TEACHING WRITING IN SECOND AND FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSROOMS

This paper compares English as a second language (ESL) and foreign language (FL) teachers' and students' perspectives regarding target language (TL) and first language (L1) use in the respective classrooms. Teachers and students were given questionnaires asking their opinions of a rule that restricts students' L1 use. Questionnaires were administered to 46 ESL students, 43 FL students, 14 ESL teachers, and 15 FL teachers in Texas secondary public schools. Results were analyzed using SPSS and R. Results demonstrated an almost statistical difference between perspectives of ESL and FL students regarding TL and L1 use, while teacher results demonstrated no statistical difference between the groups. Students had a more positive perspective of the rule than teachers.

This article presents findings from a case study within a broader research project that explored the impact of a teacher education module on the development of six pre-service teachers’ (PSTs) competencies for integrating technology-mediated language learning tasks into young learner English as a foreign language (EFL) classrooms. Conducted over a 15-week undergraduate course, the module followed the principles of a sociocultural approach to L2 teacher education (Johnson, 2015) and was offered consecutively for two semesters at a German university specializing in teacher education. Specifically, this article spotlights the development of Julia, one of the participants, detailing her evolving understanding of technology-mediated language learning tasks through various assignments within the module. The objectives of the study were: first, to trace Julia’s evolving understanding of the concept of technology-mediated language learning tasks and, secondly, to discuss how the teacher education activities created space for strategic mediation that facilitated her learning processes. Data were collected through in-depth individual interviews, video-recorded school lessons, audio recordings of seminar sessions, and analysis of an 80-page reflective report submitted by Julia. The findings indicate Julia’s shift from solely concentrating on technology to recognizing the crucial role of pedagogical design in maximizing technology-mediated task-based language teaching (TBLT) benefits.

The use of the first language (L1) in the English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom is becoming an on-going debate. A newly growing view to the use of L1 in the foreign language (FL) classroom called translanguaging views that by utilizing the L1 along with the TL in FL classroom is considered as functional practice of languages rather than an impediment in FL learning. Accordingly it is necessary to find out the functions of teachers’ practice of translanguaging in the EFL classroom since this view has not been much researched yet. Related to this, the current study was intended to find out the functions of the EFL teachers’ translanguaging and to find out the teachers’ reasons for the use of translanguaging. This study followed qualitative descriptive interactive research design, and the subjects consisted of three English teachers at the 7th grade classes at two junior high schools in Singaraja. The data were collected through observations and interviews and were analyzed descriptive qualitatively. The results of this study showed that there were 3 functions of translanguaging. The most frequent function was related to knowledge construction, followed by classroom management, and interpersonal relations. There were 9 reasons for the teachers’ use of translanguaging, namely: to facilitate students’ understanding, to provide L1 and TL comparison, to elicit students’ responses, to attract students’ attention, tomanage students, to promote discipline, to develop deeper personal relationship, to create secure classroom atmosphere, and to make the class more interesting. In sum, the use of translanguaging plays a number of functions in the EFL classroom but it should be considered also the ‘optimal’ use of it in EFL learning process because the overuse of L1 might bring negative impact.

As one of the 21st century skills, media literacy refers to the ability of individuals to critically evaluate and creatively produce representations in a variety of media. A rapid changing world of media, information and communication, which is reshaping the future of work trends, changes literacy demands and requires more complex literacy skills. Thus, it is necessary for students to build the 21st century literacy skills through technology-integrated instructions and classroom practices. In particular, this chapter aims to raise awareness of the relevance of media literacy in teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and EFL teacher education. This chapter provides an evolution of media literacy with its origin, explores the competencies of media literacy, analyzes various frameworks for media literacy education, and elaborates on different teaching approaches. Based on this review, a conceptual framework for media literacy competencies in teacher education is proposed. Additionally, this chapter offers recommendations for best practices of media literacy in EFL classrooms as well as in EFL teachers' preparation and professional development programs.

Language learners’ achievement relies to a great extent on what goes on inside the classroom. The teacher personality types (PTs) and their classroom management orientations (CMOs) play a critical role. The present study intended to explore Iranian English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers’ major PTs and CMOs. Sixty EFL teachers were chosen through the convenience sampling method from foreign language institutes in Isfahan, Iran. They were asked to complete two questionnaires including the Myers–Briggs type indicator and the Behaviour and Instructional Management Scale. Descriptive analysis and Fisher’s exact test were conducted to answer the research questions. The results showed that the extroverted–sensing–thinking–judging (ESTJ) type was the most frequent PT and the interactionalist approach was the major CMO among Iranian EFL teachers teaching at language institutes. The results enhance the understanding of EFL teachers and directors of language institutes on the PT as one crucial factor related to EFL teachers’ behaviour management approaches.
 
 Keywords: Classroom orientations, EFL, Iranian teachers, personality types, management orientations.

