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Siegel claimed that teachers are obliged to provide grounds whenever demanded, as a result of which they must be able to subject to scrutiny whatever they teach. In this paper, however, and taking as a reference Wittgenstein's On Certainty, it is shown that such a demand cannot work for second language teachers because their main task consists in transmitting ungrounded certainties. To clarify this point, I begin by presenting Wittgenstein's conception of 'certainty', and explaining why I think he was right to provide examples of teachers who refuse to answer their students' doubts concerning certainties. Thereafter, I analyze two kinds of grounds – i.e. historical and practical – with which a second language teacher might reply to the students' queries about the certainties that he aims to transmit to them. This will enable me to reveal the consequences of such replies and, by extension, the scenario that would result from allowing students to decide whether they accept whatever is taught to them. In this way, I will show not only that Siegel's demand is unfeasible, but also why second language teaching provides a clear example that the acquisition of certainties constitutes a final goal in education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conceptual mediation is one of the competences described by the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) during the acquisition of foreign languages. When practicing mediation, learners collaborate in the construction of knowledge to conduct activities that require higher-level cognitive skills, such as teamwork. This study analyzes the communicative functions and L1 use in peer interaction during a conceptual mediation activity in a group of students following Content Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) instruction and another receiving traditional language tuition. The sample was made up of 60 L1 Spanish, L2 German speakers enrolled in a A2.2 German course (age 18–20). For the analysis, the oral interaction of the groups was recorded through an online videoconference platform. The type of mediation used as well as the presence or absence of speakers' L1 (Spanish) were assessed. The analysis demonstrates that groups following a CLIL approach resorted to regulative discourse for work organization purposes (relational mediation) more frequently than those students following a more traditional approach. Regarding the use of the L1, non-CLIL groups used their first language to a greater degree in regulative discourse and during communicative mediation, that is, when they had to resort to translation to ensure comprehension among peers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the findings of a critical qualitative study on trauma-informed teaching of English as a second language (ESL) at Australian universities. Post-traumatic stress affects verbal learning, yet most ESL teachers do not receive training in trauma-informed teaching. The field has suffered from a dearth of empirical studies and absence of student voice. This study used a validated tool to measure the post-traumatic stress of 39 participants, including international students and former refugees. Twenty of these completed semi-structured interviews about the ESL learning environment, based on a framework of trauma-informed principles. Data were analysed using critical, qualitative methods through a trauma-informed lens. A major theme in the findings was the importance of ESL teachers' understanding of students. Within this theme, four sub-themes are explored: personal engagement and attention, acceptance and understanding of the learner role, understanding the lives of students outside the classroom and an understanding of students' cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of Spanish literacy precursor skills on reading learning to read in the mother tongue and their degree of transfer to English. A quasi-experimental design was used, which allowed for a repeated measures comparison between two groups of students, who underwent a follow-up assessment one year after the end of the intervention. A total of 386 schoolchildren, aged 6–7 years at the time of the intervention, who were beginning to learn to read, participated in the study. The results show that the implementation of teaching models that favor the development of precursor reading skills in a first language, such as Spanish, contribute to the literacy process in a second language such as English, and that the benefits acquired are maintained over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acquisition of collocations in second language learning currently represents an important line of research. The involvement of these constructions in the discourse, as another manifestation of the speaker's lexical knowledge, has sparked interest in examining how a L2 learner perceives and assimilates the collocations. It has been highlighted that collocations are a major obstacle even for advanced learners, since numerous errors are recorded. Aware of this difficulty, certain authors brought to light the overuse that these learners make of certain collocates (Spa. ex.: Le hicieron una pregunta), to the detriment of other solutions that could not be selected (Spa. ex.: Le {lanzaron/formularon/plantearon} una pregunta). Therefore, we argue the usefulness of utilizing the paraphrase, which is the semantic equivalence between different linguistic productions, as a methodological guideline to face this challenge. This proposal makes a pedagogical adaptation of the Lexical Functions of the Meaning-Text Theory (Mel'čuk, 1996, 2015; Mel'čuk and Polguère, 2021) with the goal to achieve a targeted, conscious, and thoughtful approach to the linguistic reality that the collocation represents. It is a methodology that aims at strengthening the learner's collocational competence. In this regard, this work includes a selection of exercises in Spanish that puts this proposal into practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the views of Turkish language learners on digital writing and its impact on their language learning. The study involved 21 international students from 16 countries who were attending Turkish language classes at Akdeniz University. The participants engaged in digital writing using platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, YouTube, and Twitter. They paid attention to spelling and punctuation and used the T9 typing system. The participants believed that digital writing contributed to their learning of Turkish. The study highlights the increasing importance of digital writing in language acquisition and the role of technology in facilitating communication. [Extracted from the article]

