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This article explains the benefits of using portfolios, an alternative assessment tool, to assess writing. The author identifies the characteristics of alternative assessment. Portfolios evaluate student progress over time and can include revisions. They are based on activities that show what students can do with language. Portfolios emphasize strengths and involve reflection by the student. Case studies show how portfolios were used in English courses at two universities. The authors advise allowing time for reflection and training in self-evaluation.

Two abstracts are presented from other journals, “Transcending the Nativeness Paradigm” from World Englishes and “Enriching Reality: Language Corpora in Language Pedagogy” from ELT Journal. In the first, the authors argue that the binary classification of native or non-native speakers is based on socially constructed identity. They use four case studies based on four participants to validate their point. The authors of the second abstract argue that using corpora has been overlooked by L2 learners, and provide suggestions on how to incorporate this within a classroom.