scholarly journals More than meets the eye: research and practice in Italian foreign language policies and education

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-88
Author(s):  
Lucilla Lopriore
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Classroom Practice ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Professional Associations ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
International Exchange ◽  
Language Policies ◽  
The Impact

Abstract This contribution aims at offering an overview of the main foreign language policies implemented in the Italian educational system in the last decades as well as of the role that research in Italian foreign language education has played. Main changes and innovations introduced through institutional – curriculum renewals, pre- and in-service education, European recommendations and implementation, language teacher education, university reforms – and through unofficial paths offered by publishers, professional associations, international exchange programs, will be explored and discussed. Some of the changes introduced at curriculum level (e. g. Content and Language integrated Learning (CLIL)) and in teacher education have added new perspectives in language teaching and are currently informing classroom practice in the Italian growingly multilingual scenarios. The impact of national and international research on foreign language teaching, carried out in the Italian language classrooms by scholars and, in some cases, by teachers themselves, will be described and illustrated through examples and language teachers’ contributions.

scholarly journals Inverse translation and the language student: A case study

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 171-193
Author(s):  
Lucía Pintado Gutiérrez
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Inverse Translation ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThis article explores the agency of the student in translation in language teaching and learning (or TILT). The purpose of the case study discussed here is to gain an overview of students’ perceptions of translation into the foreign language (FL) (also known as “inverse translation”) following a module on language and translation, and to analyse whether there is any correlation between students’ attitude to translation, its impact on their language learning through effort invested, and the improvement of language skills. The results of the case study reveal translation to be a potentially exciting skill that can be central to FL learning and the analysis gives indications of how and why language teachers may optimise the implementation of translation in the classroom. The outcome of the study suggests that further research is needed on the impact of translation in the language classroom focussing on both teachers’ expectations and students’ achievements.

scholarly journals Linguistic Education Under Revision: Globalization and EFL Teacher Education in Brazil

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Rachel Mendes ◽  
Kyria Rebeca Finardi
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
Efl Teacher ◽  
Efl Teacher Education ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Education In Brazil

Globalization brought about many changes to the current society's life and mindset and thus, some new challenges to linguistic education, more specifically, foreign language education, have emerged as a consequence of these changes. This paper aims at reflecting upon some impacts of globalization on pre-service English as Foreign Language (hereafter EFL) teacher education in Brazil. Based on the literature review, the paper addresses the changes in the concepts of language, culture and identity related to cultural hybridity and the impact of new information and communications technology on the use, teaching and learning of foreign languages. It concludes that curricula for EFL teacher education programs in Brazil should be reviewed in order to focus more on glocal knowledge and digital literacy for a 21st century aligned education.

scholarly journals Omani Students’ Perceptive of Communicative Language Teaching Approach in Higher Education in Oman: Its Practice

Proceedings ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (21) ◽  
pp. 1333
Author(s):  
Mouza Said Al Kalbani ◽  
Josu Solabarrieta ◽  
Ahmad Bin Touq
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Classroom Practice ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Communicative Language Teaching ◽  
Teaching Approach ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
The Impact

This study aimed to analyze and understand learners’ attitudes towards Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) approach in a foreign language context in higher education in Oman. In the literature review, learners’ attitudes play a strong role in determining the success of innovations in instructional practices (Savignon and Wang 2003). In addition to that, this study is considered as an evaluative study to explore teachers’ implication of CLT and the impact of this implication on students “communicative competence”, which is considered as an ultimate goal of communicative language teaching in a foreign langue context (FL). The importance of this study is due to its significance to come up with a clear understanding of Omani learners’ beliefs considering teaching and learning process. It also aims to specify the impact of CLT as an effective teaching approach in English as a foreign language (EFL) among higher education students and to specify any difficulties or challenges that might hinder CLT implementation in the Omani context. To achieve this, a quantitative study had been used to collect data from both teachers and learners. The participants of this study were 631 students (189 male and 391 female) who were enrolled in Intensive English language programs (IELP) in Foundation Institute (FI) in two Universities (210 students from public university and 421 students from private university) and those participants were from three different English proficiency levels (247 level 1, 155 level 2 and 229 level 3). The analysis revealed that students perceived classroom’s practice to be more oriented towards using strategic and grammatical competence and less towards sociolinguistic and intercultural competences. Additionally, Omani learners reported statistically significant correlation between CLT practice. The students’ gender, language proficiency and education context affected how students perceived classroom practice.

scholarly journals The Use of the Educational Function of Media in Foreign Language Teaching

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-57
Author(s):  
Kinga Bajorek ◽  
Sławomir Gawroński
Keyword(s):  
Mass Media ◽  
New Media ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Mass Communication ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Foreign Language Teaching ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Mobile Technologies

Abstract The use of mass communication in the field of foreign language teaching is not a new phenomenon, because traditional media have been in use in this area for a few decades. Nowadays, however, several tendencies confirming the scale of this phenomenon can be observed. Mass media, and new media in particular, are used both in the process of self-education and as an important tool used by foreign language teachers. Technological progress, the communication revolution, the spread of the Internet, and the development of new media and mobile technologies offer modern and more effective methods of language education. This article reviews the conditions relating to the relationship between mass media and language learning, taking into account the possibility of using one of the key functions of mass communication, namely its educational function. The authors, using literature analysis, defined and analyzed the causes of specific symbiosis between media tools and technologies as well as the methodology used in the field of foreign language teaching.

scholarly journals Homogenous Representations, Diverse Realities: Assistant Language Teachers at Elementary Schools

2021 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 3
Author(s):  
Daniel Pearce
Keyword(s):  
Elementary Schools ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Classroom Practice ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Foreign Language Education ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Language Classes ◽  
Native Speakers Of English

As of 2020, foreign language as a subject has become compulsory for upper grades in Japanese elementary schools, and MEXT recommends the use of assistant language teachers (ALTs) in foreign language classes. While ALTs represent diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, MEXT documents for Japanese teachers portray them as homogenous monolingual native speakers of English. To better understand the linguistic repertoires of ALTs, this study investigates the languages ALTs know. The findings suggest that, contrary to MEXT portrayals, most ALTs have ability in at least one language other than English. With reference to the goals of foreign language education, this paper argues that MEXT should more accurately represent the diversity of ALTs in their literature and actively promote the inclusion of their other languages in classroom practice. 2020年度より、日本の小学校高学年には教科としての外国語が必修化された。文部科学省は外国語の授業における外国語指導助手（Assistant Language Teachers: ALTs）の積極的な導入を勧めている。多くのALTが様々な言語や文化的背景を持っているにもかかわらず、文部科学省の教員向け資料における記述の多くは、未だにALTをモノリンガルの英語母語話者としてのみ想定している。ALTの運用可能な言語について調査した先行研究が不足しているため、本研究は、小学校勤務のALTを対象に、使用言語に関するアンケート調査を実施した。結果として、ALTのほとんどが英語以外に1つ以上の言語を使用できることが判明した。本論文は、外国語科目の目標に照らして、文部科学省のALTに関する資料の更新の必要性を示すとともに、ALTの持つ英語以外の言語の知識をも外国語の授業に取り入れることの重要性を主張する。

scholarly journals A Comparative Study Of The Attitudes, Self-Efficacy, And Readiness Of American Versus Turkish Language Teachers

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 53-60
Author(s):  
Yesim Ozek Kaloti
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Teacher Education Program ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Teaching Programs ◽  
Turkish Language

Contrasting studies of foreign language teacher education have become a growing interest among educationists and researchers in different countries (Yoder, 1992; McKay & Montgomery, 1995; Baker & Giacchino-Baker, 2000; Stachowski & Sparks, 2007; Firmin, M. W., Firmin, R & MacKay, F. M., 2008; LaFond & Dogancay-Aktuna, 2009; Ozek, 2009). Such studies emphasize the importance of comparing and understanding different education programs and enables student teachers to think more globally with respect to their language career. These contrasting studies investigate different aspects of foreign language (FL) teaching programs. The present study reports a comparison of the student teachers of an American and Turkish university regarding their satisfaction and readiness in language teaching, and their attitudes towards language teaching theories and teacher education program. The study aims to discover the teacher trainees’ perceptions with an in-depth understanding and compare the differences among them. Therefore, the researcher employed an interconnection of qualitative and quantitative approaches. Data were collected through self-report questionnaires and interviews. The results indicated that there were some significant differences between the subjects in two groups regarding their readiness, their attitudes towards their education programs and their self-perceptions as teacher candidates.

scholarly journals PROFESSIONAL DIGITAL COMPETENCE IN LANGUAGE EDUCATION

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elmira Tazhibayeva ◽  
Natalya Mirza
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Scientific Production ◽  
Foreign Language Teaching ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Digital Competence ◽  
Exclusion Criteria ◽  
Language Teacher Education ◽  
Scopus Database

This article aims to unpack the term ‘professional digital competence’ and similar notions in language teacher education, to explore the existing Digital Competence Frameworks and their constituents. We also targeted to identify the most relevant findings in terms of digital competence of university language teachers through the analysis of scientific production in specialized literatures in the last decade (2012-2022). A search was carried out on Scopus database. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the sample was made up of 11 articles. The main findings helped to reveal the list of aspects investigated in terms of technology enhanced-foreign language teaching.

