by Gareth Morgan Centre for English Language Communication, National University of Singapore (Singapore, Singapore) Keywords: consonant sounds, elision, L1 interference, learner autonomy, pronunciation, word stress Abstract The paper focuses on the personalization of pronunciation input based on the differences between Khmer and English. This personalised approach is in contrast to generic coursebookbased pronunciation syllabi, […]
Effective Instruction
In Their Own Words: An Interview with Fredricka Stoller & Bill Grabe
by Brad Blackstone National University of Singapore (Singapore) A cursory search through any academic database under the topics of reading and reading research in specific or applied linguistics in general will yield two names with great consistency: Bill Grabe and Fredricka Stoller. Bill is Regents’ Professor of Applied Linguistics and Vice President for Research at […]
The Realities of Practice and Practices in Reality: A Critical Look at the Work Situation of English Teachers in a Japanese Setting
by Glenn Toh Tamagawa University (Tokyo, Japan) Keywords: teacher subjectivity, teacher empowerment, institutional ideology Abstract The article examines how institutional ideologies and practices can influence the work experiences of English teachers. It looks critically at a range of instances where institutional ideologies, philosophies and policies are perceived to be affecting the cultural and […]
Empirical and Attitudinal Effects of Bottom-up Listening Activities in the L2 Classroom
by Joseph Siegel J. F. Oberlin University (Tokyo, Japan) and Aki Siegel Rikkyo University (Tokyo, Japan) Keywords: second language acquisition, listening pedagogy, listening classroom activities, bottom-up processing Abstract Second language listening pedagogy has generally favored the development of top-down processing and suppressed the importance of bottom-up abilities such as phonetic perception and word segmentation. […]
The Effect of Language Attitudes on Learner Preferences: A Study on South Koreans’ Perceptions of the Philippine English Accent
by Maria Corazon A. Castro and Teri Rose Dominica G. Roh University of the Philippines Diliman (Quezon City, Philippines) Keywords: language attitudes, perceptions, Philippine English accent, Koreans in the Philippines Abstract The global use of English has amounted to variations in the language, as well as different perceptions towards the linguistic variations. In this […]
Does ‘Self-Access’ Still Have Life in It?: A Response to Reinders (2012)
by Jo Mynard Kanda University of International Studies (Chiba, Japan) Does ‘self-access’ still have life in it? Absolutely it does! However, I still maintain that it has to be done right. This will, to some degree, vary from institution to institution, but there are some fundamental things to get right when running an institutional […]
Listening strategy instruction (or extensive listening?): A response to Renandya (2012)
by Jeremy Cross Formerly of the British Council in Japan (Japan) I was interested to read Renandya’s (2012) piece ‘Five reasons why listening strategy instruction might not work with lower proficiency learners’ disputing the value of listening strategy instruction. As an L2 listening researcher (as opposed to a commentator), I agree it […]
The End of Self-Access?: From Walled Garden to Public Park
by Hayo Reinders Middlesex University (London, UK) I’ll admit the title is deliberately trying to provoke a reaction but it reflects a genuine concern I have had for some time. To my mind, self-access is in danger of slipping far away from the forefront of educational innovation it once occupied. In this short discussion […]
Putting a Humanistic Approach to Grammatical Input into Practice: A Sample Lesson
by Gareth Morgan National University of Singapore (Singapore) Keywords: humanism, learner autonomy, learning styles, reflection Abstract The paper’s focus is on a humanistic, multi-dimensional approach to grammar teaching. In this approach the learners practice a variety of skills in order to become affectively engaged through the elicitation of their thoughts, views, motivations, experiences, […]
Motivation through Autonomy: A Case Study at a Japanese University
by Richard Miles Nanzan University (Nagoya, Japan) Keywords: motivation, learner autonomy, curriculum development, oral English Abstract Since the 1990s, learner autonomy has become more widely utilized by educators around the world (Little, 2007), but does it necessarily have a positive effect on motivation in second language classrooms? In an attempt to provide at […]