- CLIL, EAP, Interdisciplinarity, Editing of Journals, Team-Teaching, Voices, Scholarly Communication, and 13 moreScholarly Publishing, Scholarly Journals in English, Academic Writing, Open Access, Open Source/Open Access and Libraries, Open Access Publishing, Business English, English for Academic/Professional Purposes with a focus on English for International Business and Management., Applied Linguistics, Research methods in applied linguistics, Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), TESOL, and Teaching English As A Foreign Languageedit
- John Adamson is a Professor at the University of Niigata Prefecture in Japan. As former Chief Editor of EFL Internati... moreJohn Adamson is a Professor at the University of Niigata Prefecture in Japan. As former Chief Editor of EFL International Journal and Asian EFL Journal, he has been active in editorial work and has established two other journals - Asian ESP Journal and The Linguistics Journal. He received his Ed.D. from Leicester University in the U.K. focusing on a discourse analysis of interviews with Thai college students on their learning strategies. Currently he is interested in academic harassment/'gaslighting', microagression in discourse, EAP/ESP provision at the university level, interdisciplinarity, and developing journal editorial systems. He is a co-editor of Innovating EFL Teaching in Asia (2011) by Palgrave Macmillan, Exploring EFL Fluency in Asia (2014) by Palgrave Macmillan, Re-envisioning EFL Education in Asia (2023) by International Teacher Development Institute Publishing, and also co-editor (with Roger Nunn) of Accepting Alternative Voices in EFL Journal Articles (2009) and Editorial and Authorial Voices in EFL academic publishing (2012) (both available for free download on Academia.edu).edit
- Peter Martinedit
This chapter aims to discuss qualitative research for studies in Asian settings. The wide context and multidisciplinary nature of this task means that not all possibilities for engaging in such research can be covered; however, it is... more
This chapter aims to discuss qualitative research for studies in Asian settings. The wide context and multidisciplinary nature of this task means that not all possibilities for engaging in such research can be covered; however, it is hoped that some benefit can be gained from the experiences that I draw upon. My own positioning in this task is that of an Applied Linguistics researcher active in Asia for over 30 years. I have collaborated with researchers across Asia in my field and supervised college, undergraduate and postgraduate students writing for internal and external (publication editors) purposes.
The first perspective on doing qualitative research in Asia is to provide an overview of academic research and publishing in Asia. There are two fundamental shifts occurring which impact both local and expatriate scholars. Firstly, and arguably most importantly, across Asia there has been a widespread expansion of English language learning and teaching throughout compulsory and tertiary education, not only for general and academic purposes, but also in the growth of English-medium instruction (EMI) across the curricula (Phan, 2013; Stigger, 2018). This thirst for English as a subject and learning through it has its proponents and those who naturally resist it as studying and researching in local languages is argued as coming under existential threat (Seargeant, 2009). Secondly, as a result of this shift towards EMI at the tertiary/postgraduate level, many Asian scholars studying for Bachelor, Master and Doctorate degrees need to research in English for internal evaluation or, as is frequently required in postgraduate programs, even publish in English in peer-reviewed international journals to be able to graduate. Whereas previously such knowledge production was in their L1, the pressure to publish in L2 exacerbates the debate over the ethics of whether English and EMI should be promoted or curbed.
With these considerations in mind, how does it impact those who teach and supervise scholars in Asia? Drawing upon some of my own studies into this area, I call for a recalibration of the “conversation of the discipline” (Bazerman, 1980) in a particular Asian context which I refer to - that of guiding scholars in their design of qualitative research - to embrace local, L1 literacy practices and languages in translingual ‘conversations’ with fellow research collaborators and supervisors. This positions translingualism as more than a gesture of recognizing its value in education, but as a more deeply empowering means for L1 scholars to achieve a higher status in their discipline and society (Block, 2018). In this process, research written in the L1 for reference in L2 written output should be valued as it focuses on the local, Asian context and is written for an Asian audience whether it be for internal university evaluation or research publication. The main obstacle confronting this multilingual shift towards a local sense of research relevance is that of the common adherence to center/western disciplinary norms of writing and doing research which devalue non-center practices and themes (Canagarajah, 2014). On a more pedagogical level, there also exist deeply conservative attitudes towards the language of instruction which advocate monolingual, i.e. English-only, classroom (and supervisory) practices. The challenge is then to decenter English-only research conversations and western disciplinary research processes whilst still embracing English as the final product of research (Adamson & Coulson, 2015; Hanson, 2013). The ideal hybridity of language and research processes are, I argue, possibly best placed in a qualitative research paradigm since it is intrinsically connected to and empathetic towards exploring the local, rather than quantitatively measuring and reducing it (Stake, 1995). Qualitative methods of ethnography, narratives, collaborative autoethnographies, case studies are particularly suited to this endeavour. I refer to some key examples of such studies conducted in Asia to illustrate such locally-focused, translingual research practices.
What is hoped after reading this chapter is that the reader will acquire a heightened awareness of factors embedded in present and historical realities which underpin engaging in the qualitative research process in the Asian context. That involves an understanding of how English is perceived and used in the wider Asian region. In addition, the reader will be given clear examples of research studies which have attempted to embrace the importance of local research relevance and to move away from western/center disciplinary norms.
References
Adamson, J.L. & Coulson, D. (2015). Translanguaging in English academic writing preparation.
International Journal of Pedagogies and Learning 10(1), 24-37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/22040552.2015.1084674
Bazerman, C. (1980). A relationship between reading and writing: The conversational model.College English, 41, 656-661.
Block, D. (2018). The political economy of language education research (or the lack thereof):Nancy Fraser and the case of translanguaging. Critical Inquiry in Language Studies.
15(4), 237-257. https://doi.org/10.1080/15427587.2018.1466300
Canagarajah, S. (2014). EAP in Asia. In I. Liyanage & T. Walker (Eds.). English for Academic Purposes (EAP) in Asia. (pp. 93-102). Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense Publishers.
Hanson, J. (2013). Moving out of the monolingual comfort zone and into the multilingual world: An exercise for the writing classroom. In A. S. Canagarajah (Ed.). Literacy as translingual Practice (pp. 207–214). New York, NY: Routledge.
Phan, H. L. (2013). Issues surrounding English, the internationalisation of higher education and national cultural identity in Asia: A focus on Japan. Critical Studies in Education, 54, 160-175.
Seargeant, P. (2009). The Idea of English in Japan: Ideology and the Evolution of a Global Language. Bristol: Multilingual Matters.
Stake, R. (1995). The art of case research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Stigger, E. (2018). Introduction: Internationalization in Higher Education. In E. Stigger, M. Wang, D. Laurence and A. Bordilovskaya. Internationalization within Higher Education. Perspectives from Japan (pp. 1-19). Singapore: Springer.
The first perspective on doing qualitative research in Asia is to provide an overview of academic research and publishing in Asia. There are two fundamental shifts occurring which impact both local and expatriate scholars. Firstly, and arguably most importantly, across Asia there has been a widespread expansion of English language learning and teaching throughout compulsory and tertiary education, not only for general and academic purposes, but also in the growth of English-medium instruction (EMI) across the curricula (Phan, 2013; Stigger, 2018). This thirst for English as a subject and learning through it has its proponents and those who naturally resist it as studying and researching in local languages is argued as coming under existential threat (Seargeant, 2009). Secondly, as a result of this shift towards EMI at the tertiary/postgraduate level, many Asian scholars studying for Bachelor, Master and Doctorate degrees need to research in English for internal evaluation or, as is frequently required in postgraduate programs, even publish in English in peer-reviewed international journals to be able to graduate. Whereas previously such knowledge production was in their L1, the pressure to publish in L2 exacerbates the debate over the ethics of whether English and EMI should be promoted or curbed.
