bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancing International Graduate Students' Written and Oral Communication: A Discussion of Their Perceived Needs and Pedagogical Recommendations
Authors: Butler Brenna M. , Morrow Jennifer Ann , Soblo Hannah I. , Benson Kirsten F.
Published: October 2024

Competency in written and oral communication is viewed as important for graduate students to be competitive in academic and non-academic careers; however, writing and speaking support provided by graduate institutions is often limited. International graduate students (IGSs) in particular face challenges in disciplinary communication and research collaboration. To investigate the challenges IGSs face and inform pedagogical changes, a needs assessment was conducted at a large U.S. public institution. An anonymous online survey designed to measure IGSs' perceptions of their current written and oral communication abilities, needs, and behaviors revealed that activities involving partnership with faculty or peers, such as grant writing, were particularly challenging to IGSs. We argue that collaboration with other graduate students and faculty plays a key role in advancing the skill sets of IGSs, and we provide several suggestions to graduate instructors and program coordinators on how to encourage IGSs' participation in such activities.
Utilizing Diverse Instructional Approaches; Designing Activities that Resonate with ELLs
Authors: Donald Kara Mac , McCaw Tatiana , Scheibner Annette
Published: October 2024

ELLs need to engage with topics and situations in the classroom that equip them with the social, professional and civic cultural skills to address real-life interactions for their present realities, as well as their future realities (American, 2009, Garett, 2005; Perez & Morrison, 2016). Teachers face the challenge of balancing conventional textbooks and curriculum, which are fixed and often limited to customary topics, not fully addressing the dynamic and changing realities of ELLs. This article describes how a post-methods teaching approach (Kumaravadivelu, 1994; Masouleh, 2012), which represents a self-designed flexible and pragmatic alternative to strict adherence to a singular method, can be tailored to ELLs’ needs and commonly-encountered relevant contexts to connect learning to real-life experiences. The discussion highlights the value of a multi-method approach, falling under the umbrella of Situated Learning, to provide real-life scenarios within which students can complete tasks, engage in projects, and/or study and learn from relevant content-based material. In doing so, ELLs’ language proficiency, as well as their world-readiness, are effectively developed.
Can Theory Meet Practice in Online Master’s TESOL Programs? Reflections from Program Graduates
Authors: Ates Burcu , Kim Soonhyang , Uzum Baburhan
Published: October 2024

The emergence and development of online M.A./M.Ed. in TESOL programs has created new possibilities for language teachers around the world to become part of a learning community that may not have been previously available to them. Online education means anywhere/anytime learning, continued employment and continued residence. Yet, online learning has brought challenges as much as celebrations; one being fear of disconnect between theory and practice. In this paper, through qualitative study, the authors address this concern by sharing the experiences and reflections of 22 teachers who completed a fully online TESOL master's degree program at a university in the South Central United States. Their voices specifically reflect the connect or disconnect of theory and practice in their online courses in one particular M.Ed. TESOL program. Overall, the voices of the students reaffirm that a strong connection of theory and practice is in fact possible in a virtual learning environment.
Growing Emerging Researchers in a TESOL Teacher Education Program: Implications for Feedback Practice
Authors: Molina Sarina
Published: October 2024

As teacher educators (TEs), we have a unique and remarkable opportunity to mentor the next generation of teachers. Over the years, our teacher candidates (TCs) have reported a sense of cognitive and affective dissonance while engaging in their culminating master's research requirement as part of a research seminar course. Cognitively, this research study requires knowledge-generation quite different from research they engaged in throughout the program, where they would synthesize and analyze published work in response to a prompt. This knowledge-generation process would often result in challenging previously held assumptions regarding the topic of inquiry through an analysis of authentic data gathered in the field. Many also experience affective dissonance when beliefs about their sense of self as emerging practitioner-researchers are questioned. Some research has examined ways in which to provide deliberate feedback thatattunes not only to the TCs' cognitive and affective dimensions but also to where they can be moved in terms of the outer limits of their learning potential. This study examines how the lenses of socio-cultural and constructive-developmental theories can complement TEs in supporting their TCs in navigating the complex task of teacher research and proposes a framework for feedback practice grounded in a person-centered approach that accounts for TC developmental potentialities.
Developing English Prosody Using Technology
Authors: Liu Carla , Betten Renae
Published: October 2024

