Abstracts

Language teaching
doi:10.1017/S0261444807004582

07–508 AMENGUAL-PIZARRO, MARIAN (U Balearic also important factors that contributed to the level of
Islands, Spain), How to respond to the demands ITAs’ WTC.
set by the communicative approach? New http://writing.berkeley.edu/tesl-ej
challenges second-language (L2) teachers face
in the classroom. European Journal of Teacher
Education (Routledge/Taylor & Francis) 30.1 (2007), 07–510 GOTO BUTLER, YUKO (U Pennsylvania,
63–73. USA), Factors associated with the notion that
doi:10.1080/02619760601120007 native speakers are the ideal language teachers:
This study investigates prospective teachers’ language An examination of elementary school teachers
needs in L2 teacher training programmes. A question- in Japan. JALT Journal (Japan Association for
naire was constructed and administered to a total of Language Teaching) 29.1 (2007), 7–40.
79 first, second and third year students in the teaching Recently, there have been a number of studies focusing
training school at the University of the Balearic Islands on the qualifications of native and nonnative language
(UIB). The questionnaire attempted to elicit student teachers. The notion that native speakers constitute
teachers’ views on the following aspects: a) L2 teachers’ the ideal language teachers appears to be widespread
qualities; b) Relevance of a Methodology, a Theory among teachers and students. This concept has been
and a Language Improvement component in training particularly influential in English teaching, although its
courses; c) Perceived command of the English language validity has been questioned. This study aims to identify
and d) Potential use of English in future classes. The perceptional factors that are most likely associated
results confirm the value of including a Language with the notion held among many nonnative English-
Improvement component in teacher training courses to speaking teachers in East Asia that native English
better meet the needs of future teachers and help them speakers are the ideal language teachers. This study
respond to the new demands set by the communicative focuses on Japanese elementary school teachers who
approach. Results also suggest that a more balanced have been asked to introduce English activities in their
approach between both a Language Improvement and classes. Based on a detailed questionnaire, completed by
a Methodology component can play a crucial role in 112 Japanese elementary school teachers, a number of
the successful implementation of the communicative perceptional factors were identified. These include: (a)
approach in L2 contexts. their self-addressed English proficiency levels, (b) their
http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals attitudes towards nonstandard forms of English, and (c)
their sense of pride in their own language and cultural
heritage.
http://jalt-publications.org/jj
07–509 COMPTON, LILY K. L. (Iowa State U, USA;
lilycompton@yahoo.com), The impact of content
and context on International Teaching 07–511 HILLYARD, LINDSEY, RANDI REPPEN
Assistants’ willingness to communicate in the (Northern Arizona U, USA; randi.reppen@nau.edu)
language classroom. TESL-EJ & CAMILLA VÁSQUEZ, Bringing the outside world
(http://www.tesl-ej.org) 10.4 (2007), 20pp. into an intensive English programme. ELT
Journal (Oxford University Press) 61.2 (2007),
Past studies have identified the impact of situational and 126–134.
enduring variables on second language (L2) learners’ doi:10.1093/elt/ccm005
willingness to communicate (WTC) in the L2. This
qualitative study triangulates data from two classroom This article describes the efforts of an intensive
observations, semi-structured interviews with four English programme to design a class that addressed
students and class instructor, and personal experiences the challenges of bringing authentic English into the
including communication with peers to examine the curriculum. This class exposed students to a variety
impact of content and context on four international of authentic English language input, while providing
teaching assistants (ITAs)’ WTC in their language support. Through this class, students volunteered with
class. Results suggest that ITAs are more willing to various community organizations. These placements
communicate when there is shared knowledge of field- were linked with the curriculum of our intensive
specific content or if they feel confident with their L2 English programme. This hybrid class consisted of
ability. Cultural factors and international posture were class meetings, electronic discussions, the community
Lang. Teach. 40, 331–371. Printed in the United Kingdom

c 2007 Cambridge University Press 331
Language teaching ■
placement, paper journals, a final reflection paper, and back following learners’ non-target-like utterances, and
a capstone experience. contributes to the exploration of valid error correction.