Motivation is essential because it highly contributes to achievement. Teachers need to motivate their students in order to develop a positive outcome. Research on motivation for foreign language learning has shown that teachers should be aware of their actions and behaviors in classroom because it is very likely that they can demotivate learners. This study explores how motivational strategies used by English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers could increase the motivation of students to learn English as a foreign language. Participants included five EFL teachers along with one hundred first-year female students. The students completed a survey while the teachers took part in an interview. Both measures aimed to explore the attitudes of both teachers and students towards motivation in the foreign language classroom. Results showed that the most used motivational strategies were: resources that satisfy the students’ needs and interests, group work, active participation in class, and praises and rewards. The findings of this study can contribute to teachers’ knowledge of the motivational strategies that work best for students especially those that are pertinent to the Saudi context to improve their current teaching methods and can contribute also to further research on motivation.

In recent years, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) has been emphasised, specifically in English language teaching. Therefore, investigating English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ perceptions of ESD is a fundamental first step in developing effective EFL curricula and teaching policies. Consequently, this study delved into the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ perceptions of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), examining its role in EFL teaching methodologies and identifying the challenges faced in integrating ESD within the Turkish educational context. In-depth interview data (IDI) was collected from 28 in-service Turkish EFL teachers. Utilising qualitative content analysis (QCA) with open, axial, and selective coding, we found out that Turkish EFL teachers’ perceptions of ESD are multifaceted and shaped by the interdisciplinary nature of EFL teaching, which is fed by Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). The findings showed that EFL teachers: (1) conceptualised ESD as being related to learning for sustainable practices addressing social, economic and environmental dimensions, and linked ESD to a lifelong learning process that should be implemented at all education levels and supported by critical thinking and problem-solving skills; (2) thought English classes provide ideal venues to teach multiple topics including sustainability, thus reported it as a key responsibility for them to instil in their students, and (3) felt that ESD has yet to be sufficiently reflected in EFL curriculum due to some obstacles such as narrow focus on ESD, limited contact hours of English and lack of parental awareness of ESD. The findings mainly emphasised the significance of an extensive and holistic coverage of ESD at all education levels through engaging and hands-on in-class activities. Further practical suggestions are also provided regarding how EFL teaching policies may be developed to better integrate ESD.

Within the last two decades, theorizing and research on language teaching and teachers have witnessed a fundamental shift of attention and orientation towards socio-cognitive aspects of teaching. This epistemic shift has been paralleled by the global reach of the English language, inspiring scholars to call for a paradigm shift in Applied Linguistics to drift away from Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) to Global Englishes (GE) Language Teaching (GELT). While the expanding body of the literature on GE pedagogy has focused on different aspects of this fundamental transformation, teachers’ voices and cognitions have been often neglected in such discussions, despite their being an important element involved in the process. Against this backdrop, and guided by an activity-theoretic perspective as its analytical framework, the present qualitative study explored two Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ cognitions about GE and GELT using semi-structured interview, stimulated recall protocol, and non-participant classroom observation. Despite differences in the cognitions of our participants regarding GELT, the results generally indicated that both teachers tended to prioritize the use of standard American or British English in their teaching practice, bearing testimony to the fact that there is still a theory-practice schism between disciplinary reality and folk reality when it comes to GE-related issues in the English language teaching (ELT) enterprise. Our analysis offers a depiction of the challenges related to introducing GELT into the curriculum. The results are deliberated in relation to the feasibility of GE-oriented pedagogy, questioning whether it is achievable or is merely an idealistic notion. Implications of the findings for second language teacher education are discussed in the end.

This study explores the self-efficacies, self-concepts and self-esteems as readers of English of 20 undergraduate students and pre-service teachers (PSTs) enrolled in an English as a foreign language (EFL) teacher education programme in Chile. This study examines their beliefs about themselves as EFL readers and discusses PSTs’ internal landscapes and their potential to influence their students’ reading motivation in English. Qualitative data were gathered through 7 focus group sessions via Zoom and analysed through codebook thematic analysis. The findings reveal that participants’ self-beliefs are complex, dynamic and multidimensional. Their self-efficacy, self-concept and self-esteem as readers of English are informed by preconceptions about EFL reading, mainly understood from intensive (IR) and extensive reading (ER) approaches, as well as their beliefs about an idealised EFL reader, and motivation for reading in EFL. The implications of this study relate to the importance for EFL teacher education programmes in the country to consider affective and internal dimensions in positive EFL reading instruction. It emphasizes the importance of nurturing positive self-perceptions to promote EFL reading motivation and engagement vital for both teacher development and student success in EFL contexts. By fostering self-confidence and promoting a flexible approach to EFL reading, teachers can create a supportive learning environment, encouraging EFL reading motivation and engagement. Keywords: EFL reading, EFL pre-service teachers, self-concept, self-esteem, self-efficacy

An exploratory investigation into EFL teacher educators’ approaches to develop EFL teachers’ ability to teach for creativity

In this article, I describe an online intercultural citizenship experience in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom in Argentina. An action research project on the Malvinas/Falklands war fought between Argentina and the UK in 1982 was carried out in 2012. Through a comparative methodology involving Argentine and English foreign language classes, students develop a critical perspective on texts while they also create an international identification, different from their national/regional identifications. While the existing body of work on intercultural citizenship and criticality in the foreign language classroom is abundant in Europe, North America and Asia, empirical studies hardly exist in this region and one of the questions to be answered deals with the transferability of curriculum research across continents. After a description of the theoretical framework and the project itself, I present student samples and analysis that provide evidence that this intercultural citizenship project was fruitfully implemented for the first time in Argentinean Higher Education in the foreign language classroom. I then outline the significance of the project from the point of view of online intercultural communication and the theory of intercultural citizenship.

