Robert C. Kleinsasser

Communicative Language Teaching (CLT): Practical Understandings

The aim of this article is to report on a study that documented the views and practices of communicative language teaching (CLT) by Japanese second language inservice teachers. Compared to theoretical developments of CLT (e.g., see Savignon, 1991), little is known about what second language teachers actually understand by CLT and how they implement CLT in classrooms. Using multiple data sources including interviews, observations, and surveys, the article reports how teachers defined CLT and implemented it in their classrooms. The study identified how teachers actually dealt with CLT in their classrooms teaching Japanese. It is interesting to note that their views and actions dealt little with the academic literature pertaining to CLT or their education (be it preservice or inservice) in learning about CLT. Instead, teachers resorted to their personal ideas and experiences, solidifying their notions of foreign language (L2) teaching in further pursuing their evolving conceptions of CLT.

Language Education in the National Curriculum

Language in the curriculum, Christopher Brumfit the National Curriculum as language policy, Rosamond Mitchell English teaching - language, literacy and learning, Christopher Brumfit reading to learn, Virginia Kelly literature teaching and the National Curriculum, Michael Benton drama in education, Kate Armes media education and the secondary English curriculum bilingual learners - community languages and Engish, Christopher Brumfit and Rosamond Mitchell the first foreign language, Michael Grenfell other foreign languages., Melanie Smith language awareness, Janet hooper language after 16, George Blue.

Wicked problems: inescapable wickedity

The article explores the concept of wicked problems and proposes a reinvigorated application of this concept for wider educational use. This recommendation stems from the contributions of a number of scholars who frame some of the most contentious and recalcitrant educational issues as wicked problems. The present authors build upon these previous explorations of wickedity and initially apply it to literacy learning. They then discuss the relevance for wicked responses and wicked actions for the wider educational community (e.g. parents, teachers, policy-makers, teacher educators and educational researchers). The authors conclude with three proposals for understanding and addressing wickedity: (a) promoting careful observation and continuous curiosity, (b) increasing conversations with diverse stakeholders and (c) engaging in collective and distributed sense-making.

Home Country Teachers' Advice to Non-Home Country Teachers: Some Initial Insights.

This study explores educational and sociocultural advice home country teachers offer non-home country teachers instructing English. It reviews various professional literature including documents (e.g. news releases), websites, and various literature (books, journals, journal articles) pertaining to the preparation of teachers who plan to teach English in non-home country learning environments. The 30 participants representing 14 countries completed a written questionnaire and provide advice on the personal qualities and L1 abilities of non-home country teachers, English language teaching, English home country students, preferred variety of English, and sociocultural challenges.

Cautionary Tales: Teaching, Accountability, and Assessment

Abstract Three teacher educators recount cautionary tales to serve as a catalyst for -discussion and share their collective musings about teaching, accountability, and assessment. From ongoing reflection and conversations, three themes emerged: expertise, certainty, and orthodoxy. They begin by clarifying their understandings of these three areas and then provide commentary about each one.

A Review of “On Ethnography: Approaches to Language and Literacy Research”

when a literature review is an important part of all systematic inquiry. What this book proves, in a way, is that technology in itself really does not matter—even language drills, implemented in pedagogically sound ways, can provide engaging avenues to language acquisition. As Evans notes in the conclusion, all the chapters are different in content and even form, which not only makes the book engaging to read but also clearly helps make the book’s point about the importance of pedagogy in relation to digital technologies in education. Although the audience for this text would be relatively new teachers, researchers, and ICT users, the principles of pedagogy that infuse this text serve as a strong reminder for veterans of how educators need to think about teaching and learning with technology.