http://www.eltj.oxfordjournals.org http://jalt-publications.org/tlt/

07–512 HYLAND, KEN (U London, UK; 07–514 KAWAI, YUKO (Tokai U, Japan), Japanese
k.hyland@ioe.ac.uk) & ERI ANAN, Teachers’ nationalism and the global spread of English:
perceptions of error: The effects of first An analysis of Japanese governmental and
language and experience. System (Elsevier) 34.4 public discourses on English. Language and
(2006), 509–519. International Communication (Multilingual Matters)
doi:10.1016/j.system.2006.09.001 7.1 (2007), 37–55.
This study investigates raters’ identification of errors doi:10.2167/laic174.0
in the writing of an EFL student. Drawing on data Globalisation has accelerated the spread of English
collected from a correction task and a questionnaire, we internationally, challenged nationalisms and put nation
examine the beliefs and practices of three distinct groups states in a dilemma in which they have to promote
of 16 participants in each: native English speaking EFL English, a foreign language, in addition to their national
teachers, Japanese speaking EFL teachers and educated languages. Focusing on the proposal in January 2000
native English speaking non-teachers. Participants were to establish English as an official language of Japan,
asked to identify and correct the errors in an authentic this study attempts to understand and critique how
text written by a Japanese university student, judge English is represented in relation to Japanese nationalism
which errors they considered the most serious, and to in government and popular discourses and thereby
give reasons for their choices. The results confirm earlier explores implications for teaching English as a foreign
studies that non-native English speaking teachers are language and intercultural communication.
generally more severe in grading errors and rely more on
rule infringement rather than intelligibility in judging http://www.multilingual-matters.net
seriousness. In addition, we discovered that the Japanese
teachers were far more likely to regard stylistic variations
as errors, although the native English speaking teachers
07–515 LEE, YO-AN (DePaul U, Chicago, USA;
were sensitive to features of formality and academic
ylee19@depaul.edu), Third turn position in
appropriacy. We argue that these differences are a result
of the participants’ experiences and discuss the issues teacher talk: Contingency and the work of
surrounding error identification for teachers. teaching. Journal of Pragmatics (Elsevier) 39.1
(2007), 180–206.
http://www.elsevier.com doi:10.1016/j.pragma.2006.02.004
As part of the familiar three-turn sequence in pedago-
gical discourse, the third turn position in classroom talk
07–513 KATO, MIE (Yoshiki Senior High School, is considered to play an important role in giving feed-
Japan), Corrective feedback in oral back on second turn answers produced by the students.
communication classes at a Japanese senior The prior literature relies on functional categories to
high school. The Language Teacher (Japan explain the relationship between teachers’ third turn
Association for Language Teaching) 31.3 (2007), moves and student learning and yet, their analyses
3–8. often take for granted the local exigencies embedded in
the three-turn sequence. In producing the third turn,
This study examines the distribution of corrective
classroom teachers come to terms with far more local
feedback provided by teachers when interacting with
and immediate contingencies than what is projected
learners in oral communication classes at a Japanese
by blanket terms such as ‘evaluation’, ‘feedback’,
senior high school. Thirteen classes were observed
or ‘follow-up’. Following Ethnomethodology and
in which an assistant language teacher (ALT) and
Conversation Analysis, this paper examines and specifies
four Japanese teachers of English (JTE) taught 160
the local contingencies that surround the teacher’s third
first-year senior high school students. The study
turn in order to bring into view the unforeseen range of
found that teachers provided recasts more frequently
the method of actions that teachers display. Based on 46
than other types of feedback, and that task-based
hours of ESL classroom interactions, several collections
interaction, using textbooks, drew more feedback than
of talk exchanges are analyzed to demonstrate how the
question-answer quiz activities using PowerPoint slides.
third turn carries out the contingent task of responding
Effective corrective feedback draws learners’ attention
to and acting on the prior turns while moving
to linguistic features and enhances second language
interaction forward. It is in these procedural aspects of
learning. However, to date, there have been very few
interaction that we find the practical enactment of the
observational studies done on Japanese high school oral
classroom teachers’ pedagogical work.
communication classes focusing on error correction.
