bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Academic Writing for Graduate-Level English as a Second Language Students: Experiences in Education
Authors: Sidman-Taveau Rebekah , Karathanos-Aguilar Katya
Published: October 2024

Graduate-level ESL students in Education are future multicultural educators and promising role models for our diverse K-12 students. However, many of these students struggle with academic English and, in particular, writing. Yet, little research or program development addresses the specific writing support needs of this group. This article shares curriculum development for an Academic Writing Seminar serving linguistically diverse graduate students in Education. It reports on a study of the student backgrounds, writing experiences, writing self-efficacy, and instructional feedback preferences. Most participants had low writing self-efficacy and an eagerness to receive detailed feedback on grammar and mechanics in their writing. Problems in their writing were similar to common issues in college writing, but the participants expressed a distinct willingness to share their work for peer editing and conferences. Further research is needed on ways to mobilize such strengths and provide targeted writing support for ESL graduate students in Education.
Learning English in Mexico: Perspectives From Mexican Teachers of English
Authors: Borjian Ali
Published: October 2024

ESL and Language Arts teachers have noted a growing population of transnational students who—because of family migration patterns—have complex educational histories that straddle both Mexico and the US. Yet US teachers know little about the Englishlanguage training that such students receive in Mexico. This study attempts to bridge that gap, reporting on a survey-based study conducted in Mexico of 76 Mexican teachers of English. Included are recommendations about English instruction in both Mexican and US contexts, as well as recommendations for greater collaboration between US and Mexican English teachers.
So, Transitions: Linking Adverbial Use of University ESL Students
Authors: Anderson Graham
Published: October 2024

This research article summarizes and discusses differences found in the use of linking adverbials, such as so, yet, and however, between first-year composition students and final-year students. The methods describe both automated and manual identification of linking adverbials using computerized learner corpora, and the results include pedagogical and further research implications. Assignment particulars and other learner objectives appeared to play a role in the relative overuse of certain adverbials in addition to conversational adverbials occurring more often in the compositions of the first-year students. The findings also show an increase in academic transition use during the semester-long period of the study. Significant differences were found in the use of adverbial pairs with nuanced differences, such as yet and however. The article concludes with pedagogical implications and suggestions for how how to improve teaching practices based on the improvement found across the course of the semester.
Using Professional Presentations to Improve Cross-Cultural Communication
Authors: Vozza Victoria Moran
Published: October 2024

In this article, I explain how I used my interdisciplinary expertise in a TESOL classroom. The class consisted of 24 high-intermediate students ages 25 to 35, with a 65/35% male-to-female ratio. Of the students, 75% were Spanish speaking, while the remainder consisted of Farsi, Arabic, Hindi, Russian, Mandarin, Korean, and German speakers. The class met at a Bay Area adult school 4 nights a week with an optional Saturday class. To achieve authentic cross-cultural communication, I used cooperative learning (CL) and computer-assisted language learning (CALL). The results showed that students gained cross-cultural awareness, improved computer skills, and developed authentic speaking skills.
Tuning In: Using the News for a Content-Based ESL Class
Authors: Moglen Daniel
Published: October 2024

Vast amounts of daily news content are widely available and easily accessible, and they can be converted into materials for intermediate and advanced ESL classes. This article will describe the why and how for integrating news media sources into a multiskills ESL classroom. Through the news, students are immediately engaged with the material because they are viewing articles and news stories that are happening in the world. Additionally, the authentic nature of the material presents a broad spectrum of vocabulary and sentence structures. While students are not expected to understand every word or phrase, the exposure to authentic text in an ESL class is tremendously beneficial. This article will take a 1st-person perspective on the implementation of the news-based course, as well as ideas on how to use the news as a supplemental resource in other ESL classes, such as speaking, composition, or grammar/vocabulary classes.
Reflecting on Native Speaker Privilege
Authors: Berger Kathleen
Published: October 2024

The issues surrounding native speakers (NSs) and nonnative speakers (NNSs) as teachers (NESTs and NNESTs, respectively) in the field of teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) are a current topic of interest. In many contexts, the native speaker of English is viewed as the model teacher, thus putting the NEST into a position of privilege and the NNEST into one of prejudice. Recent scholarship has attempted to address these issues (Mahboob, 2010; Medgyes, 1994; Phillipson, 1992b). This paper will draw from some of this research as well as provide insights into the privileges enjoyed by NESTs in contrast to the discrimination faced by NNESTs. It will then discuss various practical ways that might help to mitigate the inequity between NESTs and NNESTs.
Literacy and Disciplinary Experiences of Taiwanese/Chinese Students Learning to Write in a US Graduate TESOL Program
Authors: Tseng Chi-Chih
Published: October 2024

