Suggests that language teaching involves the interaction of different rationalities, a rationality being the way in which a participant or group of participants perceives a teaching situation and the goal structure they pursue in this situation. Particular focus is on the rationality of methodology. (Author/VWL)

Focuses on two aspects of contextual engagement in relation to second language learning--communicative contexts and learning contexts. Suggests that learning contexts are flawed in respect to the needs of the initial language learner and they need to be refashioned to enable language learners to exploit contextual cues for intake and take…

Attempts to identify those dimensions lacking in most adolescent/adult English-as-a-foreign-language coursebooks whose objectives are to foster developmental language learning in instructed social contexts and to assist students in communicating in and learning English. Findings indicate that most coursebooks fail in these objectives. (27…

Evaluates the role of commercially available foreign language teaching materials, citing the reasons for using these materials as time pressure on teachers, the uncertain language competence of teachers; the materials' visual appeal to students; and the need of a yardstick of progress. The article argues that, failing a revolution in teaching, the…

Examines standards in language testing, in the context of the legal framework of the United States and the United Kingdom. The article argues that research into test reliability and validity by testing bodies in the United States has a legal basis and examines areas in which examination boards offering English as a foreign language tests in…

Describes an exercise of parallel text analysis or production in German as a foreign language, which demonstrates to the students that contextual factors influence the selection of specific variants. The variants must be chosen out of so-called macroprogrammes. A macroprogramme lists the linguistic and extralinguistic means a language offers to…

Describes the learning processes experienced by six language teachers within the context of a three-year research project in which they worked and in the context of doing their Ph.D.s as research assistants. These processes involved learning specific research skills, understanding teaching practices, development of theory and concepts, links with…

Argues that the "voices" of English-as-a-Second-Language teachers have received too little attention in second-language learning research and that, too often, teachers have had to implement "visions" of teaching-learning generated by academics in institutions of higher education. Using interviews with Thai teachers of English,…

Examined the effectiveness of four instructional approaches for teaching English vocabulary to Korean elementary school students: (1) paper and pencil, (2) computer-based word-for-word, (3) computer-based word-for-word plus picture, and (4) computer-based context. Found that the computer-based context group outperformed the other groups. (18…

Notes that within certain spheres of international English language education, active student participation is seen as central to the "good" lesson and successful conference. Argues that this idea of participation is generated by a discourse of power belonging to a particular culture of professionalism and that it is ethnocentric and…

Discusses the importance of teacher attitude and its interconnections with beliefs and teaching behavior. The article introduces a model to explain the gap between statements of intent and the reality of what happens in classrooms. Concludes that beliefs about innovation and its consequences are important in determining behavior and attitude…

Investigates the revision strategies of Spanish native-speaker undergraduates writing in two different discourse types and in two time conditions by analyzing postwriting interview protocols. Results suggest that revision strategies may be initiated by past learning experiences and respond to the perceived nature of the task and the current…

Compares English-as-a-Foreign-Language students beliefs about language learning, using responses to the Beliefs about Language Learning Inventory (BALLI) to identify similarities and differences across cultural groups. Examination of individual BALLI responses did not yield clear-cut cultural differences in beliefs. (Author/VWL)