by Radhika Jaidev National University of Singapore (Singapore) Introduction “If you keep in mind that readers are content-driven, time-pressed, and decision-focused, you can write right-every time,” asserts Harvard Kennedy School lecturer in Public Policy, Holly Weeks (2005, p.3). She elaborates that because business audiences prefer their written messages to be clear, unembellished and to […]
Assessment and Feedback
Giving Learners a Voice in Correction and Feedback
by Peter Watkins University of Portsmouth (Portsmouth, UK) Keywords: agency, correction, feedback, learner autonomy Abstract This paper reports on one attempt to give learners a greater degree of control of the correction and feedback they receive on their own language production. It begins by establishing the usefulness of correction but argues that a broader […]
Encouraging Proofreading and Revision
by Hayo Reinders Middlesex University (London, UK) Keywords: independent learning, learner autonomy, proofreading, teaching writing Abstract Recent years have seen a lot of interest in learner autonomy. Although many teachers can see the value of encouraging in learners more awareness of the learning process and the ability to make decisions about their learning without […]
The Case for Group Grades
by George Jacobs It appears that the use of group activities is continuing to gain momentum in both mainstream education (Gillies, 2007) and L2 education (Jacobs & Goh, 2007), based on support from theory, research and people’s own experiences with groups as teachers and students. However, the use of group activities brings with it […]
The Case against Group Grades
by Radhika Jaidev National University of Singapore (Singapore) Project work is a common feature of course work in many disciplines at university level. Students may be required to work on a project and submit either a written paper or deliver an oral presentation or do both. These ‘end products’ may be part of […]