This paper reports an investigation into whether a test of productive vocabulary size using a category generation task can be useful and effective. A category generation task is a simple task where learners are asked to name as many as words as they can from a prescribed category such as "animals" or "body" parts. The virtue of…

Background: The Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) developed by Council of Europe has been gaining popularity since its publication in 2001, and reshaping the practice in language teaching, learning and assessment not only across the European continent but also in many other places such as Japan (CEFR-J project). Some pioneering work…

Context is vitally important in conceptualizing the construct and specifying the content of language learning, teaching, and assessment. In a rapidly changing globalized world, it is difficult but very important to identify and capture the unique features of local contexts. In this article, the experience of China will be used to discuss the…

The goal of this Research Brief is to identify schools in which English Language Learners (ELLs) exhibit high growth in English language acquisition. In 2015-2016, a new English Language Proficiency test, known as Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-toState for English Language Learners (ACCESS for ELLs) was used for the…

This Information Capsule summarizes the research on Structured English Immersion (SEI) programs. Most school districts use either the SEI or Bilingual Education (BE) model to instruct elementary level English Language Learners (ELLs). In SEI programs, ELLs receive all or most of their instruction in English. BE programs provide instruction in two…

This report documents how native English speaking students enrolled in the two-way dual language program at Austin Independent School District (AISD) performed on STAMP 4Se, a Spanish-language proficiency test during the 2016-2017 school year.

The current study explores the effects of different types of voice-based chat on EFL students' negotiation of meaning according to proficiency levels. Participants included 123 Korean university students of English. They were divided into two voice-based chat groups: student-student voice-based chat and student-chatterbot voice-based chat. The…

The number of public school students who are English learners (ELs) has been increasing steadily in the United States. According to a report by Snyder, de Brey, and Dillow (2016), in the 2014-2015 school year, nearly 4.6 million students enrolled in Kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) in U.S. schools were English learners, representing…

The perception of the English as Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is extremely crucial since their perceived views regarding the commercial English learning textbooks plays a major role in framing their attitudes towards such textbooks. These textbooks are published by different international publishers and used…

Even though there has been a significant advancement in human rights, social justice and social practices around the world; some Ecuadorian indigenous students still struggle against many social and linguistic limitations, especially in Chimborazo province. This research was carried out with 30 Ecuadorian indigenous students who studied English as…

In language testing programs, different test forms are often used to administer the same test. Demonstrating the comparability of these forms is essential to avoid criticisms of potential test unfairness. However, studies with this objective are scarce. This study aims to investigate the extent to which the picture-prompt writing tasks of three…

Proficiency in English language today doesn't depend on the way language is taught or spoken in classrooms but on creativity and productivity of its diverse teachers and learners. Non-native speakers outnumber native speakers today calling for promoting equity and the concept of World Englishes through respecting diversification in language…

This article aims to discuss ten beliefs that teachers hold about second language (L2) learning and to relate these to relevant theories and approaches in the field of second language acquisition (SLA). It is especially written for L2 teachers who would like to know more about theoretical approaches that seek to explain L2 learning. Preliminary…

This study investigates the plasticity of phonological boundaries during discourse in a "lingua franca." We tracked the production of 34 Spanish learners of English conversing with two Dutch confederates in English across two speech styles, focusing on incremental changes in two key English vowel contrasts with differential effects of…

For years, finding ways and materials to make the learning experience for EFL learners more inspiring and fruitful has been one of the most important tasks of English teaching. The main aim of this study was to examine the effects of movies and gender on learning English idiomatic and everyday expressions among Iranian EFL learners. The sample of…