Although the field of second language (L2) writing has evolved into an independent field of inquiry with the exponential growth in research across contexts in the past decades, relatively less attention has been paid to teachers who write and teach writing in school instructional contexts. In particular, scant research on L2 writing teachers has investigated secondary English teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs for writing and writing instruction. The present study aimed to develop and validate the Secondary English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Teachers’ Self-Efficacy for Writing and Writing Instruction Scale (SEFL-TSEWWIS). A sample of 984 Chinese secondary EFL teachers participated in the study. The final version of the SEFL-TSEWWIS scale was comprised of 26 items measuring three dimensions: self-efficacy for teaching and assessing writing elements; self-efficacy for writing instruction; and self-efficacy for writing. Results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the SEFL-TSEWWIS scale had good psychometric properties. This study highlighted that EFL teachers’ beliefs about writing assessment and feedback are crucial parts of their conception of self-efficacy beliefs towards teaching L2 writing. Theoretical and pedagogical implications of the findings are provided for English writing teachers and writing teacher educators in EFL contexts.

The study aimed to understand English teachers’ perceptions on the objectives of English as a foreign language (EFL) teaching and their support for cultural objectives, including promoting intercultural competence. A combination of quantitative and qualitative research approach was used, with 79 teachers from three different provinces participating. The results showed varied perceptions among the teachers towards the objectives of EFL teaching and its implementation. This highlights the need for improvement in the teacher professional development system to address these differences. The variation is attributed to individual differences in opportunities and experiences during the development process.

Background: Corrective feedback plays the role of enabling both teachers and learners to gauge their performance and reflect on their development. It can vary in nature, amount, and focus; nevertheless, its centrality to the classroom cannot be ignored. At the same time, what makes it effective is the way it is communicated. The role of Written Corrective Feedback (WCF) is vital as both a corrective measure and durability for future reference. Foreign language classrooms are an active foreground for feedback practices, given that the bulk of correction is multifaceted and multimodal. However, teachers are left to their devices to formulate best practices in the absence of defined classroom feedback mechanisms. The purposes of this study are (i) to evaluate Saudi English as a foreign language (EFL) instructors’ real practices in supporting their students with corrective feedback; and (ii) to check the students’ beliefs about the feedback they receive from their instructors. Methods: Using the writing output of 92 EFL learners from Qassim University, Saudi Arabia, and the nature of WCF provided to them by three university instructors who were free to choose their feedback strategies in two phases of writing and correction, followed by learners’ cumulative response to the two, the study concludes that a number of difficulties surrounding the scope of feedback need to be researched. Results: The study found that the most used type of WCF is direct in regard to grammatical errors, vocabulary, syntax, and content evaluation. However, the Saudi EFL learners prefer direct corrective feedback for grammatical errors but indirect coded feedback for content correcting their writing assignments. Conclusions: The study encourages EFL teachers to focus on the different types of WCF when reverting to their learners. Furthermore, students’ preference for feedback should be the cornerstone teachers begin with while giving the WCF.

This report proposes a European Profile for language teacher education in the 21st century. It deals with the initial and in-service education of foreign language teachers in primary, secondary and adult learning contexts and it offers a frame of reference for language education policy makers and language teacher educators in Europe. The findings draw on consultation with a wide range of European experts on language teacher education, and on the experience of eleven European teacher education institutions. The findings also suggest guidelines for quality assurance and enhancement. By outlining the key elements in European language teacher education, the Profile aims to serve as a checklist for existing teacher education programmes and a guideline for those still being developed. The report begins by examining the context of recent European enlargement and developments in the European Commission’s policies for education and languages. It outlines the need for a Profile for foreign language teacher education in Europe and explains the rationale behind the Profile as it has been developed. It deals with the structure of educational courses, the knowledge and understanding central to foreign language teaching, the diversity of teaching and learning strategies and skills and the kinds of values language teaching should encourage and promote. Drawing on the expertise of policy makers and educators in the field of foreign language teacher education from a wide range of European countries, the Profile presents 40 key elements in language teacher education courses. It details how courses can be structured and delivered to give trainee teachers access to essential learning opportunities during initial and in-service teacher education. In particular, it focuses on innovative teacher education practices and ways of promoting cooperation, exchange and mobility among the new generation of Europe’s language teachers. In the Profile, each element is explained in detail and supported by advice, guidelines and proposals from European experts. Eleven case studies of European teacher education institutions provide exemplifications of how each element works in practice. The case studies also help identify a number of possible issues that might arise in relation to items of the Profile.