iReasearch学术科研网

摘要：The workplace has become increasingly volatile, intercultural and multilingual in the Information Age, presenting greater than ever communication challenges to employees. Accordingly, education reforms which recognise the growing significance of workplace communication competence have been put in place. In Hong Kong, an application-oriented elective module known as 'Learning English through workplace communication' has been introduced to the senior secondary English language curriculum. This article surveys and evaluates a number of teaching and learning resources specially designed by relevant government bodies and commercial publishers for this module. Specifically, the professional genres which are covered in such resources are studied in detail, both qualitatively and quantitatively, to investigate the extent to which they parallel the professional discourses in the actual workplace, based on a comparison with findings from relevant research. Some discrepancies are found regarding the most frequently occurring genres and their linguistic realisations in the professional context and the teaching materials. Implications from the study and suggestions for pedagogical improvements are made not only with special reference to the local context, but also to the broader educational domain where workplace communication has increasingly become a key component in the language learning syllabus. [Copyright The American University; published by Elsevier Ltd.]

摘要：In spite of extensive research on reading comprehension in EAP, the literature on how it is conceptualized and taught by teachers is still scanty. Moreover, in some contexts, EAP reading comprehension courses are taught by two groups of teachers with different specializations, that is, ELT instructors and subject teachers, which, in turn, may render the gap in teachers' understanding of EAP reading comprehension instruction wider. In this study, we explored the actual classroom practices and cognitions within and across these two groups of teachers teaching EAP reading comprehension in Iran. Three ELT instructors and three subject teachers teaching discipline-based EAP courses at a university of medical sciences were observed for eight sessions. In addition to carrying out observations and taking field-notes, we conducted semi-structured interviews with the teachers in order to probe their underlying cognitions. The findings indicated considerable inconsistencies among the subject teachers compared with the ELT instructors as well as noticeable discrepancies across the two groups of teachers with respect to their practices and cognitions in EAP reading comprehension instruction. The findings point to some new ideas, issues, and options for reflection in EAP reading comprehension instruction and promise implications for EAP teacher education programs. [Copyright The American University; published by Elsevier Ltd.]

摘要：Language-focused materials for teaching professional legal writing to second language writers of English in U.S. law schools have been dominated by a set of 'Plain English' recommendations, particularly avoidance of the passive voice and nominalizations. At the same time, little to no research has addressed whether these recommendations actually reflect expert use or whether they are indicative of more or less skilled novice performance. To investigate the use of these features in expert and learner texts, two corpora were examined. The expert corpus was composed of 10 published pedagogical sample memos used in legal writing instruction. The learner corpus was composed of 13 low-rated student memos and 13 high-rated student memos. Although an initial chi-square comparison of learner and expert corpora suggests that the experts use both the passive voice and nominalizations significantly less frequently than learners, further analysis suggests that the usage of these features does not clearly distinguish more skilled novices from those who are less skilled. A closer look at the expert corpus also suggests that the use of these features is highly variable across individual samples. Implications for pedagogy are discussed. [Copyright The American University; published by Elsevier Ltd.]

摘要：Program evaluation, a crucial process in ESP, ensures adequate planning, implementation, and continuous improvement of the program. Despite its importance, the literature related to ESP program evaluation is still scarce and somewhat dated. The present paper describes a combined, updated model for ESP program evaluation and reports on how the model worked when it was applied to evaluate an ESP program in a university in Taiwan. To update the model for higher education ESP program evaluation, this research combined Hutchinson and Waters' 1987 model and the comprehensive framework for foreign language (FL) program evaluation developed by Watanabe, Norris, and Gonzalez-Lloret (2009), while also incorporating recent findings from emerging research on ESP learning and teaching that include topics such as authenticity, learner autonomy and learning transfer. When the model was applied to evaluate a university ESP program, the findings enabled the researchers to identify strengths and weaknesses of the updated model. It is the researchers' hope that the discussions of both the updated model and the evaluation process provide valuable insights into the design and implementation of ESP program evaluation. [Copyright The American University; published by Elsevier Ltd.]

摘要：With internationalization and globalization, English has proliferated in urban spaces around the world. This creates new opportunities for EFL learning and teaching. An English literacy walk is one activity that can be used productively to capitalize on this potential. The activity has roots in long-established approaches to emergent literacy education for young children and pedagogic projects inspired by recent research on linguistic landscapes. Drawing on these traditions, teachers can target reading outcomes involving code, semantic, pragmatic, and critical knowledge and skills. We use the four resources model of literate practices to systematically map some of the potential of literacy walks in multilingual, multimodal linguistic landscapes. We suggest tasks and teacher questions that might be used for the explicit teaching of reading during and after literacy walks. Although grounded in Taipei, our ideas might be of interest to EFL teachers in other globalized cities around the world. Adapted from the source document