This study shows how teachers actually provide feed- http://www.elsevier.com
332
■ Language teaching
07–516 LESHEM, SHOSH (Oranim Academic 07–518 MCDONOUGH, KIM (Northern Arizona U,
College of Education, Israel) & VERNON TRAFFORD USA; kim.mcdonough@nau.edu) & WANPEN
(Anglia Ruskin U, UK), Unravelling cultural CHAIKITMONGKOL, Teachers’ and learners’
dynamics in TEFL: Culture tapestries in three reactions to a task-based EFL course in
Israeli schools. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Thailand. TESOL Quarterly (Teachers of English to
Practice (Routledge/Taylor & Francis) 12.6 (2006), Speakers of Other Languages) 41.1 (2007),
639–656. 107–132.
doi:10.1080/13540600601029652
Although many studies have described the L2 learning
This article addresses the issue of the hidden cultural opportunities created by individual tasks, considerably
dynamics prevailing in teaching and learning English less research has investigated task-based syllabi and
as a foreign language. The study examined the extent courses (Candlin 2001, Bruton 2002, Ellis 2003,
to which teachers’ oral feedback and the resulting Skehan 2003). This case study investigated teachers’
classroom interaction were affected by aspects of the and learners’ reactions to a task-based EFL course
cultural backgrounds of the teacher and the learners. at a Thai university. A team of Thai EFL teachers
Evidence is based on an ethnographic study in three created the syllabus, which was pilot tested and revised
discretely different cultural settings of Israeli junior high before being introduced university-wide. For this study,
school EFL classrooms: Jewish secular, Jewish ultra- we collected the teachers’ and learners’ impressions
orthodox, and Arab. Extended observation of the classes about the course over a 12-month period during the
was undertaken to identify the specificity of patterns in pilot testing and revision phases. We identified their
teacher-learner relationships, and this was supported by reactions using a qualitative analysis of oral and written
interviews with the three teachers and their respective data elicited through (a) task evaluations, (b) learning
principals. Analysis revealed three distinctive micro- notebooks, (c) observations, (d) course evaluations,
cultures that were found to reflect elements of each and (e) interviews. The findings indicate that, despite
specific macro-culture. Conclusions are drawn as to the initial reservations, they believed the course encouraged
effect of these elements on the language teaching and learners to become more independent and addressed
learning process, and also on the distance between the their real world academic needs. Implications for the
cultural backgrounds of the teacher and students and implementation of task-based language teaching in
the culture of the target language. other EFL contexts are discussed.
http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals http://www.tesol.org

07–519 MD YUNUS, MELOR (U Bristol, UK;

Melor.Md-Yunus@bristol.ac.uk), Malaysian ESL
07–517 MCCROSTIE, JAMES, Investigating the
teachers’ use of ICT in their classrooms:
accuracy of teachers’ word frequency intuitions.
Expectations and realities. ReCALL (Cambridge
RELC Journal (Sage) 38.1 (2007), 53–66.