Pronunciation is challenging for many international students, but particularly important for those going onto college and university level studies where they need to do professional presentations. According to the Institute of International Education [IIE] (2020), California hosted 160,592 students in 2019/2020, and is one of the top destinations for internationals seeking education in the U.S. (IIE, 2020). Given the large number of international students entering California universities each year, viable methods of teaching pronunciation are essential. The authors of this paper undertook a pilot study focused on improving the comprehensibility of English learner pronunciation via raising awareness of underlying prosodic nuances of English. Seven international student participants took part in the study. The authors relied on a noticing-reformulation technique to raise the participants' awareness to prosodic features (Smith & Beckman, 2005). Audacity 2.1.2 (Audacity Team, 2020) and WASP 1.54 (Huckvale, 2013) were also utilized for audiovisual feedback. To collect data, the authors used a pretest-treatment-posttest methodology. Two non-expert raters conducted a blind analysis of the pretest and posttest impromptu speeches. Additional data was collected from the observations of the classroom teacher. The student participants also provided data by responding to a questionnaire and then elaborating on their responses in a subsequent focus group. The results of the study showed some notable results related to intonation. Furthermore, the participants themselves greatly valued the training on thought groups because it gave them an understanding of how to use slight pausing and intonation to chunk thoughts at natural "phrasal breaks" (Celce-Murcia, Brinton, & Goodwin, 2010). This process helped them to regulate the speed and flow of their speech. The positive reactions of the participants encouraged the classroom teacher to continue using the approach for subsequent classes.
Teaching L2 English with TED Talks: A Pedagogical Approach to Corpus Linguistics and Its Application to L2 Discourse
Authors: Evans Jennifer
Published: October 2024

Increased trade, commerce and business transactions at the international level are placing a substantial demand upon working professionals and college students who must learn English, the lingua franca of international business, in order to thrive in a competitive global workplace. Learning English as a second language (L2) can be a daunting task for many reasons. For instance, how does a student or teacher really know which words or phrases are the most practical to focus upon when learning or teaching? With expanding technology and tech tools (e.g., computer software, apps, etc.) widely available, more modern approaches to learning authentic discourse can increasingly be developed. Lexical chunks, or bundles, i.e., the building blocks of oral discourse, may be analyzed via corpus concordance software and serve as a useful pedagogical tool for teachers and a practical learning tool for students in the L2 classroom. Anyone today can access online corpora, making it an easy resource for L2 teachers and learners to utilize. Teachers may draw content that is suitable for the unique needs of their class, and students can form novel and autonomous linguistic conclusions instead of being spoon fed fixed textbook content. Geared towards L2 educators, this paper more specifically illustrates how corpus-based tools can be utilized to augment second language learning, helping L2 college students achieve communicative competence in their academic and professional lives.
Academic Prereading Activity Menus to Support International ESL Students in Higher Education
Authors: Maunsell Matthias
Published: October 2024

Academic reading at college and university poses a real challenge for international students with English as a second language. Often the main hurdles are a lack of language proficiency, critical-reading skills, or background knowledge. Also, unfamiliarity with cultural and academic conventions plays a role. Even with intensive English-language training, reading success remains elusive without the support and participation of faculty, especially at the critical prereading stage. This article examines the obstacles that negatively affect student reading and elaborates on the importance of faculty intervention by incorporating effective prereading strategies in their classrooms. Specifically, 3 activity menus are provided that contain a selection of strategies to help with activating prior knowledge, analyzing text features, and developing vocabulary
How (Not) to Teach Vocabulary
Authors: Dronjic Vedran
Published: October 2024

Teachers of English as a second or foreign language often state that they lack an understanding of how to teach vocabulary in a principled, evidence-based way sensitive to students’ needs. Vocabulary teaching is typically unsystematic, not adequately supported by curricula and teaching materials, and shaped by beliefs based in opinion or myth. A large amount of research on L2 vocabulary learning and processing is now available, and most of this work is on English vocabulary. The present article synthesizes this body of knowledge to achieve the following: (a) establish how many words learners need to know for different purposes; (b) discuss the scientific evidence for commonly held beliefs about vocabulary teaching; (c) recommend sound, research-informed teaching practices; and (d) refer the audience to a range of freely available high-quality tools that can facilitate lexical instruction in English.
Keeping Language in Mind: An Exploratory Study of English Learners’ Performance on Three Language and Literacy Assessments
Authors: Keh Melissa Latham
Published: October 2024