If teachers have previously used technology (e.g., Learning Management Systems, document sharing, video-conferencing, gamification, social media or video-recording), they are likely to use it again. For second language teachers, sudden or planned-for online instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic may have resulted in their using new or familiar technology to support their pedagogy, engage students, or provide authentic target language input. However, since online instruction was temporary, perhaps their use of certain technologies was temporary as well. To investigate L2 teachers' use of technology before, during, and (anticipatedly) after the pandemic, this study statistically analyzed data on technology use (n = 18 items) from a survey of Canadian L2 teachers (n = 203). It inquired about their use of Learning Management Systems, document sharing, video-conferencing, gamification, social media, and video-recording. Findings reveal that teachers' use of technology during the pandemic predicted their anticipated use post-pandemic. Teachers who used any of the six technologies during the pandemic were significantly more likely to anticipate using those same ones post-pandemic than those who did not. Despite the challenges of implementing these tools under these circumstances, these six technologies may remain as part of L2 teaching in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of teaching Chinese as a foreign language is in rapid development after the Covid pandemic. One primary reason is that digitalization and e-learning seem to make almost everything possible. However, due to restrictions encountered in institutes and the variety of different types of language learners, there are plenty of face-to-face language courses needed around the world. What kind of face-to-face Chinese course is unique and not replaceable by digital means remains to be discovered. This teaching design aims to integrate the strategy of acting training into TCFL courses. The first part of the article is about the demand for face-to-face courses that can be observed in Taiwan and overseas and also about the need for speaking and listening training. Secondly, this article explores what acting training strategies could and maybe should be applied in TCFL courses. The course design offered at the end of this article presents a practical syllabus for a 14 weeks Chinese course incorporating acting, the development of text parts by the learners, and their use for language learning in a course for advanced Chinese learners. This design has proven its worth in a course led by the author and is here recommended and shared to encourage similar endeavors at other institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of written text has been acclaimed to enhance L2 listening comprehension, yet some argue that using written text does not effectively prepare learners to listen in real situations. Thus, the study was conducted to explore the effect of written text on learners' perceived difficulty, listening comprehension and learning to listen through replicating the research by Diao, Chandler & Sweller (2007. The effect of written text on comprehension of spoken English as a foreign language. The American Journal of Psychology 237–261). Participants were 101 low-proficient English learners who were divided into three groups: listening with subtitles, listening with a full script and listening only. Each group first listened to a passage in their respective mode, then all three groups listened to another passage in the listening-only mode. Participants rated their perceived difficulty and completed a free recall task after each listening. Results suggest that the difficulty of written text should be tuned with learners' proficiency level so that they can benefit from the presence of written text in listening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some classroom studies (e.g., Chan, 2012; Magharabi, 2019) and researchers (e.g., Ellis, 2015; Ellis et al., 2020) have warned that the construct of task, the key concept in task-based language teaching (TBLT), is often confused with the construct of exercise, causing the task's loss of 'taskness.' However, no systematic attempt has been made to distinguish between the task and exercise constructs. Therefore, this article systematically compares the construct of a task with that of an exercise to help teachers distinguish between the two (Ellis et al., 2020, p. 10), thus enabling them to use pedagogic activities properly. To this end, the article answers the question "Based on the task-based language teaching approach, how do we distinguish a task from an exercise?" Using a reading activity as an illustrative example with two scenarios, the article identifies and explains 10 key differences between a task and an exercise. Acknowledging that these differences are not always clear, the article concludes by emphasizing its purpose: not to suggest that exercises are worthless and tasks are worthy but to outline the value of understanding their differences for their pedagogical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While previous studies have examined the impact of digital multimodal composing (DMC) as a new literacy activity on second language (L2) learners' language development, L2 teachers' engagement with DMC is under-conceptualized and underexplored. Based on a qualitative analysis of five teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) who implemented in their curriculum a year-long DMC program within which students produced multimodal videos, this study presents three forms of teacher engagement with DMC. In the first form, the teachers used DMC as an instrument for traditional exercises of speaking and writing with incidental attention to the multimodal aspects of DMC, while in the second, the teachers manifested ambivalence about the means and the ends of using DMC. The teacher in the third form used DMC as