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The study reported in this article was aimed at investigating whether making the findings of second language fluency research accessible to language teachers has an impact on their self-reported understanding of the concept of oral fluency, confidence in promoting it, and classroom practice in short and medium term. The data come from 106 initial and 32 delayed questionnaires, eliciting both qualitative and quantitative data, from second language teachers in England after attending a one-day research-informed and practice-oriented training workshop. The results indicate a positive impact of the intervention on teachers' understanding of fluency, confidence in helping their learners, and self-reported practice in short term, with the impact being reported 10–12 weeks after the intervention. The findings imply that adopting a narrow perspective to defining and conceptualizing fluency is linked with a more in-depth understanding of fluency and enhanced confidence and ability for using fluency-focused classroom activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is now extensive theoretical and empirical literature on the place of the first language (L1) and the second language (L2) in the foreign language (FL) classroom. Although this body of work includes related teacher beliefs and practices, less attention has been paid to the factors that may influence these practices across different national contexts. Through an extensive survey of secondary school teachers of a FL in Spain and England we investigated teachers' reported L1/L2 practices and the possible influence of pre-service training on these practices. We found that teachers in England reported greater use of the L1 than teachers in Spain across virtually all language functions. In both groups there was no evidence of the influence of advocated teaching approaches within pre-service training courses on teachers' reported L1 and L2 use. Differences in teachers' reported practices seem to be better explained by contextual factors influenced by and derived from national policy and the social value of the L2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Framed in action research, the authors investigated the perceptions and experiences of a cohort of student-teachers as they learned about and explored for the first time teacher research in a self-contained module as part of a four-year pre-service or initial English language teacher education (IELTE) programme in southern Argentina. The module, 'Research in English Language Teaching', ran from March–November 2018. It was led by a teacher educator based in Argentina and a UK-based colleague who acted as an external academic advisor. Drawing on qualitative research, data collection strategies included: the tutor's journal; student-teachers' journals; assignments; research proposals; report drafts; presentations; group discussions; interactions between the tutors; and end-of-course interviews. The findings show that the module had a positive effect on student-teachers' identity, their English language proficiency, and the role of reflection in feedback processes. The student-teachers appreciated teacher research as reflective practice and as a source of professional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article considers the provision of modern foreign languages (MFL) in England since the 1970s in the context of wider curricular change and also taking into account Europe-wide developments in MFL. It charts the changes implemented over almost three decades to England's National Curriculum for MFL at secondary level (from ages 11 to 16) and highlights the significant role – particularly before 2010 – of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools (HMI) in evaluating curricular innovation and support for MFL teacher development. Perennial issues over this period include: the range of languages studied; the gender bias in the uptake of MFL; the low uptake of MFL after the age of 14; use of the target language and the role of grammar. The article highlights the limitations for MFL in England resulting from restricted time allocations; the lack of coherence and continuity in policy implementation; and the recent loss of support infrastructure for MFL teachers. Finally, the author reflects on the UK's participation in Council of Europe and European Union projects and the extent to which MFL in England has been influenced by these. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A drive for the development of European citizenship (EC) through Modern Foreign Language (MFL) teaching has existed for some time within the academic literature as well as policy institutions. Nevertheless, the views of MFL teachers on the role of MFL in developing EC have rarely been given a voice. This article presents the findings of a study conducted in eight schools in four European countries. Through semi-structured interviews with 19 secondary school teachers of MFL, the study investigated teachers' views on the teaching of the EC and their understandings of their role as MFL teachers. The study also examined teachers' considerations on what such teaching might include, their preparedness for the task and their perceptions of challenges they may face. Findings show that teachers are supportive of the development of active EC but highlight a number of systemic and situational challenges, particularly in England. Findings are discussed in light of the European dimension of teacher education as well as socio-cultural perspectives on second language teacher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper stems from the Primary French Research Project (PFRP) that explored the perceptions and experiences of educational professionals involved in introducing modern languages (ML) into the primary curriculum in England. UK government policy was to make modern language learning a compulsory curriculum requirement for English schools in Key Stage 2 (pupils aged 7–11) from September 2010. However, with the election of a coalition government in 2010, the policy shifted and ML became reframed as a non-compulsory ‘entitlement’. Although many primary schools were already teaching some modern languages, this still requires many primary educators to develop the necessary ML knowledge and skills. Anecdotal evidence garnered from primary teachers suggested that they were