Assessing English learners (ELs) in US schools is challenging because many widely used assessments have not been designed with ELs in mind. Yet if teachers are sensitive to how ELs may perform differently from native speakers on such assessments, these assessments reveal useful information about ELs’ language and literacy skills. This mixedmethod study compared adolescent ELs’ performance on the Qualitative Reading Inventory-5 (QRI-5), Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-4 (PPVT-4), and Words Their Way Elementary Spelling Inventory (ESI) to existing data from English-proficient examinees’ performance to explore how ELs’ performance may differ. The observed differences suggest that linguistic aspects of the QRI-5, PPVT-4, and ESI, including syntax, phonology, orthography, and especially vocabulary, played a role in ELs’ performance and indicate that ELs may benefit from linguistic modification or first-language support during test administration. The process used in this analysis also demonstrates how teachers can examine test data alongside test scores as they interpret ELs’ results.
Leaps of Faith: Cuyamaca College’s ESL “BOOST Program”.
Authors: Colls Guillermo R.
Published: October 2024

This article recounts some of the motivations, hurdles, and successes the Cuyamaca ESL Department in San Diego encountered while transforming its curriculum to an accelerated model. The college discovered that the new program, while challenging, increased the success and rate of passing among its language learners and improved the quality of their writing in ways even the implementers did not expect. The concerns, philosophy, and results behind Cuyamaca’s move away from traditional ESL classes are examined.
Understanding US Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions of International Teaching Assistants
Authors: Khan Asma A. , Mallette Marla
Published: October 2024

The purpose of this mixed-method study was to better understand undergraduate students’ perceptions of international teaching assistants (ITAs) at a major research institution. Data collected through surveying a sample of 436 undergraduate students from different colleges and at different class levels were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. Undergraduate students’ perceptions of ITAs were derived through qualitative analysis of the open-ended survey data, which resulted in themes both established in previous research (e.g., language) and original ideas. For example, one perception identified was the connection of language to pedagogic difficulties, while another perception focused on the interactive construct of communication. Further, students who indicated that they did not have problems with ITAs were less likely to articulate perceptions that were relational, whereas students who did report having a problem with ITAs articulated perceptions that involved an interaction (communication and language as a barrier interfering with pedagogic performance of ITAs).
Supporting Community Leadership Development Through ESL Classes: A Changemaking Initiative
Authors: Alexandrowicz Viviana Alexandrowicz , Andres Aureen , Danaher Carli , Valdivia Paz
Published: October 2024

This article describes the process of teaching English as a second language to members of an underprivileged local community. This initiative was developed as a result of a collaboration between a community center and a university. Three 1st-year TESOL master’s candidates volunteered to design and teach curriculum to immigrant community members on a weekly basis to meet their needs in ESL and in areas such as health, education, community, housing, leadership, and autonomy. The class consisted of Spanish- and Vietnamese-speaking senior citizens who were community leaders, and who needed the language, skills, and knowledge to be more effective in their leadership roles. A key goal was to create empowerment opportunities for these students to become changemakers and to advocate for themselves, their families, and their communities. In addition to improving their English, student outcomes included finding their voices in their 2nd language through discussions and through oral and written work, developing a sense of unity among class members, and gaining confidence to take action for the common good.
Beyond Teaching English: Embracing a Holistic Approach to Supporting English Learner Students and Their Families
Authors: Giboney Wall Carrie R. , Musetti Bernadette B.
Published: October 2024

This study describes the ways 1 elementary school is attempting to address the needs of its English learner students and their families, the majority of whom are Latinx, through a multipronged approach that includes targeted academic instruction, the adoption of schoolwide values and behavioral expectations, a significant family-community outreach program, and teacher professional development in traumasensitive schooling and instruction. The authors share analyses and findings from data gathered through classroom and school event observations, separate focus groups of students and parents, interviews with key stakeholders, questionnaires from school personnel and parents, and publicly available school-level data. Implications for educators are shared with the goal of creating spaces and contexts where English learner students and their families succeed and indeed thrive.
Is Listening All About One’s Own Effort? A Comparison Study
Authors: Yang Fang-Ying , Hung Ching-Ling
Published: October 2024

Sharing the same theoretical basis of extensive reading, extensive listening refers to learner exposure to a great deal of comprehensible spoken input. While the effectiveness of extensive reading has been widely acknowledged in many countries, empirical support of extensive listening is limited. This small-scale study adopted a mixed-method approach to compare the effects of teacher-guided listening instruction and extensive listening on EFL learners’ listening comprehension and vocabulary acquisition. Twenty-six EFL adult learners were divided into 2 groups. One group received teacher-guided listening instruction (n =14), whereas the other practiced extensive listening (n = 12). All participants were tested on listening comprehension and vocabulary knowledge before, immediately after, and 3 months after the training period; 4 of them were interviewed after the training. The quantitative findings suggested that both approaches are effective in enhancing EFL learners’ listening comprehension and vocabulary acquisition. The interview data revealed that teacher-guided listening instruction is helpful but needs to be complemented by extensive individual listening practice. Based on the results, a new pedagogical model, which blends teacherguided instruction and extensive listening practice, is proposed, and specific modifications tailored for ESL students are discussed.
Creating Buy-In: Integrating IEP Core Curricula and TOEFL Prep
Authors: Ahern Jeri , Litt Eve Nora
Published: October 2024

