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espanolEn este articulo se presentan las caracteristicas y resultados de una experiencia de intervencion pedagogica dirigida a mejorar el aprendizaje de la escritura academica en ingles de un grupo de estudiantes universitarios de linguistica aplicada. La intervencion se baso en el enfoque social de la alfabetizacion academica y consistio en ofrecer a los estudiantes multiples y diversas oportunidades de interaccion, oral y escrita, para desarrollar habilidades de escritura de ensayos argumentativos. Para determinar el impacto de la intervencion, se examinaron los recursos linguisticos interactivos que utilizados en los ensayos y se llevo a cabo una sesion de discusion libre, al termino de la experiencia. Los recursos linguisticos interactivos no en todos los casos fueron de ayuda en la escritura de los ensayos, aunque en conjunto con otros recursos de apoyo al aprendizaje, crearon conciencia en los estudiantes sobre el caracter dialogico del discurso argumentativo. Los estudiantes aprendieron expresiones academicas en ingles que utilizaban en la comunicacion oral en el aula, aun cuando no siempre lograron incorporarlas a sus ensayos. A traves la lectura y la escritura, los estudiantes participaron por primera vez en la periferia de las practicas sociales y discursivas de los miembros expertos de la linguistica aplicada. Al final del trabajo se discuten algunas de sus limitaciones. EnglishThis 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.

Teachers’ attitudes play an important role in the implementation of educational reforms and innovations (Avramidis & Norwich, 2002; Fullan, 2001; Rogers, 2003; Waters, 2009; Wedell, 2009). Desired changes can successfully go through only if teachers respond positively to putting into effect those changes. Mexico is at present facing the challenge of an educational reform in basic education that involves adopting a new English as a second language program. Information about teachers’ attitudes towards the change is crucial to anticipate possible ways in which the process could unfold. This study explores the use of Appraisal Theory (Martin & White, 2005) to examine the linguistic expressions of attitude toward the Mexican National English Program for Basic Education. Data came from 12 focus group discussions conducted as part of a state-wide project with 86 secondary school teachers and supervisors in the northeastern corner of the country. Findings indicate that teachers’ negative attitudes towards the program were associated to their negative evaluation of the procedures to disseminate information about the program, and the quantity and quality of teacher training. Findings also shed light on the conventions related to the roles that teachers and administrators play in the reform implementation process. Implications of the findings are briefly discussed.

The effective implementation of any educational reform is largely dependent on the preparation of teachers. In the case of the National English Program in Basic Education, (NEPBE) implemented in public schools in Mexico in 2009, teacher preparation options have been designed by both public and private higher education institutions in several states of the country. Most options have been based on the needs of teacher trainers and educational administrators, rather than on teachers’ needs. This paper presents the partial results of a professional development needs analysis carried out with secondary English language teachers in northeast Mexico. The study examined the teachers’ previous professional development experiences; their views on professional development contents and formats; and disposition to engage in inquiry-based professional development. Results indicated that stand-alone and degree courses were the only professional development activities the participants had experienced. Other practices such as mentoring, peer observation, attending conferences, or networking, were unfamiliar to the majority of them. Although most of the teachers considered that training courses had a high impact on teaching, some of them valued the impact of professional development practices that involve autonomy, reflection and collaboration. A high percentage of teachers reported disposition to learn about and engage in classroom research.