University Press) 19.1 (2007), 79–95.
doi:10.1177/0033688206076158
doi:10.1017/S0958344007000614
Previous research has found that native English speakers
English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers in
can judge, with a relatively high degree of accuracy, the
Malaysia, as in many other countries, are anxious to
frequency of words in the English language. However,
exploit the potential of Information and Communica-
there has been little investigation of the ability to judge
tion Technologies (ICT) to enhance the teaching and
the frequency of high and middle frequency words.
learning process. Given the increasing pressure exerted
Similarly, the accuracy of EFL teachers’ frequency
by technological developments on language education,
judgements remains largely unstudied. This study
it is important to understand the underlying factors
required two groups of native English speakers (English
behind teachers’ decisions regarding ICT. Egbert et al.
teaching professionals and undergraduate university
(2002) state that few investigations have been conducted
students) to judge the frequency of words by ranking
on computer-using language teachers’ development.
two lists of 24 words in order of frequency. The first
According to BECTA (1999) the learning potential
list covered a wide range of frequency levels and the
of ICT is not being realised, because many teachers
second list covered words in the middle frequency range.
are not familiar with ICT and do not use it in their
The results from this study indicate that the English
teaching. This study investigates the present use of
teaching professionals’ accuracy judgments do not seem
ICT among ESL technical school teachers in teaching,
to be significantly better than university undergraduates.
factors that affect the use of ICT and perceptions of
Furthermore, both groups of native English speakers
their skills in ICT. The theory that frames this study is
had difficulty judging the frequency of words in the
drawn from theories of learning. The model adopted
middle frequency range. These results indicate the need
is Davis’ Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) (1989)
for teachers to consult frequency lists rather than rely
which provides a basis for determining ICT attitudes
solely on their intuitions.
and factors affecting the usage of ICT in teaching. Data
http://rel.sagepub.com was collected via a questionnaire survey of ESL technical
333
Language teaching ■
school teachers in Malaysia, and followed by semi- paper describes a structured attempt to integrate CALL
structured interviews with them. The questionnaire activities in the form of podcasts into an academic
data was analysed using descriptive statistics and later English as a Second Language (ESL) course on listening
triangulated with the interviews. The findings will be strategies. Preliminary evaluation of this ongoing project
presented and elaborated upon in this paper. suggests that both the teacher and the students find the
podcasts to be a positive component of the course.
http://journals.cambridge.org/jid_REC
http://journals.cambridge.org/jid_REC

07–520 NAULT, DERRICK (Jeonju U, South Korea),

Going global: Rethinking culture teaching in ELT 07–522 O’DOWD, ROBERT (U León, Spain;
contexts. Language, Culture and Curriculum dfmrod@unileon.es), Evaluating the outcomes of
(Multilingual Matters) 19.3 (2006), 314–328. online intercultural exchange. ELT Journal
doi:10.2167/lcc322.0 (Oxford University Press) 61.2 (2007), 144–152.
doi:10.1093/elt/ccm007
This paper argues that the manner in which culture is
taught to English learners needs to be rethought in light This paper reports the findings of three qualitative
of the globalisation of the English language. It is main- studies which were carried out in university level
tained that change is needed in at least three areas. First, EFL classes in Germany. The three groups used
English teaching professionals should discard the notion various combinations of communication technologies
that the US and Great Britain represent the sole ‘target such as email, web-based message boards, and video
cultures’ of the English language. Second, they should conferencing in order to engage in online exchanges
rethink the goals of culture and language education to with different partner classes in Ireland and the
better meet their students’ diverse needs. And third, ELT USA. The research was aimed at establishing, firstly,
professionals should do more to design and/or select how such virtual intercultural contact can contribute
teaching materials that are international and inclusive in to the development of intercultural communicative
scope. The paper concludes that EFL/ESL instructors competence, and secondly, what skills and knowledge
should better educate themselves and their students on both students and teachers need in order to engage
world cultures to promote genuine linguistic/cultural successfully in this complex online learning activity.
awareness and international understanding. The research revealed that the success of such exchanges
often depends on their appropriate integration into the
http://www.multilingual-matters.net
language classroom and that it is necessary to reassess
the role of the teacher in telecollaborative exchanges.
