bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Embodied Pronunciation Learning: Research and Practice
Authors: Chan Marsha J.
Published: October 2024

This article summarizes research on body language, embodiment, and the incorporation of proprioception, physical movement, gestures, and touch into second language education, particularly with regard to the pronunciation of English. It asserts that careful attention to breathing, vocalization, articulatory positions, pulmonic and tactile pressures, pitch and duration, scope and synchrony of body movements, in addition to the systematic use of gestures, enables more effective pronunciation. It presents ways that teachers of English can embody features of pronunciation— making them more perceptible and representing them in clear and obvious ways to enhance perception, pronunciation, and retention. Classroom techniques described include pronunciation workouts such as breath training and articulator exercises; the use of simple devices, hands, and fingers to illustrate aspects of articulation and prosody; and larger body movements, such as the “Stress Stretch,” “Haptic Syllable Butterfly,” and “Rhythm Fight Club” to improve stress and rhythm.
Integrating Pronunciation Into the English Language Curriculum: A Framework for Teachers
Authors: McGregor Alison , Reed Marnie
Published: October 2024

Research provides evidence of effective factors in pronunciation teaching and learning. However, incorporating research into classroom practice is a challenge left to instructors, often without the help of a systematic framework for integrating pronunciation into a curriculum. This article, informed by work with international teaching assistants, offers such a framework. Developed over a 10-year period, the framework was tested in a pre-post classroom-based research study that indicated significant pronunciation improvement. The authors guide classroom instructors and teacher trainers through a 5-stage curriculum-design process for the integration of pronunciation, and they exemplify the use of the framework via the development of an English for Specific Purposes curriculum for international teaching assistants. Each stage includes guiding questions, related research, and demonstration of the outcomes through examples from a curriculum designed for international teaching assistants. The framework provides a practical approach to integrating fundamental building blocks of effective pronunciation instruction into the curriculum design process.
Native and Nonnative English-Speaking Teachers’ Expectations of Teacher’s Manuals Accompanying General English and Pronunciation Skills Books
Authors: Sonsaat Sinem
Published: October 2024

This study explores native and nonnative English-speaking teachers’ expectations of teacher’s manuals accompanying general English skills books and pronunciation teaching books, as well as their impressionistic evaluation of a printed and online teacher’s manual. The study has a mixed-methods design incorporating an online survey and 2 interviews. Findings showed that teachers expected a teacher’s manual to provide additional guidance on which pronunciation features to teach and how to present them effectively. The online teacher’s manual was preferred over the printed one by most of the teachers because of its technological design features. This study suggests that both native and nonnative English-speaking teachers welcome online manuals because of their increased accessibility and practicality. Additionally, greater amounts of guidance can be given in an online teacher’s manual and this guidance can be presented in different modalities, such as in printable text, audio, or video.
Choosing Technology Tools to Meet Pronunciation Teaching and Learning Goals
Authors: Yoshida Marla Tritch
Published: October 2024

For decades, researchers and teachers have suggested ways to apply technology in teaching and learning pronunciation, and there are many useful tools that can be used for this purpose. However, many teachers feel unsure about how to teach pronunciation at all, and the idea of using computers, mobile devices, or other technology may make pronunciation teaching seem doubly intimidating. If we look at technology from a different viewpoint, focusing first on the pedagogical tasks that teachers need to perform and then choosing the most effective tools to support each one, we can achieve better results for both teachers and learners. Based on both research and the classroom practice of experienced teachers, this article evaluates a range of available tools to accomplish tasks such as providing a pronunciation model, recording and responding to learners’ pronunciation practice, and offering independent practice. The focus is on tools that are readily available to most classroom teachers, practical to learn and use, and free or inexpensive.
Getting ER Into the Curriculum: No More Excuses!
Authors: Ewert Doreen
Published: October 2024

Extensive reading (ER) is a research and theory–supported approach for language and reading development in an additional language, yet its implementation is limited, particularly in English-dominant contexts. This article addresses many of the uncertainties and perceived obstacles to adding ER to a language curriculum. After reviewing relevant aspects of L2 learning in general, L2 reading more specifically, and the compelling results of recent research on ER itself, the author provides suggestions regarding the implementation of ER. These include addressing issues of the teacher’s role, ER materials, and assessment.
Examining International Students’ Motivation to Read in English From a Self-Determination Theory Perspective
Authors: Komiyama Reiko , McMorris Alessandra
Published: October 2024

Motivation is thought to contribute to better text comprehension (Grabe, 2009), but L2 reading motivation of adult ESL students in the US is an underexplored area of research. The current study adopted self-determination theory—the concepts of intrinsic motivation, identified regulation, and controlled motivation, in particular—to examine IEP students’ motivation to read in English. The study also explored the relationship between the students’ L2 reading motivation and classroom instruction. The survey results of the study indicate that these students’ motivation to read was characterized more strongly by two relatively autonomous forms of motivation (i.e., intrinsic motivation and identified regulation). The content of the reading and engaging in peer discussions stood out as the classroom experiences that affected the students’ motivation to read in English. Pedagogical implications based on the study outcomes include providing the students with opportunities to compare their L1 and L2 reading experiences.
Insights Into Student Listening From Paused Transcription
Authors: Sheppard Beth , Butler Brian
Published: October 2024

Listening comprehension is an essential and challenging skill for language learners, and listening instruction can also be a challenge for language instructors, since they have little access to the listening process inside students’ minds. Greater knowledge about what learners perceive when they listen could help language teachers better tailor their instruction to student needs. In this mixed-methods study, students at 2 proficiency levels participated in a listening test based on Field’s paused transcription method (2008a, 2008c, 2011). Results were analyzed quantitatively on the basis of student and text level, word class, and articulation rate. Transcription errors were analyzed qualitatively to identify patterns of mishearing. Paused transcription is recommended as a classroom activity to identify and raise awareness of student listening challenges.
Are They All Language Learners?: Educational Labeling and Raciolinguistic Identifying in a California Middle School Dual Language Program
Authors: Hernandez Sera J.
Published: October 2024

This manuscript draws from a 2-year multiple-case ethnography on the educational experiences of immigrant families with California middle schools. The article explores the influence of the political landscape and raciolinguistic ideologies surrounding the nature and implementation of a dual language bilingual program, and it shares ethnographic snapshots from both a school- and home-based perspective of (in)equity issues related to the program. Data sources include home and school observations, and interviews with students, parents, administrators, and teachers. Findings suggest that though all students are treated as language learners, educational-reform policies and practices may be undermining the school’s effort to implement an equitable bilingual program. Implications for practice include the interrogation of educational policies and practices that can further marginalize students across race and class in the process of becoming bilingual in the US.
The Creative Teacher: Learning From Psychology and Art Education to Develop Our Creative Processes in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
Authors: Schoff Susannah
Published: October 2024

This article explores the teaching of English to speakers of other languages as an art, and as such, how teachers can engage in the creative process to develop their own teaching and encourage students to gain more meaningful and effective language skills. Drawing on the work of psychologists, art educators, and creative pedagogy, the writer details four stages in the creative process (Wallas, 1926/2014) and eight habits (Hetland, Winner, Veenema, & Sheridan, 2013) to practice within those stages to help all teachers identify, evaluate, and develop their creativity. A grammar lesson from the writer’s work as an ESL instructor in reading/writing for graduate students in art and design is used to exemplify how we can all become more creative and successful facilitators of language learning.
Understanding Culturally Influenced Approaches to Creativity in an English for Art Purposes Program
Authors: Connors Anne , Gardner Jessica , Angeles Marifel , Payne Allison
Published: October 2024

“To lead, one must follow.” Lao-Tzu’s quote embodies the belief that many 1st-semester students at our institution hold regarding their approach to creativity. Whether working on an essay or an art project, many have a tendency to imitate a more skilled person’s work as a way of learning, improving, and building confidence. Conversely, it is not uncommon for their instructors to push them to generate original ideas and think outside of the box. These conflicting approaches and other opposing cultural tendencies can lead to a host of challenges for both instructors and our student artists, especially students from Confucian heritage cultures. This article shares observations of these challenges and suggestions for addressing them.
Processing Academic Language Through Four Corners Vocabulary Chart Applications
Authors: Smith Sarah , Sanchez Claudia , Betty Sharon , Davis Shiloh
Published: October 2024

4 Corners Vocabulary Charts (FCVCs) are explored as a multipurpose vehicle for processing academic language in a 5th-grade classroom. FCVCs typically display a vocabulary word, an illustration of the word, synonyms associated with the word, a sentence using a given vocabulary word, and a definition of the term in students’ words. The use of personal dictionary entries in the form of FCVCs created on 3-by-5–inch index cards allowed for the implementation of 4 key classroom activities—namely, a “fill in the square” review activity and 3 games: Heads Up, a modified version of Connect 4, and Bingo. FCVCs are identified as optimal tools for the instruction of English learners because of the high level of vocabulary processing required for their creation and their functionality as key elements of engaging vocabulary games.
Beyond First-Year Composition: Academic English Instructional Support for International Transfer Students
Authors: Frodesen Jan
Published: October 2024

