In this reflection article I examine language assessment literacy initiatives and their possible impact on teachers, and I discuss the connections that exist between language assessment literacy and teachers' professional development. I explain that training for language assessment literacy may primarily foster teachers' knowledge and skills and,…

Although several investigations have been carried out in recent years on written corrective feedback (WCF), there is a lack of agreement about its definition and the effect on students' writings of different types of feedback. This may be due to the lack of systematicity regarding the characterization of WCF used in those studies. This article…

Motivation is one of the most important factors in the enjoyment and success in learning any subject, especially a foreign language. Many students approach the learning of a language based on academic mandates, family impositions, job requirements, and so on. These non-intrinsic motivations make learning a more difficult, frustrating, and…

This paper describes an approach to developing intermediate level reading proficiency through a strategic and iterative use of a discreet set of tasks that combine some of the more common metacognitive theories and strategies that have been published in the past thirty years. The case for incorporating this composite approach into reading…

We report on an action research project aimed at developing oral communication in first-graders, using songs as a strategy for young learners to use and enjoy English. It was developed at a Colombian public school over three months. The teacher-researchers attempted to encourage students using simple and amusing songs to help them learn new…

A rubric was developed to evaluate laboratory reports written by undergraduate students of astronomy and astrophysics from Universidad Católica de Chile. The process of elaboration, peer validation, and application of the rubric to the evaluation of written tasks extended from August 2011 to August 2012. The instrument proved to be effective as an…

This paper reports on an innovative and action research project which focused on the use of the dictionary and the prior knowledge of Colombian high school students to improve their reading comprehension of short scientific texts. Data collection instruments included students' work gathered during two workshops, field notes, and a questionnaire.…

With the rise of new tendencies and methodologies in the English as a foreign language field, formal grammar instruction has become unnecessary during the last few years. Institutions and educators have made serious decisions in order to promote a language production which is fluent and coherent. Thus, grammar instruction has been partially…