The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) introduces a new goal for language teaching, that of training social actors rather than mere communicators. Thus, social action as a new reference action corresponding to this new reference goal in English language teaching necessitates a departure from taking interaction or…

This article describes the process whereby MacEwan University modified an existing EAP course, consisting of broad reading and writing topics, into an ESP course with a more targeted focus on relevant nursing-related themes to better serve the unique literacy needs of internationally educated nurses (IENs). Differing from the existing EAP course,…

Teachers receive increasing attention as change agents within education reform policy discourses positioning their professionalism, identity, and agency as critical to implementation of reforms. However, identities either claimed by teachers or assigned by reform policies involve serious (re)negotiations on the part of teachers as they make…

Ofsted's (2021) Curriculum research review for languages (OCRR) draws conclusion on what 'high-quality language education' may look like. This opinion piece problematises the status of these conclusions as 'features' or recommendations. Before delving into a selection of identified 'features' in more depth, the author highlights the complexity of…

In the high-stakes accountability English educational system, decisions made by government and agencies about curriculum, pedagogy and assessment drive school planning and actions. This paper analyses the drivers for the recent change to French German and Spanish GCSEs and highlights particular areas of the new specification which may damage the…

With the introduction of more modern instructional practices, the traditional approach to learning and teaching is becoming ever more obsolete. Education practitioners all over the world have been calling for educational institutions, in both developed and developing countries, to improve pedagogical practices as a means of significantly enhancing…

School systems in North America have widely adopted social-emotional learning (SEL) to promote students' well-being and academic development over the last few decades. Despite the abundant evidence supporting the efficacy of content-specific, standalone SEL interventions, there is little knowledge about how to infuse SEL practices into regular…

Few studies have investigated current English-medium Instruction (EMI) programmes for international students studying in universities in China's mainland. The present study applies Spolsky's language policy framework to analyze Chinese EMI programmes in terms of language ideology, language management, and language practices on the national level,…

This article reflects on the epistemological steamrolling that the 2021 Ofsted Curriculum Research Review (OCRR) accomplishes: in part, by the positioning of the problem and solution through highly selective cherry-picking (omitting key causal factors); in part, through the discursive move of acknowledging complexity before offering simple and…

Taiwan's National Development Council recently announced plans for the country to become bilingual by the year 2030. However, the Council did not lay out a clear road map for how this major accomplishment is to be achieved, and the curriculum presently in place does not seem to meet the challenge. This article will review the current status of…

As the title suggests, this article shows how the authors took teaching-related ideas and developed them -- through the steps of drafting, review, and revising -- into published articles. Using examples of the steps involved, the authors explore options for how others in the field of English teaching might productively write for publication as…

Internationally, particularly in Western societies, the concept of multiculturalism tends to be associated with 'progressive' and liberal social visions promoting cultural diversity and minority rights. However, multiculturalism may not necessarily be a 'cure' for social division, but a 'veil' that covers political fractures and imbalances within…

This book incorporates both practice-based information and research to underpin teachers' emotions in the teaching and learning settings of second language (L2) writing, in the Chinese tertiary educational context. It introduces and validates a new conceptual framework for evaluating the causes and effects of the emotions of L2 writing teachers…

This article reports on the design and implementation of an innovative primary EFL program in Myanmar. Begun in 2014, the program is part of the CREATE Project, a joint initiative between the Myanmar Ministry of Education and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The project has involved the planning, designing and implementation of a…

The latest reforms to the GCSE Subject Content attempt to bring languages in line with other subject areas through a quantification of the material that needs to be learnt and a focus on the linguistic system, to the detriment of the broader communicative aims associated with 'knowing a language'. This article suggests that the reforms expose a…