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is the standard in the college admissions process, leading to the inclusion of preparation classes in Intensive English Program (IEP) curricula. But does preparing for the TOEFL in isolation yield optimal results for IEP college hopefuls? In this article, we will share information about the structure of the test as well as skills needed to perform successfully. In addition, we will offer teaching strategies and activities that we have found useful in increasing student buy-in, strengthening their test-taking abilities, and building their skills in order to increase their test scores. We believe that if we can better connect what we are teaching in our other intensive English classes to skills assessed on the TOEFL, it could lead to decreased resistance to particular activities.
Pronunciation—Research Into Practice and Practice Into Research
Authors: Levis John M. , Wu Ana
Published: October 2024

The field of second language (L2) pronunciation is attracting researchers with many interests, as well as the teachers who have always been interested in the field. Evidence is growing that pronunciation teaching is successful at promoting greater intelligibility, and that pronunciation learning is not strongly constrained by the age at which learning takes place. The importance of pronunciation in current approaches to language means that L2 pronunciation has a strong teaching-research connection, in which teaching practices are influenced by research, and research agendas are explicitly influenced by practical questions. This growing interest is visible in the field’s dedicated conferences, in growing numbers of scholarly books, and in increasing kinds of other scholarly and pedagogically oriented publications. This article suggests that the interface of research and practice with pronunciation learning is seen in attention to 6 areas: teachers, learners, pronunciation features, teaching and learning contexts, pronunciation materials, and types of pedagogical practices.
Powerful and Effective Pronunciation Instruction: How Can We Achieve It?
Authors: Darcy Isabelle
Published: October 2024

Pronunciation instruction is still underemphasized in many language programs as well as in teacher-training curricula despite reports of significant improvement from many studies. Three factors may account for this resistance and for the difficulty of making pronunciation instruction an integral part of language teaching: the time obstacle, the methodology obstacle, and the curricular obstacle. I will outline why these obstacles have emerged, and suggest specific solutions to work around them, with the goal of achieving powerful pronunciation practices in the classroom. The approach taken draws on psycholinguistic research about the mechanisms of phonological acquisition in second language (L2) learners (in both in-class and out-of-class learning contexts).
An Advantage for Age? Self-Concept and Self-Regulation as Teachable Foundations in Second Language Accent
Authors: Moyer Alene
Published: October 2024

Age of onset has long been assumed to predict outcomes in second/foreign language accent. Yet beyond early childhood, acquiring a new accent has much to do with social-affective factors such as learner identity and motivation, as well as cognitive factors such as learning strategies (Pfenninger, 2017). Newer perspectives acknowledge this complexity, emphasizing learner experience and orientation instead. This article contextualizes the age factor and prioritizes self-concept, given that those with a strong affinity to the target language and culture end up sounding more authentic, that is, closer-to-native, than those with a more conflicted sense of second language (L2) self (see Moyer, 2004). Given the connections between self-concept and self-regulated learning, age actually confers two benefits: self-awareness and metalinguistic knowledge, which can be channeled into strategies such as goal setting and self-evaluation. Pedagogical strategies can facilitate the development of a strong L2 self-concept as well as an appreciation for the importance of accent in the target language.
Teaching High-Value Pronunciation Features: Contrastive Stress for Intermediate Learners
Authors: Levis John M. , Levis Greta Muller
Published: October 2024

Pronunciation features are not equal in how they affect listeners’ability to understand. Some are low value, while others are high value. This study explores whether contrastive stress is high value. Previous research has shown that identification of contrastive stress is learnable (Pennington & Ellis, 2000), and that explicit teaching about contrastive stress patterns can improve production for advanced learners (Hahn, 2002; Muller Levis & Levis, 2012). To test whether instruction on contrastive stress improved comprehensibility and fluency in spontaneous speech, we developed a 3 week class for intermediate ESL learners, whose preand posttest productions were rated by native listeners. Ratings for fluency showed no improvement. Ratings for comprehensibility significantly improved for the experimental group while control participants showed no improvement. Improvement resulted both from better contrastive stress and greater comfort with producing grammatical frames to express the contrasts. The article concludes by discussing the importance of high-value pronunciation features for improved comprehensibility.
Word Stress and Pronunciation Teaching in English as a Lingua Franca Contexts
Authors: Lewis Christine , Deterding David
Published: October 2024

