Three kinds of knowledge that effective teachers should master have been proposed: content knowledge (CK), pedagogical knowledge (PK), and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Most PCK studies have been conducted in the mathematics or science domain. In recent years, a growing number of studies related to foreign language teachers' PCK have…

French teaching in Ottoman Turkey found its actual speed with the Tanzimat period (the political reforms made in the ottoman state in 1839). Until the proclamation of the Republic, and even until the 1950s, French was considered the leading carrier of Western culture and civilization in Turkey, and teaching French was deemed necessary. However, it…

Research into pronunciation has often disregarded its potential to inform pedagogy. This is due partly to the historical development of pronunciation teaching and research, but its effect is that there is often a mismatch between research and teaching. This paper looks at four areas in which the (mis)match is imperfect but in which a greater…

Despite their potential benefits, teacher-created animated cartoons have not found much room in second-language (L2) research, probably due to some technical challenges involved in creating them. This paper reports the findings of a mixed-methods embedded experimental study, designed to test the impact of tailor-made animated cartoons on the…

Research on second-language (L2) speech acquisition suggests that audio-visual aids could be effective in helping learners acquire difficult L2 speech sounds (Li, 2016a). However, most previous studies have been restricted to laboratory settings rather than the classroom environment. The present study, therefore, was designed to fill this…

Background: Teaching English as home language (EHL) could be a complicated process in a country like South Africa, where there are eleven official languages operating in a multicultural society. This requires capacitating teachers with appropriate and relevant strategies to strengthen their teaching, especially in the foundation phase. Aim: This…

The number of Spanish students in Australia is increasing. This growth coincides with a period of revival in the teaching and learning of pronunciation in the foreign language classroom. However, unlike their peers in the UK and especially in the US, no specific materials are available for Australian students. In order to assist them, the first…

This study explores native and nonnative English-speaking teachers' expectations of teacher's manuals accompanying general English skills books and pronunciation teaching books, as well as their impressionistic evaluation of a printed and online teacher's manual. The study has a mixed-methods design incorporating an online survey and 2 interviews.…

Despite their importance, teacher's manuals (TM) have never drawn much attention in language teaching research, and therefore they have not been researched from the perspective of pronunciation teaching. It may be that they have not been perceived as having a role more than being an answer key for student materials (Sheldon, 1987). However, TMs…

This study investigates the current situation of English textbooks used in Chinese senior high schools to explore whether the English textbook series provide nonnative accents of English for students, and if they do, to what extent and in what kinds of situations. In addition, this study also looks into the English tests in the National College…

This study investigated second language (L2) learners' perception of L2 sounds as an individual difference that predicted their improvement in pronunciation after receiving instruction. Learners were given explicit pronunciation instruction in a series of modules added to their Spanish as a foreign language curriculum and were then tested on their…

Most of the students majoring in the English Language Teaching Departments, as in other foreign language departments, have difficulties in pronouncing the words correctly in Turkey. The National University Entrance Exam delivered annually does not test oral and aural competencies of the prospective English language teachers. As they are not…

Language learning, especially second language learning requires systematic practice and repetition. Students are introduced with the new words in class sessions and they practice them via traditional methods such as continuously writing the direct meaning of the word or using flash cards. Computers have the potential to bring more attractive and…

Argues that instructor monitoring in a language laboratory is an inefficient instructional method. (CK)

Describes a course in pronunciation produced in Buenos Aires as a supplement to a school textbook in German. The course, available on tape, was tried out in twelve schools, and was found usable beginning with Grade 3. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)