This article reports on a qualitative case study that explored the literacy and disciplinary experiences of 4 Taiwanese/Chinese students learning to write in a US graduate TESOL program. A combination of writing research methods was employed—case study techniques of interview and document collection, combined with discourse and text analysis of students’ written language—within Bakhtinian perspectives on discourse socialization (Bakhtin, 1981; Gee, 1989/2001, 1992). The findings suggest the complex interplay between students’ previous educational experiences outside the US and their current literate processes as they engage in reading-to-write, perceiving of self, and exerting strategies that show their individuality as well as group membership when interpreting and accomplishing field-related texts. Implications for theory, research, and practice are also discussed.
Vocabulary Assessment With Varying Levels of Context: A Replication Study
Authors: Shepherd Brenna
Published: October 2024

This replication study investigates how the level of context in vocabulary assessment affects the scores on tests of American idioms. Using Uçkun’s methodology of 3 tests with 3 levels of context, 85 participants varying in level from high-beginner to advanced took an online test consisting of 30 questions, 10 questions for each level of context. The tests were matching, sentence-level gap filling, and rational-delete cloze. The participants were nonnative speakers of English living in the US. The scores were analyzed for mean differences and in regard to differences in native language and English proficiency level. No significant differences were seen for native language, but there were significant differences for context level and proficiency level. As an exploratory part of the study, 17 of the participants were asked to perform a think-aloud protocol task while taking the test. Their responses were recorded and analyzed descriptively for insight into test-taking strategies.
Multicultural Teacher Education: Why Teachers Say It Matters in Preparing Them for English Language Learners
Authors: Kolano Lan Quach , Dávila Liv , Lachance Joan , Coffey Heather
Published: October 2024

Numerous studies show that mainstream classroom teachers still remain inadequately prepared to teach diverse students and lack the knowledge base and skills to teach English language learners (ELLs). This has profound implications, particularly in the Southeast, where the rate of school-aged Latino immigrants has grown significantly. Thus, this study examined the perceived effectiveness of teacher-training programs and professional-development experiences of 157 content-area teachers in North and South Carolina. Specifically, researchers analyzed self-report questionnaire data from teachers to explore the role of academic course work, professional development, and multicultural experiences in preparing teachers to work with ELLs and other diverse learners. Overall, teachers overwhelmingly reported feeling underprepared to work with this population until they sought more substantive academic training and professional-development experiences. Teachers had diverse experiences but reported that the quality of courses and depth of multicultural experiences had an impact on their attitudes and classroom practices.
L1 Use in FL Classrooms: Graduate Students’ and Professors’ Perceptions of English Use in Foreign Language Courses
Authors: Gaebler Patrick
Published: October 2024

This report explores participant perspectives on L1 (English) use in foreign language classrooms. The study includes data collected from 25 participants, 23 students and 2 professors, from the Monterey Institute of International Studies (MIIS). A combination of classroom observations, interviews, and questionnaires were used to collect data. The data were triangulated to determine if the participants’ views reflected their actual classroom practices. The data show that while some students found comfort in L1 use, others felt threatened by the L1 and viewed it as an interference. Furthermore, the professors respected their students’ views and thus attempted to use the L1 accordingly. Rather than relying on the L1 to facilitate all communication, the professors and students alike included the L1 in their repertoire of learning and teaching strategies. This study suggests that the participants understand the value of L1 but realize that it is not the only tool available
Facilitating the Quest: A Case Study of Three Technologies in an EAPP Writing Classroom
Authors: Calvert Kelley
Published: October 2024

As the web continues to morph, creating a more interlinked, connected, and hybridized human experience, educators are experiencing a generational shift in terms of comfort with technology. The number of technologies becoming available to students and teachers is dizzying. Within the array of possibility, this research considers three technological applications that facilitate the teaching and learning of writing: a writing blog, a word-of-the-day forum, and a storytelling grammar/style iMovie. In this exploratory research in a single graduate-level English for Academic and Professional Purposes (EAPP) classroom, pre- and postactivity surveys seem to suggest that students found technological tools helpful in gaining and retaining writing skills.
Using Free Online Materials as the Basis of an Upper-Level IEP Listening and Speaking Course
Authors: Sheppard Beth
Published: October 2024

Freely available online videos are the basis of an Intensive English Program (IEP) listening and speaking course described in this article. Strands and activities of this course could easily be adapted for use in other institutions. For each strand of the course, rationales are stated, activities are described, and suggested online resources are listed.
Semantic and Thematic List Learning of Second Language Vocabulary
Authors: Gholami Javad , Khezrlou Sima
Published: October 2024