Traditionally, pronunciation was taught by reference to nativespeaker models. However, as speakers around the world increasingly interact in English as a lingua franca (ELF) contexts, there is less focus on native-speaker targets, and there is wide acceptance that achieving intelligibility is crucial while mimicking nativespeaker pronunciation is not important. However, if there is no clear model to refer to, how do we give guidance to students about how to improve their pronunciation, and how do we determine what needs to be fixed in order to enhance intelligibility? This article considers teaching pronunciation in ELF contexts, making reference to a corpus of interactions recorded in Brunei involving 41 speakers from various countries in Southeast Asia, particularly focusing on stress patterns, to see what impact variant stress has on intelligibility. It is found that there is some evidence that word stress may contribute to misunderstandings occurring in ELF interactions.
Using a Study Circle Model to Improve Teacher Confidence and Proficiency in Delivering Pronunciation Instruction in the Classroom
Authors: Echelberger Andrea , McCurdy Suzanne Gilchrist , Parrish Betsy
Published: October 2024

Adult English language learners are hungry for pronunciation instruction that helps them to “crack the code” of speaking intelligible English (Derwing, 2003). Research indicates benefits of pronunciation instruction with adult learners, yet many teachers believe they lack the knowledge and background to make sound instructional decisions (Baker, 2014). This article looks at a professionaldevelopment initiative in which 12 practicing adult English language teachers participated in a 5-week study circle on researchinformed, integrated pronunciation instruction. The study circle included readings on current research, workshops on teaching strategies and techniques, speech-sample analyses, classroom implementation tasks, and peer observations. Throughout the process, data were gathered including pre- and post-surveys, speechanalysis logs, and a delayed focus group session to evaluate the impact of participation on teaching practices. Findings indicate an increased ability to diagnose and accurately describe pronunciation issues, integrate pronunciation instruction into the existing curriculum and classroom routines, and apply research-informed practices within the classroom.
Reconsidering Assumptions of Beginner Teachers’ Needs: An Examination of Commonly Used Pronunciation Textbooks
Authors: Zimmerman Erin
Published: October 2024

Novice teachers often look to textbooks and teacher’s manuals for guidance when preparing courses, learning course content, and delivering instruction to students. In the field of pronunciation, however, materials creators face an unusual difficulty when designing resources because beginner teachers often are not truly novices: They might have limited experience teaching pronunciation content but be experienced teachers in other language fields, such as writing, reading, or ESL. This article examines 8 pronunciation texts (5 textbooks and 3 corresponding teacher’s manuals) to discover what guidance is offered to teachers. In particular, the researcher, a writing instructor who recently tutored pronunciation, offers insights into an analysis of this support for different types of beginner teachers—novice, advanced beginner, and competent. The findings include recommendations for authors and publishers of such materials as well as for program directors and teachers to enhance and ensure the usefulness of these resources for all instructors.
Pronunciation Tutorials: Not Only Sounds, But Also Awareness of Self and Context
Authors: Macdonald Shem
Published: October 2024

An exploration of pronunciation tutorials designed for speakers of English as an additional language (EAL) in a university context in Australia suggests that developing abilities to speak clearly involves more than just focusing on the sounds that are uttered. Students’ comments and observations collected during pronunciation tutorials highlight factors that are important for understanding how these speakers successfully manage their spoken interactions. This article reports on what these students say about their experiences and strategies for communicating clearly and effectively at university and while in their professional placements. Implications for the ways that pronunciation tutorials are run include the need to focus not only on the sounds that the speakers make, but also to provide opportunities for them to develop awareness of themselves as speakers and to develop their understanding of the speaking contexts and the associated pragmatic language skills that are required for becoming clearer and more confident speakers.
How Well Can We Predict Second Language Learners’ Pronunciation Difficulties?
Authors: Munro Murray J.
Published: October 2024

Mid-20th–century scholars argued that second language (L2) instruction should be rooted in a comparison of the structural characteristics of the first language (L1) and L2. Their enthusiasm for a “scientific” approach to errors reflected the view, based on the contrastive analysis hypothesis (CAH), that learners’ difficulties could be predicted through purely linguistic analyses. Pronunciation seemed particularly amenable to this treatment. If teachers knew their learners’ problems in advance, they could presumably design curricula and activities to address their students’ needs. Although it soon became clear that many aspects of CAH were seriously flawed, interest in a linguistic account of L2 pronunciation difficulties has persisted. This synthesis of empirical findings from pronunciation research demonstrates that the enthusiasm for error prediction has been misguided, largely because of 2 erroneous beliefs: the assumption of uniformity and the assumption of equal gravity. The need for an alternative perspective promoting evidence-based teaching practices is demonstrated.
Adult Hispanic ESL Students and Graded Readers
Authors: Martinez Liza E.
Published: October 2024

