can be improved rather than simply abandoned. It proposes a revised categorization system that better reflects the reality of conditional usage and takes into account evidence on how learners' knowledge of conditional forms expands and develops as they progress through proficiency levels, but that nonetheless can be practically employed in multi-level teaching materials and courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper explores the impact of the growth in English medium instruction (EMI) on the field of ELT. Increasing studies report students' language-related challenges and linguistic preparedness to be major barriers to successful implementation of EMI. These challenges, which have accompanied an unfettered growth in EMI provision, impact on practitioners and students and highlight the role of ELT practitioners in providing language support. This paper outlines how EMI is changing the role of ELT practitioners in the internationalized and 'Englishized' higher education sector, who increasingly teach on EAP programmes. EMI research is in a relative stage of infancy, yet a growing body of evidence highlights the importance of academic and language support. Drawing on evidence from recent research, we explore the integral role that ELT instructors have in helping students with their content learning, and make suggestions to facilitate greater integration of ELT within EMI contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universities in English medium instruction (EMI) settings are generally reticent about the linguistic diversity of their student body. Very often, a monolingual mindset dominates institutional thinking that casts linguistic diversity as obstacle rather than asset for the EMI curriculum. This has given rise to deficit models of English language provision in which language tutors are viewed as offering language support and 'fixing' language problems. It is timely to address these anachronistic views. In this paper, I do so by making the case for the multilingual agenda in EMI higher educational institutions. From a plurilingual perspective, I examine three narratives for developing the multilingual agenda: (1) 'the institution as anglophone and multilingual'; (2) 'students as plurilingual speakers'; and (3) 'EMI curriculum and pedagogy informed by language-as-resource'. I argue that the significance of these narratives lies in treating them as interrelated and demonstrating their salience for enacting wider higher education agendas at the institutional level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how a teacher responds to 'learner initiatives' during classroom instruction. Learner initiatives refer to students making 'uninvited' contributions in class when not selected as the next speaker. This paper focuses on learners initiating an interactional sequence through asking the teacher a question. Using conversation analysis, this research describes two practices adopted by a teacher when responding to such learner initiatives. These practices shape how learners participate within learner-initiated interactional sequences and hence the opportunities that occur for learning the target language. The teacher utilizes recipient design to either better understand learner queries or explicitly answer learner questions as part of dealing with learner initiatives. This paper contributes to understanding of how learner initiatives are managed by teachers and has a role to play in teacher education by raising practitioner awareness of how this aspect of classroom interaction can be managed to further learner participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has shown that explicit notetaking instruction in EAP courses has positive effects on student notetaking. However, many studies limit measurement of notetaking ability to immediately after an intense period of instruction. Thus, the retentional effects of notetaking instruction have yet to be investigated in the longer term. To address this research gap, this paper reports on a study that assessed students' notetaking performance prior to, immediately after, and then again four months after the notetaking instruction to examine the retentional value of notetaking instruction. Samples of student notes (n = 40) from these three time points were analysed through 'information units' to determine any changes. Results indicate that the instruction had a positive and significant effect on performance in the short term and that student performance lessened over time. Pedagogic implications stemming from these findings, including regular notetaking practice and consistently reviewing notetaking strategies, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Authentic materials such as TED Talks have become an everyday presence in the ELT classroom, often for practice listening and taking notes. However, teachers can struggle to teach the sub-skills that are involved in notetaking, and instead often simply tell students to 'take notes'. This approach lacks the scaffolding required for the complex activity. When unpredictable and loosely structured authentic materials are used for notetaking, students can be overwhelmed and teachers left with few pedagogic ideas. To address the need for pedagogy for teaching notetaking with authentic materials, this paper reports a project that introduced a four-step pedagogic sequence in conjunction with TED Talks to upper secondary school students in Sweden. Analysis of pre- and post-intervention comprehension tests and samples of notes suggests that the sequence has positive effects, particularly regarding the quantity of notes recorded. The paper describes and provides justification for each step of the approach and discusses the pedagogic implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the opportunities and challenges of using Shakespeare as a teaching resource for English language learners, and reflects on an open distance learning programme aimed at engaging EFL students across diverse world contexts. The paper reviews the design, production, and dissemination of these teaching materials and in doing so discusses how points of language, issues of historical culture, and insights into modern usage can all be addressed in ways that are both entertaining and instructional by reference to Shakespeare's life and works. Additionally, it considers how the harnessing of the transmedia affordances of digital communication can create a broad, interactive experience for students, thus mixing the traditional with the cutting-edge in English language pedagogy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper helps to address the need for improvement