This article overviews research on second language vocabulary instruction with a specific focus on semantic and thematic vocabulary-clustering types. The theoretical benefits associated with both the semantic and thematic approaches, as well as the potential problems associated with them, are discussed. The conclusion drawn is that reinforcing the level of activation of target concepts during learning can lead to facilitation but only if interference from competing items is kept to a minimum. With respect to the incremental nature of vocabulary acquisition, learning programs need to boost learner engagement by embodying systematic, principled, and long-term practices.
Biliterate Voices of Hmong Generation 1.5 College Women: Suspended Between Languages in the US Educational Experience
Authors: Huster Kim
Published: October 2024

This narrative research study involving 13 Hmong college women reveals some of the challenges that multilingual students may face in the American educational system. Using stories told by the participants about their language- and literacydevelopment experiences, the author identifies commonalities in those experiences. The similarities in their stories suggest that linguistically diverse students may often be inadvertently subjected to marginalizing experiences in their interactions with both educators and classmates. The author offers 3 positive suggestions for addressing critical issues in the US educational system: establishing and equipping the teacher as an agent for social change, promoting critical multiculturalism in the classroom, and legitimizing and giving voice to the minority experience.
Sequenced Peer Revision: Creating Competence and Community
Authors: Bowman Ingrid K. , Robertson John
Published: October 2024

Mastering techniques of self- and peer revision is a valuable tool for all writers, especially US-educated Generation 1.5 students, whose near fluency enables them to dialogue successfully about their writing. Using action research, 2 academic writing instructors systematically trained students to more responsibly and effectively revise their academic essays. Fostering student buy-in to the editing process, sequencing rubrics over a series of essays, and establishing a productive role for the teacher during peer revision were all features of this process.
Making Progress: A Case Study of Academic Literacy Development
Authors: Takano Naoko
Published: October 2024

The processes by which unprepared freshmen are able to develop their academic literacy are overlooked by those in the academy. The author will describe a case study of the development of a student’s academic literacy in the 1st 3 semesters of college. The information for this project was obtained through interviews with the student and her teacher, observation of her ESL classes, and analysis of her writing. The author will provide 4 major findings of her success studies as well as important implications for students and teachers in the TESOL field.
Mainstream English Teachers Working With Nonnative Speakers: How Well Prepared Are They?
Authors: Anderson Chris
Published: October 2024

The number of nonnative English speakers and Generation 1.5 students enrolled in mainstream English classes continues to grow, especially in community colleges in California and other western states. Yet most English teachers with degrees in Literature, Creative Writing, or even Composition have not been trained in TOESL and often feel underprepared to work with these students and the specific language and grammar problems they bring into the classroom. A recent study focused on the overall preparedness level of new community college Composition instructors provided some interesting data in this regard, illuminating the unique challenge community college teachers face in the increasingly multicultural and multilingual reality of today’s mainstream English classes, which are most often not designed with ESL students in mind.
The Meaning of Citizenship: Tests, Policy, and English Proficiency
Authors: Loring Ariel
Published: October 2024

This paper addresses the ideal of citizenship in the US and how particular meanings of history, culture, and language are encoded in government policy and practice. The US government (Citizenship and Immigration Services) presents citizenship as a commitment to shared knowledge and values, and it requires applicants to possess competence in “ordinary English language.” However, a critical discourse analysis of the naturalization test material reveals a de facto policy of higher English proficiency than is claimed. Furthermore, the history and civics requirement of the citizenship test demands memorization of only certain historical facts deemed important. Citizenship policy analysis is paralleled by a localized ethnographic study of an adult ESL/citizenship class, where the instructor’s teaching perspectives and pedagogy reveal how a different set of citizenship meanings is understood and transmitted to the students than is officially promoted. The paper concludes by offering suggestions for citizenship curricular reform.
Student Perceptions of How TESOL Educators Teach Nonnative English-Speaking Teachers
Authors: Phillabaum Scott , Frazier Stefan
Published: October 2024

Recent research on how TESOL professionals educate nonnative English-speaking students in MA programs indicates a general conviction that native-speaking and nonnative-speaking MA students should be treated equally during their studies in MA programs. Absent from this discussion and much of the literature on thistopic, however, are the voices of the studentsthemselves, which raisesthe question of how well self-reports from TESOL professionals match the perceptions of the students in those MA programs. The current study aims to address this issue. On a survey of current and former students in MA TESOL programs across California, data suggest generally shared perceptions between TESOL professionals and students on the question of whether nonnative English-speaking and native English-speaking students are treated equally during their studies; however, several important differences exist. This paper examines these differences and discusses the mismatches between MA students’ perceptions of how nonnative English-speaking students are treated and those of their instructors.
Professional Development Through Inquiry: Addressing Sexual Identity in TESOL
Authors: Wadell Elizabeth , Frei Kathryn , Martin Sherri
Published: October 2024

