Abstract: It’s the Year of the Horse, and change is afoot at the journal. The Horse is characterized as having high energy, often depicted metaphorically as galloping purposefully forward. Perhaps this sense of vigor, movement, and change at AJELT befits this Horse year. What changes lie ahead? After over ten years of involvement with AJELT as an editorial board member (2004–2006) to Reviews Editor (2007–2014), Professor Lixian Jin is leaving her work with the journal. Her moving on will enable Lixian to devote even greater time for her other professional pursuits and contributions, locally and internationally. She is always in demand, taking on key roles as a mentor, teacher, consultant ... Read More PubDate: 2016-04-12T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: Avoidance, which is conceptualized as the phenomenon of having passive knowledge of a certain second language (L2) structure, but opting not to use that structure where it would be contextually appropriate according to L1 norms (Kamimoto, Shimura, & Kellerman, 1992; Kleinmann, 1978; VanPatten & Benati, 2010), can be seen as a strategy exhibited by L2 learners when they need to resolve a linguistic problem (see Schachter, 1974). Not to be confused with ignorance, which refers to the failure to use a structure or word that is unknown to a learner (Kleinmann, 1977; Seliger, 1989), avoidance signifies that an L2 learner has passive knowledge of a particular structure (i.e., an ability to recognize its form and/or ... Read More PubDate: 2016-04-12T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: Writing composition in tertiary settings has undergone an evolution since the 1950s and 60s, from being seen as a product that students complete and submit for a grade to being seen as a process through which students learn techniques and strategies for writing successfully (e.g., Parker, 1972; Petrosky & Brozick, 1979; Hopkins, 1990). In such a process view, writing is occurring as an “ongoing network of communication,” which necessarily occurs in some socio-cultural context (Hopkins, 1990, p. 240). The ongoing communication and social contexts of the writing process are often lost as students focus on the process of building a product, often by themselves or with the help of an instructor or a peer. Peer review ... Read More PubDate: 2016-04-12T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: While a teacher-based assessment enterprise may serve to counteract the negative impact of external psychometric testing and is advocated by researchers and assessment policy makers in many educational contexts, how teacher-based assessment interacts with contextual factors is not fully understood. In a context where education is driven by traditional testing culture, teacher-based assessment might be restricted by several levels of constraints (Carless, 2005, 2011; Butler & Lee 2010). More cases of teacher-based assessment practice need to be reported and evaluated to promote greater understanding of the constraints and bring about improvements in implementation. The practice of teacher-based assessment ... Read More PubDate: 2016-04-12T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: Discussions of a teacher role are a common feature in the literature on language teaching methodology (e.g., Wright, 1987; Richards & Rogers, 1986). Watkins (2005), for example, suggests 12 teacher roles: language guide, reflector, prompter, administrator, expert resource, observer, provider of input, organizer, performer, assessor, listener, and controller, while Harmer (2007) argues teachers should be able to adopt a variety of roles within the classroom to facilitate learning: controller, prompter, participant, resource, and tutor. Further taxonomies of teacher roles are suggested in Spodark (2001). Teacher roles have also been discussed with reference to particular facets of language teaching and ... Read More PubDate: 2016-04-12T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: U.S. and Chinese universities are at the forefront of curricular internationalization worldwide (Obst, Kuder, & Banks, 2011, p. 13). China is the U.S.’s major partner in joint or dual degree programs. The students who participate in these programs usually begin their studies in their home country and finish on a U.S. campus with diplomas from the partnering institutions. It can be anticipated that students are motivated to complete their required English for Academic Purposes writing (EAPW) courses online before U.S. arrival in order to focus on content courses in the U.S. Therefore, the need for developing online EAPW courses for Chinese students is growing. The purpose of this study was to identify the ... Read More PubDate: 2016-04-12T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: The study of learner language is an important aspect of second language acquisition (SLA) research because it provides a useful means for researchers to understand the acquisition process (Ellis, 2008, p. 41). For example, morpheme studies in the 1970s revealed an acquisition order of English inflectional morphemes, showing how the analysis of learners’ output might shed light on the developmental aspects of SLA (Ortega, 2009, p. 124). Descriptions of the language output characteristics of learners from different linguistic backgrounds (e.g., Hinkel, 2002) can also promote understanding of factors affecting the acquisition process such as crosslinguistic influences. The purpose of this paper is to review ... Read More PubDate: 2016-04-12T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: According to a 2011 Reuters report, while other countries have allotted a significant amount to developing world-class universities where English and other high-value skills are taught, Thailand “has moved little beyond a decades-old system that aims mostly to preserve national identity” (Ahuja, 2011, para 4). In this same report, it was found that out of all the Southeast Asian countries, Thailand allocates the highest amount to education in its National Plan. An additional assessment carried out by the JobStreet.com English Language Assessment (JELA), swed that Thai workers scored the lowest among the Southeast Asian countries of Singapore, The Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia (Thailand’s English ... Read More PubDate: 2016-04-12T00:00:00-05:00
Abstract: Innovation and Change in English Language Education is an edited collection of theory-informed practical case studies addressing four broad areas in innovation and change: conceptions and contexts of innovation and change; innovation and change in teacher education; innovation and change in the language curriculum and; innovation and change in teaching practice. Each chapter starts with theory and then discusses and reflects on a practical example, considering why each example was successful or unsuccessful, before ending with suggestions for further key reading. This provides a highly engaging and extremely valuable collection. If you work in the field of English language education or are studying for a ... Read More PubDate: 2016-04-12T00:00:00-05:00