While many US colleges and universities offer specialized writing courses for multilingual students entering as freshmen, including international students, there is typically little instructional support for the academic English needs of international transfer students. This article describes the development and implementation of a writing course at a four-year university intended for upper-division multilingual transfer students, with focus on international students. Starting with the proposal stage, it summarizes consultations with administrators and faculty to procure funding, identify a target population, and seek input for defining course objectives. Description of course implementation includes syllabi, student profiles, and student feedback from course evaluations and writing portfolio introductions on the most helpful and most challenging aspects of the course. Student feedback offers suggestions for writing instruction in lower-division courses. In conclusion, this article recommends further development of specialized writing courses for upper-division international multilingual writers.
International Students at the University of California: The Impact on Writing Center Practice
Authors: Cross Sue , Holten Christine , Picciotto Madeleine , Ruble Kelley
Published: October 2024

The dramatically increasing number of international students at University of California (UC) campuses has had a marked effect on its campus writing centers, causing a reconsideration of personnel, pedagogy, training, services, and cross-campus partnerships. In this article, writing center administrators and staff at 3 UC campuses—UC Irvine, UCLA, and UC San Diego—discuss the challenges they are encountering and the possibilities that are emerging as they pursue their mission to serve all undergraduate student writers.
Beyond “Empty Verbalism”: How Teacher Candidates Benefit From Blogging About a Tutoring Practicum
Authors: Howard Kathryn
Published: October 2024

TESOL programs and courses around the world are increasingly offered partly or wholly online. Online instruction offers both new affordances and distinct challenges for effective instruction, particularly when it comes to supervising fieldwork. This article compares 2 distinct online formats for student reflections on their tutoring experiences in the practicum component of a course on teaching second language reading. In particular, the article examines how 2 different reflection formats afforded qualitatively distinct student reflections on how they modified their understandings of learning, learners, teaching, and the contexts of learning through (a) interacting with their tutee, (b) implementing new instructional practices, and (c) interacting with their peers about their tutorial. Findings are discussed in terms of the affordances and challenges provided by distinct ways of configuring the online reflection for these field experiences, comparing student work in blogs, discussion boards, and reports submitted individually to the instructor.
The Evolution of a Practicum: Movement Toward a Capstone
Authors: Avineri Netta , Martel Jason
Published: October 2024

In this reflective piece, we discuss changes made to the practicum at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS), a professional graduate school that offers MA degrees in TESOL and TFL. We begin by providing a historical perspective of the practicum as it has evolved in relation to other exit mechanisms. Then, we provide a rationale for moving toward a Dual Capstone Model, in which the former practicum was elevated to capstone status. Finally, we reflect upon the new Practicum Capstone in relation to ongoing issues of washback, rubrics, and feedback, providing our particular disciplinary perspectives on these aspects. Throughout the piece, we highlight how teacher identity can be fostered through a balanced approach to both structure and agency. This discussion of practicum- and program-level changes highlights the importance of responsiveness to evolving student needs through thoughtful deliberation about curricular changes over time.
Benefits and Challenges of Supervising an International Practicum
Authors: Gilliland Betsy
Published: October 2024

In this reflective essay, I share my experiences as a US-based professor leading graduate students on a 2-month teaching practicum in northern Thailand. I describe the process of arranging the practicum in coordination with the host university and the challenges of teaching 2 teacher-education courses while also mentoring novice teachers and addressing cross-cultural issues. I discovered that leading a practicum in an international context required me to play multiple roles—as supervisor, professor, and personal mentor. The teachers encountered challenges but also experienced empowerment working in a foreign language context; they wrestled with cultural issues such as negotiating among their expectations as teachers, the university’s demands, and my requirements from them as students. The international practicum setting means that teachers need to develop an understanding of a new culture and how they fit personally into that culture. Being far from home requires everyone—teachers and supervisors—to form a new community supporting each other and to redraw previously established professor-student boundaries.
Discovering Aspects of Teacher Identity Through Volunteering in the Noncredit ESL Classroom
Authors: Jurkunas Lina
Published: October 2024

