Past studies have indicated that teachers' self-disclosure has a direct influence on students' learning. It has impacted students' motivation, participation, interest, affect for teacher and course, solidarity, affinity seeking behaviours and out-of-classroom communication. However, little is understood about how this phenomenon affects teaching…

Portfolio assessment (PA) is promulgated as a useful tool to promote learning through assessment. While the benefits of PA are well documented, there is a lack of empirical research on how students' self-regulation can be effectively fostered in writing classrooms, and how the use of PA can develop students' self-regulated capacities. This…

This series captures the dynamics of the contemporary ESOL classroom. It showcases state-of-the-art curricula, materials, tasks, and activities reflecting emerging trends in language education and seeks to build localized language teaching and learning theories based on teachers' and students' unique experiences in and beyond the classroom. Each…

Teaching written communication in a secondary school foreign language class requires the creation of an authentic psycho-sociocultural environment. Given this environment, four types of activity are outlined: letter writing, writing advertisements and announcements, various types of forms to be filled in, and exercises arising from a learning need…

The paper presents findings from a school-based collaborative research project, the InterActive Education Project, which linked teachers, teacher educators and university researchers in English secondary schools (see Sutherland et al., 2004). It centres on a case study from one school where students used a simple yet highly effective electronic…

Two elements of constructivist pedagogy warrant attention with respect to second language (L2) learning: collaborative dialogue and learner decision-making. These two elements in instruction bring about experiential and task oriented classrooms. The constructivist approach to the L2 classroom foregrounds conceptual development focused on…

Three principal types of goal structure are (1) cooperative; (2) competitive; and (3) individualistic. Specifically designed cooperatively structured group activities can improve group performance and attitudes in class. A writing class for English majors is briefly described and evaluated before and after goal structure was considered. Grade…

This collection of papers focuses on applied linguistics and second language teaching. Three of the papers discuss classroom issues, two examine new views and models in second language writing, and one describes the Koge project, which has presented the most comprehensive research on bilingual children in Denmark. The six papers include the…

This article examines the results of writing assignments completed by an English-as-a-Second-Language student outside of a college writing class. the study focused on how the student used feedback on her writing to study and learn, for social interaction, and to find her academic voice. (21 references) (CK)

A classroom-based ethnographic study investigated the use of process writing techniques with English as a second language (ESL) writers. The primary purpose of the study was to establish a context where the strategies and methodologies that have been generated by the last 15 years of research on the composing process of native speakers could be…

Compares students in two English-as-a-Second-Language writing environments: a networked computer-assisted classroom and a traditional oral classroom. Results indicate that while the writing environment has no effect on attitudes toward writing with computers or writing apprehension, writing quality improves in the computer-assisted classroom and…

The guide consists of essays on classroom practice and strategy in adult English-as-a-second-language (ESL) instruction. Essays on practice include: "Benefits of Cooperative Learning: A Guide for Beginning ESL Teachers" (Amy Sak Bosma); "Process Writing in the Adult Education Classroom" (Rosemary Gillet); "Grammar for Pre-Literates" (Ida…

Ideas from education, linguistics, and typography are combined in a discussion of the selection, use, and production of instructional materials for students in a multilingual school context. Application of materials to development of reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills is examined. An introductory chapter looks at the perspectives of…

Creating a writing workshop atmosphere using computers in the English as a Second Language (ESL) classroom improves the opportunities for integrating all language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The computer also represents a new way of learning, emphasizing students' problem solving strategies and learning processes. Teachers…

The conference papers presented in this volume explore various aspects of a central question: how will computers be used in language teaching or, more broadly, who will be in control? The volume is divided into three sections: Critical Interactions, Promising Approaches, and Political Influences. Papers included within each of these categories are…