While Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE) can perform an error diagnosis (Chen & Cheng, 2008), previous studies used to exclude it from the process of error analysis. This study aimed to examine the reactions of Grammarly Premium towards a group of night school students' English writings at a Taiwanese technical university. The participants of…

Vocabulary acquisition is central to language learning, and many instructors believe that technology can facilitate this core activity. While numerous websites and apps offer language-learning activities and games, not all provide evidence that their content and techniques are effective. VocabularySpellingCity (VSC), however, commissioned a study…

In Section 1 of this article, the author discusses the succession of models of adult writing that he and his colleagues have proposed from 1980 to the present. He notes the most important changes that differentiate earlier and later models and discusses reasons for the changes. In Section 2, he describes his recent efforts to model young…

This article explores how the English language contributes to cross-boundary communication failure and establishes that there is an "English language problem" that has not been adequately addressed in preparing United States native English-speaking students for international technical communication tasks. For example, U.S. technical communication…

The paper first describes a web-based essay critiquing system developed by the authors using latent semantic analysis (LSA), an automatic text analysis technique, to provide students with immediate feedback on content and organisation for revision whenever there is an internet connection. It reports on its effectiveness in enhancing adult EFL…

This Summer 2005 issue of "Learners in Action" contains the following articles: (1) Bridging Barriers to Learning (Glenn Kissman); (2) Education Really Is a Family Affair; (3) Sabrina's Story; (4) SARAW Helps Students Find Their Voice; (5) Literacy Changes Lives; and (6) Seeing STARs in Alberta.