07–521 O’BRIEN, ANNE & VOLKER HEGELHEIMER http://www.eltj.oxfordjournals.org
(Iowa State U, USA; aobryan@iastate edu),
Integrating CALL into the classroom: The role of
podcasting in an ESL listening strategies 07–523 RABY, FRANÇOISE (U Stendhal de
course. ReCALL (Cambridge University Press) 19.2 Grenoble, France; Francoise.Raby@libertysurf.fr), A
(2007), 162–180. triangular approach to motivation in Computer
doi:10.1017/S0958344007000523 Assisted Autonomous Language Learning
(CAALL). ReCALL (Cambridge University Press)
Despite the increase of teacher preparation programs 19.2 (2007), 181–201.
that emphasize the importance of training teachers doi:10.1017/S0958344007000626
to select and develop appropriate computer-assisted
language learning (CALL) materials, integration of This study was carried out in a language centre,
CALL into classroom settings is still frequently relegated in French higher education. Teachers and researchers
to the use of selected CALL activities to supplement had contrived a pedagogical system labeled guided
instruction or to provide additional practice. For the autonomy which combined class attendance in groups
most part, we are still quite a way from what Bax and self-study in the self-study room. This kind of
(2003) calls the normalization stage of CALL, i.e., autonomous and technologically enhanced learning
the stage where CALL becomes invisible and truly system will be referred to as CAALL (Computer Assisted
integrated. Podcasting, a new method of delivering Autonomous Language Learning) in this paper. To
on-demand audio and video files via the Web, shows investigate and reflect critically on the students’ practices
promise as a technology that may allow teachers to in CAALL, it was decided to carry out an extensive
expand the confines of their classrooms, and is becoming triangular study, cross-checking different data (Raby
increasingly popular in educational contexts. Current 2003, 2005). The data pertained to what students
use of podcasting in education remains, however, did (physical behaviors while working), and to how
limited primarily to the delivery of recorded lectures they felt about it (verbal behaviors in the form of
in a portable, online format. We believe podcasting has journals). Six students volunteered to take part in that
the potential to not only act as a rich source of input experience. They were observed six times consecutively
and instruction for students in the language classroom, while working autonomously. In addition, we analyzed
but also to transform instruction. Consequently, this the journals in which they wrote about their feelings in
334
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connection with the CAALL system. From the students’ 07–526 STARKEY, HUGH (U London Institute of
observations, three strategic models emerged (epistemic, Education, UK), Language education, identities
procedural and mixed). From the journal analyses, and citizenship: Developing cosmopolitan
different motivational attitudes appeared, ranging from perspectives. Language and International
enthusiastic appraisal to stark rejection. One unexpected Communication (Multilingual Matters) 7.1 (2007),
result yielded by the triangular approach was the im- 56–71.
portance of internal factors (the learners’ characteristics) doi:10.2167/laic197.0
versus external factors (the learners’ environment) in the
process of appropriation of the new learning system. This paper argues that there is often tension between
language learning policies that promote intercultural
http://journals.cambridge.org/jid_REC communication and persistent traditions of language
teaching that identify languages with national cultures.
07–524 SAKUI, KEIKO (Kobe Shoin Women’s U, Interviews with teachers confirm these tensions,
Japan), Classroom management in Japanese
revealing that the mindset of teachers may privilege a bi-
cultural nationalist paradigm. Even where teachers have
EFL classrooms. JALT Journal (Japan Association
a clear commitment to intercultural perspectives, the
for Language Teaching) 29.1 (2007), 41–58.
implications of this may not be in tune with the teaching
The problems of classroom management in many materials they find. The paper suggests that a dialogue
academic subjects are an important area of research with teachers of citizenship and multicultural education
in general education in many countries (Doyle 1990; could help to provide a clearer perspective. In particular
Jones 1996; Kagan 1992; Tauber 1999). Compared to the concept of cosmopolitan citizenship, linking the
the level of interest in the field of general education, local, the national and the global, may help teachers to
not enough attention is paid to classroom management progress from dominant nationalist paradigms.