integral to pedagogy with attention to not only students' language use, but also strategic use of multiple resources. These results suggest that teacher engagement with DMC can be conceptualized as a multifaceted continuum. The findings also reveal that these individualized engagements were directed by teachers' conceptions of themselves, students, and language and mediated by contextual factors associated with the prescribed curriculum and high-stakes testing regimes. The paper concludes with implications regarding ways to promote teacher engagement with DMC in digitalized instructional landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching Turkish as a foreign/second language has become an independent field on which the number of studies carried out in the last 20 years has increased. Therefore, it would not be wrong to say that this area is still developing. With the studies carried out in parallel with this development, development and change continues in subjects such as the curriculum, textbook, and supplementary materials. One of the important shortcomings in the field is the limitation of auxiliary/supportive materials that can be included in the teaching process. When teaching a language as a foreign/second language, supplementary materials that are frequently used and directly contribute to the teaching process and learner language skills are very important. This study has emerged from this deficiency. In teaching Turkish as a foreign language, firstly, the use of authentic materials was discussed, and then the use of newspapers as authentic materials was emphasized. Newspapers have been handled in terms of their wide range of topics, their coexistence of different written types, their effect on the motivation of the learner and their contribution to the language skills, and the necessity of their inclusion in the teaching process is based on these data. Then, examples about the use of newspapers in the teaching process are given in terms of basic language skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite previous critical studies on the method, Suggestopedia has re-emerged as a popular method for second language teaching and learning in Sweden. In this article, we focus on what characterises Suggestopedia teaching in Swedish as a second language for adult migrants. Taking a sociocultural perspective, specifically regarding the concepts of mediation, artefacts and scaffolding, we analyse teaching observations and interviews with teachers and students in four classes. The analysis reveals the existence of several mediational mechanisms, in terms of e.g. different visual, aural and fictive artefacts, as well as of scaffolding through a certain sequencing of tasks and mediational texts to help students learn Swedish. Although Suggestopedia as an approach serves to facilitate the students' learning in many ways, greater attention can be paid to the students' experiences when conducting the lessons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its inherently complex formal and semantic nature within the grammatical gender system, the teaching of the Spanish neuter is generally confined to somewhat marginal explanations of its more basic referential uses. However, the neuter forms are frequent in all registers, can be found in different syntactic structures, and present less-familiar but equally important uses for communication. The main goal of this paper is to offer a comprehensive view of neuter expression in Spanish by analyzing its referential and distributional productivity. In addition to its familiar referential and distributional possibilities, other lesser-known uses and constructions, but equally common in colloquial speech, will be presented. Some meaning and functional extensions of the neuter forms are also analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a proposal for an educational digital game for teaching English as a foreign language to native Portuguese speakers. The literature review on the subject showed a general lack of a pedagogical approach to developing materials and tools designed for foreign language learning using this type of game. Complex thinking was chosen for this research's pedagogical approach to developing an RPG-type game. The game integrates a chatbot as an interlocutor, contributing to attaining English language skills and maintaining the students' motivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper tests a new method of teaching vocabulary to young second language learners through the medium of drama, specifically the effect of drama teaching techniques on vocabulary acquisition among primary school learners of Welsh. Vocabulary Acquisition via Drama (VAD) is based on principles derived from both process drama and communicative and task-based approaches to language teaching, and involves three phases: pre-drama, drama and post-drama activities. The research design involves two experimental and one control group, and a pre-post-retention test format on three measures of vocabulary acquisition: picture naming, sentence formulation and improvisation tasks. Results show a beneficial effect for VAD. The discussion section of the paper addresses the potential contribution of this approach to teaching second/foreign language vocabulary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the characteristics and results of a pedagogical intervention experience intended to improve the academic writing abilities in English of a group of university students of applied linguistics. The intervention adopted a socio literacy approach. It consisted in giving students a variety of opportunities for oral and written interaction to help them develop their abilities to write argumentative essays. To determine the impact of the intervention, we examined the interactive linguistic resources used in the essays and we conducted an open discussion session at the end of the experience. The interactive linguistic resources were not always useful for the students, although in combination with other learning aids, they raised the students' awareness of the dialogic nature of argumentative discourse. Students learned academic English expressions that they used in their oral classroom communication, although they were not always able to incorporate them into their essays. Through reading and writing students participated for the