The theme of EUROCALL 2014 was "CALL Design: Principles and Practice," which attracted approximately 280 practitioners, researchers and students from computer-assisted language learning (CALL) and related disciplines of more than 40 different nationalities. Over 170 presentations were delivered on topics related to this overarching…

In order to sharpen English learning capabilities of students in the institutes of physical education, the author makes a tracking investigation of New Concept English teaching model in Grade 08 of the department of sports training and national traditional sports. By analyzing and comparing the students' English levels before and after the…

There is little point in teachers and writers arguing for the good old days of copper plate writing and the perceived decay of the English language through on-line modes. We have little choice but to embrace change, Facebook reality and consider the role of new media, so as to avoid being caught in a widening digital awareness gap. Language…

This study investigated the level of foreign language anxiety in the classroom, plus the correlation between foreign language anxiety and cooperative learning attitudes and practice among university students at one university in the United States and three universities in Southern Taiwan. Two instruments (The Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety…

Schools with student populations comprised predominantly of students of color, socioeconomically disadvantaged, and English Learners have traditionally been relegated to subpar educational opportunities. The accountability of the No Child Left Behind Act prodded schools to reexamine their instructional practices and implement more effective means…

This paper discusses the importance of listening comprehension in learning English as a foreign language (EFL) and argues that more emphasis should be given to listening comprehension. It cites significant research findings in second language acquisition and reviews the relationship between listening comprehension and language learning. Research…

The challenges of writing itself and lack of appropriate teaching methodology demotivate EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners in some Chinese universities to write more, especially as the only incentive for students to write is the compulsory tests. The main objectives of this article are: (1) to discuss the background of the EFL learners…

Two recent reports offer some paradigm-shifting proposals regarding the teaching of world languages in general at the undergraduate level. The Modern Language Association's (MLA's) "Foreign Languages and Higher Education: New Structures for a Changed World" and "Report to the Teagle Foundation on the Undergraduate Major in Language and Literature"…

The purpose of this article was to shed light on the potential of distance learning to overcome challenges in distance, space, time, and human and economic resources that limit access to language learning opportunities in cultural, literary, historical, geographical, and cross-cultural frames. Language and literature educators collectively have…

English learners (ELs) often struggle with asking questions in the classroom. They frequently need support to become confident questioners when confusion arises during reading. This skill becomes even more significant when such learners transition into mainstream classrooms. One possible framework for helping ELs make this transition includes the…

This article presents the findings of an observation study of reading lessons in English at Primary Three in Singapore. The aims of the study were first to establish whether a common pedagogy to teach reading in English exists at this transition year of children's schooling, and second what the cultural effects of this pedagogy might be for…

Since the late 1970s, following the major economic reforms that opened the country to the outside world, China has witnessed a growing interest in foreign language education and, hence, a substantial surge in the number of foreign language learners and practitioners. However, the situation of the professional preparation of the practitioners has…

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the effects of perceptual learning style preferences on L2 lexical inferencing and whether learners with certain perceptual learning styles benefited more from an explicitly instructional program. Joy Reid's (1995) Perceptual Learning Style Preferences (PLSP) Inventory and a lexical inferencing test…

Poems offer a compact and highly expressive alternative to traditional prose and lengthy written texts typically used in middle grades classrooms. The author describes how ESL teachers can use poetry to introduce English vocabulary and grammar to English language learners and help their students develop writing skills.

Many educators know that studying and composing literature and poetry helps English learners develop their own voice and sense of audience, and to express important social ideas in the process. Poetry, in particular, offers special challenges, but one type of poem that is manageable for the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom is "haiku,"…