issues in language classrooms, and in particular there http://www.multilingual-matters.net
is little empirical research on classroom management in
English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Japan. To fill this
gap, this study will report on: a) classroom management
difficulties that arise in Japanese EFL classrooms when 07–527 STOCKWELL, GLENN (Waseda U, Japan;
teachers try to teach English communicatively, b) how gstock@waseda.jp), A review of technology
teachers conceptualise and attempt to deal with these choice for teaching language skills and areas in
problems, and c) what strategies can be offered to the CALL literature. ReCALL (Cambridge
alleviate these problems. University Press) 19.2 (2007), 105–120.
doi:10.1017/S0958344007000225
http://jalt-publications.org/jj
The use of technology in language teaching and learning
has been the focus of a number of recent research
07–525 SAVIGNON, SANDRA J. (Pennsylvania State review studies, including developments in technology
U, USA), Beyond communicative language and CALL research (Zhao 2003), CALL as an academic
teaching: what’s ahead? Journal of Pragmatics discipline (Debski 2003), ICT effectiveness (Felix 2005),
(Elsevier) 39.1 (2007), 207–220. and subject characteristics in CALL research (Hubbard
doi:10.1016/j.pragma.2006.09.004 2005), to name a few. Such studies have contributed
to clarifying how language learning technologies have
The emergence of English as a global language,
been investigated, but questions remain regarding how
technological innovation and a growing need for
these technologies have been used in achieving learning
learner autonomy are changing the contexts of language
objectives. In other words, what technologies do CALL
learning rapidly and profoundly. Recognition of the
practitioners select for the teaching of a certain language
current complexity and diversity of these contexts has
skill or area such as listening, grammar or pronunciation?
led some to suggest that we have moved ‘beyond
Are the decisions to use these technologies made on
methods’ to a postmethod condition (Kumaravadivelu
pedagogical grounds, or alternatively, are there other
2002), that the quest for a better method has been or
aspects that are more instrumental in influencing what
should be abandoned in favour of the identification of
is used in the language classroom? The purpose of
practices or strategies of teaching designed to reflect
this study is to review the literature to examine what
local needs and experiences. This paper considers the
technologies are used in the teaching of the language
professional consequences of the challenges facing the
skills and areas. All empirical research articles appearing
language teaching profession in the years ahead. How
in four major English-language journals in the field
will the needs and goals of the next generation of
of CALL (CALICO Journal, CALL, Language Learning
learners be met? Will applied linguists continue to
& Technology, and ReCALL) from 2001 to 2005 were
assert an expert or authority status in the determination
examined and the results collated to determine (1) what
of practice? Or will a postmethod era lead to the
types of technologies are being used in the teaching of
recognition of teachers as the professional decision-
specific language skills and areas, (2) whether researchers
makers and theory builders that they in fact could be?
had a clear idea in mind regarding their choice of
http://www.elsevier.com technology or technologies in relation to their learning
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objectives, and (3) whether the researchers attempted to roles, and individual features. The results indicate
capitalise upon the features inherent in the technology that there is a meaningful difference between native
or technologies as opposed to traditional, non-CALL and non-native teachers of English from the students’
means. The paper concludes with a discussion of the perspective. The results suggest that non-native teachers
relationship between technology and pedagogical goals. fulfil in-class teaching and in-class management roles
better than native teachers do while native teachers
http://journals.cambridge.org/jid_REC
fulfil in-class communication skills and present more
favourable qualities. The results will be beneficial for
native and non-native teachers in terms of realizing their
07–528 TAN, ZHI (Guangdong U Foreign Studies,
deficiencies and raising awareness. For further research,
China; tanzhi@mail.gdufs.edu.cn), Questioning in
using student achievement level along with the results of
Chinese university EL classrooms: What lies student ratings would lead to more convincing results.
beyond it? RELC Journal (Sage) 38.1 (2007), The evaluation of teachers by their students is not a
87–103. widely used approach in Turkey and further research in
doi:10.1177/0033688206076161 this area would benefit from a wider subject base.