With these considerations in mind, how does it impact those who teach and supervise scholars in Asia? Drawing upon some of my own studies into this area, I call for a recalibration of the “conversation of the discipline” (Bazerman, 1980) in a particular Asian context which I refer to - that of guiding scholars in their design of qualitative research - to embrace local, L1 literacy practices and languages in translingual ‘conversations’ with fellow research collaborators and supervisors. This positions translingualism as more than a gesture of recognizing its value in education, but as a more deeply empowering means for L1 scholars to achieve a higher status in their discipline and society (Block, 2018). In this process, research written in the L1 for reference in L2 written output should be valued as it focuses on the local, Asian context and is written for an Asian audience whether it be for internal university evaluation or research publication. The main obstacle confronting this multilingual shift towards a local sense of research relevance is that of the common adherence to center/western disciplinary norms of writing and doing research which devalue non-center practices and themes (Canagarajah, 2014). On a more pedagogical level, there also exist deeply conservative attitudes towards the language of instruction which advocate monolingual, i.e. English-only, classroom (and supervisory) practices. The challenge is then to decenter English-only research conversations and western disciplinary research processes whilst still embracing English as the final product of research (Adamson & Coulson, 2015; Hanson, 2013). The ideal hybridity of language and research processes are, I argue, possibly best placed in a qualitative research paradigm since it is intrinsically connected to and empathetic towards exploring the local, rather than quantitatively measuring and reducing it (Stake, 1995). Qualitative methods of ethnography, narratives, collaborative autoethnographies, case studies are particularly suited to this endeavour. I refer to some key examples of such studies conducted in Asia to illustrate such locally-focused, translingual research practices.
What is hoped after reading this chapter is that the reader will acquire a heightened awareness of factors embedded in present and historical realities which underpin engaging in the qualitative research process in the Asian context. That involves an understanding of how English is perceived and used in the wider Asian region. In addition, the reader will be given clear examples of research studies which have attempted to embrace the importance of local research relevance and to move away from western/center disciplinary norms.
References
Adamson, J.L. & Coulson, D. (2015). Translanguaging in English academic writing preparation.
International Journal of Pedagogies and Learning 10(1), 24-37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/22040552.2015.1084674
Bazerman, C. (1980). A relationship between reading and writing: The conversational model.College English, 41, 656-661.
Block, D. (2018). The political economy of language education research (or the lack thereof):Nancy Fraser and the case of translanguaging. Critical Inquiry in Language Studies.
15(4), 237-257. https://doi.org/10.1080/15427587.2018.1466300
Canagarajah, S. (2014). EAP in Asia. In I. Liyanage & T. Walker (Eds.). English for Academic Purposes (EAP) in Asia. (pp. 93-102). Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense Publishers.
Hanson, J. (2013). Moving out of the monolingual comfort zone and into the multilingual world: An exercise for the writing classroom. In A. S. Canagarajah (Ed.). Literacy as translingual Practice (pp. 207–214). New York, NY: Routledge.
Phan, H. L. (2013). Issues surrounding English, the internationalisation of higher education and national cultural identity in Asia: A focus on Japan. Critical Studies in Education, 54, 160-175.
Seargeant, P. (2009). The Idea of English in Japan: Ideology and the Evolution of a Global Language. Bristol: Multilingual Matters.
Stake, R. (1995). The art of case research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Stigger, E. (2018). Introduction: Internationalization in Higher Education. In E. Stigger, M. Wang, D. Laurence and A. Bordilovskaya. Internationalization within Higher Education. Perspectives from Japan (pp. 1-19). Singapore: Springer.
Research Interests:
Call for Papers Subject: Call for papers: Edited book provisionally titled ‘Re-envisioning Language Teaching & Learning in Asia’ Call for papers For this edited book project we are soliciting well-researched, practically-oriented... more
Call for Papers
Subject: Call for papers: Edited book provisionally titled ‘Re-envisioning Language Teaching & Learning in Asia’
Call for papers
For this edited book project we are soliciting well-researched, practically-oriented investigations into language teaching and learning in Asia. This project follows on from our first two successful edited book projects, Innovating EFL Teaching in Asia (Palgrave Macmillan, 2011) and Exploring EFL Fluency in Asia (Palgrave Macmillan, 2014). We are envisioning this as the capstone book to a series of three. In it, we hope to present studies that demonstrate language classrooms in Asia are dynamic and inspiring, actively engaging students and/or teachers.
Such positive representations of language learning in Asia are consistent with our experiences as teacher-researchers, and those we have worked with in multiple capacities (as coauthors, editors, postgraduate supervisors, and teacher trainer/educators). We hope to showcase such practically-focused inquiry in this new book, with the working title of Re-envisioning Language Teaching & Learning in Asia. Each of the chapters included in the book will present some original research into a theme of practical interest to readers concerning language learning and teaching.
These chapters need not be classroom-based in the traditional sense nor focused around formal educational contexts; in a (hopefully soon to be) post-pandemic world, we acknowledge that learning is not and has not been bounded by the walls of classrooms or by learners being enrolled in traditional educational systems. Finally, by using the term ‘in Asia’ we are broadly interested in studies concerned with language teaching and learning within the Asian context. Chapters concerning the Asian diaspora, wherever they may be based, are also welcome in light of the changing global landscape and patterns of global migration. Possible themes to be addressed by chapters include, but are not limited to:
1.Approaches to developing student capabilities, such as:
Teaching content through English using approaches such as: EMI, CLIL, CBI, and/or ESP, Active learning, including Task-based language teaching and learning (TBLT), project and/or problem-based learning (PBL)
2.Skills-based teaching, including learner fluency, accuracy, and complexity
3. Approaches to promoting learner autonomy and life-long learning, such as: Self-directed learning, Motivation, agency, and identity
Self-access learning
4. Specific approaches to teaching that may be particularly relevant in a post-pandemic world, such as: Educational technology, CALL, Blended approaches
5. Investigations into teacher education, including pre-service and/or in-service training as well as continuing professional development (CPD)
6. Investigations into multilingualism, translanguaging, and/or translingual practices related to language teaching and learning
… and anything else we may have missed
Submission process
We invite abstracts of 500 words (not including references) in text document format (doc, docx, or odt) as expressions of interest by no later than August 31, 2021 to theron@las.u-toyama.ac.jp. Please also address inquiries to this address.
We will screen the submitted abstracts and notify authors of our decision by the end of September, 2021. We plan to request full papers of up to either 5,000 or 8,000 words (including references) to be submitted by the end of February 2022. In your abstract submission, please indicate whether you are submitting for a practical paper of 5,000 words or a full paper of 8,000 words.
Accepted abstracts will be included in a proposal to a publisher to be submitted as soon as possible after authors have accepted invitations to contribute a chapter to the book. As we are interested in accessibility of scholarship to under-resourced communities, we are considering using an alternative publisher for this project, The International Teacher Development Institute (iTDi). iTDi is a provider of teacher development courses accessible to people throughout Asia and the publisher of Dr. John F. Fanselow’s book, Small Changes in Teaching Big Results in Learning: Videos, activities and essays to stimulate fresh thinking about language learning. Details of the proposal submission and review process will be shared with authors accepted to contribute to the book.
Thank you in advance for your time and consideration. We’ll look forward to receiving your abstracts, expressions of interest, and questions if you have them.
All the best,
Dr. Theron Muller, Dr. John L. Adamson, Steven Herder, and Philip Shigeo Brown
Editors, Re-envisioning Language Teaching & Learning in Asia (Provisional title)
Dr. Theron Muller is an Associate Professor at the University of Toyama, Japan. He received his PhD from Open University in 2018, research that explored the publication practices of Japan-based language teachers. He is active with JALT Publications and is a founding member of English Scholars Beyond Borders.
Dr. John Adamson is a Professor at the University of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. He is active in editorial work and received his Ed.D. from the University of Leicester. His research has been in the areas of tertiary EAP provision, interdisciplinarity, self-access, and academic publishing.
Steven Herder is an Associate Professor at Kyoto Notre Dame University, Japan. He coordinates the Global English Course, and teaches an Exploring Leadership Seminar. Since 2010, he has been working with Japanese Publisher Suken on Big Dipper Series I, II, III, DUALSCOPE II, and a new series coming in 2022.
Philip Shigeo Brown is Course Director for the iTDi TESOL Certificate, and tutors on the University of Birmingham’s MA TESOL and Applied Linguistics (distance learning) programmes. Phil has been teaching since 2001 and his main interests include vocabulary, fluency development, 21st skills in education, learner autonomy, and teacher development.
Subject: Call for papers: Edited book provisionally titled ‘Re-envisioning Language Teaching & Learning in Asia’
Call for papers
For this edited book project we are soliciting well-researched, practically-oriented investigations into language teaching and learning in Asia. This project follows on from our first two successful edited book projects, Innovating EFL Teaching in Asia (Palgrave Macmillan, 2011) and Exploring EFL Fluency in Asia (Palgrave Macmillan, 2014). We are envisioning this as the capstone book to a series of three. In it, we hope to present studies that demonstrate language classrooms in Asia are dynamic and inspiring, actively engaging students and/or teachers.
Such positive representations of language learning in Asia are consistent with our experiences as teacher-researchers, and those we have worked with in multiple capacities (as coauthors, editors, postgraduate supervisors, and teacher trainer/educators). We hope to showcase such practically-focused inquiry in this new book, with the working title of Re-envisioning Language Teaching & Learning in Asia. Each of the chapters included in the book will present some original research into a theme of practical interest to readers concerning language learning and teaching.
These chapters need not be classroom-based in the traditional sense nor focused around formal educational contexts; in a (hopefully soon to be) post-pandemic world, we acknowledge that learning is not and has not been bounded by the walls of classrooms or by learners being enrolled in traditional educational systems. Finally, by using the term ‘in Asia’ we are broadly interested in studies concerned with language teaching and learning within the Asian context. Chapters concerning the Asian diaspora, wherever they may be based, are also welcome in light of the changing global landscape and patterns of global migration. Possible themes to be addressed by chapters include, but are not limited to:
1.Approaches to developing student capabilities, such as:
Teaching content through English using approaches such as: EMI, CLIL, CBI, and/or ESP, Active learning, including Task-based language teaching and learning (TBLT), project and/or problem-based learning (PBL)
2.Skills-based teaching, including learner fluency, accuracy, and complexity
3. Approaches to promoting learner autonomy and life-long learning, such as: Self-directed learning, Motivation, agency, and identity
Self-access learning
4. Specific approaches to teaching that may be particularly relevant in a post-pandemic world, such as: Educational technology, CALL, Blended approaches
5. Investigations into teacher education, including pre-service and/or in-service training as well as continuing professional development (CPD)
6. Investigations into multilingualism, translanguaging, and/or translingual practices related to language teaching and learning
… and anything else we may have missed
Submission process
We invite abstracts of 500 words (not including references) in text document format (doc, docx, or odt) as expressions of interest by no later than August 31, 2021 to theron@las.u-toyama.ac.jp. Please also address inquiries to this address.
We will screen the submitted abstracts and notify authors of our decision by the end of September, 2021. We plan to request full papers of up to either 5,000 or 8,000 words (including references) to be submitted by the end of February 2022. In your abstract submission, please indicate whether you are submitting for a practical paper of 5,000 words or a full paper of 8,000 words.
Accepted abstracts will be included in a proposal to a publisher to be submitted as soon as possible after authors have accepted invitations to contribute a chapter to the book. As we are interested in accessibility of scholarship to under-resourced communities, we are considering using an alternative publisher for this project, The International Teacher Development Institute (iTDi). iTDi is a provider of teacher development courses accessible to people throughout Asia and the publisher of Dr. John F. Fanselow’s book, Small Changes in Teaching Big Results in Learning: Videos, activities and essays to stimulate fresh thinking about language learning. Details of the proposal submission and review process will be shared with authors accepted to contribute to the book.
Thank you in advance for your time and consideration. We’ll look forward to receiving your abstracts, expressions of interest, and questions if you have them.
All the best,
Dr. Theron Muller, Dr. John L. Adamson, Steven Herder, and Philip Shigeo Brown
Editors, Re-envisioning Language Teaching & Learning in Asia (Provisional title)
Dr. Theron Muller is an Associate Professor at the University of Toyama, Japan. He received his PhD from Open University in 2018, research that explored the publication practices of Japan-based language teachers. He is active with JALT Publications and is a founding member of English Scholars Beyond Borders.
Dr. John Adamson is a Professor at the University of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. He is active in editorial work and received his Ed.D. from the University of Leicester. His research has been in the areas of tertiary EAP provision, interdisciplinarity, self-access, and academic publishing.
Steven Herder is an Associate Professor at Kyoto Notre Dame University, Japan. He coordinates the Global English Course, and teaches an Exploring Leadership Seminar. Since 2010, he has been working with Japanese Publisher Suken on Big Dipper Series I, II, III, DUALSCOPE II, and a new series coming in 2022.
Philip Shigeo Brown is Course Director for the iTDi TESOL Certificate, and tutors on the University of Birmingham’s MA TESOL and Applied Linguistics (distance learning) programmes. Phil has been teaching since 2001 and his main interests include vocabulary, fluency development, 21st skills in education, learner autonomy, and teacher development.
Research Interests:
In this study, we build upon our previous survey-based quantitative research (Yamauchi & Adamson, 2017) conducted into translanguaging, defined as “the adoption of bilingual supportive scaffolding practices” (Doiz, Lasagabaster & Sierra,... more
In this study, we build upon our previous survey-based quantitative research (Yamauchi & Adamson, 2017) conducted into translanguaging, defined as “the adoption of bilingual supportive scaffolding practices” (Doiz, Lasagabaster & Sierra, 2013, p. 213), of Japan-based university instructors engaged in English medium instruction (EMI) and in English language classes which prepare students (mostly Japanese but with some non-Japanese) for such content instruction, commonly referred to as Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). The initial survey research asked Japan-based university instructors primarily about their language proficiency to be able to teach bilingually and, if they were engaged in this practice, when and how much time they committed to doing so. Those findings (summarized in this study) gave us an elementary insight into translanguaging so the second stage, which we felt necessitated more contextual detail about instructors, was far more exploratory in nature and aimed to discover how and why translanguaging was conducted. In this stage of the study we investigated instructor practices and beliefs about translanguaging in EMI and CLIL through more in-depth qualitative means of interviewing and coupled these findings with our own longitudinal narratives which are joint reflections on the data we gather.
Research Interests:
This joint autoethnography (Allen-Collinson, 2013; Bochner & Ellis, 1995) explores the Othered experiences of two academics, originally from the US and the UK, who have spent more than the past ten years living as the Other in Japan.... more
This joint autoethnography (Allen-Collinson, 2013; Bochner & Ellis, 1995) explores the Othered experiences of two academics, originally from the US and the UK, who have spent more than the past ten years living as the Other in Japan. Reluctant to embrace the label ‘outsiders’, we position ourselves as based on the periphery of academia geographically (Canagarajah, 1996), working in the marginalized field of language education within the academy (Turner, 2011). Furthermore, we acknowledge that in our adopted country, Japan, we are part of the linguistic and ethnic minority. In this co-constructed narrative we share our reflections on our respective stories of living and working in Japan and how we have reacted to “critical incidents” (Butterfield, Borgen, Amundson, & Maglio, 2005, p. 480) in the course of our careers. Such conversational narrative (Ochs & Capps, 2001) offers us a reflective and developmental space (Baker & Johnson, 1998) which allows us to view our “teacher landscapes” (Connelly & Clandinin, 1999, p. 2) over time as academics in Japanese education, and how we engage in research activities and other academic administrative work in and across the different working cultures we interact with. Our journeys over the past ten years share similarities and also experiences that are unique to just one of us, and in the chapter that follows we highlight aspects of our respective narratives that we feel are important to understanding how we view ourselves, and how academia generally and Japanese academia more specifically view us.
Research Interests:
Life in the twenty-first century globalised world brings people into contact with thers from different cultures who use different languages. Through these contacts, the need for interaction forces them to find different ways of... more
Life in the twenty-first century globalised world brings people into contact with thers from different cultures who use different languages. Through these contacts, the need for interaction forces them to find different ways of understanding one another and to generate knowledge. For them to achieve this objective, they need a strong medium. L2 and Foreign language education has been developed to unravel such challenges posed to competence in intercultural communication, with the emphasis placed on how to communicate with a different “other”. Foreign and second language teaching and learning (a social practice) in this study, is to eradicate linguistic and cultural barriers. In this case, it is not only necessary to promote competence through linguistic capital (language), but more importantly, to raise intercultural awareness. For these issues to develop and consolidate intercultural communicative competence, language practitioners need to deviate from the rationalist reductionist approaches to language teaching and learning in favour of an
ecological or a constructivist perspective which views language learning as a social practice. In view of this, whatever language the participants may use for communication does not matter, what really matters is that they need to switch to any given language as the situation may demand. In upholding a constructivist perspective, this research hypothesized that engagement and participation in a social practice increases competence in the target language and helps the participants to develop in terms of emotional maturity. This research made use of qualitative research methodology, revolving around an ethnographic design, to understand the outcomes and the fluidity of interactions among a diverse community of the University of the Western Cape in Cape Town, South Africa. Such an understanding can therefore only be deduced from the perspectives of the role-players through their engagements and participation in activities and events in and
out of the classroom. The research population constituted lecturers, tutors and students of the above institution. The four principal tools used for data collection included: interviews, questionnaires, naturally occurring data and participant observation. The interviews were both formal and informal and as with the questionnaires, they were open-ended. This open-ended nature was due to the interaction it provided between the researcher and the researched, the awareness-raising of diversity, and a need to understand otherness. The findings from the study affirmed that the participants gained competence in intercultural communication through the different levels of interaction that were used to enhance participation, engagement and involvement. In view of this, the participants benefited from provisional understanding, tentative interpretations and the affective environment.
Furthermore, it could be said that interaction provided them with the rationale to challenge, develop and explore ideas and meanings for communication. Holistically, the study attested to the importance and centrality of participation and engagement in a target language. An important aim was to motivate the participants to understand that there is no unique centralized understanding of notions such as correctness in meaning and proficiency in a language. Our understanding of the world is multi-centric.
ecological or a constructivist perspective which views language learning as a social practice. In view of this, whatever language the participants may use for communication does not matter, what really matters is that they need to switch to any given language as the situation may demand. In upholding a constructivist perspective, this research hypothesized that engagement and participation in a social practice increases competence in the target language and helps the participants to develop in terms of emotional maturity. This research made use of qualitative research methodology, revolving around an ethnographic design, to understand the outcomes and the fluidity of interactions among a diverse community of the University of the Western Cape in Cape Town, South Africa. Such an understanding can therefore only be deduced from the perspectives of the role-players through their engagements and participation in activities and events in and
out of the classroom. The research population constituted lecturers, tutors and students of the above institution. The four principal tools used for data collection included: interviews, questionnaires, naturally occurring data and participant observation. The interviews were both formal and informal and as with the questionnaires, they were open-ended. This open-ended nature was due to the interaction it provided between the researcher and the researched, the awareness-raising of diversity, and a need to understand otherness. The findings from the study affirmed that the participants gained competence in intercultural communication through the different levels of interaction that were used to enhance participation, engagement and involvement. In view of this, the participants benefited from provisional understanding, tentative interpretations and the affective environment.
Furthermore, it could be said that interaction provided them with the rationale to challenge, develop and explore ideas and meanings for communication. Holistically, the study attested to the importance and centrality of participation and engagement in a target language. An important aim was to motivate the participants to understand that there is no unique centralized understanding of notions such as correctness in meaning and proficiency in a language. Our understanding of the world is multi-centric.
Research Interests:
While individual teachers interpret fluency differently, most working in EFL agree that it has a considerable influence on the success or failure of students' language learning. In EFL contexts, the absence of fluency-based practice... more
While individual teachers interpret fluency differently, most working in EFL agree that it has a considerable influence on the success or failure of students' language learning. In EFL contexts, the absence of fluency-based practice opportunities can lead to low self-confidence, low language learning motivation, and limitations in learners' productive skills. This volume explores fluency in all fours skills (speaking, writing, reading and listening) and through a number of different perspectives to build upon existing research and to expand the fluency discussion to include consideration of classroom strategies for fluency development in EFL contexts. The definition of fluency as a trait of speaking is expanded to encompass all four language skills in an effort to illustrate its importance to all aspects of language learning. This volume includes a mixture of literature review chapters outlining the research paradigm for ongoing fluency research and empirical investigations into fluency development and measurement in the EFL classroom, making it relevant to both researchers and practitioners of EFL.
Research Interests:
Despite more than 50 years of research and discussion about teaching English in Asia, there has been little attempt to define what it means to teach English as a foreign language rather than as a second language. Additionally,... more
Despite more than 50 years of research and discussion about teaching English in Asia, there has been little attempt to define what it means to teach English as a foreign language rather than as a second language. Additionally, methodological reform has been centered in Western countries, with innovation moving from ESL countries out to EFL contexts. That has now begun to change. This volume offers a distinctly Asian voice for English language education and addresses some of the unique needs of Asian learners in EFL contexts. Researchers from nine Asian countries offer some of the most current and innovative research into EFL teaching and learning within five distinct areas of EFL teaching and learning:
Defining the Asian EFL Context
Empowering Asian Voices
Innovating Teaching Methodology in Asia
Teaching Young Learners in Asia
Innovating the Teaching of Writing in Asia
Defining the Asian EFL Context
Empowering Asian Voices
Innovating Teaching Methodology in Asia
Teaching Young Learners in Asia
Innovating the Teaching of Writing in Asia
Research Interests:
This volume of work is intended as a natural successor to Accepting Alternative Voices in EFL Journal Articles (Nunn & Adamson, 2009) in which we looked into the possibilities of challenging the standard evaluation criteria and review... more
This volume of work is intended as a natural successor to Accepting Alternative Voices in EFL Journal Articles (Nunn & Adamson, 2009) in which we looked into the possibilities of challenging the standard evaluation criteria and review procedure for EFL journal submissions to the Asian EFL Journal. Continuing this exploration into issues impacting upon academic publishing in EFL, chapters 2-6 pursue the issue of authorial voice where there seems to be an increasing consensus that a first person voice has a legitimate role beyond the humanities field. In chapters 7 to 9, the focus shifts to the wider perspectives of the journal reviewer or editor as researcher, exploring issues which directly shape their academic world views. This is an essential step in recognizing that research is necessary to both raise awareness of journal staff about authorial voice in publishing, especially those of non-Anglophone scholars, and also about how reviewers and editors construct their own identity, how they perceive their responsibilities and how they position the journals for which they work.
Research Interests: Education, English for Academic Purposes, Teaching English as a Second Language, Teacher Education, Sociolinguistics, and 16 moreHigher Education, Open Access Publishing, Critical Pedagogy, Scholarly Editing, Editing of Journals, Academic Writing, TESOL, English, Applied Linguistics, Second Language Writing, Online Academic Publishing, Reflective Teaching, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), Second Language Acquisiton, EFL academic journal publishing, and English As a Second Language (ESL)
With a wide-ranging selection of papers, all of which celebrate alternative voice as an emerging issue in academic publishing, this edited volume reconsiders the established principles behind review criteria. Roger Nunn and John Adamson... more
With a wide-ranging selection of papers, all of which celebrate alternative voice as an emerging issue in academic publishing, this edited volume reconsiders the established principles behind review criteria. Roger Nunn and John Adamson draw on their experience as journal editors to suggest an alternative approach to article reviewing. This volume challenges existing dogma in academic publishing and provides a forum for the different voices resonating throughout our community of scholars in the study of English as a Foreign Language.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
In this study we investigated review interaction between supervising editors, reviewers and authors engaged in Open Review at the journal English Scholarship beyond Borders in the field of applied linguistics and TESOL. Analyzing our... more
In this study we investigated review interaction between supervising editors, reviewers and authors engaged in Open Review at the journal English Scholarship beyond Borders in the field of applied linguistics and TESOL. Analyzing our interactional review discourse, survey data and literature from studies in other fields into Open Review, we concluded that the initial principles of 'leveling the playing field' though unblinded reviewing among participants met with some approval, but that important lessons were to be learned about relative positioning in the field and recognition of advances in journal OR practices from other disciplines.
Research Interests:
This collaborative autoethnographic (CAE) study has investigated how three tertiary-level teachers of an English language lecture preparation course in a Japanese university engaged with each other over a two-year period from 2020 to 2022... more
This collaborative autoethnographic (CAE) study has investigated how three tertiary-level teachers of an English language lecture preparation course in a Japanese university engaged with each other over a two-year period from 2020 to 2022 regarding their approaches to the adoption of a Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach to syllabus design and teaching. With two new teachers based in a newly established department and the other teacher in a more established department, insights were gained through the unfolding online CAE and face-to-face discourse into their respective thoughts and motivations underpinning their pedagogical philosophies and interpretations of the CLIL approach to meet their departmental and students' requirements. Key findings revealed that teacher backgrounds and experience with CLIL, as well as institutional shifts in curriculum aims, have all directly and indirectly shaped current course design and pedagogy and revealed similarities and differences in interpretations of CLIL over time. Of significance is how the CAE itself emerged as a vital community-building forum for the teachers themselves and acted as a site for varying levels of transformation in their pedagogical practices.
Research Interests:
Abstract Despite increasing demands to publish in English, publishing in private publishing houses’ small number of prestige journals remains a benchmark of journal and manuscript quality. How such journals have responded to increasing... more
Abstract
Despite increasing demands to publish in English, publishing in private publishing houses’ small number of prestige journals remains a benchmark of journal and manuscript quality. How such journals have responded to increasing demand for English language publication has been well-documented. However, the perspectives of editors working in non-prestige journals not affiliated with large, private publishing houses remain underrepresented, particularly concerning academic editorial work. To better present a diversity of editors’ perceptions, this collaborative autoethnography explored the views of five applied linguistics and TESOL journal editors working in journals unaffiliated with private publishing houses. Issues explored included our respective journals’ struggle to compete, such as in bibliometric assessment and maintaining quality review processes. Our explorative narratives of editorial perceptions revealed issues internal and external to journal editorial practice. Internally, ‘quality’ in blind and non-blind reviewing, evaluation criteria, reviewer bias, and field-specific norms of academic writing were problematized. Externally, issues of open access, author publication fees, bibliometric indexing, and our journals’ positionings in their fields were raised. We believe that sharing our views through this collaborative narrativization can help broaden understanding of editorial practices and, by highlighting issues of interest to editors more broadly, can help to foster a sense of common purpose
Key words: collaborative autoethnography, editorial practices, journal editors’ perceptions, non-prestige journals
Despite increasing demands to publish in English, publishing in private publishing houses’ small number of prestige journals remains a benchmark of journal and manuscript quality. How such journals have responded to increasing demand for English language publication has been well-documented. However, the perspectives of editors working in non-prestige journals not affiliated with large, private publishing houses remain underrepresented, particularly concerning academic editorial work. To better present a diversity of editors’ perceptions, this collaborative autoethnography explored the views of five applied linguistics and TESOL journal editors working in journals unaffiliated with private publishing houses. Issues explored included our respective journals’ struggle to compete, such as in bibliometric assessment and maintaining quality review processes. Our explorative narratives of editorial perceptions revealed issues internal and external to journal editorial practice. Internally, ‘quality’ in blind and non-blind reviewing, evaluation criteria, reviewer bias, and field-specific norms of academic writing were problematized. Externally, issues of open access, author publication fees, bibliometric indexing, and our journals’ positionings in their fields were raised. We believe that sharing our views through this collaborative narrativization can help broaden understanding of editorial practices and, by highlighting issues of interest to editors more broadly, can help to foster a sense of common purpose
Key words: collaborative autoethnography, editorial practices, journal editors’ perceptions, non-prestige journals
Research Interests:
This chapter explores the concept of translanguaging in a mostly monolingual Japanese university embracing more English-medium instruction (EMI). EMI provision in Japan has become increasingly promoted by the government, yet language... more
This chapter explores the concept of translanguaging in a mostly monolingual Japanese university embracing more English-medium instruction (EMI). EMI provision in Japan has become increasingly promoted by the government, yet language policies surroundings its implementation have been unclear, resulting in language practices guided more by local participants. While much research into translanguaging looks at classroom and societal practices, our purpose was to reveal patterns of use of Japanese and English by teachers and students in EMI courses, language courses preparing for EMI, and a Self-Access Learning Center (SALC) as well as how language policies across these classroom and non-classroom ‘learning spaces’ on campus were locally determined. For this purpose, we synthesized our previous qualitative studies into classroom translanguaging with insights from interaction in SALC use. Findings were drawn from multiple methods: interviews with faculty, questionnaires with students, discourse analysis of SALC interaction, analysis of students’ academic writing, and examination of teacher materials over several years. Conclusions questioned whether our language practices should adhere to our own local norms or those of a monolingual Anglophone university and exposed our own particular challenges and opportunities in translanguaging practice.
Research Interests:
This study has investigated Japan-based English language scholars’ experiences of and investment in academic publishing. Using a Collaborative Autoethnographic (CAE) approach (Chang, Ngunjiri & Hernandez, 2013), a diverse group of... more
This study has investigated Japan-based English language scholars’ experiences of and investment in academic publishing. Using a Collaborative Autoethnographic (CAE) approach (Chang, Ngunjiri & Hernandez, 2013), a diverse group of Japanese (n=2) and non-Japanese scholars (n=5) teaching and researching English explored and co-constructed their narratives about publishing practices. Analyzing the findings from our CAE through the lens of Darvin and Norton’s (2015) work into identity, capital and ideology, a diversity of experiences was revealed in the process of writing for academic publication. A common narrative was that academic writing problems were shared by Japanese and non-Japanese scholars. Commonalities were also evident among experienced and less experienced scholars in dealing with journal editorial feedback, particularly the pressure exerted by editors on authors to cite works by the editors themselves, and also a lack of mediation by supervising editors when reviewers’ feedback differed. One notable difference was that non-Anglophone scholars felt unable to challenge the rejection of the work, compared with Anglophone scholars who were often able to negotiate successfully with gatekeepers. Further
to this, the CAE facilitated the sharing of views on how institutional and personal ideologies and working conditions shaped perceptions of the value of academic publication.
Keywords: capital, collaborative autoethnography, ideology, identity, Japan, publication
to this, the CAE facilitated the sharing of views on how institutional and personal ideologies and working conditions shaped perceptions of the value of academic publication.
Keywords: capital, collaborative autoethnography, ideology, identity, Japan, publication
Research Interests:
This paper reports on a study of how three Japan-based tutors (the authors) guided thesis writing, potentially towards publication, and provided their students with the agency to negotiate disciplinary norms. In this paper, we attempt to... more
This paper reports on a study of how three Japan-based tutors (the authors) guided thesis writing, potentially towards publication, and provided their students with the agency to negotiate disciplinary norms. In this paper, we attempt to supplement the body of literature on academic writing supervision and consider particularly the later stages of the supervisory process for undergraduate/postgraduate thesis writing in English which were achieved by scaffolding students' writing, bilingual discussions, direct corrective and metalinguistic feedback, and mind-mapping. We argue these emphases on language and content helped both non-anglophone and anglophone novice researchers to conceptualize, and attain, a level of completion beyond their current capability. The study was informed by the literature on content and language integrated learning (CLIL) and English-medium instruction (EMI). This paper shows that our supervisory practices have been influenced by data from bilingual language correspondence with students over multiple drafts, and long-term collaborative autoethnography. Our examples reflect a balance between explicit, prescriptive feedback, often in the scaffolding of pre-writing supervisory advice and language use. We have aimed consistently to promote students' agency in their own writing. Introduction This pedagogy-focused study explores the "conversation" of the discipline (Bazerman, 1980, p. 657), that is, the interaction between supervisors and supervisees concerning the norms of a particular field, in three cases of Japan-based undergraduate/postgraduate research supervision in applied linguistics. The purpose is to show and reflect upon how we, as Japan-based tutors, practically guide and co-construct graduation theses (including for publication in one case) and promote students' own agency to negotiate disciplinary norms (as defined by Gutiérrez, 2008). This is achieved through scaffolding of the writing process by means including: bilingual discussions of research goals and guided readings of Japanese and English literature; intensive direct corrective and metalinguistic feedback; and mind-mapping of thesis structure. We argue these foci on language and content issues are facilitative in helping both non-anglophone and anglophone 1 novice researchers achieve a higher degree of conformity with disciplinary norms, and are
Research Interests:
This study has explored methodological issues of teaching the research area of sociolinguistics to Japanese undergraduate students using English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI). EMI has recently become popular in Japanese tertiary... more
This study has explored methodological issues of teaching the research area of sociolinguistics to Japanese undergraduate students using English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI). EMI has recently become popular in Japanese tertiary education as a government initiative and has been adopted in many institutions for content courses usually delivered in Japanese. EMI practice is, however, still an emerging area of research pedagogically and is informed by Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) studies in other contexts. In this particular EMI case of teaching sociolinguistics, data has taken the form of documentary evidence from the teaching practices of two practitioners at two universities and a Collaborative Autoethnographic account of their perceptions surrounding those pedagogical practices. As primarily language specialists moving into EMI, data has revealed that lesson content has been delivered in both English (the students’ L2) and Japanese (their L1) as a “translanguaging” (Blackledge, Creese, Mod Lang J 94:103–105, 2010) means to linguistically scaffold the content input and to integrate “bilingual language practices” (Garcia, Wei, Translanguaging. Palgrave Macmillan, New York, p 80, 2014) among students of diverse language proficiencies. This move towards bilingualism and language-sensitive scaffolding in EMI has acted as a means to decenter potentially demotivating monolingual practice in the classroom (Hanson 2013).
Research Interests:
Book review of 'Discourse Analysis: Putting Our Worlds into Words' by Susan Strauss and Parastou Feiz.
Research Interests:
Studies into multilingual, 'periphery' scholars' experiences of English publication for academic purposes suggest that they face a number of obstacles in seeking publication in EFL and applied linguistics language journals (Belcher, 2007;... more
Studies into multilingual, 'periphery' scholars' experiences of English publication for academic purposes suggest that they face a number of obstacles in seeking publication in EFL and applied linguistics language journals (Belcher, 2007; Canagarajah, 1996). Some journals located outside of the Anglophone center have sought to adapt their review processes to be more accommodating toward these generally less experienced , potentially 'off-networked' (Swales, 1996: 45) scholars (Nunn and Adamson, 2007; Adamson and Muller, 2012). Yet the literature to date tends to approach this topic from one of two perspectives; exploring the editorial, journal review process from the perspective of editors (Adamson, 2012; Belcher, 2007) or author-focused explorations of writing for academic publication practice (Lillis and Curry, 2010; Okamura, 2006). This paper seeks to bridge this gap by outlining the efforts of one Asian-based journal, Asian EFL Journal, to raise awareness among reviewers and editors of the needs of multilingual scholars and data from an investigation into Japan-based authors' practices of writing for academic publication. How our findings can inform journal policy and implications for reviewing practice more broadly in light of reviewer and author experiences is considered.
Research Interests:
ESBB is a not-for-profit academic circle - This is a fully reviewed open access journal issue that may be freely downloaded or published on your site under the assumption that you do not charge or restrict access in any way. Contents... more
ESBB is a not-for-profit academic circle - This is a fully reviewed open access journal issue that may be freely downloaded or published on your site under the assumption that you do not charge or restrict access in any way.
Contents
Roger Nunn Foreword
Sivakumar Sivasubramaniam A Working Funeral for One Right Reading: Joining a Confederacy of Readers
Naeema Hann Beyond Pastoral: the Role of Family in Second Language Learning Experiences of Adults
John Adamson & Roger Nunn Exploring Open (Non-blind) Review: Insights from ESBB Review Practice
Silvaana Maree Udz Standard Englishes: Perceptions and Pedagogical Implications
Contents
Roger Nunn Foreword
Sivakumar Sivasubramaniam A Working Funeral for One Right Reading: Joining a Confederacy of Readers
Naeema Hann Beyond Pastoral: the Role of Family in Second Language Learning Experiences of Adults
John Adamson & Roger Nunn Exploring Open (Non-blind) Review: Insights from ESBB Review Practice
Silvaana Maree Udz Standard Englishes: Perceptions and Pedagogical Implications
Research Interests: Teaching English as a Second Language, Open Access Publishing, Academic Writing, English, Online Academic Publishing, and 7 morePeer Review, Academic Publishing, English Education, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), Scholarly Publishing, English As a Second Language (ESL), and English for Research Publications Purposes
This paper explores an original non-blind peer review process, or Open Review (OR) using the first rounds of English Scholarship beyond Borders (ESBB) reviews (ESBB, 2015, Volume 1, Issue 1 and 2016, Volume 2, Issue 1) as a primary data... more
This paper explores an original non-blind peer review process, or Open Review (OR) using the first rounds of English Scholarship beyond Borders (ESBB) reviews (ESBB, 2015, Volume 1, Issue 1 and 2016, Volume 2, Issue 1) as a primary data source. We consider the nature of the interactions during the non-blind review process and identify characteristics of the interactions between reviewers. We adopted three approaches to examine the process. Firstly, a discourse analysis of data was attempted using variations of a priori coding systems from Sinclair and Coulthard’s (1975) rank scale model, and those induced from the data. Secondly, we conducted a survey of participants in the OR process in an online questionnaire (an Open Forum) where responses could be openly viewed. Finally, we acknowledge our own intervention in the process as authors, researchers, editors and reviewers by drafting our own first-person narrative discussions to provide two collaborative auto-ethnographic perspectives. Our results and discussion underline what were perceived as advantages of OR by participants, such as greater transparency, the dialogic nature of the process and the ability to name reviewers in final drafts. At the same time, we consider the potentially less positive issue of ‘criticality’ in OR when the reviewers are known to the author.
Research Interests:
This manuscript uses a joint autoethnographic methodology to explore the experiences of two language teacher scholars working in the academy outside the global centre in Japan. Emphasis is given to how the methodology used, cycles of... more
This manuscript uses a joint autoethnographic methodology to explore
the experiences of two language teacher scholars working in the
academy outside the global centre in Japan. Emphasis is given to how
the methodology used, cycles of reflective writing, reveals
commonalities and differences in our respective experiences of working
in the Japanese academy. Our accounts are interlinked with literature on
global flows of labour and the marginalized position of non-Japanese
within the Japanese academy. We present our reflective methodology as
a tool of empowerment that allows for otherwise marginalized voices to
be explored, heard, and shared with the larger academic community.
the experiences of two language teacher scholars working in the
academy outside the global centre in Japan. Emphasis is given to how
the methodology used, cycles of reflective writing, reveals
commonalities and differences in our respective experiences of working
in the Japanese academy. Our accounts are interlinked with literature on
global flows of labour and the marginalized position of non-Japanese
within the Japanese academy. We present our reflective methodology as
a tool of empowerment that allows for otherwise marginalized voices to
be explored, heard, and shared with the larger academic community.
Research Interests:
This study has shown how stakeholders of a new Self Access Learning Center (SALC) co-construct views about the center’s development though conversational narratives. Conversational narratives are a means in this study to provide important... more
This study has shown how stakeholders of a new Self Access Learning Center (SALC) co-construct views about the center’s development though conversational narratives. Conversational narratives are a means in this study to provide important insights into SALC’s growth and also represent sites of valuable social practice to strengthen collegiality among its participants. This dialogic process illustrates a diversity of perspectives which have emerged over the first year in its growth, and which inform the center’s management on metaphors of self access, language policy, its integration with university curricula, and how it and its staff are positioned in the organization. As part of a larger ethnographic study into the center, these unscripted, free-form dialogues are valued because they mirror the flat hierarchical structure which the center aims to support in its community of practice to legitimize its participants’ voices.
Research Interests:
With an increase in the number of online English-language journals accompanying the pressures to publish across the fields in English (Curry & Lillis, 2004), journals face the challenge of recruiting more suitably qualified reviewers to... more
With an increase in the number of online English-language journals accompanying the pressures to publish across the fields in English (Curry & Lillis, 2004), journals face the challenge of recruiting more suitably qualified reviewers to give peer review. In light of this trend, senior editors are required to maintain a high quality of feedback from those reviewers. This study has explored how journal reviewing quality has been sustained at the online Asian EFL Journal, a relatively new journal in the field of English language teaching which receives more than 80% of its submissions from multilingual scholars. Integral to this process, the journal's senior editors took steps from 2010 to implement a Developmental Program commencing with an Induction Program for all new reviewers with a subsequent Mentoring Program pairing experienced reviewers with new reviewers. Analysis of the Induction Program involving the review of past submissions and comparison with original feedback in a reflective exercise yielded a large volume of data which revealed important insights into the language used by new reviewers. This has signalled to the senior editors both the suitability of new reviewers for their role at
Research Interests:
With an increase in the number of online English-language journals accompanying the pressures to publish across the fields in English (Curry & Lillis, 2004), journals face the challenge of recruiting more suitably qualified reviewers to... more
With an increase in the number of online English-language journals accompanying the pressures to publish across the fields in English (Curry & Lillis, 2004), journals face the challenge of recruiting more suitably qualified reviewers to give peer review. In light of this trend, senior editors are required to maintain a high quality of feedback from those reviewers. This study has explored how journal reviewing quality has been sustained at the online Asian EFL Journal, a relatively new journal in the field of English language teaching which receives more than 80% of its submissions from multilingual scholars. Integral to this process, the journal's senior editors took steps from 2010 to implement a Developmental Program commencing with an Induction Program for all new reviewers with a subsequent Mentoring Program pairing experienced reviewers with new reviewers. Analysis of the Induction Program involving the review of past submissions and comparison with original feedback in a reflective exercise yielded a large volume of data which revealed important insights into the language used by new reviewers. This has signalled to the senior editors both the suitability of new reviewers for their role at the journal, and acted as a means for intervention when inappropriate language was employed in trial reviews. Upon acceptance as reviewers after induction, the subsequent Mentoring Program too has played an important developmental role for 1 57
Research Interests:
This research-in-progress discusses the editorial systems in place at different academic journals, Asian EFL Journal, Asian ESP Journal, and The Language Teacher, explaining how they develop and maintain “communities of practice” (Lave &... more
This research-in-progress discusses the editorial systems in place at different academic journals, Asian EFL Journal, Asian ESP Journal, and The Language Teacher, explaining how they develop and maintain “communities of practice” (Lave & Wenger 1991) and how their editorial systems encourage movement from the periphery of participation to the core. This paper draws upon questionnaire feedback from editors to create a picture of how they perceive their roles and responsibilities, their attitudes toward the review process, and criteria used for evaluating manuscripts submitted for publication. It is hoped other journals can benefit from this analysis of the process of creating and sustaining a community of practice.
Research Interests:
We investigate translanguaging (i.e. the co-use of first and second languages) in a Content and Language Integrated Learning course, as a pragmatic means to promote the skill of young university students in extended critical academic... more
We investigate translanguaging (i.e. the co-use of first and second languages) in a Content and Language Integrated Learning course, as a pragmatic means to promote the skill of young university students in extended critical academic writing. We aimed to prepare new undergraduate students (n = 180) for courses where partial English-medium instruction is typical, rather than full immersion. This means that both Japanese and English may be used in the teaching and completion of regular classes. Data from students’ answers to questionnaires and their written work over a three-year period demonstrate (a) how translanguaging facilitates completion of tasks and (b) the appearance of positive perceptions of students toward this policy. Further, content and language assessment criteria in writing, and the strategic use of Japanese language reading related to class themes, resulted in improved outcomes for most students of lower proficiency. Awareness of translanguaging among the students led to improved written work, and this enhanced authenticity and relevance to local purposes. Conclusions indicate that translanguaging in a partial English-medium context reflects the growing realities of English use as a Lingua Franca.
Research Interests:
This book has two purposes. One is to reconsider the principles behind review criteria based on many years of experience as senior editors of the Asian EFL Journals (AEJ). The second is to contribute to the international debate on... more
This book has two purposes. One is to reconsider the principles behind review criteria based on many years of experience as senior editors of the Asian EFL Journals (AEJ).
The second is to contribute to the international debate on criteria for reviewing papers for international journals. We hope that this edition will be of use to three groups: (1) all of those involved in the editing process of emerging journals such as the Asian
EFL Journal, (2) editors and reviewers of other international journals, (3) to authors who feel they have something important to communicate to an international audience, but do not easily find a forum for the kind of paper they wish to write.
This volume has also provided an opportunity to gather together in one place various papers published in AEJ over the last four years that either discuss or exemplify alternative approaches to academic writing and editing in our very diverse field. We have tried to discuss the continual need to consider whether we
are excluding valuable and essential voices due to an over-narrow view of what constitutes a journal article. By re-editing two of our own papers on this subject, we have developed our views further resulting in a review protocol that we feel will be more inclusive of non-standard voices. This proposal, the result of lessons learned
over the last few years, discusses the theoretical influences and then presents a new protocol of evaluation criteria which embraces our own journal editing principles. A specially drafted piece by Sivakumar Sivasubramaniam articulates theoretical support to the position taken in this volume in the fourth chapter of part 1. In the final chapter we take the natural next step of proposing a new set of evaluation criteria for submissions that we feel our current criteria have failed to do justice to.
The second is to contribute to the international debate on criteria for reviewing papers for international journals. We hope that this edition will be of use to three groups: (1) all of those involved in the editing process of emerging journals such as the Asian
EFL Journal, (2) editors and reviewers of other international journals, (3) to authors who feel they have something important to communicate to an international audience, but do not easily find a forum for the kind of paper they wish to write.
This volume has also provided an opportunity to gather together in one place various papers published in AEJ over the last four years that either discuss or exemplify alternative approaches to academic writing and editing in our very diverse field. We have tried to discuss the continual need to consider whether we
are excluding valuable and essential voices due to an over-narrow view of what constitutes a journal article. By re-editing two of our own papers on this subject, we have developed our views further resulting in a review protocol that we feel will be more inclusive of non-standard voices. This proposal, the result of lessons learned
over the last few years, discusses the theoretical influences and then presents a new protocol of evaluation criteria which embraces our own journal editing principles. A specially drafted piece by Sivakumar Sivasubramaniam articulates theoretical support to the position taken in this volume in the fourth chapter of part 1. In the final chapter we take the natural next step of proposing a new set of evaluation criteria for submissions that we feel our current criteria have failed to do justice to.
Research Interests: Teaching English as a Second Language, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, Scholarly Editing, Scholarly Communication, Editing of Journals, and 11 moreAcademic Writing, Applied Linguistics, Writing, Teaching English As A Foreign Language, Research Writing, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), Scholarly Publishing, EFL academic journal publishing, ESL/EFL Writing, Electronic Scholary Editions, and English As a Second Language (ESL)
Chap 5 We propose four areas in this paper that can be used to develop a holistic analysis of an academic text (Nunn, 2010): (1) the holistic generic structure (2) the use of references (3) the representation of knowledge through... more
Chap 5 We propose four areas in this paper that can be used to develop a holistic analysis of an academic text (Nunn, 2010):
(1) the holistic generic structure
(2) the use of references
(3) the representation of knowledge through transitivity
(4) epistemic modality, in particular the language used to express the level of confidence
in statements made in relation to the evidence provided to support them.
The holistic generic structure is first established in order to situate different phenomena such as use of the passive voice within sections of the paper allowing a comparison between and across sections. For example, when considering the use of references the type of reference used will be considered alongside the distribution across different sections of the text. Similarly, the distribution of transitivity phenomena such as passive voice uses, impersonal actives, uses of the first person will also be considered both qualitatively in terms of their purpose and effect in the text and in terms of their comparative distribution across sections of the text. Epistemic modality is primarily considered qualitatively, but the comparative frequency and distribution of the different linguistic manifestations are also considered. The overall purpose of this analysis is to discuss competent academic writing in terms of these categories with a view to determining some important feature of a successful and competent text.
Chap 6In the previous chapter, we analyzed one applied-chemistry article and drew some tentative conclusions about the voice and identity of the principal author. In this chapter we will compare the results with five other articles by the same author. In four of these he was principal author (making five in total when the paper analyzed in the previous chapter is included). In the fifth, he was second author. We will use this second-authored paper to underline differences with the other five in order to establish certain common features in the first-authored papers. Of the four sections covered in the holistic analysis exemplified in the previous chapter (holistic generic structure, referencing, transitivity and epistemic modality) we will mainly consider only transitivity and first person voice in this section in relation to the holistic generic structure. As discussed in the previous chapter, this helps provide a clear framework within which the distribution of the different categories of transitivity can be discussed. We will also consider the use of epistemic modality but only selectively in support of our analysis of the first person use.
(1) the holistic generic structure
(2) the use of references
(3) the representation of knowledge through transitivity
(4) epistemic modality, in particular the language used to express the level of confidence
in statements made in relation to the evidence provided to support them.
The holistic generic structure is first established in order to situate different phenomena such as use of the passive voice within sections of the paper allowing a comparison between and across sections. For example, when considering the use of references the type of reference used will be considered alongside the distribution across different sections of the text. Similarly, the distribution of transitivity phenomena such as passive voice uses, impersonal actives, uses of the first person will also be considered both qualitatively in terms of their purpose and effect in the text and in terms of their comparative distribution across sections of the text. Epistemic modality is primarily considered qualitatively, but the comparative frequency and distribution of the different linguistic manifestations are also considered. The overall purpose of this analysis is to discuss competent academic writing in terms of these categories with a view to determining some important feature of a successful and competent text.
Chap 6In the previous chapter, we analyzed one applied-chemistry article and drew some tentative conclusions about the voice and identity of the principal author. In this chapter we will compare the results with five other articles by the same author. In four of these he was principal author (making five in total when the paper analyzed in the previous chapter is included). In the fifth, he was second author. We will use this second-authored paper to underline differences with the other five in order to establish certain common features in the first-authored papers. Of the four sections covered in the holistic analysis exemplified in the previous chapter (holistic generic structure, referencing, transitivity and epistemic modality) we will mainly consider only transitivity and first person voice in this section in relation to the holistic generic structure. As discussed in the previous chapter, this helps provide a clear framework within which the distribution of the different categories of transitivity can be discussed. We will also consider the use of epistemic modality but only selectively in support of our analysis of the first person use.
Research Interests: Chemistry, Self and Identity, English for Academic Purposes, Teaching English as a Second Language, Academic Development, and 26 moreScholarly Editing, Editing of Journals, Academic Writing, Systemic Functional Linguistics, Teaching English As A Foreign Language, Teaching EFL, Academic Publishing, Scientific Writing, Systemic Functional Grammar, First-person thought, First Person Authority, Transitivity, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), Transitivity Analysis, Scholarly Publishing, Textual analysis, First Person, Passive Voice, Impersonal Constructions, Corpus Linguistics, First-Person Reference and Indexicality, Passive voice, