Inclusive Transnational Education Partnerships: A Case Study of a Master of Arts in TESOL Program

RELC Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 003368822110112
Author(s):  
Marie Alina Yeo ◽  
Jonathan Mark Newton
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Transnational Higher Education ◽  
Travel Restrictions ◽  
Speakers Of Other Languages ◽  
English Medium Instruction ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
Master Of Arts

Recent nationalist and isolationist policies coupled with travel restrictions have prompted a shift in perspectives on the internationalization of higher education. Furthermore, criticisms surrounding issues such as the widespread adoption of English as a medium of instruction in higher education and quality assurance of transnational programs have emerged, with increasing calls for more inclusive models and greater emphasis on quality over quantity. This paper presents an evaluative study of a transnational Master of Arts in the Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (MATESOL) program delivered in partnership by an institution in Singapore (SI) and a university in New Zealand (NZU) and designed for English language teachers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region. Drawing on an impact evaluation, the paper identifies key design features in the program that contributed to its effectiveness as an inclusive model of English medium instruction (EMI) and internationalization in transnational higher education (TNHE).

scholarly journals Investigating TESOL Teachers' Awareness of Critical Pedagogy at Higher Education Institutions in Oman: Implications for Critical Professional Development

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 35-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thuraya Al Riyami ◽  
Ali Al Issa
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Critical Pedagogy ◽  
English Language ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Alternative Pedagogy ◽  
Sociopolitical Context ◽  
Speakers Of Other Languages ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
The 1960S

Critical Pedagogy (CP) has been proposed as an alternative pedagogy capable of meeting the complex demands of teaching English within a particular sociopolitical context. Despite the fact that CP has been present in education since the 1960s, much of the research on CP has been conducted recently in Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) contexts. There is a growing but as yet small amount of research that addresses the usage of CP in TESOL contexts, to which this study hopes to make a useful contribution. Therefore, this study investigates the extent to which TESOL teachers from four higher education institutions in the Sultanate of Oman are aware of CP. In order to achieve this, a questionnaire is administered to 178 English Language Teachers. The main findings reveal a widespread lack of awareness of the concept of CP among TESOL teachers. Nonetheless, minorities of teachers are aware of CP and implement it in a limited fashion in their classes. On the other hand, there are teachers who, whilst being aware of CP, do not implement it. The implications of these findings are discussed.

scholarly journals The Dichotomy of Specialization: Is a Literature Teacher Necessarily a Language Teacher?

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 108-133
Author(s):  
Mariam Anana
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Literary Criticism ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Oral Literature ◽  
Language And Literature ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
Effective Teaching And Learning

This study investigates the dichotomy of specialization in Literature and English language. In many primary and secondary schools in Nigeria, many teachers who teach Literature are the same teachers who teach English Language. This is responsible for lack of ultimate successes in academic performance, foundational establishment and progressive developments in Literature and English language. Set against the backdrop of the inseparability and non-specialization in individual subjects in question, the study examines the need for a dichotomy of specialization in English Language and Literature with a view to reducing the rate of errors and students’ failures in both subjects. Adopting the simple randomisation, the researcher uses selected primary and secondary schools in Lagos State as the case study; the paper raises four questions and these are: Can English Language teachers effectively teach poetic devices? Are segmental phonemes easily taught by Literature teachers? Can English Language teachers proficiently teach oral literature, literary criticism and non-African literature? Can Literature teachers competently teach stress and intonation? This research uses a qualitative approach and adopts The Speech Act Theory as its theoretical framework. Questionnaire of fifteen (15) items was used for data collection and the simple percentage was applied for data analysis. The researcher discovered that: It is not possible for English Languageteachers to effectively teach poetic devices. Segmental phonemes cannot be easily taught by Literature teachers. Students would lag behind in areas where teachers are not proficient in the subjects they teach. Also, it is not possible for a teacher to place equal emphasis on both English Language and Literature in classrooms. The study therefore recommends the need for a dichotomy of specialization in the two subjects so as to ensure effective teaching and learning of these subjects.

Professional Development Landscapes

2017 ◽  
pp. 98-111
Author(s):  
Beril Yucel ◽  
Meral Güçeri
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Action Research ◽  
English Language ◽  
Collaborative Action Research ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Collaborative Action ◽  
English Language Teachers

This chapter aims to present two action research case studies conducted in the English Language Schools of two universities in Turkey and discuss the long-term effects of this Professional Development activity on teachers' professional lives. In both of these studies, teachers were involved in collaborative action research. The first case study discusses a small scale collaborative Action Research project which targeted 16 English language teachers. Case Study Two, on the other hand, is a large scale project which explores 160 English language teachers' collaborative action research study. Detailed information about each case study is provided by highlighting the aims, institutional contexts, participant profiles, methodology used and findings. Teachers' perceptions about action research and the long-term impact of it on their professional growth are also discussed. Conclusion part highlights the factors that need to be taken into consideration while setting up collaborative action research projects in institutions. Finally, future research recommendations are made.

scholarly journals Providing Reasonable Accommodations for EFL Students with Disabilities in Higher Education in Japan

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Davey Young
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Postsecondary Education ◽  
Resource Sharing ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Program Administrators ◽  
Reasonable Accommodations ◽  
Inclusive Learning ◽  
English Language Teachers

As more and more students with disabilities (SWDs) are identified in postsecondary education in Japan, there is an increasing need for English language teachers, program administrators, and curriculum designers to create inclusive learning environments that provide reasonable accommodations for such students. This paper outlines the current landscape for SWDs in institutes of higher education in Japan, reviews approaches to systematizing support for SWDs within language departments, and outlines the challenges tertiary EFL program administrators and teachers are likely to face in providing such support. The paper concludes with a call for language educators to actively destigmatize disabilities in the classroom, as well as to continue bridging the gap between language teaching and special education through research and resource sharing. 日本の中等教育後の教育において，障がいのある学生（SWDs）が徐々に認められつつある中，英語教育者，プログラム管理者，カリキュラムデザイナーが，そのような学生に合理的な学びの場を提供することのできる包括的な学習環境をつくるニーズが高まっている。この論文は，日本の高等教育機関の現在のSWDsの状況の概要を述べた後，言語学部内でSWDs支援のシステム化を行うための様々なアプローチを提案し，また、そのような支援を提供する中で第三期のEFLプログラム管理者と教員が直面する可能性が高いと思われる課題をまとめている。この論文は、言語教育者が教室における障がいという汚名を積極的に返上することと，研究と情報共有を通して，言語教育と特別支援教育の間の橋渡しを続けるよう呼びかけ，締めくくりとする。

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