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1. Shaping the Way We Teach English: Successful Practices Around the World

   Format(s): Text, Video, Website

   A teacher-training course consisting of fourteen video-based modules. Each modules is a ten to fifteen minute video segment with examples.

2. Growing Up with TESOL

   In: English Teaching Forum 2008, Volume 46, Number 1 Format(s): Text

   This article describes influences on the development of English language teaching since the 1970s. It discusses two types of influences. The first influence is external: The increasing demand for efficient TESOL programs as a result of the international role of the English language, which has brought more professionalism and accountability to the field through standards. The second influence is more internal: The desire to expand TESOL’s goals and concerns to better understand the concept of English language teaching, teachers, and their education.

3. Language Teacher Preparation in Developing Countries: Structuring Preservice Teacher Training Programmes

   In: English Teaching Forum 2003, Volume 41, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   The author notes that relying on the training of unqualified teachers during service can be costly and inefficient. He underscores the importance of highly structured, comprehensive, pre-service teacher training as a more prudent alternative. Trainees should be preselected based on their general education background, competence in English, competence in teaching, and attitude. The training program should carefully consider topics to be included in the curricula. The author suggests several areas of instruction and explains the different modes of training necessary for success.

4. Setting Up and Editing an "In-House" Journal

   In: English Teaching Forum 2003, Volume 41, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   An "in-house" journal is a publication that is produced by a single institution with article contributions coming from only professionals working at that institution. Creating an in-house journal gives teachers the opportunity to discover new ideas from their colleagues and to voice their own ideas. It also contributes to institutional development by keeping teacher-to-teacher conversations alive and educational policy relevant and innovative. This article presents a series of concrete steps for journal publication as well as some problems to avoid.

5. Western Culture and the Teaching of English as an International Language

   In: English Teaching Forum 2004, Volume 42, Issue 2 Format(s): Text

   This article considers the role of culture in the teaching of English as an International Language. There are differing views on whether to include cultural topics in the teaching of English. Educational leaders in some countries have voiced concern over a form of colonization that occurs when Western culture is presented as better than the students’ local culture. The article examines ways that approved textbooks from Chile, Morocco, and Japan present Western values and characters, and suggests that texts could present more characters from countries where English is a second language.

6. Abstracts from Other Journals

   In: English Teaching Forum 2004, Volume 42, Issue 4 Format(s): Text

   “Challenges for ELT from the expansion in teaching children” addresses a growing international trend of teaching English to younger learners (TEYL). Some issues raised are teacher education, student motivation, assessment, and the diversity of levels that exist in secondary school. The second article explores the topic of “Ownership” of English and the NS-NNS distinction. The study asked speakers from India, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United States to rate the acceptability of sentences. Their answers reflected their degree of ownership and perceptions of the target language.

7. Teacher Resources

   In: English Teaching Forum 2004, Volume 42, Issue 4 Format(s): Text

   “Teacher Resources” includes summaries of two publications. In “Beyond Methods: Macrostrategies for Language Teaching,” B. Kumaravadivelu suggests ten keys to successful practice, called macrostrategies, and describes how to implement them. This is a teacher-training tool and promotes reflective teaching. “Teaching Online” by Susan Ko and Steve Rossen is useful for instructors who have not had training in teaching online classes. It covers developing the course, adapting an existing course to an online course, methods for this new educational environment, and more.

8. Teaching ESL Versus EFL

   In: English Teaching Forum 2005, Volume 43, Number 2 Format(s): Text

   The author argues for different teaching approaches in EFL vs. ESL settings. He points out the differences in student motivation and suggests how to select different activities for the two contexts (with examples of relevant activities). He gives guidelines for the appropriate role of L1 in each classroom, and explains how the two classroom cultures differ (for example, in term of the learning styles of the students). He argues that keeping in mind these differences will help educators make more effective decisions for their students.

9. "Imported" Communicative Language Teaching: Implications for Local Teachers

   In: English Teaching Forum 2005, Volume 43, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   This article criticizes the rejection of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) in non-Western contexts. Teachers sometimes avoid CLT because it includes ideas (such as autonomy and choice) that do not always fit with the educational, social, and cultural perspectives of their areas. The author defines CLT, considers the issues that come with importing this teaching method, and offers suggestions to help EFL teachers adapt CLT to their contexts to create genuine communication.

10. Teacher Development: A Real Need for English Departments in Vietnam

    In: English Teaching Forum 2001, Volume 39, Number 4 Format(s): Text

    This article examines teacher training and teacher development in Vietnam. It suggests ways to promote professional development among EFL teachers. The author understands teacher development to be the process of lifelong learning in the teaching profession and argues that teacher development must be a component in teacher education. The article outlines the history of English language teaching in Vietnam in order to understand its current state. The author suggests that collaboration among teachers and action research are two important ways to promote teacher development.

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