As many scholars in the field of TESOL (Danielewicz, 2001; Harlow & Cobb, 2014; Kanno & Stuart, 2011) point out, the development of teacher identity is an ongoing, multifaceted process. Thus, quite frequently, novice teachers feel as though they take on a role when they are in the classroom, as opposed to fully embodying an identity of a teacher. This article chronicles my experience as a MA TESOL student at San Francisco State University (SFSU) during my participation in a volunteer organization called Project SHINE (Students Helping in the Naturalization of Elders). Project SHINE places student volunteers in ESL classrooms in the local community college and provides the opportunity for novice teachers to gain valuable classroom experience, to engage with professionals in the field, and to work closely with ESL students. Project SHINE has served as a practicum experience during my 1st year as a MA TESOL student and has become an integral part of my growth as a teacher. Through volunteering in the ESL classroom, I have had the opportunity to make discoveries about aspects of my personality that contribute to my identity as an emerging professional in the TESOL field.
Analyzing the Role of Visual Cues in Developing Prediction-Making Skills of Third- and Ninth-Grade English Language Learners
Authors: Campbell Emily , Cuba Melissa
Published: October 2024

The goal of this action research is to increase student awareness of context clues, with an emphasis on student use of visual cues in making predictions. Visual cues in the classroom were used to differentiate according to the needs of student demographics (Herrera, Perez, & Escamilla, 2010). The purpose of this intervention was to improve students’ prediction-making skills as well as to ensure active reading and thinking skills. The research team focused on the research question: What is the relationship between the use of visual cues and predicting skills as a readingcomprehension strategy for 3rd- and 9th- grade English language learners (ELLs)? Our team conducted research in 2 schools, focusing on 1 group of elementary school students and 1 group of high school students. Data collection occurred for approximately 6 weeks in each school. Triangulation of data sources was used to attain a more cohesive understanding of how visual cues relate to students’ ability to make predictions during reading
Bridging the Gaps: Multimodal Theme-Sets in the Global Composition Classroom
Authors: Ruefman Daniel
Published: October 2024

As international student enrollment increases on college campuses across the US, the landscape of the composition classroom is among the first to observe the shift in the student demographic. Though some international students benefit from developmental English and ESL initiatives, most will eventually experience the mainstream writing classroom. With inclusion, the linguistic divides between international students, native speakers, and course texts are exacerbated, and it is on the instructor to find ways to provide universal access to course material and engage students in an equitable manner. This pilot study examines the viability of multimodal theme-sets as a means of bridging the literacy and cultural divides that often subjugate international students within the mainstream composition classroom. This quasi-experimental study examines 2 linguistically diverse, mainstream writing classrooms with significant L2 international student enrollment to identify how multimodal theme-sets can more effectively engage students across existing cultural and literacy barriers.
Academic Language, English Language Learners, and Systemic Functional Linguistics: Connecting Theory and Practice in Teacher Education
Authors: Schulze Joshua
Published: October 2024

Teacher educators need linguistic tools to help preservice teachers develop a deeper understanding of the academic language demands of the literacy practices required by the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Systemic functional linguistics (SFL) serves as a tool for developing teachers’ knowledge of contentarea language. Teachers’ increased knowledge of language facilitates the construction of language-focused instruction to support the academic literacy development of English language learners. I introduce SFL theory and illustrate how I put the theory into practice to support the literacy development of beginning-level English language learners in a middle school classroom. I include recommendations for teachers and teacher educators regarding how to embed the theory in classroom practice and teacher preparation.
Separated by a Common Language: Linguistic Relativity in a College Composition Course
Authors: Shapiro Rebecca
Published: October 2024

This article is a reflection on teaching British literature to multilingual/Generation 1.5 students in the US. By studying the literature and culture of England, undergraduates were better able to examine and write about the language and culture of the US. Students learned about variation among World Englishes, including variations in transgressive language and the rhetorical force of such language. Students thus gained a greater understanding of the ways sociolinguistic factors such as register affect social and academic life.
Introduction to the Theme Section - Graduate Student Development: Applying Interdisciplinary Expertise in the Classroom
Authors: Kercheval Erika
Published: October 2024

Many graduate students come from different careers, educational backgrounds, and areas of expertise. This theme invited students to share how they have implemented their passions and unique fields of knowledge into their TESOL teacher training and experience in creative, interesting ways.
Introducing English as an International Language in the Inner-Circle Classroom: Exploring World Englishes
Authors: Teixeira Annalisa , Pozzi Rebecca
Published: October 2024

