As educators around the world make abrupt, mandatory transitions to online teaching due to the CO... more As educators around the world make abrupt, mandatory transitions to online teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic, understanding the impact of this transition on students is of the utmost importance. Because of the novelty of the situation, research on such cases of involuntary participation in online teaching and learning is truly unprecedented, thus representing an almost completely unexplored area of inquiry. While the importance of attitudes and motivation to language learning is well documented, little is known about students’ attitudes and motivation toward language learning online during times of crisis. This study, therefore, seeks to investigate the attitudes and motivation of second language (L2) learners participating in mandatory online English language classes.
While the literature on English as a medium of instruction (EMI) has seen steady growth over the ... more While the literature on English as a medium of instruction (EMI) has seen steady growth over the last two decades, the topic of pre- and in-service teacher education for EMI has received relatively little attention—a situation that is even more marked within the context of Brazilian higher education. Responding to this gap with a practice-oriented contribution, this paper distills some of the major insights gained from piloting an EMI support course at a private university in the south of Brazil. The paper is organized around five themes, or ‘lessons learned,’ which represent the most salient takeaways from the piloting experience. These lessons intersect with some of the most pressing issues faced by researchers, practitioners, and policymakers involved with EMI in higher education contexts. By aligning theoretical and practical concerns, the paper seeks to establish an agenda for further investigation into EMI teacher education—especially within the Brazilian context.
“Flipping” the classroom is an instructional strategy in which students do homework in class and ... more “Flipping” the classroom is an instructional strategy in which students do homework in class and classwork at home, with the ultimate goal of spending more in-class time on problem-solving and individualized instruction (Lage, Platt, & Treglia, 2000). Although this strategy has been embraced by K-12 teachers in the United States, research into applying the “flipped” model in an English as a foreign language (EFL) context at the university level has yet to be published. To address this issue, an experiment was conducted with intermediate level EFL classes at a university in Macau, China. Data from observations and surveys revealed that initially the flipped model did not match learner expectations of teacher roles in the classroom. However, at the end of the 15-week course, students in the experimental classes requested additional flipped materials and appeared more comfortable with the model. Additional findings from teaching journals uncovered that three out of the four teachers recommend the flipped approach for promoting creativity and opportunities for higher order learning in the classroom. The journals also indicated some skepticism among teachers in regards to applying the flipped concept to language instruction and struggles with student engagement with the materials.
As educators around the world make abrupt, mandatory transitions to online teaching due to the CO... more As educators around the world make abrupt, mandatory transitions to online teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic, understanding the impact of this transition on students is of the utmost importance. Because of the novelty of the situation, research on such cases of involuntary participation in online teaching and learning is truly unprecedented, thus representing an almost completely unexplored area of inquiry. While the importance of attitudes and motivation to language learning is well documented, little is known about students’ attitudes and motivation toward language learning online during times of crisis. This study, therefore, seeks to investigate the attitudes and motivation of second language (L2) learners participating in mandatory online English language classes.
While the literature on English as a medium of instruction (EMI) has seen steady growth over the ... more While the literature on English as a medium of instruction (EMI) has seen steady growth over the last two decades, the topic of pre- and in-service teacher education for EMI has received relatively little attention—a situation that is even more marked within the context of Brazilian higher education. Responding to this gap with a practice-oriented contribution, this paper distills some of the major insights gained from piloting an EMI support course at a private university in the south of Brazil. The paper is organized around five themes, or ‘lessons learned,’ which represent the most salient takeaways from the piloting experience. These lessons intersect with some of the most pressing issues faced by researchers, practitioners, and policymakers involved with EMI in higher education contexts. By aligning theoretical and practical concerns, the paper seeks to establish an agenda for further investigation into EMI teacher education—especially within the Brazilian context.
“Flipping” the classroom is an instructional strategy in which students do homework in class and ... more “Flipping” the classroom is an instructional strategy in which students do homework in class and classwork at home, with the ultimate goal of spending more in-class time on problem-solving and individualized instruction (Lage, Platt, & Treglia, 2000). Although this strategy has been embraced by K-12 teachers in the United States, research into applying the “flipped” model in an English as a foreign language (EFL) context at the university level has yet to be published. To address this issue, an experiment was conducted with intermediate level EFL classes at a university in Macau, China. Data from observations and surveys revealed that initially the flipped model did not match learner expectations of teacher roles in the classroom. However, at the end of the 15-week course, students in the experimental classes requested additional flipped materials and appeared more comfortable with the model. Additional findings from teaching journals uncovered that three out of the four teachers recommend the flipped approach for promoting creativity and opportunities for higher order learning in the classroom. The journals also indicated some skepticism among teachers in regards to applying the flipped concept to language instruction and struggles with student engagement with the materials.
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