Although boredom can be regarded as a ubiquitous emotion in most educational settings, including foreign and second language classrooms, and this condition can have a detrimental effect on the process of learning, it has to a large extent escaped the attention of second language acquisition researchers dealing with individual learner differences.…

Willingness to communicate (WTC) in English is specifically important because L2 (foreign/second language) communication is considered to be a key factor in L2 learning. When the opportunity to speak English arises, there are generally two options: speaking or avoiding it. Several factors might exert influence on the choice of either option by…

This paper seeks to understand the contextual influences that were considered important for shaping teachers' use of Assessment for Learning (AfL). Using the micro, meso and macro-level contextual framework, the content analysis of teachers' propositions drawn from semi-structured interviews and three group discussions unveiled both internal and…

This study aimed at investigating job-related challenges faced by Iranian EFL junior and high school teachers during their professional jobs as English language teachers. To this end and to develop a valid questionnaire for investigating the Iranian EFL teacher challenges, researchers first asked a representative group of teachers for their views…

This study explores the impact of students' beliefs on teachers' beliefs regarding oral corrective feedback through a targeted professional development programme. The programme comprised a one-day seminar during which eleven high-school EFL teachers were presented with and discussed the findings of a study of their students' feedback beliefs, and…

We language educators are constant learners of teaching, not only of up-to-date pedagogy and technology but also the social context of target and native culture within which teaching occurs. Beyond my formal education, integral to my knowledge base are the range of student populations I have served and the variety of language teaching contexts I…

This mixed-method study aims to investigate learners' perceptions of transactional distance and the association of those perceptions with learner outcomes in an online English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. Transactional distance theory formed the theoretical basis of the study. The quantitative data were collected from the learners enrolled…

Multilingual pedagogies draw on learners' prior language knowledge and can offer considerable advantages in learning the target language. Yet language instruction, particularly in foreign language learning contexts, does not often capitalise on the multilingual assets of learners. The goal of this study is to understand what determines the…

While much has been written about the use of instructional materials in the field of language education, very few studies have actually studied the impact of the context in the use of materials in teachers' practices. This work shows the findings of a study about the contextual factors that a group of experienced Mexican teachers believe shaped…

This paper explores factors contributing to the willingness to communicate (WTC) in English as a foreign language (L2) in a Thai university setting. The study uses multiple methods within a qualitative research approach. Data were collected through interviews, stimulated recall, and classroom observations. Relevant contextually-related variables…

This article seeks to provide a theoretical overview of bilingualism and discuss the key concepts and theories that inform classroom pedagogy with bilingual learners. Although some specific classroom strategies are introduced, the primary purpose is not to offer strategies, but rather to offer guiding principles based on theory and research to…

This study examined the theoretical and research literature pertaining to culture learning in language education programs, focusing on whether studies existed that could support or challenge current language education practices regarding the teaching of culture; provide guidance to language educators on effective culture teaching methods; suggest…

Discusses new approaches in assessment development and describes two examples of English-as-a-Second-Language assessment recently developed in Australia. The article places these approaches within the context of state responses to linguistic and cultural diversity and demonstrates the implications of the differences between them. (85 references)…

The IADIS CELDA 2012 Conference intention was to address the main issues concerned with evolving learning processes and supporting pedagogies and applications in the digital age. There had been advances in both cognitive psychology and computing that have affected the educational arena. The convergence of these two disciplines is increasing at a…