Heift, Trude

English

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Language Learning & Technology http://llt.msu.edu/vol13num1/speced.pdf February 2009, Volume 13, Number 1pp. 3-4  Copyright © 2009, ISSN 1094-3501 3  FROM THE SPECIAL ISSUE EDITOR There was a time, not so long ago, when the teaching of grammar was strongly associated with endless drill and kill exercises that were performed in isolation from meaningful and authentic contexts. Grammar was most commonly taught as a discrete set of rigid rules to be memorized, practiced, and followed. However, newer technologies that lend themselves more easily to collaborative and explorative learning environments, particularly when combined with constructivist theories of second language acquisition, have drastically changed the approach to teaching and learning grammar. With this in mind, I am very pleased to introduce you to this special issue on technology and learning grammar that highlights and reflects some of these changes that have taken place.  The four articles that are part of this special issue consider theoretical, pedagogical, and technological issues that come into play when teaching grammar to adults in collaborative and explorative learning environments. They highlight the innovations and vast possibilities for teaching grammar in the realm of computer-assisted language learning by reminding us of the diversity of research that still needs to be accomplished in order to gain a better understanding of grammar instruction in computer-based learning environments.  The issue begins with Carmen Pérez-Llantada’s article, “Enhancing Textual, Genre and Social Features of Spoken Grammar: A Corpus-based Approach,” that discusses teaching and learning spoken grammar for English for Academic Purposes with reference to Bhatia’s (2002) multi-perspective model for discourse analysis. The article describes corpus-based instructional procedures, gives samples of learners’ linguistic output, and provides comments on the students’ response to this method of instruction. Data resulting from the assessment process and student production suggest that corpus-informed instruction grounded in Bhatia’s multi-perspective model can constitute a useful pedagogic approach to developing students’ understanding of grammar and their ability to use it accurately and appropriately. The second paper, “The Design of an Online Concordancing Program for Teaching about Reporting Verbs,” by Joel Bloch, describes the use of a web-based concordancing program to help students appropriately choose reporting verbs. Its interface has been designed for students to make lexical, syntactic, and rhetorical choices based on a preset number of criteria related to the decisions writers make in choosing reporting verbs. The article discusses design features of the interface for the teaching of reporting verbs as well as the implementation of a concordancing site that has been integrated with the teaching of grammar and vocabulary in an L2 academic writing class. The third article, entitled “Student–initiated Attention to Form in Wiki-based Collaborative Writing,” by Greg Kessler, provides insights into student-initiated attention to form within the collaborative construction of a wiki among pre-service nonnative teachers of English while learning about the cultures of the English-speaking world. The article explores the degree to which these nonnative EFL teacher candidates attempt to correct their own grammar errors as well as those of their peers in a collaborative task. It also discusses the level of attention learners pay to grammar versus content revision and sheds light on the perception of the importance of grammar in the context of collaborative technologies.  Trude Heift From the Special Issue Editor  Language Learning & Technology   The final paper, Shannon Sauro’s “Computer-mediated Corrective Feedback and the Development of L2 Grammar,” reports on a study that investigated the impact of two types of computer-mediated corrective feedback on the development of high intermediate and advanced adult learners of English. The study focuses on omission of the zero article with abstract noncount nouns during task-based interaction in the form of text-chat. Results indicate no significant advantage for either feedback type on immediate or sustained gains in target form knowledge, although significant immediate gains relative to the control condition are found. This special issue was a truly collaborative effort and I owe deep gratitude to LLT Editor Dorothy Chun and Managing Editor Hunter Hatfield for their contributions. I would also like to thank the many reviewers who provided invaluable feedback on the article submissions by generously contributing their time and expertise to this issue.  Trude Heift  Special Issue Editor  REFERENCES Bhatia, V. (2002). Applied genre analysis: A multi-perspective model. Ibérica, 4, 3-19.    4

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