摘要：The term 'authenticity' has been variously interpreted by second language acquisition and ESL scholars. It has been taken to refer to the materials used in class, such as texts, but also to the type of tasks the students are assigned, or even to the type of classroom interaction. Our contribution is concerned with the first of these interpretations. We focus on the authenticity of what are purported to be 'real' texts included in textbooks for advanced students of English at B2 and C1 levels, according to the Common European Framework of Reference. This empirical study is based on a series of parameters that have been established in order to examine the extent to which the authenticity of real texts has been preserved and to establish other related changes that such texts are subjected to when included in textbooks. Adapted from the source document

摘要：EAP tutors are increasingly aware of the issue of reticence in the classroom, especially during small group discussions. They note students' reluctance to begin discussions in a quiet environment and observe short student contributions in group work. This study captured the perspectives of international postgraduate students studying on pre-sessional EAP programmes before pursuing Masters level studies in TESOL or Applied Linguistics, focusing on small group discussions and the use of background music during lessons, especially during those discussions. The findings indicated positive attitudes towards using background music in these settings, with more than half saying that it should or could be used during group discussions and almost two-thirds saying that they would adopt background music in future in their own language teaching classrooms. The findings of this exploratory study are useful for language teachers as well as tutors in other disciplines and with other age groups. Further research is required in order to consider tutors' viewpoints and to study the actual effects of background music on group interaction during discussions in classrooms. Adapted from the source document

摘要：In order to explore student learning experiences in English language classes, this study employed a qualitative data collection method known as narrative frames, which uses prompts to stimulate written expression of ideas. Data were collected through narrative frames on three different occasions from 36 second-year high school students in a team-taught EFL classroom in Japan, in both English and Japanese. After collecting the frames, individual interviews were conducted with two students from the class and their team teachers to further enquire about their experience, particularly with regard to the use of narrative frames. Findings suggest that the narrative frame technique proved to be a beneficial tool for improving learner autonomy. It facilitated the students becoming responsible for their learning in general, and encouraged them to become more serious about their learning of the English language. Methodological implications for the future use of narrative frames are provided. Adapted from the source document

摘要：This is a summary of the main issues raised in an online discussion hosted by the IATEFL Literature, Media and Cultural Studies (LMCS) Special Interest Group (SIG) and fielded by Ben Crystal. Adapted from the source document

摘要：Concerns over the quality of peer feedback and entrenched teacher-driven learning have resulted in the limited use of peer assessment in Chinese EFL writing instruction. This study sought to effectively implement peer assessment for EFL writing in China, by addressing learners' concerns through tailor-made teacher intervention strategies. Eighteen English majors participated in peer assessment for nine writing tasks. Pre-intervention surveys elicited learners' concerns over peer assessment, leading to the design of teacher-led support strategies. Post-task surveys examined learners' satisfaction with teacher-supported peer assessment, and were supplemented by the assignment feedback data. The results show that a dynamic and continuous teacher support approach to peer assessment was reported which proved to substantially affect learners' perceptions, and the nature and the perceived value of peer assessment respectively. This paper provides implications for EFL writing teachers regarding pedagogic motivation and strategies for the effective use of peer assessment. Adapted from the source document

摘要：'Conversation-driven' ELT privileges classroom talk as a primary source of language learning, yet it is often unclear to what the term 'conversation' is referring. This article reports on an investigation responding to this problem in which a substantial database of language classroom recordings was analysed for the types of talk that were taking place. Activities in language lessons that were driven by conversation were analysed using classroom discourse techniques. Opportunities for language learning through the language emerging from these activities were identified, and a type of talk was specified in which learners were engaged more in exploring issues and possibilities, and less in transacting information and opinions. This study demonstrates the importance of teachers being aware of the types of talk occurring in their lessons, which they should be strategically managing. It provides teachers with a platform from which they can begin to analyse the talk in their own classrooms. Adapted from the source document

摘要：From 1994, the South Korean government has implemented a series of innovations to change English language education from teaching about English to developing students' communicative competence in English. This paper discusses the impact of a teacher certification scheme, one such innovation. The scheme is examined from three perspectives: its design, implementation, and perceived future impact. The discussion draws on documents from the certification scheme, lesson plans, video-recordings, and assessment results from assessed lessons for four candidates and interviews with these teachers. Analysis of this data shows that the scheme has the potential to make future classroom practice more communicative. However, there are a number of factors which seriously inhibit the impact of this scheme and which have implications for future innovations of this type. These include ineffective communication with teachers about the innovation, teachers' perceptions of the relevance of the promoted practice, and the degree of compatibility between the innovation and its wider educational context. Adapted from the source document

摘要：The use of new technologies in English language teaching is often associated with higher resource contexts, particularly in so-called 'developed' countries. However, low-resource contexts are also witnessing innovative projects involving digital technologies, both at the national level and through smaller scale initiatives. In this article, we discuss some of the challenges associated with using digital technologies in low-resource ELT contexts, outline example projects, and summarize key issues. Adapted from the source document