first time in the periphery of the social and discursive practices of expert members of applied linguistics. At the end, the article presents the limitations of the interventional study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the necessity of transforming education systems in accordance with requirements and needs of the modern society, characterized by constantly increasing quantity of information and dynamic development of information and communication technology, the concept of distance education should definitely be considered as an alternative to a traditional education system. Importance of foreign language competences and skills of using information and communication technology, makes the concept of second language teaching in a distance education system even more significant and attractive, since it provides opportunities to get knowledge and develop language skills in a system which implies the use of modern technology. The answer to the question about weather and how efficiently a second language can be taught and learned in a distance education system, depends on various factors. In comparison to a traditional education system, second language teaching in a distance education system, has some significant advantages as well as limiting elements. Application of modern technology in education can contribute to development of personalized teaching, what is very important in second language teaching, taking into consideration differences between learners, in terms of previously gained knowledge and competences, learning styles etc. One of the biggest limitations in a process of second language teaching in a distance education system, is the lack of face-toface communication and interaction between educators and learners. Thanks to intensive development of information and communication technology, this problem can be successfully overcome. Computer mediated communication enables efficient interaction between educators and learners, creating almost identical environment for teaching and learning as in the traditional education system. Moreover, this type of communication has a significant potential to innovate and enhance a second language teaching process and, at the same time, to provide opportunities for developing skills for autonomous and life-long learning, which are considered to be of crucial importance in today's society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The topic of this article is the link between research on the neurocognition of the teaching–acquisition interface and research on second language teaching. This recent scientific enterprise investigates whether and how different aspects of second language instruction may change both the anatomy and the functioning of an adult learner’s brain even in a short period of time. In this article, I analyse how neurolinguists have operationalized three aspects specifically related to second language teaching: (1) learners’ proficiency; (2) the between-groups experimental design; (3) the implicit vs. explicit teaching dichotomy. I suggest that the degree of replicability of such neurolinguistics studies can be increased by adopting non-circular operational definitions. Such definitions should not be based on psycholinguistic or neurolinguistic metrics, but on standards that are commonly discussed in the literature on instructed second language acquisition, second language teaching, and assessment. Finally, I suggest that for future research neurolinguists should consider the advantages of welcoming on board more developmental linguists and teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Songs have been used as an excellent tool for teaching a second language; however, their advantages as a means to teach pronunciation could be explored in a more frequent and consistent way. In this study a guiding model for teachers that are designing didactic materials to develop the phonetic-phonological component through songs is proposed. This model is based on a literature review and on a reorganization of the existing information. By going through its main questions and subtopics, a teacher can more easily design the didactic materials that are adjusted to the needs of the specific teaching context and foster the learning of pronunciation through songs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whether second language (L2) teaching contributes to the enslavement or empowerment of learners has become a branch in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages research. More and more discussions are emerging, and they tend to base on more and more diverse theoretical frameworks. This article aims to shed light on this issue by exploring it from a Hegelian framework of language. Among Hegel’s theories of language, two notions, namely, mutual recognition and universalisation of culture are selected for discussions. The conclusion is that based on Hegel’s theories of language L2 teaching has a stronger tendency of contributing to the empowerment of learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data from a study investigating the implementation of a popular French as a second language (FSL) teaching method in Canada (i.e. the Accelerative Integrated Method), this article presents a second language (L2) perspective on micro-policy implementation and pedagogical change. According to Fullan (2007), successful change implementation requires the establishment of ‘shared meaning’: a balanced vision of what the change represents and coordinated management of its implementation. This inquiry compared stakeholder perspectives (n = 36) on the method and its implementation in contexts where it was mandated and optional for FSL instruction. Data from interviews and focus groups were triangulated to provide a descriptive synthesis of the shared realities and practices of these local players. Findings showed that the bias for action and utility of the method, teacher agency and lack of collaborative monitoring emerged as factors affecting the short-term implementation of this change and its potential long-term sustainability. The findings present important implications for FSL education, micro-level L2 policy implementation and ongoing research focusing on L2 pedagogical change in the Canadian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored educators' perceptions of preparatory