related to the teaching of pragmatic abilities in the ELT classroom. Some of the issues surrounding direct pragmatic instruction are discussed with regard to teachers' and learners' roles and expectations. The paper is part of an ongoing research project that practically applies key components of Grice's maxims and the use of speech acts for consciousness raising and instruction. The authors promote a pragmatic continuum that encourages learners to assess and reflect on their pragmatic abilities. Examples are given to demonstrate its utility for instructors at a variety of levels to enhance learners' spoken pragmatic ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although research on Global Englishes (GE) has demonstrated the potential for a new perspective of ELT, studies of GE in an Asian ELT context are relatively rare. As current mainstream ELT practice in China still largely emphasizes 'native English', university courses related to GE are scarce. This paper aims to unpack the influence of a course on English as a World Language in Chinese university students' awareness of their own English and GE. Data were collected from students taking the optional course at a university in southeast China. After reporting the findings, the paper further discusses the pedagogical implications of integrating GE into English learning and teaching. It also argues for raising students' GE awareness and applying critical pedagogy in ELT for GE-oriented instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The notion of English as a multilingua franca (EMF) positions English within multilingualism, and EMF awareness prepares students to communicate effectively in this multilingual world of mobility. The present paper explores how, if ever, EMF-aware pedagogic intervention influences Japanese students' perceptions of their communicative practices, particularly for English-major undergraduates in L1-shared classrooms. This intervention was made by providing opportunities for participants to engage in EMF and by examining their first-hand experiences and published EMF communication extracts in the classrooms. Empirical data from an open-ended questionnaire demonstrate that multilingual and transmodal accommodation was a way for them to notice and take advantage of global networks, develop capability and confidence in communication, and foster sensitivity to interactants' backgrounds. The data also illustrate the invaluable role of individual multilingual experiences as classroom 'materials', and suggest that discussing these experiences potentially turns L1-shared classrooms into EMF scenarios through foregrounding students' multilingual repertoires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers play a crucial role in the implementation of an English as a lingua franca (ELF) perspective in the classroom. However, little research has been conducted on what challenges teachers might encounter and what types of support are needed to teach English from an ELF perspective. This study thus explores the experiences of seven primary teachers enrolled in a teacher development programme designed to support their attempts to teach from an ELF perspective in South Korea. Drawing on in-depth interview data, the paper provides detailed accounts of the challenges and strategies for developing ELF-aware teachers. The main challenges encountered included a lack of the pedagogical skills required to implement planned lessons, the paucity of relevant instructional materials, and parents' strong preference for Standard English. It is possible, however, that these challenges could be addressed by creating opportunities for guided reflection, peer collaboration, and effective communication. Implications for future ELF-aware teacher development programmes are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the applications of pattern grammar and local grammar in English language teaching, focusing specifically on the design of teaching materials. It shows that grammar patterns can be systematically analysed from a local grammar perspective, and further argues that the practice of local grammar analyses helps to raise language learners' awareness of the patterned nature of language in use and the close association between patterns and meanings. These in turn offer insights into materials writing. A sample coursebook unit is then offered to exemplify how pattern grammar and local grammar can be applied to derive pedagogical materials for English language teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the ELT profession there has been some discussion regarding the appropriateness of one-month pre-service teacher training courses such as CELTA. These courses are designed on the assumption that graduates will need further support and professional development in their first post. This paper examines the extent to which 115 newly qualified teachers (NQTs) were supported in their first teaching posts and addresses a second concern: do short, intensive courses encourage trainees to develop reflective-practice skills? The findings suggest that generally NQTs are not well supported in their first teaching posts, nor are they provided with adequate continued professional development by the institutions they work for. This is particularly evident in the teaching of young learners. However, most NQTs felt CELTA had sufficiently prepared them to be able to reflect on their classroom teaching in their first posts, despite some obstacles to reflective practice being raised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

English language as a compulsory component of primary state school curricula is a growing phenomenon around the world. One of the challenges of this lies in training the vast numbers of teachers required. To date there has been little consideration of how those tasked with facilitating the professional development of primary English language teachers might be supported and the kind of knowledge, skills, and understanding they might need. This paper explores the experiences of primary teachers and university lecturers learning to become in-service teacher educators in the context of primary ELT curriculum change in Vietnam. The findings provide insights into the participants' understanding of primary English language teaching and learning and the new curriculum, their awareness of the classroom contexts in which primary teachers work, and their ability to support teachers in implementing the innovation. The implications of this beyond the context of the study are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educational institutions are placing increased value on language tandems owing to the language development opportunities they offer for learners of modern languages. Where these learners lack autonomous language learning strategies, however, the results can be disappointing, with limited linguistic development taking place. This paper reports on recent research into the language tandem experiences of international study abroad students during their period of study at a British university. When it became apparent that the students lacked skills in managing their language tandems to meet their learning needs, strategy instruction was introduced to facilitate more effective language learning strategy use. The findings suggest that such an intervention can significantly increase learners' ability to create a language tandem which meets their learning needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the first phase of our research into the potential merits of a collaborative writing/feedback/revision activity. The study compared the quantity and quality of the feedback provided, collaboratively and individually, by adult EFL learners in Saudi Arabia. Our analysis showed that learners provided more feedback, including more constructive comments, in the collaborative format. Most of the students also felt that providing feedback in pairs alleviated some of their concerns about providing feedback individually on their peers' writing. We suggest that the combination of collaborative writing and feedback may improve peer feedback and provide learners with enhanced language learning opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the fact that UK ELT Master's programmes are numerous, diverse, and financially important, very little research has been conducted on whether they deliver teaching practice (TP) or micro-teaching (MT), and on what students' expectations of these modules are. The present paper addresses this gap by examining how many ELT-related Master's programmes in the UK offer TP/MT modules and by investigating students' expectations of these modules. Drawing on data from document analysis, we show that only 34 out of the 141 UK ELT-related Master's programmes offer a TP module and 12 offer an MT module. Data from pre-/post-study questionnaires and focus groups indicate that students consider practical teaching experience an important part of their programmes, and report that they would like more course time to be spent on it. Based on these findings, we recommend that UK ELT Master's programmes should provide students with ways to gain such practical experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of individuals undertaking IELTS has continued to grow in recent years, standing at approximately 3 million candidates per year in 2016. As a result, this high-stakes, high-pressure test has become firmly entrenched as a global gatekeeping institution, regulating the international flows of people for migration and academic study. This paper provides critical perspectives on the design and administration of the IELTS test from the viewpoint of the often-ignored, yet key stakeholders in IELTS: the test-takers themselves. It argues that, with the growth in the need for recognized and trusted evidence of English language proficiency internationally, the co-owners of IELTS have amassed enormous global power over the lives of millions of people, with considerable ethical ramifications. It critiques seven features of IELTS and suggests implementable solutions to enable IELTS to become a more democratic and humane testing system, imbued with potential for learning, for the benefit of its test-takers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study reported in this paper investigated the interaction of a group of Chinese intermediate EFL learners working in dyads on a dictogloss task. It examined the transition process of learners' role relationship (i.e. patterns of interaction) in dyadic communication. The pair talk data were analysed for patterns of interaction and incidences of language-related episodes. The results confirmed that collaborative pattern of interaction is more conducive to L2 learning than other patterns (e.g. dominant/dominant, dominant/passive). More importantly, the study found that these intermediate learners were able to adjust their relationship in dyadic interaction, from non-collaborative to a more collaborative end, along with an increasing frequency of language-related discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to L2 listening pedagogy by exploring listening instruction and examining teachers’ authentic listening lessons. Listening instruction has yet to be investigated systematically, and the literature has typically relied on anecdotal and intuitive accounts of what takes place in listening lessons. Therefore, this paper reports on a practical investigation into listening pedagogy through a review of 30 listening lessons taught and recorded by ten EFL instructors in Japan. Lesson content was transcribed and coded according to a priori categories informed by the literature. These categories included, among others, comprehension questions, bottom-up listening activities, and metacognitive listening strategies. Results revealed some teachers using a range of techniques while others limited their teaching to product-based approaches. The paper provides empirical descriptions of L2 listening instruction in practice and discusses pedagogic implications stemming from the results, including suggestions for how language teachers can expand their repertoires for the teaching of listening. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper considers an alternative perspective to complement the existing body of research in child EFL/ESL. This perspective assumes that children’s views are different from those of adults, and, since children are ‘experts’ of their own lives, it is worthwhile for adults to explore innovative ways in which their unique experiences and perspectives can be uncovered. The paper reports on the two authors’ joint research projects in which children have been involved in various participatory activities. Using short extracts taken from conversations between an adult researcher and the children, we attempt to illustrate some of the benefits of researching ‘with’ children. The data indicate that children exercise their agency by shaping the research activities in their own ways, making spontaneous comments, asking unexpected questions, and selecting topics they find relevant. We also consider some of the challenges involved in this type of research, but conclude by recommending that working with children ‘collaboratively’ in research projects is an excellent learning experience for teachers, researchers, and children alike. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper discusses an innovative programme of collaborative EFL teaching in Hong Kong primary schools, involving team-teaching shared between imported native-speaking English teachers and their local counterparts. First it analyses the way in which the scheme has evolved from previous experiences. The paper then draws on an open-ended questionnaire survey, email and face to face interviews, and classroom observations of team-teaching in action. It focuses on findings related to the three main objectives of the scheme: impact on pupils, innovative teaching, and professional development. More positive outcomes were reported for the first issue than the other two. Some implications for collaboration and the deployment of native-speaking English teachers are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper I discuss ways that Applied Linguistics literature on topics in academic and professional writing can be used in a multidisciplinary graduatelevel EAP class. I focus on three main uses: providing students with information about issues in academic and professional writing; helping them make comparisons of form and style with academic articles in their own fields; and serving as resources for common and formulaic expressions that can be incorporated into their own writing. The paper includes a discussion of the strengths and limitations of this approach in a foreign language setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In his paper 'The sequencing of verbal complement structures', Petrovitz claims that conventional teaching of gerunds and infinitives is badly organized and ineffective, and that this is due to a failure to take into account important facts about the grammar of these items; he outlines an alternative approach, which he feels would be more successful. This paper argues that Petrovitz is mistaken on all three counts: his description of normal teaching practice does not reflect classroom reality; his account of the grammar of gerunds and infinitives is inaccurate; and his recommended approach to syllabus design and teaching is unrealistic and counterproductive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unprecedented rise of English to become a global lingua franca has sparked a growing academic interest with numerous research publications on global Englishes, English as a lingua franca, and English as an international language. Although this research has led to numerous informative findings concerning pronunciation, pragmatics, and intercultural communicative skills, many course books still present English as if it was primarily used to communicate with 'native speakers'. In addition, native speakerism, or the belief that 'native speakers' are not only better models but also better teachers of the language, is still widespread in ELT. As a result, this article aims to bridge the gap between the research and materials writing practice by suggesting seven research-based principles which can help materials writers not only write materials that are truly global and authentic, but also contribute to tackling native speakerism by addressing some of the discourses that support it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper’s focus is on the little researched and sometimes vague concept of interest, discussed here in relation to EFL learning and the potential interest-enhancing strategies that learners may employ if they do not find learning English interesting enough. The study was undertaken to investigate how adolescent EFL learners evaluate the interestingness of major classroom activities and how they cope with those activities that are ranked low in this respect. A three-part questionnaire was administered to 230 learners aged 13–16 years old at four different locations. The results of the study show that these learners are moderately interested in EFL learning activities, but they can encourage themselves to persist in doing tasks that they find less interesting by employing interest-enhancing strategies that are mainly instrumental and goal-oriented. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper introduces a new vowel notation system aimed at aiding the teaching of English pronunciation. This notation system, designed as an enhancement to orthographic text, was designed to use concepts borrowed from the representation of musical notes and is also linked to the acoustic characteristics of vowel sounds. Vowel timbre is represented in terms of the height of the symbol and vowel duration in terms of the length of the symbol. The Speechant system was evaluated in EFL adult education classes in Portugal. A formal assessment that measured the impact of a term's tuition by looking at changes in accent ratings of the learners over that period showed that the group taught using the Speechant system showed greater improvements in pronunciation than the control group. Speechant may be an especially useful aid to pronunciation teaching in situations in which foreign languages are taught without the benefit of technological support. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A limitation of extensive reading programmes is the time required for progress in vocabulary acquisition. This paper reports on a qualitative exploration of student perceptions of the value of non-compulsory comic books in ESL elementary and upper-intermediate level courses at a tertiary institution. We aimed to develop supplementary materials that students would find valuable, use, and enjoy without requiring classroom time. The results suggest the learners’ views on the value of comic books and recordings can be broadly categorized into five themes: (1) helpful story characteristics, (2) perceived performance enhancement, (3) use of learning strategies, (4) enjoyment, and (5) areas for improvement. An interesting finding was the variety of uses to which the learners put the resources, in particular sharing them with their families. This study points to the importance of responding to learners’ specific contexts and to creative ways English learners undertake autonomous learning when provided with appropriate resources. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Communicating and collaborating in online contexts can be quite different from face-to-face situations and requires students to acquire multiple literacies in addition to foreign language skills and intercultural communicative competence. This paper looks at how the development of multiliteracies can be included in the EFL classroom through the practice of telecollaboration, that is internet-mediated intercultural exchange. The integration of multiliteracies in the task design of the three stages of a telecollaboration project is illustrated through practical examples from an exchange which used English as a lingua franca. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The growing use of English by its L2 speakers for their international communication has started to suggest a need for many changes in ELT, particularly in traditional EFL countries. One of the changes discussed among some sociolinguists is the introduction of different varieties of English from the two traditionally highly regarded varieties, i.e. standard American and standard British English, into ELT. This is to develop students’ proficiency for international communication with other L2 speakers who use different varieties. To implement this change, it would be important to provide the necessary teacher education and training. Using Japan as a typical EFL country whose ELT aims at teaching English for international communication, this paper discusses how student teachers themselves worked with a teacher education programme that recognizes the diversity in English and analyses their responses to the idea of introducing different varieties into ELT. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper reports on a comparative study of pauses made by L2 learners and native speakers of English while narrating picture stories. The comparison is based on the number of pauses and total amount of silence in the middle and at the end of clauses in the performance of 40 native speakers and 40 L2 learners of English.1 The results of the quantitative analyses suggest that, although the L2 learners generally pause more repeatedly and have longer periods of silence than the native speakers, the distinctive feature of their pausing pattern is that they pause frequently in the middle of clauses rather than at the end. The qualitative analysis of the data suggests that some of the L2 learners’ mid-clause pauses are associated with processes such as replacement, reformulation, and online planning. Formulaic sequences, however, contain very few pauses and therefore appear to facilitate the learners’ fluency. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In recent years, pedagogical pragmatics has sought to improve the effectiveness with which learners express and interpret meaning, through awareness-raising activities that draw on authentic materials and break away from simplistic explanations of form–function correspondences. By and large, these efforts have been informed by an inductive approach through which, over time, learners can infer general principles governing appropriate language use from an understanding of particular speech acts based on observation, description, and classroom discussion. This paper argues that learners can simultaneously benefit from a deductive approach which develops an appreciation of those general principles that background the performance and interpretation of speech acts. It is suggested that Grice's Cooperative Principle provides a useful means through which to implement such an approach and help ensure that learners use language in a socially appropriate way. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper is part of a larger project on teacher–student interaction and the contextual issues which shape them. It reported that the reticence of English majors is caused by the communicative environment that the teachers create in their interactions with their students. The data were collected through observations, audio- and videotaping, and stimulated reflection across a two-and-a-half-month period. Informed by Vygotsky's (1978) sociocultural theory which puts talk at the core of successful teaching and learning, the analysis presented reveals how the teachers’ thematic control leads to students’ low interaction levels. Based on the findings, implications are discussed and some possible changes to teaching practices proposed, which are applicable not only to the Chinese context but beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper describes an oral English course for non-English majors at a university in the People's Republic of China. In the first year of the course, the students were very resistant to participating in group-based speaking activities, and their end-of-year results were disappointing. In the second year, the teacher decided to involve the students actively in designing their course and planning activities which would meet their needs and reasons for wanting to speak English. The aim was to increase their motivation and overcome reticence by getting them to talk about what and how they wanted to learn. It was expected that both their confidence and their ability to speak English would improve through more personal engagement with the course. The effectiveness of this approach was assessed using self-evaluation forms, classroom observations, and tests which showed significant progress in the students’ speaking. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Intriguingly, at a time when the ELT market is inundated with state-of-the-art coursebooks teaching modern-day English, a 30-year-old series enjoys continuing popularity in some secondary schools in Hungary. Why would teachers, several of whom are school-based teacher--mentors in the vanguard of the profession, purposefully choose materials which were published not years but decades ago? This paper attempts to find the reasons for their decision and argues for the importance of pedagogically appropriate texts. It confirms the view that it is not necessary for a piece to be written by native speakers for native speakers in order to be authentic in the classroom context. The study also suggests that texts which display qualities that works of literature possess can not only successfully engage and motivate learners but stand the test of time as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the comments of a group of learners on their participation in an English corner on the Chinese mainland. It highlights that the particular English corner' concerned in this study has become a social community where the participants could find supportive peers and self-assertion opportunities. The learners' participation in the community enhanced their autonomous learning and fostered subtle changes in their self-identities. The learning of English in the community echoes what constitutes a humanistic view of learning. The study invites language teachers to consider how such out-of-class learning activities can be integrated into our pedagogic practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]