daunted at this prospect, and the authors felt that questions were arising relating to teachers’ epistemological and ontological security as well as the interplay between policy and practice. In this paper, Bourdieu's notions of habitus and cultural capital are employed to identify and consider the impact on self-identity of policy shifts for a particular group of teaching professionals. These individuals were all studying on a continuing professional development course relating to the introduction of primary ML. The research that is detailed explores how these individuals’ perceptions of themselves as language teachers developed over time and what tensions between self-identity, classroom practice and national policy were manifest. While the focus is on a particular group of professionals, their localised experience highlights issues that may resonate with others who are tasked with interpreting and implementing new educational policy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Stephen Krashen''s theories can appear ‘seductive’ to teachers of languages, in that they identify a seemingly clear way forward for language acquisition in the classroom. However, reification of Krashen''s theories, in particular the notion of attaining ‘i+1’ through comprehensible input, is demonstrated to be problematic. Based on empirical data drawn from an exploratory small-scale study in the north of England, this paper shows how an attempt at ‘acquisition’ that is planned and adapted from principles of ‘i+1’ evolves into structured ‘learning’ in a format probably anathema to Stephen Krashen. It is concluded that Krashen''s theories seem plausible but prove to be flawed and incoherent when applied in the ‘real’ languages classroom. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Among the transitions during a pupil's school career, the transfer from primary to secondary school arguably has the most impact. Far from being linear, this transition is a kind of 'pupil pilgrim's progress'; a journey with orientations, stops and reorientations, checking and refining skills that the pupils bring with them from primary to secondary school. The research presented here focused on this period of transition and aimed to explore to what extent pupils who had experienced a well-embedded Assessment for Learning (AfL) approach in their final year of primary school (Year 6 in England) would be able to build on and use their acquired learning skills in the first year of secondary school (Year 7). The pupils were interviewed at critical stages during the transition. They appeared confident in their skills at the end of Year 6, rather disoriented in the first term of Year 7, slowly regaining confidence in their learning skills after adapting to new routines in the following term. Only at the beginning of Year 8, the second year at secondary school, did pupils fully regain their confidence, enabling them to deepen their understanding of their learning, and to progress. Three key elements - consistency, confidence and challenge - when present in a balanced way, can facilitate the process of transition. It became clear from the pupil narratives that a cross-phase conversation between teachers needs to include how to build on pupils' learning skills and engage pupils as active agents in the process of progressing their own learning. The pupils' experiences of AfL appear to have provided a sound basis for this agency. Whilst the research has implications for all subjects at transition, this article applies these findings to the context of modern foreign language learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to enhance our understanding of interactions between French/English Foreign Language Assistants (FLAs) and their school mentors (MEs), and, more specifically, of how ‘advice’ is sought, given and received. More generally, it will articulate a pragmatic approach (employing the notion of ‘activity type’) that can help achieve this aim. The paper draws on a sub-set of the data produced for the Pragmatics and Intercultural Communication (PIC) project, a project which deployed multiple and different methodologies, including, for example, not only transcriptions of live interactions, but also retrospective reflections on those interactions. We focus on the first non-casual meetings between FLAs and their MEs, a crucial part of which concerns ‘advice’. We argue that advice can be viewed as a ‘discourse type’, and show how it is deployed in the context of the activity types constituted by those meetings. We conduct a detailed qualitative analysis of one audio-recording of a meeting based in England, and then compare it with one based in France, our interpretations being informed by the participants' reflections, especially those of the FLA. We also deploy quantitative analysis and explore whether the patterns identified in our case studies can be generalised. Finally, we reflect on the implications of activity types and discourse types for pragmatics research, particularly politeness theory and cross-cultural pragmatics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on a study investigating the textbook evaluation techniques of novice and experienced teachers, which was conducted by the Language Teaching Expertise Research Group (or LATEX) within Lancaster University's Department of Linguistics and English Language. Three ELT teachers were chosen to evaluate the student and teacher editions of a newly-released ELT textbook using the technique of concurrent verbalization. The results of the research add to the growing body of knowledge on expertise, providing insight into the differences between the teachers with respect to their various evaluation strategies. They also point to implications for the development of teacher education and training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on an ESRC-funded project that investigated the use of corpusbased activities in a primary-school context, with children aged 8-10 years. The study explored the contributions that could be made by a corpus - comprising language written for a child audience - and a modified version of the associated software, in helping these children (all L1 English speakers) to learn about language. Activities were devised which complied with educational policies in England, so the interactions recorded often involved classification of linguistic items. The paper presents a