In many educational contexts, L2 writing assessment tends to emphasize its summative functions (i.e., assessment of learning--AoL) more than its formative potential (i.e., assessment for--AfL). While the teacher plays a dominant role in AoL, central to AfL is the role of the students, alongside that of the teacher and peers. A student-centred…

This article concerns the contribution that feedback makes to valid classroom assessment of the writing of young learners (YLs), defined here as approximately 9-13 years old. It shows that a scale of descriptors adapted from the "Common European Framework of Reference for Languages" (CEFR; Council of Europe, 2001) can play a central role…

There is a shortage of second/foreign language (S/FL) teachers in many parts of the world and the attrition rates are startling. The present study, grounded in social cognitive theory, investigates Canadian and US teachers' (N = 1065) sense of efficacy in teaching languages as it relates to teacher attrition. Findings indicate that S/FL teachers…

The present study investigates the functions that language learners attribute to the first language (L1) within a teaching context that maximizes the target language (TL). Beginners of French in an Australian university (N = 52) completed a questionnaire consisting of 21 closed questions on their views on L1/TL use and two open questions on the…

This article is about the benefits of self-assessment and its use in language education. The main focus is on "auto-evaluation" as a means of beginning class in an organized and motivating way. In contrast to "bell work" or other start-of-period activities on random topics, "auto-evaluation" involves asking questions that are closely tied to what…

Presents an exercise for students of French in which the students are called upon to create a courtroom environment to try a famous historical personnage for an alleged crime. In this case, the writer Guy de Maupassant is put on trial for murder. (CK)

Recent trends in classroom evaluation seek innovative formative assessment intended to benefit learning, called assessment for learning (AFL), largely unresearched in the second language (L2) classroom (Rea-Dickins, 2004). This paper calls for taking L2 testing research to the next level, investigating the "usefulness" (Bachman & Palmer, 1996;…

An instructional unit designed for an advanced core French class uses a cooperative learning model. Related activities include an introduction and grouping exercise, completion of a question set, wrap-up, evaluation, and followup activities, and vocabulary and questions are appended. (MSE)

I define the "literacy autobiography" as a reflective, first-person account of one's development as a writing being. In this article I share a classroom practice that invited language learners to consider and compose their literacy autobiographies (LA). The context was a university credit English as a second language (ESL) classroom. The purposes…

Problems in teaching French verb conjugation are traced to problems in morphological classification systems, and a new, descriptive approach using seven criteria is described and illustrated. (MSE)

Theories and models of artificial intelligence that may have applications in second language learning and instruction are described and their potential use is discussed. (MSE)

This case study examines the patterns of participation of one US-educated refugee student in a university intensive English program (IEP). Specifically, I illustrate how the focal student used her advanced oral proficiency and prior experience with US educational norms and practices to engage in various interactional behaviours, such as shifting…

Without the integration of theory into teaching practice, native language and literature instruction can deteriorate into a perpetual repetition of old teaching habits. To be a good practitioner, a teacher must also be a good theoretician. (MSE)

The principles and techniques used in teaching listening skills to adult beginning second language students, based exclusively on listening for substantial periods of time, are described and the results obtained are discussed. (MSE)

A classroom technique for second language writing instruction is described that combines encouragement for writing with error awareness and correction skills, active composition problem-solving, and peer correction. (MSE)