Developing writing skills in a foreign language is a highly value-laden practice that is susceptible to the influence of the dominant ideological narratives of a given context. This influence is typically echoed in policies and practices informing the role, scope, and place of writing in curriculum and pedagogy. Using autoethnographic reflections,…

Just over ten years ago, Block (2007, p. 2) called the increasing attention that second language researchers-and social scientists at large-were giving to the construct of "identity" an "obsession." Since then, the identities of those who use, learn or study a language have been investigated in greater detail (e.g., Benson,…

This paper will consider language management from the perspective of efficiency, and will set the grounds for a new approach to linguistic justice: a market failure approach. The principle of efficiency emphasises the need to satisfy individuals' preferences in an optimal way. Applying this principle with regard to language would justify language…

How do school professionals distinguish between social, communication, and behavioral differences observed in typically developing English language learners (ELLs) and those ELL students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)? Informed consideration is necessary to avoid inaccurate identification and to ensure appropriate supports are provided;…

In recent years, robots have increasingly been implemented as tutors in both first- and second-language education. The field of robot-assisted language learning (RALL) is developing rapidly. Studies have been published targeting different languages, age groups, and aspects of language and using different robots and methodologies. The present…

The way we ask for something, or "request," is hardly the same across all contexts. The degree to which we show politeness in these instances is closely related to a number of contextual factors (Brown & Levinson, 1987), manifested in the linguistic features that we employ (Blum-Kulka, House & Kasper, 1989; Searle, 1975).…

This paper examines the ideologies and practices surrounding respect at a Korean American heritage language school in California. It illustrates the interaction between locally circulating metadiscourses about children's dispositions, intentions, and identities and the enforcement of classroom norms of respect. In some cases, teachers accommodated…

Describes nature of insulting and techniques used to insult and presents a variety of areas and values from which insults are drawn. Briefly compares insulting terms using animal names in 10 different languages. Suggest insulting behavior is an area which, if better understood, will permit teachers to develop effective materials and recognize…

Presents a rationale for designing an authentic arts-based curriculum (AABC) that will facilitate the scholastic achievement of second-language learners. The article offers proposals for the implementation of such a curriculum, discusses the design of AABC positioned within a Vygotskian framework of learning, and synthesizes applicable findings…

A discussion of communicative interaction focuses on the knowledge needed to achieve politeness in different languages, especially how that body of knowledge differs across languages and can be taught in foreign language instruction. It is noted that oral communication must accommodate the existing social order by use of appropriate registers.…

This article reviews the findings of a study which set out to examine the role that consciousness raising (CR) plays in grammatical development in synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC). Students participated in weekly SCMC sessions. Spanish L2 forms "por/para" and "ser/estar" were chosen, and the data from two groups--form-and-meaning…