In Colombia, many institutions are in the firm quest of virtual learning environments to improve instruction, and making the most of online tools is clearly linked to offering quality learning. Thus, the purpose of this action research was to identify how the Cognitive Apprenticeship Model enhances online collaborative learning by using a chat…

With classroom observation and stimulated recall interviews as research instruments, the present study investigated some of the factors that affected learners' attention to teacher talk in nine English as a Second Language (ESL) classrooms. The results revealed five such factors, namely, learners' self evaluation of their language knowledge, the…

This study explores an activity designed to promote critical literacy in Taiwan. This activity had 23 college students perform different exercises all stressing the theme of self-identity as presented in a picture book and other learning sources. Data included classroom observations, reflection entries from the researcher­-instructor, classroom…

The purpose of the study was to examine the ELL and non-ELL students', guardians', and the English as a second language (ESL) teachers' perceptions of student-led conferences. Specifically, the study examined if ELL students' and guardians' preferences were similar to non-ELL students' and guardians' preferences…

By examining why nations borrow policy discourses, research on transfer has overlooked the implementation of transferred educational practices, models, or curricula. This study attempts to bridge this gap by examining the transfer and implementation of teacher education curricula in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Based on interviews with teacher…

Adolescent writers in second language settings often spend the majority of their school days in content area courses, such as math, science, and social studies, where they must negotiate challenging literacy tasks in their second languages with little explicit writing instruction. While genre scholars have built an extensive body of knowledge…

Formative assessment is increasingly being implemented through policy initiatives in Chinese educational contexts. As an approach to assessment, formative assessment derives many of its key principles from Western contexts, notably through the work of scholars in the UK, the USA and Australia. The question for this paper is the ways that formative…

This quasi-experimental study reports on a 10-month classroom-based longitudinal investigation, exploring the potential of authentic materials to develop Japanese learners' communicative competence in English. Sixty-two second-year university students were assigned to either a control group receiving textbook input or an experimental group…

This is an investigation into the accelerated acquisition of English among young ESL learners in an International School. It employed an ethnographic case study approach where data were gathered through non-participant observations, unstructured interviews, relevant documents, students' portfolios, field notes and biographical details. The sample…

Examines the arguments for a realignment of discourse roles (teacher/questioner and student/responder) in teaching, describes materials designed to bring about that shift, and discusses the effects of their use with English-as-a-Foreign-Language students. (17 references) (GLR)

This qualitative research study used the interactional sociolinguistics approach (Goffman, 1959; Gumperz, 1982) to analyze the expectations of learners and tutors participating in the English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) Drop-in-Center (DIC) environment. Analysis focused on the learners' and tutors' expectations of the conversation and participation…

Argues for the inclusion of adult second-language (L2) learners in teacher education programs. The article offers reasons why they should be included, suggests means of tapping their expertise, and describes four ways to bring learners and student teachers together in mutually beneficial ways in their teacher education program. (28 references)…

A study investigated the perceptions of college students from three different cultural groups in English composition courses concerning writing and effective writing instruction. Subjects were native speakers of American English, natives of South Korea, and natives of Mexico. Data were collected through classroom observation and in systematic…