qualitative analysis of these interactions, identifying aspects of the approach which prompted metalinguistic discourse. It suggests that, in contrast with textbooks and other reference resources, this approach may provide a flexible route into metalinguistic understanding, which maintains links with an authentic discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on some of the key issues that need to be addressed by 2010 if MLPS in England is going to work. The aims of MLPS need defining as educational, not instrumental; the KS1/2 experience has to be enjoyable and rewarding: an apprenticeship in learning how to learn a language, providing the tools for later learning and raising children's awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity. The ideal teacher for MLPS is the trained primary-class teacher with linguistic competence added. MLPS requires both confidence to use the language in class and good ELL methodology. Alongside the new PGCE courses we need a substantial, high-quality retraining programme to equip existing primary teachers with the skills to set up language programmes in their own schools. Schools will need help from their LA to set up a four-year MLPS programme with advisory teacher backup and ongoing support in the classroom. They will need funding and time to liaise closely with their local secondary schools to plan joint schemes of work and observe each other's lessons. Space in the primary curriculum will have to be created to realise the implications of the KS2 Framework for Languages. Embedding the FL in daily routines and finding opportunities for cross-curricular work will help, The teaching of language awareness and intercultural understanding should bring an international dimension to every primary school. The implications of MLPS for secondary schools need to be identified and CPD provided, including regular INSET days for primary/secondary liaison. The KS2 Framework, The Language Learning Ladder and the European Languages Portfolio provide valuable support for teacher assessment and monitoring of pupils' progress. Now is the time to re-evaluate the school language learning apprenticeship, adopting Hawkins' suggestions for a two-stage approach: Stage 1 equipping primary children (5-11) with the tools for language learning -- followed by an intensive immersion in one FL at KS3; Stage 2 (14-19) providing students with a choice of language pathways to specific goals and qualifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In England, little research has been carried out into how pre-service secondary English teachers transform what they know as they learn to teach. They are seldom asked to reflect explicitly on the connections between the pedagogy of their undergraduate studies and their pedagogical experiences as student teachers. The initial teacher education committee of the National Association for the Teaching of English decided to explore these connections by asking student teachers on English Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) courses in five different university departments of education to respond to a series of questions at the start and end of the academic year 2004–2005. The questions fall into four broad areas: student teachers' experiences as learners at undergraduate level and developing ideas about teaching; the nature of the subject English; tensions encountered during the PGCE course; new learning about teaching. The purpose of this article is to discuss some patterns emerging from the research. The most prominent of these is student teachers' realisation that good teaching comes from teachers seeing themselves as learners. We argue that ‘reflexivity’ ( Moore, 2004 ) is a valuable way to help student teachers begin to understand this transformation from learner into learning teacher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines visual and affective factors involved in the reading of foreign language texts. It draws on the results of a pilot study among students of post-compulsory school stage studying French in England. Through a detailed analysis of students' reactions to texts, it demonstrates that the use of ‘authentic’ documents under currently held notions of ‘authenticity’ may have a negative affective impact on learners. Authors and designers of texts make assumptions about an original, intended readership which influence visual design, assumptions which are not necessarily borne out in the foreign language learning situation. There is a need to examine texts for their format as well as their content, to move away from equating ‘authentic’ with ‘identical’ and to using electronic design to improve readability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyril Norwood, to all appearances, was the quintessential insider of English education in the first half of the 20th century. An outstanding classical scholar, Oxford educated, a successful headmaster before returning to Oxford as president of his college, St John’s, knighted for his services to education in 1938, he was also prominent in national education policy well before his career culminated in 1943 in the Norwood Report on the secondary school curriculum and examinations. Yet he was also an outsider, insecure because of the circumstances of his childhood and upbringing, never fully accepted in the public schools over which he presided, not fully trusted by the officials at the Board of Education or by many of his colleagues despite his decades of public service. This study investigates the paradoxical nature of Norwood’s contribution to and significance in English education, a victim of social class anxieties and insecurities even at the same time that he became the most famous celebrant of the so-called ‘English tradition’ of education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is about the progress of newly qualified teachers of English in London classrooms. Using a case-study approach, it explores the ways teachers' knowledge of their subject is developed in specific situations and in relation to particular learners. In contrast to media representations of successful teaching that focus on questions of personality and inspiration, the picture of progress offered here is one of negotiation and accommodation, leading to fundamental change and to new understanding of the content and purposes of English. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]