Ofsted's (2021) Curriculum research review for languages (OCRR) draws conclusion on what 'high-quality language education' may look like. This opinion piece problematises the status of these conclusions as 'features' or recommendations. Before delving into a selection of identified 'features' in more depth, the author highlights the complexity of…

This article responds to recent critiques of the usefulness of research findings to teaching, and the call for teachers to rely on their experiences and intuition. I discuss the fallibility of intuition and then examine the nature of research and of critical thinking and their importance for teachers and teacher education. I provide evidence of…

The extensive literature, situated mainly in "first world" contexts, on design and evaluation of distance learning materials, emphasises the importance of student feedback. This paper begins with an account of how two groups of students responded to questions on a text they had used in an inservice professional development programme for teachers…

Discusses teacher overload, learner underinvolvement, and learner training to support a switch of emphasis from teaching to learning materials and concludes that questions about materials should be related to conception of the whole of language teaching and learning as the cooperative management of language learning. (Author/BK)

It is argued that teaching is much like performance art: teachers are inevitably identified with what they represent. For German teachers, this involves self-reflective engagement with the material at hand. (Author/LB)

Presents extracts from an unrehearsed and uncontrolled conversation between Christopher Brumfit of the University of London Institute of Education and Donn Byrne, formerly of the British Council. (BK)

Discusses the evolution of the language used in French-as-a-second-language teacher training and the parallel evolution of teacher training texts and pedagogical models. (JR)

This paper argues that the manner in which culture is taught to English learners needs to be rethought in light of the globalisation of the English language. It is maintained that change is needed in at least three areas. First, English teaching professionals should discard the notion that the US and Great Britain represent the sole "target…

This article suggests seven steps for novice proposal writers, provides the names of agencies and addresses of potential funding sources, presents examples of successful proposals written by foreign language teachers, and encourages all teachers who want new materials, equipment, programs, resources, and study or travel funds to make the necessary…

Proposes a model for second language educators who are seeking a more communicative approach to second language instruction. A process for selection and ordering of content is outlined, and factors rendering an activity more communicative are discussed. (Author/MSE)

Reports on a teacher-education project in which English-as-a-Second-Language teachers from five community-based organizations in Chicago developed a textbook about immigrant rights in the United States. The process not only produced significant course materials, but it also changed teachers' understanding of their classes, students, and teaching…

Six English-as-a-Second-or-Other-Language (ESOL) practitioners who are also Internet pioneers talk about their Internet work, share insights, and provide advice to teachers on creating online materials. (Author/VWL)

Imagery and metaphors for language teaching, language teachers, and language students that appear in the literature of language teacher training do not reflect a sense of mutual teacher-student cooperation or complementarity, but may instead show why most second language students seldom achieve more than minimal language proficiency. Terminology…

The review of research and literature discusses the relationship between academic research activity and the teaching of English as a second language (ESL). Attitudes toward the research/teaching relationship are examined, and criticisms over the past decade are summarized. A model is offered of the most common, top-down conception of the flow of…

One foreign language teacher discusses teaching French over the years through a variety of activities and without a textbook. (Author/VWL)