摘要：Autonomy is an important educational goal in international universities in countries with Confucian heritage cultures, such as Vietnam. However, approaches taken to support autonomy can sometimes be limited by over-generalizations about culture, dependence on pre-packaged materials, and a focus on technical practice. This can result in the slow development of learner autonomy. We report on an attempt to stimulate autonomous practices among EAP learners in Vietnam. This collaborative action research first focused on discovering how learners perceived and experienced autonomy, with data collected through questionnaire and focus groups. Data were analysed and discussed with teachers, autonomy levels identified, and strong autonomy-supporting strategies selected for use. Priorities included developing goal setting and self-reflection. An independent learning journal that included focused autonomy-supporting tasks was developed, trialled, and evaluated. Although this was a small-scale intervention, it provided evidence that socially mediated support for autonomy can help Vietnamese university learners take greater control over their own learning. Adapted from the source document

摘要：Research and discussion on plagiarism have focused predominantly on ESOL students with little attention paid to ESOL teachers. This article reports a study of Chinese university English lecturers' knowledge of and stance on two intertextual practices (i.e. unacknowledged copying and unattributed paraphrasing) regarded as plagiarism in Anglo-American academia, and, consequently, in the wider international academic community. Drawing on 117 Chinese university English lecturers' ratings of three short English passages and open-ended justifications of their ratings, the study found that around two-thirds and two-fifths of them recognized unacknowledged copying and paraphrasing as plagiarism, respectively, and held clearly punitive attitudes towards detected plagiarism. It also revealed that while there was a broad consensus of opinion about unacknowledged copying, understandings of unattributed paraphrasing appeared divergent and ambivalent. These findings not only call into question essentialized views of plagiarism that stereotype cultures as either condoning or condemning plagiarism but also suggest a need to raise Chinese university English lecturers' awareness about Anglo-American notions of plagiarism. Adapted from the source document

摘要：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. Adapted from the source document

摘要：Help options, or in-built application resources designed to provide assistance, have long been an integral component of computer-based second language (L2) listening materials. Despite their potential to promote comprehension and efficiency, research on the role of help options has lagged. Previous research has found that learners do not often make use of help options. With a focus on the interventions listeners may deem relevant for comprehension and task completion, the aim of this qualitative study is to examine the interactions of language learners as they use, or do not use, these potentially assistive resources. Data were gathered from 15 adult learners of English who worked with a set of Longman English Interactive(copyright) (2008) listening exercises over three one-hour sessions. Within two studies, each participant was interviewed on three and six different occasions. Through our cyclical analysis of the data, five themes emerged: Relevance, Challenge, Familiarity, Recovery and Compatibility. We define and discuss each theme, and we conclude the article with suggestions for further research. Adapted from the source document

摘要：This study examines the effects of interactive versus simultaneous display of visual and verbal multimedia information on incidental vocabulary learning and reading comprehension of learners of English with lower proficiency levels. In the interactive display condition, learners were allowed to select the type of multimedia information whereas the simultaneous display condition presented the verbal (definitions) and visual (associated pictures) information in a single gloss. Eighty-two students were randomly assigned to the treatment conditions and were asked to read an annotated expository text. Reading comprehension was measured through a recall protocol and a multiple-choice test. Incidental vocabulary learning was measured through unannounced vocabulary tests of form recognition, meaning production, definition match, and bilingual synonym match. T-tests and ANOVA analyses indicated that the participants utilized glosses less frequently when they were given the control over access to the type of multimedia information. In addition, simultaneous display of multimedia information led to better performance on reading and vocabulary tests. The results are in line with the contiguity principle of Generative Theory of Multimedia Learning, which posits that presenting verbal and visual information simultaneously reduces cognitive load and results in better learning. The findings have implications for both the development of multimedia materials for L2 learners and training of learners to interact with multimedia materials. Adapted from the source document

摘要：The present brief discussion is stimulated by recent research publications (Appleby 2013; Hicks 2013; Stanley 2013) on discrimination against female native English speaker teachers in east Asia where native white males have long dominated the English teaching positions at language schools and colleges. Not only the global commodification of native English speakers but also the internationally known male-oriented hiring practices in east Asia and other unexplored factors appear to be working in favor of young male native speakers from the West. The present discussion explores gender gap in the EFL classroom in east Asia from the perspective of global ELT community's political sensitivity to its professionalism. Adapted from the source document

摘要：This study provides an empirically based contribution to the growing body of research using conversation analysis as a methodical tool for analysing functions of action types through interaction in L2 classroom settings. Using data from various L2 classrooms in ESL and EFL contexts, it is argued that the role of repeats differ depending on the pedagogical focus of the interaction, specifically between meaning-and-fluency contexts and form-and-accuracy contexts (Seedhouse, 2004). Repeats in meaning and fluency contexts are used to invoke an account of a previous response by a student without overtly displaying it as problematic in any way; whereby in form-and-accuracy contexts, third-turn repeats confirm the response as being a correct one by sustaining an orientation to the instructional activity that the participants are engaged in. It is suggested that in classes in which the goal is to help students produce language that is authentic and resembles real-time interaction, repeats in the third turn may provide an effective tool for facilitating talk. Adapted from the source document