Articles

Affordance, learning opportunities, and the lesson plan pro forma (Jason Anderson)

Abstract

This article argues that the most commonly used lesson plan pro formas in language teacher education are inappropriately premised on an outcomes-based approach to teaching, one that is in conflict with what we know about how languages are learnt and how experienced teachers teach. It proposes an alternative, affordance-based approach to lesson planning and makes a number of practical suggestions to modify the pro forma and its role in lesson observation. It is argued that the suggested changes encourage teachers to plan for and respond to the learning opportunities of the lesson, thereby reflecting more closely the practice of experienced language teachers and the reality of differentiated language learning. It also makes recommendations on how such a pro forma could be used in both initial certification and in-service teacher development in a wide range of learning contexts, potentially compatible with product, process, and procedural approaches to syllabus design.

http://eltj.oxfordjournals.org/content/69/3/228.abstract?etoc

‘In reality it’s almost impossible’: CLT-oriented curriculum change (Simon Humphries and Anne Burns)

Abstract

Curriculum innovation is challenging and, as several commentators have reported, moves to introduce communicative language teaching in many contexts internationally have resulted in mixed outcomes, or even failure. In an effort to shed some light on this complex problem, this article focuses on curriculum change through the introduction of new communicative textbooks in an engineering college (kosen) in Japan. First, three key factors that inhibit change are considered and then other factors that specifically hindered change in the kosen environment are identified. A study investigating the attitudes and classroom practices of four Japanese teachers of English highlighted a culture of pedagogical uncertainty and lack of professional support. Suggestions for supporting teachers to implement curriculum change more effectively, both in Japan and elsewhere, are drawn out.

http://eltj.oxfordjournals.org/content/69/3/239.abstract?etoc

Marriages of convenience? Teachers and coursebooks in the digital age (Christopher Allen)

Abstract

This article reports on a survey of Swedish EFL teachers’ attitudes towards, and dependence on, ELT coursebook packages in the light of recent research into digital literacy. The results showed that while ICT is making massive inroads into language classrooms in technologically advantaged countries like Sweden, the coursebook package still has its place assured among trainee teachers, at least for the immediate future. The current generation of ‘digital native’ pre-service teachers still looks to coursebook packages to structure lessons during teaching practice and as a means of providing extended reading practice in the L2. Their more experienced in-service colleagues are, however, increasingly abandoning the coursebook in favour of freestanding digital resources. Practising teachers in the survey increasingly saw coursebooks in contingency terms and as a ‘fall-back’ position. Finally, the article considers the desirability of a more fundamental abandonment of the coursebook in favour of digital tools and resources in the EFL classroom.

http://eltj.oxfordjournals.org/content/69/3/249.abstract?etoc

Data-driven learning: changing the teaching of grammar in EFL classes (Ming Huei Lin and Jia-Ying Lee)

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the experience of six early-career teachers who team-taught grammar to EFL college students using data-driven learning (DDL) for the first time. The results show that the teachers found DDL an innovative and interesting approach to teaching grammar, approved of DDL’s capacity to provide more incentives for students to engage in discussion, and endorsed its effectiveness in transforming relatively passive students into active learners. The results also indicate some challenges that DDL entailed and possible ways for the teachers to meet them. The challenges included increased workload and technical difficulties in designing DDL materials and conducting DDL-centred activities, but the teachers still eventually improved their DDL teaching by following three key practices: reducing the number of corpus entries used, deploying complete concordance lines whenever possible, and asking the students focused guiding questions. This article concludes with suggestions for future DDL practice in EFL grammar classrooms.

http://eltj.oxfordjournals.org/content/69/3/264.abstract?etoc

Principles for pragmatics teaching: Apologies in the EFL classroom (Holger Limberg)

Abstract

Intercultural Communicative Competence is a paramount goal of modern foreign language teaching. It is the ability to communicate in culturally sensitive and contextually appropriate ways with speakers from other cultures. Being able to apologize is one component of this competence. Uttering apologies allows learners to rectify breaches of social norms in order to restore social harmony and maintain rapport with others. This pragmatic competence is gradually acquired in one’s foreign language education, alongside the building blocks of the foreign language, viz. grammar and lexis. Even though the teaching of pragmatics is a complex undertaking and often challenging to plan in a systematic way, teachers can follow certain principles when designing tasks and preparing lessons in which learners’ apology competence is targeted. This article provides a synthesis of relevant research findings on apologies and suggests principles for tasks and activities in the classroom that help to attain pragmatic teaching goals.

http://eltj.oxfordjournals.org/content/69/3/275.abstract?etoc

‘Thinking together’ and its effect on students’ language performance (Ana Halbach)

Abstract

Intermediate learners of English often show considerable skill in communicating orally, and using language productively to solve the tasks set. However, on closer inspection, the actual language produced is often very simple and contributes little to students’ language growth. The present article reports on a small-scale pedagogic intervention that attempts to redress this situation by raising students’ awareness about the nature of effective talk. Results show that students are able to learn to interact in more useful ways, and that this change in the way they talk also has an effect on their ability to write more coherent texts in the foreign language.

http://eltj.oxfordjournals.org/content/69/3/286.abstract?etoc

The education of language teachers: instruction or conversation? (Mike Chick)

Abstract

The research reported here outlines how an emphasis on dialogic interaction and exploratory talk during post-teaching practice discussions can be beneficial to pre-service second language teacher education. The article examines the ways in which such an approach may help promote long-term reflective practice and how enquiry-based talk raises awareness of the complexity involved in developing pedagogic expertise.

http://eltj.oxfordjournals.org/content/69/3/297.abstract?etoc

Technology for the language teacher

Developments in online language learning (Nicky Hockly)

Abstract

In this series, we explore technology-related themes and topics. The series aims to discuss and demystify what may be new areas for some readers and to consider their relevance to English language teachers.

http://eltj.oxfordjournals.org/content/69/3/308.abstract?etoc

Changing English

Tag questions (David Baker)

Abstract

‘Changing English’ is a new feature in ELT Journal which aims to illustrate the diversity of English in the world today and to ask whether, and how, ELT practitioners might accommodate such variation. Focusing on a particular language issue in each article, the series will explore how English varies between places and spaces, over time, and between groups of speakers, and will reflect upon the possible implications of this for ELT practitioners. The feature is edited by David Baker; David also provides our first article, which discusses ‘tag questions’ in English and in ELT.

http://eltj.oxfordjournals.org/content/69/3/314.abstract?etoc