Sexual identity is a topic that is relevant to adult ESL instruction, not only because some learners identify as LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender), but also because LGBT identities are a visible part of American culture and ESL learners must learn how to discuss them in culturally and pragmatically appropriate ways. This article shares the results of a survey of ESL teachers’ experiences with LGBT themes and discusses questions and challenges that teachers reported. Because many teachers feel underprepared to handle these challenges, the authors propose that sexual identity be included in TESOL professional development, and they offer suggestions for incorporating the theme into both existing TESOL curricula and in-service training for practicing teachers.
Factors Influencing Success of Conditionally Admitted Students in Graduate TESOL Programs
Authors: Micek Timothy A. , Kim Soonhyang , Weinstein Daniel A.
Published: October 2024

Many graduate TESOL programs grapple with whether to admit applicants who fall short of meeting established admission criteria yet who show promise as future TESOL professionals. This study examined key characteristics affecting the success of candidates admitted conditionally to graduate TESOL programs. Participants were 21 students who had been admitted conditionally to master’s-level TESOL programs at 2 faith-based universities. Correlations between several independent variables and success in those programs were studied. Experience abroad and holding a teaching certification had the highest positive correlations with academic success as measured by GPA in the 1st semester of course work. Previous ESL teaching experience had a respectable, yet smaller, correlation. All of these variables had higher correlations than undergraduate GPA. These findings suggest that considering undergraduate GPA in isolation is unlikely to result in informed decisions about conditional admits in graduate TESOL programs as there are many other factors that predict TESOL candidates’ success.
Rethinking Traditional Assessment Concepts in Classroom-Based Assessment
Authors: Abeywickrama Priyanvada
Published: October 2024

As teachers and students have taken more active roles in assessment practices, our field has begun to pay more attention to classroom-based assessment (CBA). As a result, we have gained a better understanding of CBA principles but we have also become aware of challenges, particularly in applying traditional assessment concepts such as reliability and validity to the classroom context. In this article I continue the argument that viewing assessment through a sociocultural perspective will help us broaden our understanding of classroom learning environments and rethink traditional assessment concepts for CBA.
Writing Proficiency Exams and the Internationalization of U.S. Higher Education
Authors: Mott-Smith Jennifer A.
Published: October 2024

In the U.S., writing proficiency exams (WPEs) often employ a construct of writing proficiency that is based on U.S. English and essay-text literacy. As universities internationalize, they should reconsider whether such exams reflect the literacy requirements of a globalizing world. Since the ways in which universities respond to international students reflect their commitments to internationalization, this article presents the experiences of 8 international students taking a WPE. Results show that the exam did not always promote opportunities for participation, a sense of belonging, or respect for student knowledge, factors known to promote international student success. Concrete suggestions are made for redesigning WPEs such that the writing proficiency construct is based on the ability to negotiate a rhetorical situation. Doing so would be an important symbolic shift away from privileging the linguistic form of one social group, and it would benefit U.S. monolingual students and faculty as well as international students.
From Theory to Practice for Teachers of English Learners
Authors: Lavadenz Magaly
Published: October 2024

Teaching and learning English in the US are complex processes that are not explained by language theories or methods alone. Concepts such as the relationship between language majority groups and language minority groups, language status, immigration, economics, language planning, and policies add to the complexity of language-learning situations. Effective teachers for the more than 5 million English learners (ELs) in kindergarten through 12th grades require unique knowledge, skills, and dispositions. This article provides a review of the language, learning, and language learning theories and practices for second language teaching, focusing on sociocultural theories and practices.
An Interview Study of Learner Motivation and Learner Involvement in Mandatory College-Level Academic Writing Classes
Authors: Vanniarajan Swathi M.
Published: October 2024

Scholarship in applied linguistics has not sufficiently addressed learner motivation in mandatory writing classes in postsecondary settings. The data collected through short interviews from 20 students enrolled in a mandatory academic writing program at the junior/senior level in a California State University indicated that learner motivation in these classes was largely the result of how learners related themselves to variables such as self-efficacy, goal orientedness, interest in writing activities, novelty of teaching methods, and relevance of the writing genre for their intended careers. The findings, in overall, were in agreement with the claims made in applied linguistics and educational psychology that learners’ cognitive and emotional appraisals of self, task, and the learning environment would largely determine how they would conduct themselves in and relate to the whole classroom environment (Dörnyei & Otto, 1998; Paris & Turner, 1994; Schumann, 1997, 2001).
Teaching Writing Within the Disciplines: A Viable Approach for English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Instructors
Authors: Leopold Lisa
Published: October 2024