This paper reports the findings of a study examining http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
classroom questioning behavior and its impacts on
students’ development. A triangulation was conducted
to collect data: observations of nine university English 07–530 VARGHESE, MANKA M. (U Washington,
lessons, semi-structured interviews with six teachers and USA; mankav@u.washington.edu) & BILL
focus group discussions with three groups of students. JOHNSTON, Evangelical Christians and English
The data showed that many of the questions asked were language teaching. TESOL Quarterly (Teachers of
lower cognitive questions and that they were mostly English to Speakers of Other Languages) 41.1
answered in chorus or by teacher nomination. The
(2007), 5–31.
findings revealed that questioning was employed by
the teachers to check text comprehension, hold the Evangelical Christians are an enduring and growing
students’ attention on the texts, to enhance and protect presence in the field of English language teaching
teacher’s and students’ face, to maintain classroom worldwide and in the TESOL organization in particular.
discipline, to establish teacher authority, and to gain Yet to date, hardly any empirical research has been done
student respect and acceptance. The results indicate that on this population of teachers or on the links between
the questioning behavior identified is likely to have English teaching, religious beliefs, and missionary work.
potential negative impact on the students. Tentative This article reports on a qualitative study of ten
suggestions are made for improving questioning style English language teachers-in-training at two evangelical
to fit the Chinese educational reform agenda. Christian colleges in the United States. Using interview
data, the study explores the religious beliefs of the
http://rel.sagepub.com
participants and the complex, varied, and often still
developing ways in which these beliefs relate to their
perspectives on missionary work and on the relationship
07–529 ÜSTÜNLÜOGLU, EVRIM (Izmir U of
between religious faith and English language teaching
Economics, Turkey), University students’
(ELT). We conclude by identifying a key moral dilemma
perceptions of native and non-native teachers. raised by the participants’ values as related to several of
Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice the dominant discourses present in ELT.
(Routledge/Taylor & Francis) 13.1 (2007), 63–79.
doi:10.1080/13540600601106096 http://www.tesol.org
The employment of native teachers of English in
countries where English is a foreign language, coupled 07–531 ZACHARIAS, NUGRAHENNY (Satya Wacana
with a growing concern over teaching effectiveness, Christian U, Indonesia; ntz_abac@yahoo.com),
has led to collecting data about teachers’ performance Teacher and student attitudes toward teacher
through student feedback. Not much research has been feedback. RELC Journal (Sage) 38.1 (2007), 38–52.
carried out in Turkey to evaluate the process and doi:10.1177/0033688206076157
output of language teaching by native and non-native
teachers from students’ points of view. The aim of this This study aims to explore students’ attitudes toward
study is to identify university students’ perceptions of teacher feedback. The study used a triangulation of
native and non-native teachers of English as well as to participants and methods in which the practice of
identify deficiencies and needs in the teaching process feedback was seen from the perspectives of students
so that some suggestions can be made. A data pool of and teachers collected from the quantitative data
311 university students participated in this study and (questionnaires) and qualitative data (open-ended items
evaluated 38 native and non-native teachers of English. in questionnaires and interviews). A total of 100 students
A questionnaire was used as the instrument and it participated in filling in the questionnaires and 21 of
consisted of 30 items related to in-class teaching roles, them were interviewed using a semi-structured format.
in-class management roles, in-class communication In addition, there were 20 teachers who completed
336
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the questionnaires and 10 of them were interviewed output. However, to date most of this research
using the same semi-structured format. The findings has focused on solitary rather than group planning.
