Revisiting materials for teaching languages for specific purposes

Teaching materials in languages for specific purposes have evolved in the last few years dramatically. The Internet currently plays a significant role in such development and has permitted both a wider range of resources and its free availability almost anywhere in the World. This paper presents a selection of different types of recent materials for English for Specific Purposes. The paper begins by defining ESP. Then it approaches how materials should shape the student’s own learning, how materials should be selected according to the different skills and then emphasizes the importance of the Internet as a source of materials. The paper concludes with a set of ideas for the future development of ESP materials. The final goal of this paper is to provide the readers with valuable tools that can enhance their teaching through accessible mean

Teacher’s’ knowledge and motivation in their adaptation to a testing tool for the university entrance examination

Este trabajo muestra como los profesores que son reacios a incorporar las nuevas tecnologías en su aula tras un periodo de preparación son capaces de entender y aceptar la introducción de la Prueba de Acceso a la Universidad (P.A.U.) asistida por ordenador. El trabajo empieza por describir el proyecto PAULEX (MEC España, proyecto HUM200766479C0201/ FILO). Posteriormente propone un sistema de preparación para el profesorado y concluye que un adecuado entrenamiento produce cambios significativos en las actitudes de los profesores y sus conductas hacia el nuevo examen .Para ello se establece una formación que permita la transición desde el mero conocimiento del medio y contexto del examen hacia su interiorización y finalmente su integración por el profesor. En esta evolución es necesario que el profesor entienda el constructo del examen y sea capaz de aceptarlo, primero, e identificarse con el administrador del examen en última instancia.This paper shows how teachers who may be reluctant to implement information technologies in the classroom, after a period of training are able to understand and accept the introduction of the computer based University Entrance Examination (PAU). The paper begins by describing the PAULEX Project (MEC España, proyecto HUM200766479C0201/ FILO). After, it proposes a system of teacher training and concludes that the appropriate training produces significant changes in the teachers’ attitudes and also their behavior towards the new test. To do so, the paper suggests training that permits the transition from the simple knowledge of the test delivery and context towards the interiorization and, finally, its integration by the teacher. In this evolution, it is necessary for the teacher to understand and accept the test construct, first, and also ultimately make him able to identify himself with test administrato

Teacher training through the Regression Model in foreign language education

In the last few years, Spain has seen dramatic changes in its educational system. Many of them have been rejected by most teachers after their implementation (LOGSE) while others have found potential drawbacks even before starting operating (LOCE, LOE). To face these changes, schools need well qualified instructors. Given this need, and also considering that, although all the schools want the best teachers but, as teachers’ salaries are regulated by the state, few schools can actually offer incentives to their teachers and consequently schools never have the instructors they wish. Apart from this, state schools have a fixed salary for their teachers and private institutions offer no additional bonuses for things like additional training or diplomas (for example, masters or post-degree courses) and, therefore, teachers are rarely interested in pursuing any further studies in methodology or any other related fields such as education or applied linguistics. Although many teachers acknowledge their love to teaching, the current situation in schools (school violence, bad salaries, depression, social desprestige, legal changes and so) has made the teaching job one of the most complicated and undevoted in Spain. It is not unusual to have a couple of instructors ill due to depression and other psychological sicknesses. This paper deals with the development and implementation of a training program based on regressive visualizations of one’s experience both as a teacher as well as a learner

La Plataforma de exámenes multilingüe PLEVALEX1: Resultados del diseño y perspectivas de investigación futura de la Plataforma de Exámenes Valenciana de Lenguas Extranjeras

Este artículo describe cómo está diseñada la Plataforma de Exámenes Valenciana de Lenguas Extranjeras (PLEVALEX) para uso en redes y cómo los ítems de exámenes tradicionales han sido adaptados para esta plataforma informática. Adicionalmente, también justifica los tipos de tareas de exámenes incluidas en la plataforma. Tras una breve revisión de un análisis de necesidades que justificó el desarrollo de esta herramienta, el artículo muestra las tres partes principales de los exámenes distribuidos con PLEVALEX: selección múltiple, redacción escrita y oral. Finalmente, el artículo incluye los temas de investigaciones y desarrollo futuros del proyecto de investigación. Como conclusión, se sugiere que PLEVALEX es una herramienta importante que hará más asequible los exámenes para grandes cantidades de alumnos y de gran efecto social (backwash).This paper addresses how the web based Plataforma de Exámenes Valenciana de Lenguas Extranjeras (PLEVALEX) is designed and how traditional test items have been adapted to the computer-based platform. Additionally, it also justifies the types of testing tasks included in the platform. After a brief review of the needs analysis that justified the computer based platform development, the paper shows the three main sections in the test prepared through PLEVALEX: multiple choice, written composition and oral. Finally, the article includes the topics of further research and development in the research project. As a conclusion, it is suggested that PLEVALEX is a powerful tool that will facilitate high stakes testing (and backwash)

HIEO: Investigación y Desarrollo de una Herramienta Informática de Evaluación Oral multilingüe

Este artículo muestra el diseño de una herramienta informática en línea en red (HIEO) que se desarrolla a través de un proyecto de investigación y desarrollo entre la Universidad Politécnica de Valencia y varias universidades asociadas en Europa y los EE.UU. Universidad HIEO es una parte de un proyecto de exámenes en red más grande (HIELO). El objetivo principal de este proyecto es facilitar la administración de exámenes orales de lenguas a un gran número de estudiantes (hasta 1.000) de manera simultánea. El test está basado en un sistema de vídeo y no exige la presencia física del examinador facilitando, por tanto, su corrección y reduciendo las pérdidas de tiempo excesivas que la administración de este tipo de exámenes suele conllevar.This article addresses the design of an online computer based oral assessment tool for languages (HIEO) to be developed through an international research and development project between the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia and a number of partner universities in Europe and the USA. HIEO is a part of a larger online test project (HIELO). The main goal of this project is the facilitation of administration of oral languages tests to large number of students (up to 1,000) simultaneously. The test is video based and does not require the tester physical presence to be administered. Thus, it facilitates its correction and reduces the excessive waste of useless time that the administration of this type of exams usually brings along

Linking Technology and Reflective Practice in Primary ELT Teacher Education

This paper presents the qualitative results of a study on the use of technology based dialogic interaction in Primary ELT teacher education. In this research technology was focused on its use to support and act as an elaborative interface in the dialogic interaction between the teacher educators and the teacher learners by (1) providing support for analysis, (2) enhancing social interaction through richer contextualization and (3) favouring the design of new teacher training materials. In this research two teacher educators at the Faculty of Education of Universidad de Alcalá (Madrid, Spain) studied the interactions of their own student teachers in microteaching activities for their own classmates, recorded the teaching-trainee-teaching-trainee and teaching-trainee-teacher interactions, and had a dialogic intervention after watching the recordings. Results indicated that dialogic interaction in the zone of proximal development (ZPD) leads to a general learning improvement along with a better self-image and higher motivation. This is due to a significant reduction of performance anxiety, the development of teaching skills, and capacity to self-observe and reflect on their own performance