This volume is an important output of the ASSESSnet, an EU-funded project that aimed at investigating assessment practices in Virtual Exchange (VE) projects in Foreign Language (FL) courses at tertiary level. It starts with the discussion of selected aspects of VE and assessment design, and a summary of ASSESSnet project results. The following…

This book offers an evidence-based guide to EAL for everyone who works with multilingual learners. It provides a concise, helpful introduction to the latest research underpinning three key areas of EAL practice: (1) How children acquire additional languages? (2) How language works across the curriculum? and (3) How you can establish outstanding…

Language teacher education is widely identified as one of the most important areas that needs addressing in order to improve early language instruction, yet research into teacher education for early language teachers remains relatively sparse. This volume responds to this gap by compiling studies with diverse methodological tenets from a wide…

This annotated bibliography surveys key resources and research related specifically to language learning and literacy. It focuses on resources that will be valuable to teaching professionals and researchers who specialize in the areas of foreign and second language teaching, language arts and first and second language literacy. Significant…

This volume offers a comprehensive, up-to-date, empirical and methodological view over the new scenarios and environments for language teaching and learning recently emerged (e.g. blended learning, e-learning, ubiquitous learning, social learning, autonomous learning or lifelong learning), and also over some of the new approaches to language…

Discusses the criterion-referenced approach for language instruction. The approach has four steps: performance analysis, target population analysis, goals analysis, and behavioral objectives. The latter consists of a condition (materials at the student's disposal), a task, and a standard of a model of correctness. (PJM)

Data from a study on second-language reading comprehension show that assessment task type, language of assessment, and target language experience uniformly affect learners' ability to demonstrate their reading comprehension. A literature review is included. (Contains 57 references.) (LB)

It is argued that foreign language study has failed to secure a central place in the American curriculum partly because of a lack of articulation from elementary through university studies, possibly because of a lack of universally accepted methods for assessing language development. Department chairs are encouraged to recreate an articulated…

English for Academic Purposes (EAP) professionals know that initial efforts to produce or adapt materials generally require evaluative review and revision. A review process that solicits feedback from teacher and student users is critical because materials writers often find it difficult to envision the problems others may have with their…

This paper presents a new perspective on mentoring foreign language teachers. It suggests that mentoring is an essential part of a program manager's responsibilities, but that it is important to individualize the process of mentoring if it is to be as effective as it can be. First, a definition of mentoring and issues surrounding it are discussed.…

Issues in the assessment of learning about target-language culture are discussed, and some techniques for classroom assessment of three areas of culture (knowledge, awareness,, and functional skills) are outlined. It is argued that culture is crucial for development of communicative competence and should not be taught without being assessed. (53…

This paper explores Fred Genesee's Classroom Based Assessment (CBA) as an alternative model for assessing instruction as it affects students' learning in an immersion program. CBA collects information on language while instruction and other activities are taking place, allowing teachers the flexibility to alter teaching strategies to be more…

This edited volume provides a rationale for and classroom examples of the effective use of content-based instruction in English-as-Second/English-as-a-Foreign-Language (ESL/EFL), in which the study of an academic subject is sustained over time. Each chapter provides the following: detailed course descriptions; practical suggestions for developing…

A discussion of role-playing second-language instruction emphasizes the need for careful planning and execution. Preparation of materials for student use is described. A role-playing exercise in a business communication course illustrates the method of teaching, and techniques for evaluating student performance are outlined. (MSE)

Describes how evaluation strategies can be implemented to increase the effectiveness of English in the Work Place programs. Discusses the design and implementation of the strategy, how to analyze its results and produce a final report, and ways to get the results used. (SED)