This case study of an adjunct-model English for Academic Purposes (EAP) writing course linked to a policy-analysis course describes an effective approach for putting “specificity” into practice in EAP curriculum design. The rationale for interdisciplinary collaboration, the positive learning outcomes from the EAP writing course, the learning transfer to the policy course, and the pedagogical implications are described in detail. It is suggested that the EAP instructor work primarily with texts within students’ disciplines, teach the universal principles of well-written discourse implicit in the text type, and teach students to analyze those features of the text that vary according to the audience, context, and rhetorical situation. The findings and pedagogical implications add to the current body of research about curriculum design in EAP and the positive learning outcomes appear to negate the argument that EAP instructors need specialized training in learners’ fields to teach disciplinary writing courses.
Use With Caution: What CELDT Results Can and Cannot Tell Us
Authors: Stokes-Guinan Katie , Goldenberg Claude
Published: October 2024

Both California state law and the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) require that all schools assess the English language proficiency of newly enrolled students who speak a language other than English at home and, annually, all English learners (ELs) already enrolled. California meets this requirement by administering the California English Language Development Test, or CELDT. The CELDT has three primary purposes: to identify students who are ELs, determine their English proficiency level, and assess their progress in acquiring listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in English through time. We examine data on the validity and reliability of the CELDT to determine if it is an appropriate tool for carrying out these purposes. We conclude that the CELDT is likely a sufficiently valid and reliable tool for making judgments about groups of students but not for making crucial educational decisions about individual students.
How to Unpack a Difficult Poem for Language Learning
Authors: Hess Natalie
Published: October 2024

Claiming that poetry is essentially an oral art and thus eminently suitable as discourse for language teaching and learning, the author guides readers through stepby-step strategies in how to make the pictures of poetry visible and the sounds of poetry audible for language-learning students. Using the poem “Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley, the author presents strategies that allow us to see and understand the people, the place, and the drama felt throughout the poem. She makes clear that these strategies can be used with most poems. She chooses objects and moments from students’ everyday experiences to demonstrate each technique, and she explains how such ordinary objects and events can bring out the essence of each poem. These techniques also offer opportunities for the practice of all language skills, and they promote student group and pair work for vocabulary recycling and practice of structure as they enjoy literary content.
From Narrative to Analytical: Using Theme/Rheme to Scaffold Students’ Revisions Between Genres of Writing
Authors: Leonard Duane
Published: October 2024

For many ESL students, the linguistic resources needed for explicit development of abstract ideas, a central tenet of academic writing, are difficult to control (Schleppegrell, 2004). Using the linguistic notion of Theme and Rheme (Halliday & Mathiessen, 2004), this piece is intended to share a way for teachers to explain differences between these two genres (analytical and personal) and raise students’ awareness of the new expectations of academic writing. The notions of Theme and Rheme focus instructors and students on specific language resources and at the same time reference broader discourse features that allow teachers the flexibility of both a micro and macro approach to writing instruction. Such an approach also provides ESL students a toolkit with which they can evaluate their own linguistic choices and incorporate their strengths with the personal genre of writing into a more academic, analytic genre of writing.
An L2 Reader’s Word-Recognition Strategies: Transferred or Developed
Authors: Alco Bonnie
Published: October 2024

Transfer of reading strategies from the first language (L1) to the second language (L2) has long puzzled educators, but what happens if the L1 is an alphabet language and the second is not, or if there is a mismatch in the languages’ grapheme-phoneme connection? Although some students readily adjust to reading and writing in their second language, others do not. Research has shown that orthographic depth may play a role in how readily a student can transfer reading strategies from his or her L1 (e.g., Akamatsu, 2003; Muljani, Koda, & Moates, 1998; Seymour, Aro, & Erskine, 2003). If readers typically depend on their language’s grapheme-phoneme connection or on visual cues in a nonalphabet language to develop wordrecognition strategies, ESL students may become frustrated when the graphics or orthographic depth of the second language does not match that of the first and the process, thereby, crosses the “threshold” of orthographic complexity (Seymour et al., 2003). An unreliable connection challenges the student to adjust strategies appropriately in order to develop an automaticity that furthers reading competence. If the task is too difficult, cognitive load may inhibit the process.
Achieving Student-Centered Success on the High School Exit Exam: Five Components of an Effective Remediation Program
Authors: Forrest Scott N.
Published: October 2024