With a background in the teaching of Spanish in the US and the teaching of English abroad, the authors had spent a great deal of time contemplating both linguistic diversity and the internationalization of college campuses. Considering that we found ourselves studying TESOL and had an opportunity to design our own English language course for international students in the Linguistics Department, we decided that tackling some of these issues as part of the course would be an intriguing challenge. Thus, using the knowledge we had gained through our international experiences, we organized a World Englishes course around the discussion of the concentric circles of English (Kachru, 1985), moving from inner-, to outer-, to expanding-circle Englishes with a focus on phonology, positioning, and the expansion of English. Throughout the course we aimed to explore student perceptions of the native-speaker model and inner-circle privilege by means of critical writing reflections, an exit questionnaire on English as an international language (EIL) opinions, and a pre- and posttest on accent recognition. With what we learned through teaching this course, we hope to inform and encourage EIL pedagogical design, specifically in inner-circle contexts in which the internationalization of English teaching has only recently taken hold
"I Wish That I Could Belong”: An Intercultural Play About Adapting to Life in the US - The Play: I Wish That I Could Belong
Authors: Gabay Lea
Published: October 2024

This article provides an in-depth analysis of a play that I wrote centering on 4 international students’ experiences studying and living in the US. It consists of 5 scenes, which delve into the topics of cultural differences, first impressions of the US, university systems, friendship, time and personal space, stereotyping and discrimination, and culture shock. Central to this article was highlighting the rationale behind this play and the reflective processes that were instrumental to creating the story line, script, and characters. Moreover, the objective of this play is to promote intercultural awareness through drama in order to strengthen students’ relationships with each other and to foster dialogue. By incorporating materials that focus on cross-cultural communication into curricula designed for English immersion programs, I hope that students will develop a greater understanding of and appreciation for cultural differences. A suggested lesson plan regarding ways of teaching the play is included in this article as a means of showing the stages that lead to a final performance performed by the students.
English for New Citizens: Contributions of a Learner-Centered Vocational ESL Framework
Authors: Arnold Lynnette
Published: October 2024

As immigration reform is on the table for the first time in two decades, proposals are being made involving a path to citizenship for the 12 million undocumented immigrants now in the country. This article suggests that, in addition to helping these immigrants meet the English-language requirement for citizenship, comprehensive immigration reform provides the field of TESOL with another opportunity to contribute to equality for the undocumented community by helping these new citizens obtain the language skills necessary for social and economic mobility. This article argues that vocational ESL, or VESL, is well suited for working with this population. A brief review of the history and underpinnings of VESL is followed by a more extended discussion of how VESL fits the specific characteristics and needs of these new citizens as language learners. The final section offers suggestions for expansion, advocating for close partnerships between VESL courses and students during all phases of the educational program. Learner-centered VESL for new immigrants constitutes adult education as a tool for social change, emphasizing the importance of social justice to the field of TESOL.
What Makes Critical Thinking Critical for Adult ESL Students
Authors: Miekley Joshua P.
Published: October 2024

Critical-thinking skills help to prepare adult education students for a successful transition to college degree programs and for job advancement. Yet fostering critical thinking poses a challenge to ESL instructors. Brookfield (2012) provides a way forward for adult educators when he explains that the crux of critical thinking is to discover one’s assumptions. The author describes how instructors can model uncovering their assumptions, thus creating a safer environment for students to engage in critical thinking. Three of Brookfield’s critical- thinking tasks—speaking in tongues, the critical incident questionnaire, and scenario analysis—implemented during an intermediate ESL writing course at a community college are explained. Students’ responses to these tasks are summarized and reflections on both the benefits and challenges of using critical-thinking tasks in ESL classes are described.
"There and Back Again” in the Writing Classroom: A Graduate Student’s Recursive Journey Through Pedagogical Research and Theory Development
Authors: Mori Miki
Published: October 2024

This article discusses my (recursive) process of theory building and the relationship between research, teaching, and theory development for graduate students. It shows how graduate students can reshape their conceptual frameworks not only through course work, but also through researching classes they teach. Specifically, while analyzing the intersection of modality, evidence, and argument in my students’ writing, I began to adopt Bakhtinian (1981) theory of dialogic voicing and appropriation as a framework through which to approach writing development. I examine the influences of curriculum, policy, citation, and plagiarism on student writing and conclude with discussing the changes in my teaching practices.
Curriculum Development 101: Lessons Learned From a Curriculum Design Project
Authors: Albilehi Reema , Han Ju Young , DeSmidt Heather
Published: October 2024

