A CEFR- Based Comparison of ELT Curriculum and Course Books used in Turkish and Portuguese Primary Schools

This cross-cultural study aims to explore to what extent a macro-level language policy, the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) (CoE, 2001), is implemented at micro-level contexts, more specifically, primary English classrooms in Turkey and Portugal. This study investigated the 3rd and 4th grade course books and the Turkish and Portuguese English language curricula through content analysis and cross-cultural comparison. The course book analysis was carried out with reference to language skills as suggested in the CEFR, intercultural characteristics of the course books, and A1 level descriptors. Results highlight similarities and differences in both countries in terms of the implementation of the CEFR and representation of A1 level descriptors in course book activities in primary English classrooms. Implications refer to the importance of teacher education, preparation of age and inter-culturally appropriate materials for primary levels and necessities for sustainable and consistent language policy and planning

Patterns of Teaching-Learning Interaction in the EFL Classroom

The successfullness of teaching-learning process is highly influenced by the patterns of interactions appeared in the classroom activities. Through this case study, the purpose of this paper is to explore the patterns of interaction during teaching and learning proccess. Two accellerated classes were observed and recorded to gain the data. The findings revealed that the patterns of interaction emerged in the first class were group work, choral responses, closed-ended teacher questioning (IRF), individual work, student initiates-teacher answers, open-ended teacher questioning, and collaboration. Meanwhile, the patterns of interaction in the second class showed closed-ended teacher questioning (IRF), open-ended teacher questioning, choral responses, student initiates-teacher answers, group work, and individual work pattern. The patterns of interaction were produced from teacher and student(s) and/or student(s) and student(s) in relation to the teacher talk and the students talk categories used during learning activities. These patterns were produced constantly. They are to show that the teaching-learning process was not always dominated by the teacher. Most students actively participate as well in any classroom activity. Thus, these patterns absolutely increase the students talk and students' participation in the class. It is necessary for teachers to reorganize the active activities which might foster more interaction in the classroom

‘I understood the words but I didn’t know what they meant’: Japanese online MBA students’ experiences of British assessment practices

We report on a case study of high Japanese student failure rates in an online MBA programme. Drawing on interviews, and reviews of exam and assignment scripts we frame the problems faced by these students in terms of a ‘language as social practice’ approach and highlight the students’ failure to understand the specific language games that underpin the course assessment approach. We note the way in which the distance learning and online context can make the challenges faced by international students less immediately visible to both students and institution

Testimony and Children’s Acquisition of Number Concepts

An enduring puzzle in philosophy and developmental psychology is how young children acquire number concepts, in particular the concept of natural number. Most solutions to this problem conceptualize young learners as lone mathematicians who individually reconstruct the successor function and other sophisticated mathematical ideas. In this chapter, I argue for a crucial role of testimony in children’s acquisition of number concepts, both in the transfer of propositional knowledge (e.g., the cardinality concept), and in knowledge-how (e.g., the counting routine)

Ludic literacies at the intersections of cultures: an interview with James Paul Gee

Professor James Gee addresses issues of linguistics, literacies and cultures. Gee emphasises the importance of Discourses, and argues that the future of literacy studies lies in the interrogation of new media and the globalisation of culture

Evaluation Report of Prospero’s Island: an Immersive Approach to Literacy at Key Stage 3.

Prospero's Island is an immersive theatre project created by Punchdrunk Enrichment and sponsored by Learning Partner, London Borough of Hackney (Hackney Learning Trust). The project sought to inspire and motivate students’ engagement with the English curriculum, and to develop an immersive approach to teaching literacy that would improve students’ learning. Prospero’s Island took place in a secondary academy in Hackney, London over two school terms (autumn 2014-spring 2015). The project was embedded in existing schemes of work, and included the following elements: • An immersive theatre installation for Year 7-8 students (aged 11-13 years); this took the form of an interactive game based on The Tempest; over a two-week period groups of students participated in this experience for a morning or afternoon (autumn term); • A Teaching and Learning Day (TALD) and eight twilight CPD sessions on immersive learning techniques for school staff and teachers across London (autumn term); • A return to the installation for one lesson, led by English teachers (autumn term); • Follow-on work by teachers to develop immersive learning in English lessons (spring term); • An independent evaluation of the project (autumn and spring terms)

IMPROVING STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY MASTERY HROUGH THE USE OF WALL CHARTS IN ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

The objectives of this research are: (1) to find out whether wall charts can improve the English vocabulary mastery of the fifth grade elementary students (2) to find out students’ motivation when wall chart is used in teaching vocabulary. The research data were collected by using observation, interview, document, and test (pre-test and post-test). The data were analyzed through descriptive analysis which consists of assembling the data, coding the data, comparing the data, building interpretation, and reporting the outcomes for the qualitative data and descriptive statistics for the quantitative data. The research findings show that wall charts are able to improve students’ vocabulary mastery and students’ motivation. It shows that there was an improvement of the students’ vocabulary mastery before and after the research. Key words: action research, vocabulary, wall charts, motivatio

Pre-service teachers as designers in the context of advertising literacy education

The present study describes how teacher design teams (TDTs) in pre-service education were set up to create in-school programs about advertising. A multiple case-study design was employed to reveal what kinds of input-, process-, and output-related factors facilitate or hinder the collaboration of three voluntarily participating teams of pre-service teachers. By combining pre-TDT questionnaire data with an analysis of audiorecorded team design discussions and reflective data collected after the design process, we found that the participating student teachers (1) were unfamiliar with design assignments at the start of the project, but were all intrinsically motivated to take part; (2) especially express practical concerns when designing learning materials, and (3) argue that TDTs positively contribute to their professional development. As this study revealed both facilitating and hindering factors, recommendations for future organization of and research on TDTs in pre-service education are offered

Excellence in English: what we can learn from 12 outstanding schools

"One of the most pressing issues in English facing a large number of schools today is how to improve from being good to outstanding. The aim of this report is to improve practice in English across all schools and particularly to help them become outstanding. The report provides 12 case studies of schools which are successful in helping their pupils to make outstanding progress in English." - Cover