A Report of an ESL Classroom Observation in Two Language Schools in Auckland Yang, Hong
This article reports an empirical study of classroom observation of two general English lessons that examined the effects of teachers' referential questions on learners' responses in two ESL classrooms. The study found that in both classes, the teachers asked many more referential questions than display questions, contrary to earlier findings. Moreover, the teachers' referential questions elicited longer and syntactically more complex utterances from the learners. The reasons for this are discussed in the light of the objectives and pedagogic tasks of the lessons. Findings confirm the value of teachers' referential questions on learners' responses and are discussed in the context of the characteristics and functions of both referential questions and display questions.
Effects of Peer Feedback on ESL Student Writers at Different Levels of English Proficiency: A Japanese Context Kamimura, Taeko
A study was conducted to explore the nature and effectiveness of peer feedback in EFL writing classrooms. High- and low-proficient Japanese EFL learners participated in the study where they exchanged comments with peers after receiving training in peer feedback. The two groups were compared in terms of their pre- and post-tests, original drafts and rewrites, peer comments and responses to the comments. It was found that peer feedback had overall positive effects on the compositions for both the high- and low-proficient students, with different patterns observed in the relationship between the comments and revisions that characterized the two groups.
Perspectives From Japanese Staff in Canadian ESL Schools Regarding Japanese Students' Groupism Kobayashi, Yoko
The present study, which stems from a critical approach to common perceptions about ESL learners in the TESOL community, examines the perspectives of Japanese-speaking staff in Canadian ESL institutions on their students' school performance. From September 2003 to April 2004, qualitative data were gathered from 11 staff members through mail survey, on-line communication and interviews. These voices were found to be instrumental for a contextual understanding of the tendency of Japanese students toward passivity and groupism, which is partly attributed to the interplay between students and the outside world. As an awareness-raising study, it provides a detailed description of the research process.
Professionalism and High-Stakes Tests: Teachers' Perspectives When Dealing With Educational Change Introduced Through Provincial Exams Turner, Carolyn E
The effect of high-stakes tests on classroom activity (commonly called washback) is an issue that is receiving heightened attention in the literature. It is yet one more element that teachers need to deal with in their professional contexts. This article focuses on the perspectives of ESL secondary teachers as they experience curriculum innovations introduced into the educational system via provincial exams. Survey results from 153 teachers are reported. The survey is part of a larger washback study that also triangulated classroom observations and teachers' and students' perception data in a longitudinal study. The survey results suggest that teachers would like to do their part in moving the system into a position where curriculum, their teaching and assessment, and the system's high-stakes exam correspond. They achieve this, however, according to their beliefs and professional stances, which may not present a unified performance across teachers.
A Reflective Practice in Action: A Case Study of a Writing Teacher's Reflection on Practice Farrell, Thomas S.C.
Reflective practice, a popular item in current second-language teacher education and development programs, can help bridge the gap between a teacher's beliefs and classroom practices. This article outlines a case study, highlighting how one teacher of academic writing initiated the exploration of her teaching and how she used classroom observations and oral recall to help her reflect on her practice. Specifically, the exploration sought to outline the teacher's beliefs about, and classroom practices in, teaching academic writing. It is suggested that oral recall and classroom observations may be effective methods for helping language teachers discover the relationship between their beliefs and classroom practices