To better prepare themselves for authentic teaching situations, pre- and in-service teachers should become familiarized with the application of curriculum-development theory in their training programs. The authors will detail how they have become more prepared to face the challenges of course development by outlining their own experience designing a curriculum for an English for Art Purposes course for a leading art school. Being inexperienced teachers themselves and outsiders to curriculum design, the authors outline and share what they learned about creating materials, tasks, and assessment instruments that not only addressed the specific needs and interests of the students, which differ from those of other academic disciplines, but also fulfilled the educational objectives of the art institution itself. Involving preservice teachers in curriculum design will help them to internalize second language teaching theory and have a deeper connection to their own curricula. The authors believe that it is through this curriculum-development process that teachers can experience professional growth and empowerment.
Romanticizing Culture: The Role of Teachers’ Cultural Intelligence in Working With Diversity
Authors: Molina Sarina Chugani
Published: October 2024

As the world is becoming increasingly flat (Ang, Van Dyne, Koh, Templer, & Chandrasekar, 2007; Darling-Hammond, 2010; Friedman, 2005), the classroom has become a mirror that often reflects this phenomenon at a microcosmic level. As such, teacher-preparation programs are continuing to emphasize the importance of understanding and valuing student cultures to inform teaching practice. This study sought to examine how 10 in-service teachers in the San Diego area understand the role of culture in their daily work with their culturally and linguistically diverse students using the cultural intelligence framework (Earley & Ang, 2003). While the cultural intelligence framework provided some insight into how teachers understood certain aspects of culture in relation to their students, it also brought to light the complexity of defining and assessing cultural competence. In fact, teachers challenged the elevated emphasis on culture in the literature, and instead, highlighted additional competencies of value to them in this work.
Promoting Student Engagement During Integrative Lessons: A Model Classroom
Authors: Sturman Heather
Published: October 2024

Using integrative grammar- and vocabulary-related activities, the high school English language development (ELD) teacher in this qualitative case study engaged her students by involving them in their own education. Drawing on research addressing student engagement (Kelley, Lesaux, Kieffer, & Faller, 2010; Norton & Toohey, 2001; Ryan, 2008), I coded 25 hours of field notes for instances of engaged and noncompliant behavior during integrative activities over 6 months during the 2009-2010 school year. The focal teacher employed a mixed-methods approach, and I observed that engagement was high during activities that had students creatively manipulating new grammatical forms and vocabulary words in a variety of ways. My findings suggest that this teacher’s methods were generally successful in promoting the engagement of her high school ELD students.
Professional Development as a Novice Tutor: Navigating the Process Approach
Authors: Stranahan Sharon
Published: October 2024

The challenges of implementing the process approach in a real-life setting are explored through the eyes of a MA TESOL student. While working her 2nd semester as an individual tutor for a developmental writer, the author discovers unexpected interdependencies among tutor, student, classroom teacher, and curriculum designer. This article dissects that experience, reflecting on specific challenges to draw insight on the effectiveness of the process approach with L2 students and the pedagogical implications for a preservice teacher.
Professional Development as Academic Apprenticeship: Moving From Outsider to Voice of Authority
Authors: Fridriksson Heidi
Published: October 2024

Drawing on the author’s experience as both a graduate student and ESL practitioner, this article explores the process of taking on a voice of authority within a new discourse. The author reflects on her struggles with authorship in the professional discourse community of TESOL, and she uses these experiences to illuminate the struggles of her ESL students with authorship in the academic genre. It is suggested that for graduate students or ESL students to become authors in their target discourses, they must be able to use that language for authentic communication.
Marginalizing TESOL: Preservice Teacher Training in Arizona
Authors: Diniz de Figueiredo Eduardo H. , Hammill Matthew J. , Fredricks Daisy E.
Published: October 2024

This pilot study investigated the attitudes of preservice teachers at a major university in Arizona concerning the Structured English Immersion (SEI) program that is now being used with English language learners (ELLs). Using a survey, we examined how preservice teachers feel about potentially working with ELLs in this SEI context. We focused on their beliefs about language teaching and learning, including their perceived level of preparation to work with ELLs, their attitudes toward them, and the difficulties they anticipate in teaching ELLs in the future. The results show that preservice teachers lack some of the fundamental knowledge necessary to work with ELLs, and they highlight the importance of incorporating the insights of the larger TESOL field into K-12 teacher-training programs. We argue that K-12 teacher-training programs, especially in states with English-only policies, may be serving to marginalize the TESOL profession and the contributions it may provide to the education of ELLs.
Lost in Translation: Strategies Japanese Language Learners Use in Communicating Culturally Specific L1 Expressions in English
Authors: Inoue Noriyuki , Molina Sarina Chugani
Published: October 2024