High schools spend incredible amounts of time and resources toward preparing students for high school exit exams. A predicament arises when some students continue failing the exam and are in danger of not receiving a high school diploma. This article describes 5 components of an exit exam remediation program through which to equip and empower students who have failed the exit exam at least once to pass the English Language Arts section of an exit exam. An effective remediation program must not only prepare the students for the exam but also ensure the students master the standards of learning expected of high school graduates. Also, the components must be viewed in light of the unique educational and life needs of students who have failed an exit exam at least once. Therefore, the components are standards aligned with student-centered approaches to learning and assessment.
Word of the Day
Authors: Abrar-ul-Hassan Shahid
Published: October 2024

Independent lexical development initiatives empower and equip language learners with skills to boost their lexical repertoires. Language instructors can train learners to be autonomous word learners. A sample activity, namely word of the day, is presented in this article. The activity is an independent lexical learning task, which aims to develop the lexical range of language learners through self-regulated endeavors. This activity builds on the lexical approach, which lays emphasis on expanding learners’ lexical base in the belief that grammar is embedded in lexis. Thus, the role of “word grammar” overshadows the sentence grammar instruction. The word-of-the-day task acquaints learners with unpacking the lexical information in a word or phrase and sharing their lexical discoveries with the class. The activity could be systematically integrated into the course syllabus. Learners will value lexis as a rich resource of syntactical knowledge and will realize that lexical development is directly proportional to linguistic fluency
State of the Profession: Intensive English Programs
Authors: Szasz Patricia
Published: October 2024

This article focuses on the current state of the ESL profession for teachers in Intensive English Programs (IEPs). Because the IEP context may be unfamiliar to some readers, the author first gives an overview of the characteristics and goals of these types of programs. Second, an examination of how administrators and programs are striving to ensure the integrity of language instruction in this setting is presented. Finally, the results of an online survey of more than 100 ESL professionals are shared. While many respondents expressed frustration with their current situation, one institution’s efforts to promote equity for IEP teachers offers a model to other programs.
Relationship Between Spoken and Written Discourse of a Generation 1.5 ESL Student: A Study of a German Student in a College ESL Composition Class
Authors: Jeffries Michelle , Yi Youngjoo
Published: October 2024

Generation 1.5 ESL students are often characterized as achieving quite advanced oral/aural proficiency but less developed academic literacy (Forrest, 2006; Singhal, 2004). And yet little is known about the relationship between their spoken and written discourse. Thus, this paper discusses a case study that explored the relationship of spoken and written discourse of a Generation 1.5 ESL student, whom we call Mary, in a college ESL composition classroom. The findings revealed that Mary employed speechlike features for her writing (i.e., use of colloquial language and lack of explicitness in linguistic and content terms). These findings indicate that Mary seemed to write the way she spoke, which contributed to making her writing informal, implicit, and less persuasive. In addition to examining the language features, we explored the effect of explicit instruction on the difference between spoken and written discourse. Such instruction turned out to be partially effective. Findings arising from this study suggest that Generation 1.5 ESL students such as Mary employ two approaches (i.e., writing/speaking and reading/writing connections) to improving writing.
The Journal of Wong Ming-Chung: Teaching Reading Comprehension to Adult ESL Learners Using Culturally Relevant, Young-Adult Literature
Authors: Conrad Marguerite , Queen Miriam
Published: October 2024

Valdes (2001), in her article on ESL classrooms, defines the need for language-rich and culturally relevant reading materials as a prerequisite to reading growth. Rising from a collaboration between a community college ESL instructor and a university professor of reading methodology, the paper details the positive impact of using culturally relevant literature, specifically The Journal of Wong Ming-Chung, in an integrated skills course for adult ESL learners. During the course of the semester, researchers charted the level of student engagement with the book through multiple questionnaires, observations of class discussions, and student responses to writing tasks. The paper describes how the use of literature enabled the instructor to further integrate vocabulary and writing with the reading component of the class and how adding a multicultural dimension and perspective to the existing curriculum provided purpose and engagement for students.
Error Treatment Preferences of Adult Intensive English Program Students: Does Proficiency Matter?
Authors: Jernigan Justin , Mihai Florin
Published: October 2024