show that generally teachers and students have a marked Furthermore, very few studies have investigated what
preference for teacher feedback. The high preference actually happens during the planning time. This study,
for teacher feedback was mainly the result of the conducted in an EFL class in Vietnam, investigated
respondents’ positive attitudes towards teacher feedback. the nature and impact of group planning on learners’
Interestingly, student preferences for teacher feedback subsequent individual oral presentations. The learners
also stemmed from their awareness that teachers control (n = 17) worked in small groups preparing for oral
grades. The data collected from the questionnaires presentations. At the end of the planning session,
and interviews indicated that students preferred teacher two learners from each group were randomly selected
feedback that was specific since this kind of feedback to give presentations. All group work and individual
would facilitate students in the revision process. Students presentations were audio recorded and teacher
also show a high preference for feedback which focused observation notes were collected. Transcribed oral data
on language. Compared to feedback on content, were coded for idea units and language related episodes
feedback on form was considered to be more helpful. as well as salient features of group interaction. The study
Students often complained that teacher feedback found that group planning dealt with the content rather
on content tended to be general and sometimes, than the language of presentations. Using a matching
contradictory to student ideas. Moreover, the interview procedure, the study found that most of the ideas
data illustrated that teacher feedback contributed presented were generated during the planning time.
greatly to students’ emotional states particularly their However, there were variations between the groups.
motivation and attitudes towards writing. The group that seemed to be the most interactive and
that focused on both content and language was a group
http://rel.sagepub.com
composed of mixed proficiency learners.
http://rel.sagepub.com
07–532 ZENG, ZHEN (New York U, USA;
zz290@nyu.edu) & ELIZABETH MURPHY, Tensions in
the language learning experiences and beliefs 07–534 BADA, ERDOGAN & BILAL GENC (U
of Chinese teachers of English as a Foreign Çukurova, Turkey; erdoganbada@gmail.com), An
Language. TESL-EJ (http://www.tesl-ej.org) 10.4 investigation into the tense/aspect preferences
(2007), 19 pp. of Turkish speakers of English and native
English speakers in their oral narration. The
This study explores the Language Learning Experiences Reading Matrix (Readingmatrix.com) 7.1 (2007),
(LLEs) and beliefs of six non-native speaking (NNS), 141–150.
English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in China.
Data collection involved an online questionnaire, an The study of SLA began around the beginning of the 70s
asynchronous focus group, as well as individual online with the emergence of both theoretical and empirical
interviews. Findings were presented as profiles of studies. Undoubtedly, the acquisition of tense/aspect,
the six cases. Cross-case analysis using open and besides other topics, has attracted much interest from
axial coding resulted in the identification of three researchers. This study investigated the use of telic and
categories of concepts as follows: positive versus atelic verb forms in the oral production of Turkish
negative affect in language learning; authority versus speakers of English (non-native speakers or NNSs)
autonomy; authentic versus didactic language learning. and native speakers of English (NSs). To elicit how
The tensions within and between the categories and the foreground and background of narrative formed;
concepts point to the complexity of EFL teaching and which tense/aspect is preferred in the foreground and
learning in China. background, each participant produced one monologue
whose topic was retelling a film. The results showed that
http://writing.berkeley.edu/tesl-ej the discourse of non-native speakers exhibit target-like
qualities not only in terms of usage of verbs according
to their inherent semantic aspect of verbs only but also
in terms of distribution of verb types in the foreground
Language learning and background of discourse.
doi:10.1017/S0261444807004594 http://www.readingmatrix.com/journal.html
07–533 ANH TUAN, TRUONG & STORCH NEOMY
(U Melbourne, Australia; neomys@unimelb.edu.au),
07–535 BEASLEY, ROBERT (Franklin College, USA;
Investigating group planning in preparation for
rbeasley@franklincollege.edu), YUANGSHAN CHUANG
oral presentations in an EFL class in Vietnam.
& CHAO-CHIH LIAO, Determinants and effects of
RELC Journal (Sage) 38.1 (2007), 104–124.
English language immersion in Taiwanese EFL
doi:10.1177/0033688206076162
learners engaged in online music study. The
Research on pre-task planning has shown that planning Reading Matrix (Readingmatrix.com) 6.3 (2006),
has beneficial effects on learners’ subsequent language 330–339.

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