Communicating in a second language could be seen as a process requiring the deconstruction and reconstruction of cultural meanings. If this is the case, how do second language (L2) learners express cultural meanings of their first language (L1) expressions that do not have semantically equivalent L2 expressions? Twenty-nine Japanese students learning English as a second language in the US were asked to translate Japanese cultural expressions that do not have equivalent English expressions. This study found that the students either (a) entirely eliminated the expression from the statement, (b) replaced the expression with an English expression commonly used in a similar context, but with a different meaning, or (c) literally translated the expression into an English expression that made little sense. The study suggests the importance of helping L2 learners develop this bicultural capability to convey rich cultural meanings of L1-specific expressions in L2-based communication.
Negotiation Strategies in Short-Term Two-Way Conversation Partnerships: Their Use and Usefulness
Authors: Poreba Janine
Published: October 2024

Past studies in language teaching have addressed the issue of whether the benefits of formal instruction outweigh those of naturalistic instruction, or vice versa.1 This study examined 1 aspect of naturalistic instruction closely: the conversation partnership. There were 3 conversation partnerships (English/Mandarin, English/Arabic, and English/Korean); each partner played the role of native speaker (NS) and nonnative speaker (NNS) of 1 language. An underlying idea of this study is that the repercussions of a relationship in which members are equal partners in language learning may extend beyond the relationship and into the community. These pairs were organized by the ESL Center at the Monterey Institute of International Studies (MIIS). Transcripts of 10-minute English parts of 6 conversations (2 from each partnership) were examined for uses of certain negotiation strategies, and the participants’ opinions regarding the usefulness of these strategies in learning English, Mandarin, Arabic or Korean were sought.
Teaching Research for Academic Purposes
Authors: Pashaie Billy
Published: October 2024

Teaching the ability to find, analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information is an important part of creating an environment in which ESL students feel empowered in the information age. However, a preliminary search of professional literature shows that there is a lack of research in information-literacy programs for ESL learners in higher education. This article seeks to create a framework for developing the information-literacy skills of college-level ESL students while at the same time teaching them the academic discourse and linguistic requirements they need to become lifelong learners, succeeding as college students and beyond. The author will propose a unit plan that can be used in its entirety in a content-based instruction (CBI) setting or that can be used in a modular manner within any given course. After the general unit plan is introduced, a more detailed lesson plan for 1 of the modules within the unit will follow.
Glue: A Technique for Eliminating Fragments and Run-Ons
Authors: Marshall Helaine W. , DeCapua Andrea
Published: October 2024

Many students who are nonnative speakers of English, yet highly proficient, are placed into basic writing or English as a Second Language courses when they enter college. While these students may have advanced oral English proficiency, their writing frequently suffers from a lack of training in academic writing and commonly contains fragments and run-ons, a frustrating sentence-level problem for these students. A review of current writing texts uncovered a general failure to treat these problems as a sentence-boundary issue. The approach taken here is that such students will be able to monitor their writing for incorrectly formed sentences if given a system designed to help them understand English sentence structure. The key concept is Glue, a term used for all clause markers. Working through exercises, in which they label the Glue and systematically identify fragments, run-ons, and complete sentences, students see a system emerging, which brings them to an understanding of English written conventions. Using Glue, the students gain control of their writing and are able to avoid fragments and run-ons.
Integrating the Task-Based Approach Into Content Curriculum
Authors: Kelch Ken , Yang Ju Yin
Published: October 2024

Content-based instruction (CBI) is a curricular option that enables second language learners to develop their language skills when the primary pedagogical focus is course content rather than linguistic analysis. In such a case, the course remains, ostensibly, a language class. But it is also possible to help students develop their language skills within the context of an academic subject–area course that they are already taking. This paper reports on a project to assist students in learning academic course content while at the same time engaging them in class activities that promote the development of their language skills. In a business English course taught in the San Diego Community College District, a task-based approach was implemented on a pilot basis as a means of providing international students with opportunities to acquire academic knowledge via a series of tasks designed to improve their target language skills. Such a task-based model allows students not only to meet their content-area needs but also to increase their second language proficiency through learner-centered, content-centered, and meaning-based instruction in a collaborative setting.
The Synergy of a Triune Curriculum: Balancing Skills, Tasks, and Content in an EAP Course
Authors: Shaw Peter , Leopold Lisa
Published: October 2024

