This article considers the creation of online materials and a set of online processes for language teacher education at a distance in challenging contexts. The tool we used to mediate the processes was Skype. We used a Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) analysis to show how our activity system "expanded" as the materials and…

This article describes a case study on a reading programme, named Reading Strategies Training Scheme (RSTS), for second language learning in a Hong Kong primary (elementary) school. The scheme, serving learners of English as a second language from Primary One to Six (ages 6--12), was developed by the school's English teaching team. As it was being…

This article argues for the value of heritage language programs and the micro-level language policies that support them, focusing on a case study of a program in the USA to make this argument. We also argue for the importance of recognizing students' heritage languages, cultures, and individual goals and identities in mainstream school programs.…

The International Baccalaureate (IB) has expanded in Latin America. Drawing from a larger multi-sited qualitative case study, we examined the challenges associated with the implementation of the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) in a Colombian and bilingual context. Findings highlight (1) the intersecting nature of challenges associated with the…

Although there seems to be a wide held assumption that transnational higher education programs have to be taught in English to be legitimate "international" programs, there are a few examples globally of international branch campuses that teach in languages other than English. Using seven institutional case studies from around the world,…

This empirical study explores the current features of English-medium instructed master's degree programs for international students (EMIMDPs-ISs) in Chinese higher education. Since the mid-2000s, a significant number of Chinese universities have proactively engaged in establishing English-medium instructed degree programs for international…

Primary school second/foreign language (SL/FL) programmes in Asia, as well as in other parts of the world, are becoming more common, with many targeting English as the SL or FL. The pressures for such English language programmes come from top-down notions that in a globalised world English is required for societies to be competitive, especially…

Preparing educators who are culturally responsive and prepared to meet the needs of English-language learners is a national priority. Consequently, many teacher preparation programs are being encouraged to include English as a second-language content in their programs of study. The following case study describes the development and implementation…

This article explores the impact of language policy issues on program development and management at the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich Language Center. Based on the analysis of the language policy approach of the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, the article reflects both current practices and policy elements with the help of the…

Population data across the nation demonstrates the growing number of students in public schools who are from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, while public school data reflects a teacher population that is mainly white, middle class and female. While new teacher programs are beginning to respond to this diversity, in-service…

The way many secondary schools are structured limits the ability of immigrant English Learners to achieve academically and develop social networks, often resulting in hyper-segregated learning experiences. This book explores the journey of a group of teachers in a secondary school as they work to change the ESL program for immigrants in their…

This paper provides a case study of the use of language objectives within a newly developed English language teacher education programme in Hong Kong. The programme development team decided to adopt a content-based language teaching approach to support students' second language development through content learning. The teacher education programme…

Much has been written about the provision of INSET and teacher development in the ELT context. However, what is desirable and what is practicable depends on the characteristics of the individual institution. This case study looks at the efforts of a small teacher development unit working in a new and rapidly expanding university, where both…

The Illinois Community College Board provided more than $3.3 million to community colleges during fiscal year 2009 to support local workforce and economic development services through their Business and Industry Centers. The workforce development activities conducted under this grant include customized job training on campus or on-site at a…

Action Research has been used in many fields of endeavour as a useful means of improving practice. This article describes how this methodology was used to develop a programme of language learning at the University of the Free State. The researcher was tasked with the development and implementation of an English language access programme for…