This survey-based study examined the preferences of adult English as a second language (ESL) learners regarding two types of corrective feedback in an Intensive English Program (IEP) setting. The first type of corrective feedback was implicit and included recasts and clarification requests, whereas the second type was more explicit and was represented by overt error correction and metalinguistic explanation. Additionally, a possible connection between the proficiency level of the students and their self-reported preferences was explored. The total number of participants was 87, representing 11 first-language backgrounds. The findings revealed that the ESL students in this IEP context generally preferred explicit feedback, but they did favor one particular type of implicit feedback—recasts. Furthermore, the more proficient students preferred feedback that focused on accuracy rather than fluency. The study has implications for the adult ESL grammar classroom in an IEP context, encouraging instructors to identify and consider students’ self-perceived needs with respect to error correction.
Argument and University ELL Composition
Authors: Williams Julie
Published: October 2024

Teaching argument elements to English language learners (ELL) encourages reading comprehension because it demands understanding of assumptions informing texts; it also provides models to enhance character appeal and evidence selection in student texts. University ELL students may comprehend word meanings; however, embedded assumptions may remain obscure. An argument approach encourages examination of the values informing texts. Students investigate Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter From Birmingham Jail” for its claim, reason, evidence, persuasive appeals, and supporting assumptions. A close reading shows how King’s selection of evidence takes his audience’s values into account. A writing project requires a discussion of the values embedded in the “Letter” through an evaluation of King’s character appeal. Then, students write a letter in which they take audience assumptions, values, and beliefs into account to select appropriate evidence and to increase their own credibility
The Internet in Foreign Language Education: Benefits, Challenges, and Guidelines for Language Teachers
Authors: Hişmanoğlu Murat
Published: October 2024

The Internet has become one of the most important teaching tools in recent years in terms of its power to change everyday practices in educational settings. In parallel with the expansion of Internet use in the classroom, both teachers and students have begun to accept the changes. However, some obstacles still need to be overcome before teachers can effectively integrate Internet-based activities into class practices. This paper presents a brief history of technology use in foreign language education, describes some basic benefits and challenges of employing the Internet through specific illustrations taken from the researcher’s educational experiences in the field of English language teaching, and provides several guidelines for teachers regarding effective use of the Internet in the foreign language classroom.
Using Discourse-Based Strategies to Address the Lexicogrammatical Development of Generation 1.5 ESL Writers
Authors: Holten Christine , Mikesell Lisa
Published: October 2024

For academic writers to use a word, they must know not only its basic meaning, its pronunciation, and the contexts in which the word is used, they must also possess more complex knowledge—a word’s collocational patterns and grammatical constraints (Colombi & Schleppegrell, 2002; Halliday, 1987, 1994). Gaining the lexicogrammatical knowledge needed to use words appropriately in college writing is a particular challenge for Generation 1.5 ESL writers. These students, who come to college with a rich academic and nonacademic vocabulary developed through years of formal study and daily interaction in English, often produce awkward or even ungrammatical sentences when they use this vocabulary productively. This paper focuses on lexicogrammatical errors commonly found in the academic writing of Generation 1.5 ESL students and discusses how discourse-based strategies for teaching grammar can be adapted to help these learners use academic vocabulary in a semantically and grammatically appropriate way. These strategies include having students look at models, teaching dictionary use, and developing students’ analytical self-editing strategies.
Integrating Grammar Into a High School Expository Reading and Writing Course
Authors: Ching Roberta
Published: October 2024

For the last two decades, most high school English teachers have offered little grammar instruction, instead focusing primarily on literature. Meanwhile, standardsbased instruction has been mandated at the state and federal levels and concern has grown about the gap between high school preparation in academic literacy and university requirements. The California State University 12th Grade Task Force has created the Expository Reading and Writing Curriculum(ERWC) to address that gap. To supplement the ERWC, materials based on ERWC texts enable teachers to integrate grammar instruction into the course. Students observe grammatical forms in the texts they are reading, apply what they have learned in a series of activities, and conclude by editing their own writing. Thus, grammar and the conventions of written academic English are taught as part of a continuous loop within the context of what students are reading and writing in the ERWC classroom.
Bridging the Cultural Divide: An Insider’s Guide to the Re-Creation of Self in Second Language Acquisition
Authors: Jackson Baxter
Published: October 2024

For second language learners everywhere there is a conflict between acquiring the target language and culture and pressure to maintain the primary culture and language identity. Second language acquisition (SLA) techniques from the voicebased business process outsourcing (BPO) field are outlined to help learners and teachers find cultural and linguistic balance while effecting the kind of holistic change needed for full, second language acquisition.
A Novice Teacher’s Journey Toward Fuller Participation: Learning Through Change
Authors: Leonard Duane
Published: October 2024

