Over the decades, research into TESOL teacher education has grown considerably; yet studies focusing on the learning development of TESOL teacher educators remains curiously limited. With a specific focus on a postgraduate subject on second language (L2) oral communication and pedagogy, this article explores the reflective practices of a teacher…

Many of the foreign language teachers and professors I have encountered throughout my EFL teaching career say that speaking is the most difficult skill to teach in a foreign language class. Classes usually focus on teaching points (e.g. grammar or listening related lessons) that can satisfy larger classroom situations. Speaking requires adequate…

Japanese learners of English are often described as having good English grammar but lacking in fluency. However, with the changes to a more communication-focused English curriculum in the last few decades, this is no longer the norm. This paper will first review the reactions to communication-focused English instructions in Japan and other parts…

This study set out to explore English for academic purposes (EAP) student perceptions of their experiences at a university in western Canada. A qualitative approach was used, with 17 students completing a questionnaire toward the end of their EAP program, and one of those students taking part in an interview approximately one year later. Data from…

Students of private universities in Bangladesh are often found to be less competent in spoken English. Since the universities have adopted EMI (English medium instruction) policy, the prevailing linguistic condition on the campus is an "English only environment." In this context, students are required to communicate in English both…

The present study is an attempt to investigate Iranian EFL learners' willingness to speak English in language classrooms, and the situational and individual factors that influence their willingness to speak. The study adopts a primarily quantitative approach, followed by qualitative data aimed at expanding and elaborating on the quantitative data.…

This paper first presents and then discusses the attitudes towards and perceptions of education officers regarding introducing a school-based continuous assessment of speaking in the Botswana General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE) ESL examinations as provided for in the BGCSE English syllabus in Botswana. Three categories of education…

Chinese characters are used in both Chinese and Japanese writing systems. When literate speakers of either language experience problems in finding or understanding words, they often resort to using Chinese characters or "kanji" (i.e., Chinese characters used in Japanese writing) in their talk, a practice known as "brush talk" ("bitan" in Chinese,…

"Commanding English," a three-quarter program of communication skills courses presented in an integrated whole, is described in this booklet. The program's general purpose is to assist students whose native language is not English to develop fluency in oral and written English. A brief description of each course offered at General College,…

Reports a study that identified elements of surface grammar essential for English-as-a-second-language (ESL) learners' use of communication strategies (CS) in survival situations. The taxonomy developed provided a basis for identifying the semantic components and syntactic structures required to implement the CS. An appropriate sequence is…

The Technology Enhanced Accent Modification (TEAM) project created multimedia software to improve the oral proficiency of international teaching assistants (ITAs). Objectives were to: (1) develop reliable accent modification software that would operate on computers found at most colleges; (2) determine how TEAM-based accent modification…

This framework articulates the knowledge and skills adult English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) learners need in order to communicate effectively and confidently in English so that they can meet their needs, advocate for themselves, their families and their communities, and participate more fully in U.S. society. The content outlined in…

The University of Michigan English Language Institute has experimented successfully with offering extra-curricular mini-courses for students of English as a second language. The courses provide an optional activity in which the exposure to English is through a real situation in learning subject matter. After several successful attempts, and some…

Project H-200 is a series of English-as-a-second-language (ESL) lessons for the primary grades. To supplement direct language instruction by the Project H-200 classroom teacher, two mechanical aids have been devised. These units are designed to reinforce the language patterns that the children learn in the daily lesson. One type projects a…