This study examined the extent to which graded readers vis-à-vis scaffolded silent reading (ScSR) resulted in increased vocabulary, reading comprehension, and a positive attitude toward reading. A mixed-methods study was administered to two upper-intermediate adult ESL classes at a community college in southwestern Arizona. Both groups took The Vocabulary Size Test and TABE Complete Language Assessment System–English. The treatment group selected and read graded readers, met individually with the instructor, and kept a journal; in addition, several students from the treatment group were interviewed at the beginning and end of the study. Descriptive statistics were used on the pre- and posttests. The findings were promising and showed some growth in vocabulary and reading comprehension for both the treatment and control groups. Furthermore, participants of the treatment group expressed a positive attitude toward reading graded readers through scaffolded silent reading. As a result, this study demonstrated that graded readers used with scaffolded silent reading show promise with this student population.
Verb Errors of Bilingual and Monolingual Basic Writers
Authors: Griswold Olga
Published: October 2024

This study analyzed the grammatical control of verbs exercised by 145 monolingual English and Generation 1.5 bilingual developmental writers in narrative essays using quantitative and qualitative methods. Generation 1.5 students made more errors than their monolingual peers in each category investigated, albeit in only 2 categories was the difference statistically significant. Yet the overall effect was cumulative: The total number of verb errors in the essays of bilinguals was statistically larger than that in the essays of monolinguals. Both monolingual and bilingual writers inappropriately transferred the features of spoken English into the written medium, and both displayed difficulties in the appropriate use of the perfect aspect. However, Generation 1.5 learners also exhibited ESL-like traits in their writing, demonstrating a weak control of verbal inflection. The findings suggest that explicit grammar instruction may be warranted in all Developmental Writing classes, especially those with large proportions of Generation 1.5 learners.
Creating a Translanguaging Space for High School Emergent Bilinguals
Authors: Li Shuzhan , Luo Wenjing
Published: October 2024

Translanguaging is a rapidly developing concept in bilingual education. Working from the theoretical background of dynamic bilingualism, a translanguaging lens posits that bilingual learners draw on a holistic linguistic repertoire to make sense of the world and to communicate effectively with texts. What is relatively underdeveloped is the pedagogical aspects of translanguaging. This classroom-based study conducted in the southeastern US asks 2 questions: (a) How might teachers create a translanguaging space for students, and (b) what would this space look like? The authors, 1 classroom teacher and 1 researcher, engaged emergent bilingual students in small group reading of a culturally relevant text and observed students’ active participation through strategic and fluid translanguaging practices. The authors argue that the linguistic norms of schooling should reflect the discursive norms of emergent bilingual students, and that teachers create translanguaging spaces as a path to educational equity
Designing an EFL Reading Program to Promote Literacy Skills, Critical Thinking, and Creativity
Authors: Ferrer Erica , Staley Kendra
Published: October 2024

This article details the design and implementation of a reading program in a university EFL setting as a strategy to encourage creativity, critical thinking, collaborative learning, and reading for enjoyment (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001; Richards & Renandya, 2002). This student-centered project challenged ELLs to address issues such as bullying, racism, relationships, culture, and human rights through reading texts and activities, spanning a range of language levels from beginners to high-intermediate. The program includes a combination of intensive and extensive reading, lower- and higher-order thinking skills, and creative language production in the form of reading group discussions, poster sessions, and character role-plays. Included are sample lesson plans, reading materials, and activities, which can easily be modified for other language-learning contexts.
Contextualized Workforce Skills and ESL Learner Identity
Authors: Vafai Maliheh Mansuripur
Published: October 2024

This article reports on an empirical case study centering on adult ESL learners’ motivational patterns for learning English and its relevance to their career goals. It looks at past patterns of immigrant insertion within the socioeconomic context of the US and explores current trends in adult ESL curriculum development focused on the task of “career readiness.” Drawing on NortonPeirce’s (1995, 1997) concept of “investment” in second language learning, research for this study poses the question of curriculum relevance to student aspirations, implicating aspects of learner identity and various modes of belonging. The study contributes to the understanding of ESL learners’ positioning vis-à-vis curriculum change while reflecting on the extent of learner autonomy in the face of structural limitations.
Constructing Identity Through Negotiation for Cambodian Adult English Language Learners in East Oakland
Authors: Washington Brad D.
Published: October 2024

