Online and hybrid courses offer many benefits for ESL teacher education, but can be hampered by 'transactional distance', a lack of interpersonal closeness which can cause misunderstanding and disengagement. This article describes a pedagogical project in which in-service teachers studying in a distance-learning MA TESL programme in Sri Lanka…

This research brief provides an analysis of 2017-2018 AISD student data, showing significant gaps in school perceptions and experiences of transgender and gender-nonconforming students relative to their peers, illustrating the need for additional policies and procedures to support AISD transgender and gender-nonconforming students. A separate full…

This paper reports an application of multimedia in a blended learning environment in which students engaged in multimodal presentations and peer group discussion. Students' presentation files were commented upon by their peers on the discussion board and scored by the researcher, based on questions developed by Levy and Kimber (2009) to apply…

The article discusses relationships between codeswitching and identities in classroom peer group talk among students from a variety of Asian and European backgrounds who were studying English in Australia. The article focusses on talk that, in being concealed from the teacher through codeswitching, allows expression of identities that are not…

This article discusses literature circles and how to use them effectively with English Language Learners (ELLs) at the middle level. The focus of literature circles is to combine literacy skills and strategies in a supportive social atmosphere of a non-threatening peer group. All students need teacher modeling if literature circles are to work…

This paper describes the basic features of a collaborative writing exercise used to help 40 English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) students write reader-based prose. It presents an actual study that examined the use of collaborative writing to help students draft reader-based prose in intermediate and advanced EFL composition classes at the…

Early childhood classrooms characterized by a predominance of second-language learners have emerged in unprecedented numbers. This article examines a model of peer collaboration to take into account how children's evolving social relationships served as an impetus for talk in English. Implications for research and practice are discussed. (Author)

This paper describes an interactive exchange program used at Eastern Kentucky University that involves face-to-face interaction between international, non-native English speakers and native English speakers in (1) social work classes at the university, (2) a nursing home, (3) an alternative school, and (4) a local high school. In the social work…

Discusses a program in which adult education English-as-a-Second-Language teachers worked with mentors to cultivate valuable professional habits. Notes the three characteristics of the program: concentration on the dynamics of classroom instruction; emphasis on practices such as reflective journaling and peer discussion; and a commitment to allow…

Describes an English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) program in which international graduate students in the sciences are grouped according to their particular disciplines. This ensures that the peer group members are the content experts, whereas the ESL teacher serves only as the language expert, providing help in organization, grammar, pronunciation,…