education and integration training for immigrants in Finland. It included twelve semi-structured interviews of teachers working with adult or child immigrants. A thematic analysis identified: 1. Variances in students' knowledge, skill, and experience complicate integration; 2. Flexibility, the ability to alter classwork to suit students' needs, and the lack of preparatory support or relevant materials in diverse classrooms are problematic; 3. Adult immigrants' perception as workers, not students, results in a disconnect between expectations. A holistic/ecological approach to addressing the challenges is required to support integration and inclusion better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Speakers in dialogue tend to adopt the language patterns of the other, aligning their language to their interlocutor. This can happen at many levels of communication, including the tendency to code switch (CS), or change to another language. Alignment has often been considered the result of an unconscious automatic process that facilitates speakers' mutual understanding. In dialogues with a second language (L2) learner, alignment is constrained by the proficiency of the learner, and additional non-automatic processes will be at play, namely the individual pedagogical goals of learner and tutor. In this study, we investigate alignment in dialogues between Spanish/Catalan learners of English and their tutors. We analyse CS incidence, whether code switching can be explained as automatic alignment between speakers, and whether this is independent of other, non-automatic factors related to speakers' goals. We find that alignment of code switching is present, varies with learner proficiency, and that code switching can additionally be triggered by lexical overlap and turn taking asymmetry, which we attribute to conscious pedagogical choices on the part of both tutor, at lower levels, and learner, at higher levels of student proficiency. • Incidence of the L1 in L2 learning dialogue varies with learner proficiency. • In L2 instruction, code switching is both aligned to, and employed as a communication strategy. • Turn taking asymmetry can predict code switching behaviour in L2 learner dialogue. • Low lexical overlap can predict L2 tutor's switch to L1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the implications of Hegel’s theories of language on second language (L2) teaching. Three among the various concepts in Hegel’s theories of language are selected. They are the crucial role of intersubjectivity; the primacy of the spoken over the written form; and the importance of the training of form or grammar. Applying these three concepts to L2 teaching results in several recommendations. Firstly, there should be more emphases of the goal of L2 learning as achieving intersubjectivity. Secondly, the teaching of spoken language should precede the written form. Thirdly, in L2 instruction, the teaching of forms, or rules of grammar or mechanical practices, should be treated as another major goal. The final recommendation is that culture learning is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Adopting a multiple-case, multiple-method design, this study investigates mobile technology use in the practices of three experienced second language teachers. The findings, based on an analysis of the teachers’ rationales, stated beliefs and classroom actions, show that the teachers tend to prohibit or reluctantly tolerate mobile device usage, while they recognise some of its potential benefits to support their teaching and student learning. They also highlight the incentives and barriers which respectively facilitate and hinder the integration of mobile technology, including factors which are internal (e.g. beliefs) and external (e.g. contextual constraints) to the teachers. Implications for classroom practice and teacher education are drawn. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study investigated whether written chat-based activities foster alignment and learning of multiple simultaneously-targeted second language (L2) syntactic structures. It further examined how these were affected by prior knowledge of the targeted structures and learners' decisions to use or avoid each structure. We tested 47 Spanish first language (L1) speakers learning L2 English. In a chat-based activity with an L1 English speaker, we examined alignment in the production of three target structures that differed in their likely familiarity for participants (genitives, passives and datives) by comparing target structure production after prime versus baseline sentences. We also compared target structure production in a post-test relative to a pre-test to assess learning (increased structure usage) and we asked participants whether they made conscious decisions to use or avoid the structures. The learners experienced chat-based alignment and learning across structures. Although prior knowledge and decisions did not significantly affect alignment and learning, more prior knowledge and choosing to use the targeted structures increased overall target structure production. Thus, chat-based activities are well-suited to support L2 grammar learning, even when they embed multiple structures. However, instructors may need to encourage learners to explicitly use the targeted structures to maximize alignment tasks' language learning outcomes. • L2 learners experience chat-based alignment across structures. • Chat-based alignment supports long-term L2 learning across structures. • Alignment boosts production of highly familiar structures most. • Conscious decisions and explicit processes affect L2 language production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Participatory research in education provides an opportunity for university-based researchers to collaborate with teachers to develop understandings and to overcome the school‒university and research‒practice divides. Several studies illuminate the challenges inherent in conducting participatory research within the institutional context of schools, particularly in achieving a truly equitable research relationship. The purpose of this paper is to argue for a more pragmatic and dynamic view of equity and expertise between school- and university-based collaborators. Elaborating examples from a partnership with teachers at the elementary level, this paper illustrates the complex power dynamics that existed between university- and community-based stakeholders. It points to the need to work with and against existing power structures to co-create multiple and shifting positions of expertise that keep the learning communities open and alive for the promotion of transformative educational practices. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Submissions to conferences can provide rich material for analysing characteristics and trends within a conference’s history and that of similar conferences, as well as the associated field at large. The present study uses data gathered over 30 years from a language teachers’ conference in Japan (JALT National) to expound upon patterns related to (1) strands and themes, (2) methodological and topical trends over time, (3) influential researchers, and (4) how JALT compares to other major language teaching conferences. The findings emerged from frequency counts, keyword searches and a detailed analysis of JALT’s digital archive, which focused on presenters’ abstract titles and abstracts consisting of a one-million-plus-word corpus. Beyond the content analysis of the conference under study, the use of the review study as a method for a broader understanding of how conferences both reflect and impact the field is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose |!|#8211; The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between the development of learner autonomy and the application of Web 2.0 tools in the language classroom. Design/methodology/approach |!|#8211; The approach taken is that of qualitative action research within an explicit theoretical framework and the data were collected via surveys and through the analysis of learner diaries. Findings |!|#8211; Although the students were found to have high-level skills in relation to the use of Web 2.0 tools, it was also found that explicit teaching is needed to maximize the potential of these tools. Research limitations/implications |!|#8211; Future research in this area is needed to develop a stronger research base around the student use of Web 2.0 to enhance their learning of second languages. Practical implications |!|#8211; The paper highlights a need for teachers to engage in discussions with students around the use of Web 2.0 tools beyond the classroom and to model effective use of these within the classroom. Social implications |!|#8211; The paper seeks to explore the implications of the development of Web 2.0 skills by students and seeks to contribute to the current thinking around the use of social media by Generation Y (Gen-y) students. Originality/value |!|#8211; This paper will be of value to second|!|#8211;language teachers reflecting on the need to better equip students faced with the combination of vast amounts of online material with the rich potential of publishing through Web 2.0 tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes the role that has been attributed to grammar throughout the history of foreign language teaching, with special emphasis on methods and approaches of the twentieth century. In order to support our argument, we discuss the notion of grammar by proposing a conceptual continuum that includes the main meanings of the term which are relevant to our research. We address as well the issue of "pedagogical grammar" and consider the position of grammar in the different approaches of the "era of the methods" and the current "post-method condition" in the field of language teaching and learning. The findings presented at the end of the text consist of recognizing the central role that grammar has played throughout the history of the methods and approaches, where grammar has always been present by the definition of the contents' progression. The rationale that we propose for this is the recognition of the fact that the dissociation between what is said and how it is said can not be more than theoretical and, thus, artificial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay explores some of the areas in which language teaching and intercultural education overlap. We position language teaching as embedded within sociocultural practices and shaped by attitudes toward bilingualism and native vs. nonnative speaker status. Specifically, we question language practices that exclude or downplay the benefits of developing students’ heritage languages while learning additional languages, and we offer and challenge narrow perceptions of language ownership and native speaker identity. We urge teachers of languages and culture to conceptualize their work as deeply connected to social, economic, cultural, and political activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the microgenetic development of learners’ understanding of sociolinguistic variation in French during an instructional conversation (IC) that followed a language analysis task in which learners attempted to formulate hypotheses about the nature of language variation. During the IC, the instructor led students toward a conceptual understanding of variation in French by providing appropriate graduated (i.e. from implicit or strategic to explicit) mediation that was sensitive to the class’s zone of proximal development (ZPD). Teacher–student collaborative interaction within a group’s ZPD has the potential to develop learners’ conceptual understanding of variation, which can provide an important orienting basis for the development of their performance abilities. The transcript of the IC is analysed and discussed with regard to the amount and type(s) of mediation the instructor provides and opportunities for development created in this type of collaborative interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this exploratory study, we investigated the relationship between level of English metalinguistic knowledge, or explicit knowledge about the English language, and cognitive style on the wholist/analytic dimension in an intact group of young adult Polish learners of English as a foreign language. Contrary to expectation, metalinguistic knowledge was found to be correlated with a wholist stylistic orientation in the participants. It is argued that there may be an association between a preference for considering information in context and for thinking inductively by moving from observation to principle, and successful performance on a range of language tasks, including metalinguistic tasks which require the correction of highlighted errors and the statement of grammar rules. The paper concludes with proposed implications for learners and teachers in the language classroom. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: It is now generally acknowledged that teachers are curriculum makers and adapters rather than mere transmitters of written plans and prescriptions. This study reports on the curriculum making practices of three capable, experienced teachers of adult ESOL in high, medium and low-constraint contexts over the duration of one complete course for each teacher. Through iterative interviewing and analysis of curriculum documents, it details the tentativeness and sketchiness of teachers’ written planning (particularly in the pre-course phase). It goes on to describe how teachers’ plans were constantly revised in response to the powerful influence of learner feedback, received through explicit negotiations and responses as well as their own perceptions about the way the instructional curriculum was being received. Teachers in all three types of instructional context responded to learners’ developmental and affective needs in a variety of ways, and to the fullest extent possible within the constraints of their teaching situations and their own theories of best practice. Study findings indicate the importance of assisting novice teachers to acquire awareness and abilities in this area as a goal for second language teacher education. Areas of research are suggested as possible further contributions to the development of an epistemology of practice for TESOL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study examines tensions in the grammar teaching beliefs and practices of three practising teachers of English working in Turkey. The teachers were observed and interviewed over a period of 18months; the observations provided insights into how they taught grammar, while the interviews explored the beliefs underpinning the teachers’ classroom practices. Drawing on the distinction between core and peripheral beliefs, the analysis indicated that, while at one level teachers’ practices in teaching grammar were at odds with specific beliefs about language learning, at another level, these same practices were consistent with a more generic set of beliefs about learning. The latter, it is hypothesized, constituted the teachers’ core beliefs and it was these, rather than the more peripheral beliefs about language learning, that were most influential in shaping teachers’ instructional decisions. It is argued that attention to the relative influence of core and peripheral beliefs on teachers’ practices allows for more complex understandings of tensions in teachers’ work. Claims are also made here for the benefits of grounding the study of tensions between stated beliefs and classroom behaviours in the qualitative analyses of teachers’ actual classroom practices. Some implications of this study for language teacher education are also discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study presents the results of a web-based questionnaire administered to 166 second language teachers and designed to obtain information about their use and needs of information and communication technologies (ICTs) as related to language learning (LL). Analyses revealed that, although teachers believe that second language acquisition is primarily driven by social interaction, they seldom use computers as a means to foster collaboration or interaction. ICTs are thought to be very helpful in individual learning scenarios but not for the interactive dimension of LL. Very few teachers incorporate interaction-oriented digital tools in their language teaching, probably due to their self-acknowledged deficient training in ICTs. However, instructors stated that they would like to introduce new interaction tools in their computer-aided courses, which clearly shows the need for both teachers' training in ICT and the technological development of proper interactive functionalities. Die Auswertung computervermittelter Technik von Zweit-Sprachlehrern: Kollaboration und Interaktion in CALL Diese Studie zeigt die Ergebnisse einer Umfrage, die dafur entworfen wurde, Information daruber zu erhalten, die etwa Zweit Sprachlehrer verwenden, und den Bedarf an Informations- und Kommunikationstechniken (ICTs), die mit Sprachlernen (LL) generell verbunden sind... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Juan Maria de Eguren, inspector of education, published a series of works between 1867 and 1876 aimed at solving the problem of ignorance of the Spanish in the classrooms of the País Vasco. Eguren's ideas were developped in his Método práctico para enseñar el castellano en las escuelas vascongadas (Vitoria, Seminario Católico Vasco-Navarro, 1867), a book which, besides a thematic vocabulary or nomenclature, a few exercises of decline and of verbal flexion and a few practices of translation, includes a prologue and a "Procedimiento que conviene seguir en las escuelas vascongadas para enseñar el castellano a los niños, y uso que al efecto debe hacerse de este libro" (pages XI-XXIV). An analysis of the vocabularies and a study of the historical and lexicographical context in which they were designed and composed is presented in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acquisition of the host country's language is a basic requirement for the occupational and social inclusion of immigrants. It has been widely acknowledged that both the teaching and the learning of a second language are substantially improved by the communicative approach. A technique employed by the latter is that of role-play. This technique helps learners, especially immigrants, to practice the new language in real-life communicative situations, to enrich their vocabulary and to develop new skills and attitudes. This article presents the results of research into adult immigrants who learn Greek as a second language. The aim of the research was to identity, the dimensions of role-play that facilitate the teaching of a second language to immigrant learners. The role and the attitude of the teacher and the learner, group interactions and the content of teaching are the most important dimensions outlined in the present research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross-border