This study engages with a participatory oral history project that explores 3 themes. First, Cambodian participants included in the study will narrate from their perspectives how the evolution of social engagement and identity among African American and Cambodian refugee communities residing in historically Black neighborhoods of Oakland, California, informed their English language development. Second, it is the author’s intent through data collected for the study to explore participants’ acquisition of English language as a mode of resistance and empowerment for Cambodian refugees in the US. Finally, in detailing the power of oral history to bridge generational, linguistic, and global divides, the participants in this study express the importance of learning English as an additional language for the promotion and preservation of Cambodian history and tradition. The themes of this study will be framed by the theories of microagression and critical race theory in relation to English language construction.
What About Sam—The Kid in the Corner Whose Voice Doesn’t Come Out?—Tensions Between Open Discussions and Inclusive Educational Opportunities for English Learners
Authors: Gourd Karen Miller
Published: October 2024

This article identifies a tension between a teacher’s intention and an English learner’s interpretation of his experiences in a US high school English class for native users of English and English learners. The tension highlights two issues. First, democratic classroom practices, frequently advocated by second language acquisition theorists, may be misunderstood or misused in general education classrooms. For example, respecting students by giving them the choice to speak or be silent can negatively affect English learners’ opportunities to acquire language, subject-area content knowledge, and social status as knowers. Second, many general education teachers believe they are unprepared to help English learners develop English or subject-area content skills and knowledge. Their lack of preparation can present obstacles for English learners. The author contends that structured, inclusive discussion can benefit English learners’ cognitive, academic, linguistic, and social development, while unstructured, open discussion compromises learning opportunities for all students.
Identify the Cracks; That’s Where the Light Slips In: The Narratives of Latina/o Bilingual Middle-Class Youth
Authors: Lapayese Yvette V.
Published: October 2024

In this qualitative study, I examine the intersections of learner identity, power, and language through the experiences and insights of Latina/o 2nd-generation middle-class children who occupy a unique positionality between the discourses surrounding bilingual education. Through narrative inquiry, emerging bilingual middle-class students actualize nonbinary thinking, able to depict identity as an inherently multifaceted process of construction. Their ways of knowing and experiences as language learners ultimately shape an outsider-within space, rupturing traditional binaries within bilingual education, namely EO/EL (English only versus English learner) and class binaries. They also proffer queer and cyber identities as additional salient variables that plow into language identity. In the end, these learners frame the contradiction and nuance of language learner identity, not as one of struggle, but as one of differential agency, the ability to move in and out of contradictory identities as both strong and advantageous tactics.
Transformative Professional Development and the Promotion of Literacy Through Culturally Responsive Pedagogy
Authors: Garcia Sara S. , Garcia Christina Favela
Published: October 2024

This article recounts a narrative of professional transformation inspired by the works of Paulo Freire and Gloria Ladson-Billings and advanced by a participatory action research (PAR) project. The PAR team for this case study, consisting of the university teacher educator as a “coach” and a high school classroom teacher along with her students, examines the use of community-based knowledge in a form of corrido (ballads) studies. In this process, the ballads become the basis for learners’ engagement with literacy activities in the context of what is known as a heritage language Spanish class. The analysis focuses on the process of designing a culturally relevant pedagogy and ensuring its effectiveness through the examination of pre- and postwriting samples and students’ fluid identification with various ethnic labels.
Developing Global Competency in US Higher Education: Contributions of International Students
Authors: Siczek Megan M.
Published: October 2024

International students are key players in realizing the goal of internationalizing US colleges and universities, particularly when it comes to engagement on issues of global signifi cance. Th is article contextualizes the phenomenon of the internationalization of higher education and recent patterns of transnational mobility for international students, and then it examines internationalization on an institutional level, both the practices associated with this recognition of global interconnectivity and the discourses that accompany it. Th ough institutions have missed some opportunities to integrate international students into their teaching and learning communities, I argue that these diverse students are in fact rich natural resources for developing global competency in US higher education. Th is article concludes by highlighting some promising practices for integrating international students into teaching and learning environments on US campuses and emphasizing the importance of reorienting status quo approaches.
In Their Words: Student Preparation and Perspectives on US Study
Authors: Sokolik Maggie
Published: October 2024