CercleS survey: impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on foreign language teaching in Higher Education

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 269-283
Author(s):  
Katarína Zamborová ◽  
Isabella Stefanutti ◽  
Blanka Klimová
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Group Dynamics ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Language Instruction ◽  
Online Mode ◽  
Simultaneous Group ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The pandemic may well have totally changed the way foreign languages are now being taught. In March 2020 language centres (LCs) in universities needed to adjust abruptly to online teaching with minimal resources or training for teachers. Research on the topic of the impact of the pandemic on teaching started from Day 1 and to date there have been contradictions about whether online learning is effective. The CercleS survey aims to study teachers’ reflections on teaching during the pandemic and on the future of foreign language instruction in Higher Education (HE). Data were collected between March 30 and May 5, 2021, and the answers reflect the voices of 725 teachers from CercleS national associations. The findings indicate that the teachers moved flexibly into the online mode of teaching despite limitations in technological resources and the absence of training: 32.4% of the respondents declared no hardware was provided by their institution for working from home and 40.6% were not relieved from other duties. However, 66% of the teachers reported that the learning outcomes were met by modifying specific assessment criteria. Simultaneous group dynamics seemed difficult to achieve in the online format in comparison to face-to-face interactions in the traditional classroom. The acquisition of language skills, mainly speaking, was a challenge. Generally, the respondents see the benefits of a blended/hybrid mode of instruction. Implications for teaching practices and stakeholders are as follows: develop guidelines defining criteria for different formats of delivery in language education, develop workshops for teachers, negotiate conditions needed to carry out efficient and sustainable language teaching with university executive boards, offer training for sustainable online and hybrid teaching and maintain, and develop international collaboration between LCs in HE (e.g. virtual exchange, staff exchange, virtual international classrooms).

scholarly journals How a Teacher Education Program Through Action Research Can Support English as a Foreign Language Teachers in Implementing Communicative Approaches: A Case From Taiwan

SAGE Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 215824401990016
Author(s):  
Yi-Mei Chen
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Classroom Practice ◽  
Teacher Education Program ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Dominant Factor ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Education Development ◽  
Action Research Approach

Communicative approaches have been a dominant paradigm in foreign/second language teaching since the 1980s. However, they are not widely accepted by teachers in many English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts. The current study adopted an action research approach to study classroom practice in a Taiwanese EFL secondary school, to identify and solve any problems arising. Three volunteer teachers and their 90 students were involved. The results suggest that the teachers’ limited understanding of the approaches seemed to be a dominant factor and further suggest that some commonly cited obstacles in the implementation of communicative approaches result from the teachers’ lack of understanding. This investigation gained insights into how teachers can learn and can be supported from the five cycles of action research. These experiences may provide a useful reference for practitioners and teacher education/development programmers in a variety of contexts.

scholarly journals The Cultural and Historical Elements in the Foreign Language Teaching and Learning: the Polish Perspective

2021 ◽  
pp. 335-362
Author(s):  
Mateusz Bogdanowicz
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Background Knowledge ◽  
Foreign Language Teaching ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Historical Background ◽  
Learning And Teaching

The article calls for a thorough revision of the cultural and historical content of English language curricula at all levels of the Polish educational system. The benefits of coordinated and well-managed language education based on cultural and historical content are outlined. The article is based on the author’s research into part-time university students who are English language teachers, as well as the cultural and historical background knowledge imparted during English classes. The study was conducted at the Department of English Studies of the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn in 2010–2019. The article expounds the reasons behind students’ and teachers’ reluctance towards incorporating cultural and historical content into English language curricula. The benefits stemming from cultural and historical background knowledge for teachers, students and foreign language teaching in general are discusses. Based on these observations, the last part of the article explores the most effective methods for promoting, introducing, implementing and developing teaching modules that incorporate cultural and historical knowledge. Culture and history-related content would undoubtedly increase the attractiveness and efficacy of language programs, promote competence development (linguistic, extra-linguistic, and general) among students and teachers, increase motivation in the learning and teaching process, and deliver tangible benefits for schools.

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