education has been growing dramatically in both English-speaking countries and non-native English-speaking countries. While more and more students, particularly from Asian countries such as Korea, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan choose to study in English-speaking countries, many native English speakers go to Asian countries to teach English. In this context, cross-cultural misunderstanding and cultural bias between English language learners and native-speaking teachers of English are becoming major issues. This article focuses on 12 Korean adult learners' views about native-speaking teachers of English working in Korea. Korean learners' expectations and needs regarding English language learning and teaching are explored through the investigation and analysis of the learners' views. It aims to provide educators both in non-English and English-speaking countries, including Australia, with insights to inform the development of effective learning and teaching environments not only for Korean students, but also for those in similar cultural contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Films and videos, clearly recognized as a powerful media, can importantly enhance and diversify a second language curriculum. Having careful selection and purposeful planning, films and video tapes can motivate students, and develope their second language learning success. Video tapes and films are being used in a vide variety of different ways. The integration of pre-viewing, viewing, and post viewing activities into the film-video lesson encourage natural language use and language skill development, making films and video tapes valuable teaching tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study documents students' experiences during the Emergency Online Transition of Spring 2020 in a Spanish language program at a large public university in the United States. Data from students' mid-term and end-of-term questionnaires, as well as teachers' journals, were collected in the Spring, and follow-up teacher interviews were carried out in Fall 2020. Results indicate that students' overall stress levels diminished from beginning to end of the academic term but that individual experiences were extremely varied. While some students enjoyed the increased autonomy and self-paced learning opportunities of the online format, others felt distressed in this less directed modality and emphasized the negative effect of reduced social interactions on their levels of engagement. Only few students mentioned technological difficulties as a central challenge in their learning process, but many believed that they had learned less than in traditional face-to-face courses. Instructors' views differed in this respect, as they considered that the reduced group-size of synchronous Zoom sessions allowed them to hear more of each student, which they saw as evidence of increased student talk as compared to the usual whole-class face-to-face sessions. This more intimate virtual set-up also increased a sense of proximity between teachers and students. • "Sense of community" impacts above all the perception of emergency online education. • Teachers' culture of adaptation is critical to face crisis-prompted change. • Students' development of autonomy in online education requires explicit support. • Future research should explore avenues for community building in online education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The Delphi Technique helped to identify the implicit program outcomes and activities. • Fall Semester short-term outcomes were perceived as "highly achievable". • Fall Semester long-term outcomes were perceived as "achievable". • The instructors were not sure about the achievability of Spring Semester outcomes. • The unstructured activities implemented scarcely were found to be the most effective. Although the general goals of the elementary level grammar program in a Language Preparatory Class at a Turkish university are stated, the outcomes bridging those goals and activities are not explicit, which hinders evaluation. Accordingly, this mixed-method case study, which includes several stakeholders, aims to investigate (1) underlying outcomes of the elementary level grammar program regarding assisting writing skills and learning activities, and (2) perceived achievability of the outcomes and the effectiveness of the learning activities to realize the outcomes. Utilizing the Delphi technique, an opinionnaire based on the Delphi technique and interview methods, the underlying long-term and short-term outcomes, activities, perceived achievability of the long-term and short-term outcomes, effectiveness of activities and other factors in the elementary level grammar program were identified and reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Shifting priorities are evident in the studied genre-based instruction. • An initial focus on technical terms is abandoned in favour of genre structures and "linking words". • Linguistic features are mostly modelled in everyday contexts rather than disciplinary ones. • A focus on knowledge about language can have a colonising effect on content instruction. Teachers who teach content to immigrant language learners are often asked to attend explicitly to linguistic features of texts dealing with disciplinary knowledge. This study uses the theoretical frameworks of Systemic-Functional Linguistics and Legitimation Code Theory to explore the role of language, more specifically technical terms, grammatical metaphors, and genre structures, in knowledge building. The study is based on observations and voice recordings during a curriculum area about maps and population in grade 6 with the participating teacher employing genre-based pedagogy. The studied interaction shows that an initial focus on technical terms within the field of geography in later phases shifts to features of language: genre structures, logical connections and instances of grammatical metaphors. However, these features of language are modelled in texts and wordings belonging to everyday experience rather than disciplinary knowledge. By closely examining the relationship between field knowledge and metalinguistic knowledge, the study contributes to the discussion about the role of language in content learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]