Career Aspects of Graduate Training in ESL

This article reports the results of a survey of MA graduates in ESL from the University of Hawaii. From the responses of 137 graduates, we learn that the first positions and current positions for a substantial majority were ESL teaching, primarily full time, both in the United States and abroad. Other duties included administration, materials preparation, and curriculum design. Information is provided on the respondents' areas of employment, number of students per class and semester, and salary levels. Employment status, salary for first position after receiving the MA degree, and year of graduation were more important than sex in determining the respondents' current salaries. The respondents reported that the training they received in their MA program helped either a great deal or to a very great extent. A revised questionnnaire is proposed to serve as a model for future surveys. The results are useful not only to administrators and faculty in ESL professional preparation programs, but to those contemplating enrolling in an MA program

Selecting an ESL/EFL Reading Passage

The selection of a reading passage is one of the more complex tasks in an intensive reading program. This article explores the nature of this task by positing two categories of factors, those related to the proficiency of the learners in English and those not related to learner proficiency. Also discussed are possible sources of reading passages, including student selection. Finally, I propose that the ESL/EFL reading teacher select passages relating to three or four themes or topics during the reading program, rather than a wide variety of subjects

Issues in Teaching Second Language Reading

Look through the window of any second or foreign language (L2) reading classroom and, invariably, you will see teacher and students seated with books open in front of them. This superficial similarity masks vast differences in teaching methodology, however. As the 20th century draws to a close, there are, around the world, at least four distinctive approaches to the teaching of L2 reading: grammar-translation, comprehension questions, skills and stategies, and extensive reading. After briei descriptions of the four approaches to teaching reading, this paper surveys a selection of recent articles and books that address important concems in L2 reading pedagogy. Finally, questions are raised about the relationship of theory, research, and teaching practice

Online extensive reading in EAP courses

Extensive reading (ER) has been shown to be an effective approach in helping second language (L2) students learn to read the target language. Of particular interest is how L2 learners in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses that included ER would react to ER since ER involves L2 learners reading easy, interesting books that they select themselves. We examined the reactions of 57 EAP university students to ER. The study was conducted longitudinally for two semesters in Fall 2017 and Spring 2018, where two groups of learners read online books for ten and twelve weeks respectively. We used the Xreading Library, an online subscription-based graded-reader library that allows students unlimited access to more than 1000 books on their computers, tablets or mobile devices. We gathered both quantitative and qualitative data to determine the extent to which online ER affected the learners’ attitudes toward reading in English, their academic reading, and English proficiency in general and their instructor’ reactions to Xreading. The study revealed that L2 learners’ reading attitudes were significantly improved after reading graded readers online. The results also suggested that, in general, the learners felt that their reading rates, vocabulary, grammar, comprehension, writing and speaking were all improved through online ER. Though learners perceived the effects of online ER on their academic reading differently, the instructors held positive attitudes toward online ER

Establishing an Extensive Reading Program in a Chinese as a Foreign Language Context

Extensive reading (ER) has been widely practiced in teaching English as a foreign or second language contexts. However, reports on how ER was practiced in Chinese as a foreign or second language (L2) contexts are not commonly seen. This study reports how an ER program was established in a liberal arts college in the U.S.A, and how ER affected L2 Chinese readers’ reading attitudes. The study also examined L2 Chinese learners’ perceptions of language abilities improved through ER, and their enjoyment of ER activities. Data were collected over thirteen weeks through pre- and post-reading attitude surveys, weekly ER activities, and the end of the semester reflections. The findings suggest ER significantly improved L2 Chinese readers’ confidence in reading Chinese and devotion to learning Chinese. Some students also perceived that ER improved their reading fluency, reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, character recognition, writing, speaking, and listening skills

The effectiveness of ER on reading proficiency: A meta-analysis

A meta-analysis was performed to investigate the impact of extensive reading (ER) on reading proficiency. This study gathered 71 unique samples from 49 primary studies published from 1980 to 2014 involving a total of 5,919 participants. Effect sizes were generated separately according to two different study designs: experimental-versus-control contrasts and pre-to-post-test contrasts. Small to medium effect was found in both study designs. Moderator analysis showed growing interest in ER in the field over the last 30 years. Also, a higher effect was found in the adults than in the children and adolescents group. English as a foreign language (EFL) settings showed a higher effect than English as a second language (ESL) settings; and web-based stories had a higher effect than paper books. Finally, ER as a part of curriculum showed the highest mean effect among ER types. Suggestions are made on how to implement ER in ESL and EFL settings effectively

Why do drivers become safer over the first three months of driving? A longitudinal qualitative study

Drivers are at high crash risk when they begin independent driving, with liability decreasing steeply over the first three months. Their behavioural development, and other changes underlying improved safety are not well understood. We adopted an innovative longitudinal qualitative design, with thirteen newly qualified drivers completing a total of 36 semi-structured interviews, one, two and three months after acquiring a full UK driving license. The interviews probed high-risk factors for new drivers, as well as allowing space for generating novel road safety issues. Analysis adopted a dual deductive and inductive interpretative thematic approach, identifying three super-ordinate themes: (1) Improvements in car control skills and situation awareness; (2) A reduction in the thrill of taking risks when driving against a background of generally increasing driving speed; (3) Early concerns about their social status in the eyes of other road users during the early stages of driving, which may put pressure on them to drive faster than they felt comfortable with. The study provides important new leads towards understanding how novice driving becomes safer over the first few months of driving, including how well-studied concepts of driving skill and style may change during development of independent driving, and a focus on the less rigorously studied concept of social status