Modelling and Assessing Second Language Acquisition


Book Description

This book forms an invaluable reference work for all teachers of second languages and researchers in the field of L2 acquisition. It discusses the contribution that modern research into L2 acquisition makes to the curriculum development process. It also provides the reader with arguments for and against the various approaches to teaching.




Developing, Modelling and Assessing Second Languages


Book Description

This edited volume brings together the work of a number of researchers working in the framework of Processability Theory (PT), a psycholinguistic theory of second language acquisition (SLA) (Pienemann 1998; 2005). The aim of the volume is two-fold: It engages with current issues in both theory development and theory application and focuses on theoretical developments within the framework of PT as well as issues related to second language teaching and assessment. In coordinating approaches to addressing both theoretical and applied aspects of SLA, this volume aims at bridging the gap between theory and practice. It also reflects the richness of debate within the field of PT-based research. The volume is intended for postgraduate students, SLA researchers as well as language teachers. As of January 2019, this e-book is freely available, thanks to the support of libraries working with Knowledge Unlatched.




Reading in a Second Language


Book Description

This volume, through a detailed treatment of the cognitive processes that support reading, explains how reading really works. It offers a thorough overview of important and current research, including first language research, which is not often found in second language acquisition (SLA) publications. This book is a true example of applied linguistics; it makes well-defined linkages between theory and practice, discussing the implications and applications of second language reading theories on instructional practices. It is a valuable resource and reference for action researchers, curriculum designers, teachers, administrators, and those interested in exploring theoretical issues grounded in instructional contexts.




Toward a Reconceptualization of Second Language Classroom Assessment


Book Description

This book responds to the call for praxis in L2 education by documenting recent and ongoing projects around the world that see partnership with classroom teachers as the essential driver for continuing to develop both classroom assessment practice and conceptual frameworks of assessment in support of teaching and learning. Taken together, these partnerships shape the language assessment literacy, the knowledge and skills required for theorizing and conducting assessment activities, of both practitioners and researchers. While united by their orientation to praxis, the chapters offer considerable diversity with regard to languages taught, learner populations included (varying in age and proficiency level), specific innovations covered, research methods employed, and countries in which the work was conducted. As a whole, the book presents a way of engaging in research with practitioners that is likely to stimulate interest among not only language assessment scholars but also those studying second language education and language teacher education as well as language teaching professionals themselves.




Useful Assessment and Evaluation in Language Education


Book Description

This volume, derived from papers presented at the 2016 GURT conference, seeks to explore research and examples of practice of assessment and evaluation in language education. The specific--and varied--ways in which assessment and evaluation are able to impact learning and teaching have become an important language education research concern, particularly as educators are increasingly called upon to implement these processes for improvement, accountability, or curricular development purposes. This volume is divided into three parts, each exploring a different element of the conversation around assessment: "Connecting assessment, learners, and learning"; "Innovating, framing, and exploring assessment in language education"; and "Validity evaluation."




Assessing Second Language Pragmatics


Book Description

The first book-length collection of studies on the assessment of pragmatic competencies in a second or foreign language. Grounded in theoretical perspectives on communicative and interactional competencies, it examines the reception and production of speech acts through a variety of assessment methods and quantitative and qualitative analyses.




Scaffolding Language Development in Immersion and Dual Language Classrooms


Book Description

This book introduces research-based pedagogical practices for supporting and enhancing language development and use in school-based immersion and dual language programs in which a second, foreign, heritage, or indigenous language is used as the medium of subject-matter instruction. Using counterbalanced instruction as the volume’s pedagogical framework, the authors map out the specific pedagogical skill set and knowledge base that teachers in immersion and dual language classrooms need so their students can engage with content taught through an additional language while continuing to improve their proficiency in that language. To illustrate key concepts and effective practices, the authors draw on classroom-based research and include teacher-created examples of classroom application. The following topics are covered in detail: defining characteristics of immersion and dual language programs and features of well-implemented programs strategies to promote language and content integration in curricular planning as well as classroom instruction and performance assessment an instructional model to counterbalance form-focused and content-based instruction scaffolding strategies that support students’ comprehension and production while ensuring continued language development an approach to creating cross-linguistic connections through biliteracy instruction a self-assessment tool for teachers to reflect on their pedagogical growth Also applicable to content and language integrated learning and other forms of content-based language teaching, this comprehensive volume includes graphics to facilitate navigation and provides Resources for Readers and Application Activities at the end of each chapter. The book will be a key resource for preservice and in-service teachers, administrators, and teacher educators.




The Construct of Language Proficiency


Book Description

This books aims to open up new perspectives in the study of language proficiency by bringing together current research from different fields in psychology and linguistics. All contributions start out from empirical studies, which are then related to applications in language assessment. The book also serves as a survey of recent developments in psycholinguistic research in the Netherlands. The book starts out with a thorough introduction of international literature on models of language proficiency, language development and its assessment. Section 1 deals with first language proficiency and addresses such problems as grammar in early child language, grammatical proficiency and its (in)variance across a range of ages, reading abilities, and writing skills. Section 2 focuses on multilingual proficiency and deals with test bias in relation to the background of the second language learner, bilingual proficiency in ethnic minority children, the development of the second language learner lexicon, communicative competence of school-age children in the context of second language learning, the assessment of foreign language attrition and the dimensionality in oral foreign language proficiency.




The Cambridge Guide to Second Language Assessment


Book Description

This collection of original articles provides language teachers with a theoretical background of key issues associated with language testing as well as practical advice on how to improve the effectiveness of the tests they develop and implement. Written by internationally prominent researchers and educators, the chapters are organized into five sections: key issues in the field, assessment purposes and approaches, assessment of second language skills, technology in assessment, and administrative issues. Chapters assume no particular background knowledge and are written in an accessible style.




Teaching Language Online


Book Description

Practical and accessible, this book comprehensively covers everything you need to know to design, develop, and deliver successful online, blended, and flipped language courses. Grounded in the principles of instructional design and communicative language teaching, this book serves as a compendium of best practices, research, and strategies for creating learner-centered online language instruction that builds students’ proficiency within meaningful cultural contexts. This book addresses important topics such as finding and optimizing online resources and materials, learner engagement, teacher and student satisfaction and connectedness, professional development, and online language assessment. Teaching Language Online features: A step-by-step guide aligned with the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for Languages: Learning, Teaching and Assessment, and the World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) standards Research-based best practices and tools to implement effective communicative language teaching (CLT) online Strategies and practices that apply equally to world languages and ESL/EFL contexts Key takeaway summaries, discussion questions, and suggestions for further reading in every chapter Free, downloadable eResources with further readings and more materials available at www.routledge.com/ 9781138387003 As the demand for language courses in online or blended formats grows, K-16 instructors urgently need resources to effectively transition their teaching online. Designed to help world language instructors, professors, and K-12 language educators regardless of their level of experience with online learning, this book walks through the steps to move from the traditional classroom format to effective, successful online teaching environments.