As English has become the language of business, the economy and social media around the world, it is more and more necessary to start teaching English in schools. Countries such as Ecuador have seen the immediate need to review how they prepare teachers of English to meet this new demand. This article shares a reflection on the process of moving…

This article reviews a selective corpus of empirical and theoretical texts on foreign language pedagogy and teacher education, produced in Portugal between 2006 and 2011. A descriptive and interpretative approach is adopted to inquire into the transformative potential of research, with a focus on its scope, purposes, conceptual and methodological…

In this current era of postmodernity, globalization, and new technological and social conditions, new approaches to literacy teaching are being introduced and examined. Studies that explore complexities of language teaching and learning in discourses of postmodernity as they relate to college contexts are significant for educators, researchers,…

With the failure of the No Child Left Behind policies of the 1990's, educational reformers wished to establish a "new and improved" set of standards for the United States to follow. However, since their inception in 2006-2007, the new Common Core State Standards have become increasingly unpopular due to the fact that they remain largely…

This article considers the role of textbooks in terms of normal day-to-day use in teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL), challenging the commonly held assumption that textbooks are of little value in EFL instruction. It argues that the textbook has a vital and positive part to play in EFL instruction on a daily basis. (20 references) (MDM)

Noting that, in terms of language acquisition, the "basics" at schools should parallel the "basics" of common sense family life, this book examines the connections between play, language development, and learning in young children. Chapter 1 deals with the role of the teacher in a changing society. Chapter 2 addresses some of…

Chinese university students seem to feel their best hope for bringing about change lies in conforming outwardly to the policies of the government while seeking a chance to study in a Western country. Students are increasingly studying Western languages and monitoring Chinese and United States policies concerning international educational exchange.…

The report on the status of Japanese language teaching in Australia gives a broad view of Japanese study and discusses current educational issues in some detail. An introductory chapter offers a brief overview of the history, objectives, and issues of Japanese language instruction in Australia. The second chapter details features of instructional…