Provides an analysis of the frequency of verbs and their syntactic requirements in "Interchange" (Richards et al., 1991), a popular series of textbooks for English as a Second Language (ESL). A corpus analysis of "Interchange" suggests that ESL materials may underrepresent some of the verb classes that are known to cause learners difficulty.…

Presents findings from research into listening strategies and tactics of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) learners from the People's Republic of China studying in an intensive English language and academic skills program in a university in Singapore. Showed that high-ability listeners used more strategies and tactics than the low-ability ones.…

Contrasts student evaluation of a course by the conventional method of final evaluation form with a less conventional approach in which the learner is interviewed on a number of occasions throughout the course. Reveals weaknesses with the end-of-course evaluation form. (Author/VWL)

Describes a case study and a follow-up comparative study that focused on expert foreign language teachers' professional knowledge as it was reflected in their spoken and written discourse. Both studies provide evidence indicating that professional knowledge can develop via its verbalization in reflective-narrative discourse from personal…

Presents results of an empirical survey aimed at obtaining classroom data on student motivational strategies. Hungarian teachers from various language teaching institutions were asked how important they considered a selection of 51 strategies, and how frequently they used them in their teaching practice. (Author/VWL)

Presents findings relating to a study on pupils' perceptions of the in-school foreign language learning experience. The study is part of a longitudinal study on the motivational perspectives of secondary pupils learning German. (Author/VWL)

Given recent claims that task-based instruction has desirable pedagogic qualities, this article investigates the effects of choosing different types of tasks, as well as different task implementation conditions, on the fluency, accuracy, and complexity of the language that is produced when tasks are carried out. (Author/VWL)

Discusses what makes good communicative English language teaching by focusing on an ethnographic study of six undergraduate university lessons. The lessons were observed while carrying out consultancy work in India and China. Suggests that cultural continuity between traditional and innovative forms of instruction emerges as an essential feature…

Reports on an analysis of the evidence of politeness in Japanese English-as-a-Second-Language high school textbooks. Analysis reveals that the textbooks are not exposing learners to important aspects of linguistic politeness in English. Ways that the teaching of politeness might be facilitated are considered. (Author/VWL)

Presents preliminary findings from a longitudinal study of French teaching and learning in two secondary schools in southern England. Focuses on a subgroup of teachers involved in the project, examining their classroom practices and beliefs about effective teaching (Author/VWL)

Explores the vocabulary available in English-as-a-Second-Language classes in which teachers have made a strong commitment to a communicative approach to language teaching. Provides an account of problems that were encountered in an attempt to establish a rich lexical environment in one classroom. (Author/VWL)

Discusses the relationship between second-language teaching and research from the multiple perspectives of a North American context. (Author/VWL)

Focuses on the aim of the Cultural Inglesa, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which is the development of a new, fully sustainable concept for classroom-based research--exploratory practice--and its assimilation into the normal working and professional-development practices of Rio Cultura teachers. (Author/VWL)

Reports on an ESRC-funded study of the levels of knowledge about language of first-year undergraduate student learners of French and the relationship between this metalinguistic knowledge and language proficiency and aptitude. (Author/VWL)

Examines the potential of using data from interviews with second-language writers to explore ways in which writing differs between languages and cultures. Reports results of a study of 17 university staff and postgraduate students, all seasoned academic writers in both their mother tongue and English, who were interviewed about their understanding…