ELT Journal - current issue

Teaching grammar as a liberating force

Cullen, R. — 2008-06-15

The idea of grammar as a ‘liberating force’ comes from a paper by Henry Widdowson (1990) in which grammar is depicted as a resource which liberates the language user from an over-dependency on lexis and context for the expression of meaning. In this paper, I consider the implications for second language teaching of the notion of grammar as a liberating force, and identify three key design features which, I propose, need to be present in any grammar production task in which this notion is given prominence. These are: learner choice over which grammatical structures to use; a process of ‘grammaticization’ where the learners apply grammar to lexis; and opportunities to make comparisons and notice gaps in their use of grammar. I then discuss, with practical examples, types of grammar task which exhibit these features. These tasks all derive from traditional ELT practice, but have been revitalized to support an approach to teaching grammar which emphasizes its liberating potential.

A narrative approach to exploring context in language teaching

Barkhuizen, G. — 2008-06-15

In recent years there have been persistent calls for teachers to explore their teaching contexts in order to become more aware of them and to understand them. Doing so would enable teachers to make more informed decisions about their practice and their students' learning. This article outlines a narrative approach for exploring context. A narrative inquiry case is presented to provide a framework for the discussion. Emerging from this narrative case are three levels of story applicable to the participant English teachers' lives. A brief description of these levels is provided, and is followed by an illustration of each using extracts from the written story of one of the participating teachers.

Reading reaction journals in EAP courses

Evans, S. — 2008-06-15

This paper looks at two specific problems faced by second-language university students attending courses in English for Academic Purposes: expository texts and reading-to-write tasks. A reading reaction journal (RRJ) can provide a forum for students as they activate a variety of reading strategies when reading expository text and in addition, can provide a focal point for students as they critically respond to text(s) before engaging in formal reading-to-write assignments based on the text(s). Responses from one group of students who used RRJs appear to confirm that the journals can indeed fulfil such a purpose.

Implementing extensive reading in an EAP programme

Macalister, J. — 2008-06-15

For more than twenty years the benefits of extensive reading have been proclaimed to the ELT community, but the inclusion of extensive reading in ELT programmes is far from universal. Extensive reading appears to be particularly absent in higher educational and English for Academic Purposes settings. This paper reports on the implementation of an extensive reading component in a pre-university study EAP programme. Learners responded positively to the loss of teacher-centred class time and a non-EAP focus for part of each lesson. While the implementation of extensive reading will vary from setting to setting, this action research project shows that extensive reading can have a place in an EAP programme.

Evaluating teaching practice

Leshem, S., Bar-Hama, R. — 2008-06-15

The evaluation of observed lessons has been the subject of much debate in the field of teacher training. Teacher trainers have tried to define quality in relation to teaching and to find ways to measure it in a reliable way. Can we evaluate the quality of teaching by observable behaviour and measurable components, in which case, can the lesson be assessed analytically by the use of discrete criteria? Or, does a lesson constitute an entity, which cannot be broken into discrete components so that it has to be assessed impressionistically? We believe that in order to construct a more comprehensive view of the issue, it is pertinent to collaborate with our trainees and provide some space for their voices. Evidence from a small-scale practitioner-based research project reveals that trainees need explicit criteria for effective teaching in order to identify their strengths and weaknesses and use them as guidelines for improvement.

Inter-interviewer variation in oral interview tests

Nakatsuhara, F. — 2008-06-15

Over the last two decades, research has suggested that candidates' test performances and scores are collaboratively achieved through interviewing/scoring processes and there could be unfair situations caused by the inter-interviewer variation. To investigate a precise picture of the impact of inter-interviewer variation, this research examines the variability of interviewer behaviour, its influence on a candidate's performance and raters' consequent perceptions of the candidate's ability on analytical rating scales (for example, pronunciation, grammar, fluency). The data are collected from two interview sessions involving the same candidate with two different interviewers, and the video-taped interviews are rated by 22 raters on five marking categories. The results show that a significantly different score was awarded to ‘pronunciation’ and ‘fluency’ in the two interviews. The reasons for the differences are discussed based on conversation analysis findings. This paper concludes with suggestions as to how the potential unfairness caused by interviewer variability could be solved.

Transforming lives: introducing critical pedagogy into ELT classrooms

Akbari, R. — 2008-06-15

Critical pedagogy (CP) in ELT is an attitude to language teaching which relates the classroom context to the wider social context and aims at social transformation through education. In spite of its great potential, however, the practical implications of CP have not been well appreciated and most of the references to the term have been limited to its conceptual dimensions. The present paper highlights the applications of CP for L2 classrooms and provides hints as to how L2 teaching can result in the improvement of the lives of those who are normally not considered in ELT discussions.

There's more to life than politics

Sowden, C. — 2008-06-15

In order to broaden the range and increase the significance of their work, some English language teachers have embraced critical pedagogy, which seeks to effect political and social change through education. It is not clear, though, certainly in the previous paper, how such an aim can be achieved, or whether the outcome would be the one anticipated. There are also contradictions inherent in this approach: it is often most critical of the anglophone inheritance, which has done much to foster the right to criticize; it is based on post-modern notions of knowledge, yet makes universal claims; it speaks a language of care, but adopts a totalitarian view of society in which all relationships are treated as political, thus reducing life to politics.

Education is filled with politics

Akbari, R. — 2008-06-15

Adult EFL courses

Masuhara, H., Hann, N., Yi, Y., Tomlinson, B. — 2008-06-15

How to Teach English (Second Edition)

Harmer, J. — 2008-06-15

The Oxford ESOL Handbook

Schellekens, P. — 2008-06-15

The CELTA Course

Thornbury, S., Watkins, P. — 2008-06-15

500 Activities for the Primary Classroom

Read, C. — 2008-06-15

Teacher Language Awareness

Andrews, S. — 2008-06-15

Open access

Eastment, D. — 2008-06-15

iatefl

Greenall, S. — 2008-06-15