The need for collaboration between researchers and practitioners to address the research-practice gap is a long-debated topic in applied linguistics. Little is known, however, about how researchers and practitioners can collaboratively develop teaching materials, as a potential venue to narrow the gap. This study explored how two groups of…

Cognitive neuroscience has gained significant insight into the mechanisms underlying the mental lexicon and their impact on second language vocabulary learning. However, relatively little effort has been put into understanding how these mechanisms may impact instructional practices. We attempt to bridge this gap. Towards that end, we first…

Engaging in research is acknowledged as having a potentially transformative impact on the professional development of language teachers (Borg, 2010). Yet a cursory examination of the literature suggests that teachers rarely engage in research. The aim of this chapter is threefold: to introduce Exploratory Practice (EP), a form of inclusive…

Self-directed learning has been lauded as a powerful learner-centered approach to involve students in every aspect of their learning. This article depicts a pilot project utilizing study plan as a vehicle to promote self-directed learning in an intensive and teacher-dominant college language program. This article seeks to identify both the…

"Research Informing Practice--Practice Informing Research: Innovative Teaching Methodologies for World Language Educators" is an edited volume that focuses on innovative, nontraditional methods of teaching and learning world languages. Using teacher-research projects, each author in the volume guides readers through their own personal…

Presents a brief overview of good research design and related statistical concepts in deliberately non-technical language and argues that an awareness of the basic principles of valid research on the part of teachers and researchers is necessary to put the findings of language and education research into proper perspective. (Author/CB)

Reports on case studies in English Language Teaching (ELT) of the "four-skill hypothesis" in order to show that an empirically grounded ELT theory is possible. Several hypotheses which control pedagogical decision-making (but for which substantial evidence of their efficacy is lacking) are uncovered. (SED)

The status of research on computer-assisted language learning (CALL) is explored beginning with a historical perspective of research on the language laboratory, followed by analyses of applied research on CALL. A theoretical base is provided to illustrate the need for more basic research on CALL that considers computer capabilities, learner…

Language research and language teaching can and should enjoy a relationship of cooperation and respect that is often lacking. A survey of the literature reveals how much of the friction stems from misunderstandings or exaggerations, not from any essential disaccord between the two domains. (Author/CB)

This special supplement to an education newspaper focuses on the status of bilingual education in the United States. Fifteen articles discuss the historical perspective, research needs, programs, and problems. Topics addressed include: the role of immigration in the development of bilingual education; federal bilingual education policy;…

This collection of 20 papers is centered on the theme "Teaching, Learning, and Technology--Strategies to Motivate Life Long Learning." Titles include: (1) "Barriers to Effective Teamwork and Recommendations for Solutions" (Lillie Anderton-Lewis and Danny H. Pogue); (2) "Are Group Rewards Necessary for Cooperative Learning?…