This case study describes an effective approach for organizing the key elements of an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course: content, skills, and tasks. The suggested approach uses content as the syllabus framework, skills to format the units, and tasks as the building blocks of lessons. This triune approach is illustrated through the curriculum design for an EAP course for graduate students of Translation and Interpretation (T&I). The necessary catalogs of content, skills, and tasks are assembled by a combination of continuous needs assessment of the professional skills and the target learners, as derived from course evaluations, reference materials, and interviews with T&I faculty. The approach is exemplified by the syllabus outline and a sample unit plan, and implications are drawn for EAP course design in general.
Language Scaffolding in Second Language Writing
Authors: Liang John
Published: October 2024

This paper explores a kind of language instruction that facilitates student writers’ learning of grammar skills through providing a carefully constructed supportive framework—language scaffolding. To illustrate, a five-step pedagogy for scaffolded instruction is proposed, including contextual-awareness building, model analysis, controlled and guided practice, collaborative construction of text, and independent writing. The author argues that when student writers are provided with flexible, systematic language guidance throughout the writing process, they will gain increasing confidence and competence in exploiting grammar as a resource to construct meaning and exercising language choices beyond the sentence level appropriate to the purpose and function of the written discourse.
Service-Learning for Academic Literacy in Adult ESL Programs
Authors: Glicker Eric
Published: October 2024

Success in higher education requires a functional proficiency in academic literacy and the concomitant motivation to further develop one’s linguistic abilities. For underserved populations, service-learning may provide a conduit for increasing the matriculation of diverse communities at the college as well as university level. Studies of community literacy practices have traditionally focused on monolingual populations. Moreover, the notion of literacy as a tool for creating positive social change is certainly not a novel idea; however, as the higher education population becomes increasingly diverse, there is a pressing need for increased research on the interactions between the first and second languages in higher educational settings. The fundamental principle operative in this tutoring program is that projects are designed and implemented exclusively by adult education students in their second language. The secondary discourses that evolve from these activities become instrumental in facilitating vocational goals and proficiencies that are taught in academic course work at the college level. Finally, the motivation to become an active participant in service-learning projects derives from the ability to successfully employ second language literacy in social action.
Matching ESL and Content Classes for Successful Community College Service-Learning
Authors: Phipps Charmaine E.
Published: October 2024

This article outlines an ongoing collaborative service-learning project conducted at Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga, California. The project involves matching ESL students with sociology students for several interviews during one semester. The sociology students interview the ESL students to collect real-world data by which to examine sociological concepts. The ESL students practice their listening and speaking during these interviews and are exposed to American culture and difficult vocabulary. At the beginning of the semester both groups are apprehensive. The sociology students are uncomfortable with what they consider an atypical classroom activity and the ESL students are self-conscious about their speaking abilities. At the end of each semester, however, reflections have shown that the ESL students have increased confidence in their ability to communicate in English and the sociology students have an increased awareness of a variety of cultures. This project has proven to be beneficial to all participants.
Using Think Alouds to Identify and Teach Reading Comprehension Strategies
Authors: Pritchard Robert , O’Hara Susan
Published: October 2024

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness and feasibility of using think alouds to identify and teach reading comprehension strategies. Part 1 was an analysis of the think-aloud protocols of nonnative speakers of English successfully completing their junior year at a university who, on the basis of test scores and professor judgment, had been identified as proficient readers. The analysis identified the strategies these students used when reading course materials. Part 2 was a teaching experiment in which think alouds were used to teach strategies identified in Part 1 to intermediate-level students enrolled in an intensive English program at the same university. This part of the study investigated whether the instructional procedure resulted in acquisition of the target strategies and comprehension of a reading passage. Results indicate that think alouds were an effective means of identifying reading strategies and may be a useful technique for helping nonnative speakers of English learn and apply reading strategies.
Searching for Culturally Responsive Books to Share With K-8 Students: A Teacher’s Guide
Authors: Amber Valerie , Gibbons Tom
Published: October 2024

The American educational curriculum has historically lacked images of diversity and differing worldviews. Although progress has been slow in changing this fact, multicultural books for K-8 students are more widely available than in the past several decades. Authors, illustrators, publishers, and educators are more committed to providing a large collection of culturally responsive resources. Nevertheless, teachers are responsible for choosing high-quality books to share with their students. This process requires carefully evaluating each work. Just because a book is approved by the district, a gift from a publisher, or the result of funding from a large corporation, it isn’t necessarily an appropriate choice for students. In this article two teachers model the process of choosing high-quality culturally responsive books for students, using a comprehensive list of guidelines to critically examine both text and illustrations.