By merging legitimate peripheral participation (Lave & Wenger, 1991) and action research (Nunan, 1992), this paper encourages teachers to question their pedagogical choices in relation to those of their teaching community(ies) of practice. This paper discusses two questions: (a) How can action research–based methods be used to highlight crucial differences between novice and expert instruction in the same teaching community?; and (b) how did the author’s pedagogical decisions reflect legitimate peripheral participation (LPP) and hence “situated learning,” or fuller participation in the teaching community in which the author’s “bridge” class was situated. The reason for this twofold examination is to develop a dynamic understanding, or “meta-awareness” (Ramanathan, 2002), of how teaching choices were related to those of the local teaching community. Such “metaknowledge” is important in that it allows teachers to more effectively embrace or resist their teaching community norms.
A Model of Service-Learning for Intensive English Programs
Authors: Braunstein Belinda
Published: October 2024

Intensive English programs in the US have begun to take advantage of a growing service-learning movement as a means of involving nonnative speakers in their new communities while improving their language skills. This article describes a service-learning class taught through an IEP program at a small California extension program through which university-aged foreign students volunteer on a weekly basis at various local and national organizations. It discusses the phases and aspects of the service-learning course, from initial placement with organizations, to in-class and academic assignments related to the volunteer work, to how students reflect on their own learning. The article also describes common challenges and benefits of employing a service-learning curriculum and provides resources at the end.
What Is the Value of Service-Learning for ESL Teacher Preparation?
Authors: Carr Nathan T. , Eyring Janet L. , Gallego Juan Carlos
Published: October 2024

This study describes the results of a survey administered to present and former students enrolled in a Master’s in TESOL Program at a large urban university in Southern California. Respondents who had had a service-learning or experiential learning assignment were asked to identify to what extent and in which areas their service-learning or experiential learning experience benefited them. Responses by students and alumni who had had a service-learning experience and those who had not had a service-learning experience were also compared for significance. In addition, responses of service-learners by gender, language background, and visa status were compared to identify important trends in perceived benefits of ser vicelearning. Overall, students were quite positive about their service-learning experiences with most benefit indicated in general teaching theory and second language acquisition and least benefit in citizenship and civics. Results of a MANOVA indicated significant differences in benefits for service-learners versus non–servicelearners.
The Words Become One’s Own: Immigrant Women’s Perspectives on Family Literacy Activities
Authors: Menard-Warwick Julia
Published: October 2024

This article explores the perspectives of 2 Mexican immigrant women enrolled in an English as a Second Language family literacy program in California. Through describing the women’s participation in storybook reading and writing short compositions, the article illustrates how these learners were able to expand on their current literacy practices in order to adopt new school literacies they could share with their children. To this end, the article explores the learners’ histories with L1 literacy practices and discusses the ways that classroom participation in new L2 genres was congruent with these women’s sense of their own identities, and their goals for themselves and their children. In so doing, the article contends that Bakhtin’s (1981, 1986) theories of language can provide helpful guidance for teachers who want to build on the strengths of adult learners in such programs.
Social-Interactive Writing for English Language Learners
Authors: Teo Adeline (Lei) K.
Published: October 2024

This action research investigated the effects of the Social-Interactive Writing for English Language Learners (SWELL) method on the social interaction and cognitive writing processes of a pair of elementary school Mandarin-speaking English language learners (ELLs) in California. In the study, the researcher modified Topping’s paired-writing method, a highly structured process-writing approach, and designed a new model called the SWELL method to teach the pair of ELLs. Complex social and cognitive behaviors of participants were found in the study. The teacher’s constant modeling of strategies to promote a positive attitude in the SWELL method played a crucial role. Use of L1 between partners was also found to be important, since it helped promote more in-depth discussions during the interaction. Furthermore, contrary to Vygotsky ’s (1934/2000) idea of pairing an expert with a novice to promote effective learning, this study indicated that pairing intermediate-level novice ELLs also led to constructive social collaboration and high-level cognitive thinking skills.
Children and Parents: A Thematic Approach to Adult Education
Authors: Hess Natalie
Published: October 2024

The article describes how the author created the curriculum for an advanced class of adult students at an Intensive English Program (IEP), and how she piloted the course during an 8-week summer program. The level of this class of 20 students from 9 different countries was distinctly above the usual 7 levels practiced at the IEP. Thus, there was no guidance, no texts, and no curriculum set for the course. Choosing the thematic approach suggested by Stoller and Grabe (1997), and settling on the theme of children and parents as presented in literature, the writer takes us through ways of creating background knowledge, keeping momentum, integrating all 4 skills, and approaching language learning through individual and interactive strategies.