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Despite the development of English teaching pedagogies in schools and universities, many concerns are raised regarding the tensions between teachers' practices and effectiveness of students' learning have on students' academic achievements. The aim of this study is to explore university students' preferences and experiences in English learning and teaching process. Based on their preferences and experiences, an innovative concept model of the Communicative Language Community of English Learners "CLCOEL" was introduced for the benefit of learners in both real learning environment and virtual environment. The findings not only provide recommendations for policy decision makers and practice in China but also for those who are teaching and learning English with Confucian-heritage cultural backgrounds in a similar context.

Remarkable changes have been witnessed in the areas of educational, social, and economic development in China. These changes have resulted in the development of innovative address terms in daily communication. In particular, this is noticeable in the widespread use of the address terms "Shuaige" and "Meinu" in the twenty-first century. These terms, which were originally regarded as terms of praise to those people who look handsome and pretty, have become the most popular address terms among young and middle-aged people in urban areas in China. In order to investigate the factors influencing the usage of these two popular address terms, a mixed research method was used for the research study. The results show that these two address terms, being important in social interactions, have been changed from their original meanings. These changes in social meanings reflect cultural connotations and also have important educational implications for the younger generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family-based interventions have been dramatically advocated in early childhood educational field, especially for those young children who have special needs. The application of family-based interventions has had a profound influence in the western societies over many years. However, due to a lack of theory basis, the knowledge of how to apply it to help many children with special needs in China, particularly, in Yangtze River Delta Region, is slim. This paper is to explore how family-based early interventions will support the children who have exhibited social-emotional problems and their families in the social context of the Yangtze River Delta Region, China. Thus, the author will address the question by looking into (1) the social context in the Yangtze River Delta Region, China; (2) factors contribute to children's social and emotional problems from the family systems perspective; (3) two families as case studies, and (4) the family-based early interventions designed for the two families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humor as a teaching strategy has received recent attention (Englert, 2010; Garner, 2005; Garner, 2006; Glenn, 2002; Jonas, 2004). In English language teaching in China there is a perceived conflict between teaching methodology and student involvement. In the recent past traditional teaching methodology has been utilized for the teaching of English with a low level of interaction in the classroom. However, with Communicative Language Teaching being increasing prevalent, the reluctance to interact from longstanding practice as well as socio-cultural factors can limit learning effectiveness. Recent research into humor in the classroom has suggested benefits to improving the classroom learning environment and in particular, to improving levels of communication (Chapman, & Foot, 2007; Garner, 2006; Schmitz, 2002; Wanzer, Frymier, Wojtaszczyk, & Smith, 2006). This paper critically examines the learning benefits of humor in the classroom and suggests that humor would provide considerable advantages to improving communicative interactions in English teaching classrooms in China. By means of experiencing humor, students acquire and internalize language knowledge more quickly and efficiently, and thus are facilitated in attaining a certain language competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If one takes three individuals and interviews them with respect to life changing experiences and how they relate to education what would one expect to find? Certainly these people would speak about moments of educational challenge and inspiration, or times where their goals have been unachievable or misdirected. Perhaps they would suggest ways in which learning has been an escape route from the perception that circumstances are pre-determined. This paper represents a search for these pedagogic epiphanies. They are located in the narratives of three people - and they are loaded with subjective principles in terms of the relationships that these narratives may build with pedagogic experience (Clough, 2002) and skills, and the definition of a subject area about epiphanies and teaching and learning. It is critical that this paper relates the three narrative strands to a theoretical stratum that embeds and grounds them without diminishing their singularity. The theory and narrative evidence of this paper are part of the processes that not only comprehend and represent pedagogic epiphanies, but also show how they may infuse readers with transformative forces through words. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]