US universities are admitting higher percentages of international students, bringing into focus concerns with how to best support them once they are at the university. However, less attention has been paid to the preparation they undertake before matriculation. This study looks at how students are prepared before arrival and how this preparation matched their expectations and experiences in their US classes. Information was gathered through interviews of international students in different US universities, as well as from large-scale surveys conducted at the University of California, Berkeley with incoming and current international students. Results suggest the need for additional program planning to more fully support this population.
Writing Instructors’ Perceptions of International Student Writers: What Teachers Want and Need to Know
Authors: Ferris Dana , Jensen Linda , Wald Margi
Published: October 2024

University of California (UC) campuses have recently experienced a dramatic increase in the number of international degreeseeking undergraduate students. This article presents results of a UC-wide survey conducted to understand the perceptions of developmental and 1st-year composition instructors about these demographic changes and to help design professional development for these instructors as they aim to better support international student writers. Results suggest the need not only for inservice training but also for advocacy by UC writing programs within the UC system in general as well as local contexts, specifically regarding placement issues, course offerings, and teacher qualifications.
Refashioning the Practicum by Emphasizing Attending and Reflective Skills
Authors: Oprandy Robert
Published: October 2024

In their 1970 guidelines for teacher-preparation programs (TPPs), TESOL’s founders promoted practicum experiences that include “systematic directed observation, supervised teaching practice and progressive teaching responsibilities.” TPPs with field experiences as centerpieces of their programs have been more effective in meeting the increasing demands teacher educators and their trainees face in today’s performance-assessment and accountability-driven environment. Alternatives to traditional practicum structures that are more learner centered and grounded in practice provide a panoply of possibilities for those who structure TESOL preparation programs. Refashioning the practicum in ways that promote and sharpen teacher-learners’ attending skills and their desire to reflect deeply and systematically on practice is the framework used here to consider the selection of innovative ideas TESOL and other teacher educators are using to strengthen their TPPs. Reorienting such programs so that theory is driven by authentic classroom experiences would align with the intent of TESOL’s founders.
Where Practicum Meets Test Preparation: Supporting Teacher Candidates Through EdTPA
Authors: Clark-Gareca Beth
Published: October 2024

A strong focus on teacher performance is resurfacing in teacher-preparation programs across the US. EdTPA, a teacherperformance assessment designed to determine K-12 teacher candidates’ readiness for the classroom, has become central in teacher-preparation programs in several states and promises to be implemented in more states in the coming months. A multidimensional portfolio compilation, the edTPA requires candidates to submit teaching artifacts (e.g., lesson plans, samples of students’ work) along with narrative writing tasks that detail a teacher’s instructional approach and teaching reflections. This article highlights 3 ESL teachers’ experiences with and perspectives about the New York State requirement of edTPA for English as an Additional Language (EAL) certification over 2 semesters of a student-teacher practicum. These teachers’ experiences provide insights into the nature of certification assessment and the perceived benefits and challenges of completing the edTPA portfolio. This article also offers suggestions for the growing number of educational programs that will experience the impact of edTPA during the coming decade.
Asian EFL University Students’ Preference Toward Teaching Approaches
Authors: Mermelstein Aaron David
Published: October 2024

Designing and presenting lessons is the center of the teaching process. Every day teachers must make decisions about the instructional process. A teacher’s approach can have an enormous impact on the effectiveness of his or her teaching. Understanding students’ preferences toward teaching approaches and teaching styles can create opportunities for teachers to make adjustments that better serve their students. Many teachers continue using traditional teaching approaches, so the question exists of whether or not these teaching approaches are meeting the educational needs of the learners. This article addresses this question and discusses a qualitative study involving the preferences of 225 Taiwanese EFL university students toward 3 main teaching approaches (instructor centered, student centered, and content centered) and offers pedagogical suggestions. Through a statistical analysis, the research findings indicate that the participants can clearly recognize the differences among the teaching approaches, have a clear preference toward the student-centered approach, and hold more positive attitudes toward student-centered learning.
The Re-Placement Test: Using TOEFL for Purposes of Placement
Authors: Moglen Daniel
Published: October 2024

This article will consider using TOEFL scores for purposes of placement and advising for international graduate students at a northern California research university. As the number of international students is on the rise and the funds for the graduate ESL program are diminishing, the way in which the university is handling the influx of international students is undergoing substantial changes. One aspect of the system that is gaining attention is the graduate-level ESL placement exam. To find out if using TOEFL scores for placement is a viable option, I have looked at the Pearson r coefficient for TOEFL scores and university placement exam scores from years 2007-2011. Results from this study show a moderate correlation between the TOEFL and placement exam and suggest that students at this university with TOEFL scores 110 and above should be exempt from any ESL requirement while students with TOEFL scores below 90 need to take ESL courses.