In the interest of fostering a socially critical and inclusive German Studies, this article urges instructors to pursue curricular reforms to diversify and decolonize German curricula at colleges and universities. While the literary canon's centrality to the German major has tended to leave monolithic impressions of "Germany" and…

To help ESP college instructors improve the English curriculum taught at polytechnic institutes, colleges and universities, the current study proposes a model for designing English for Polytechnic Purposes (EPP) courses for undergraduate students majoring in mechanical engineering, chemistry, technology, economics, textile industry and other…

In this article, we outline ways that language pedagogy intersects with best practices in entrepreneurial education. By highlighting two courses, one in translation studies for a polyglot audience and another in entrepreneurship for Spanish-speaking students, we show how to infuse basic business principles into language curricula. Course…

This chapter is a reflective account of the author's experience as a teacher of English at the University of Pavia during the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. It considers the design and delivery of an English for architecture and construction engineering course as well as the assessment stage of a text analysis course. It proceeds by…

Many teacher training programs, including MATESOL programs, encourage their trainees to be reflective practitioners. The MATESOL program at The American University of Sharjah (AUS) is no exception and offers the students many opportunities for reflection. This article discusses my experience with a recent cohort's reaction to being asked to…

The importance of teachers in the success of Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) is unquestionable. However, designing a teacher course on TBLT raises many questions concerning "what" and "how" it can be implemented. Can teachers' professional development be promoted through Task-Based Instruction (TBI)? This paper explores…

Reports on the success of a second-language learning program designed to develop a European awareness in students in a school in England in the hope that it will serve as an inspiring example to promoters of similar programs. Notes that the effort in setting up a European program of development offers the advantages of working closely with…

Describes a one-year experiment in self-directed learning for intermediate English students at the School of Mining Engineering of Nancy (France). Analyzes students' responses to a questionnaire and teachers' observations in an attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of this approach as compared to traditional second language courses. (MES)

Notes that the emphasis on learning through experience and a reliance on approaches involving communities of learners engaged in project work have been present in second-language learning theory and practice for a long time and have been rejuvenated in discussions on computer mediation and instrumental use of technology in language learning. (14…

Problem-based learning (PBL) is an instructional methodology placing primary emphasis on students solving realistic problems in a team-oriented environment. In this article, authors discuss using PBL to integrate a language for specific purposes (LSP) track into an undergraduate biological engineering curriculum as a way to prepare students for an…

The literature suggests that teachers may rely more often on intuition when making course planning decisions than on informed assessment of learners' needs (Barkhuizen 1998; Spratt 1999). This article proposes a more principled alternative to the intuitive approach, based on the use of teacher-designed class-specific questionnaires intended to…

Emphasizes that developing a coherent sequence of instruction prekindergarten-16+ is crucial to improving education and to the future success of extended-sequence foreign language course offerings. The Collaborative Articulation and Assessment Project represents a successful model that affords opportunities for application and replication in local…

Examines the types of readings students are likely to encounter in the "real" world and how they will interact with them. The four approaches discussed include reading in a daily-life context, reading for information, reading for pleasure, and participatory reading. (21 references) (Author/CK)

Describes the development and organization of the Colt (Communicative Orientation of Language Teaching) observation scheme and Lyster and Ranta's (1997) error treatment model, instruments including predetermined categories to describe features of instructional input and interaction in second language classrooms. Concludes that the choice of…

Examines reasons for the failure of modern language teaching to fulfill its cultural aims and focuses on teaching methods, student assessment, course content, and teacher role. Conclusions are that teachers must be aware of the implications of different teaching strategies, their influence, and limitations. (17 references) (CK)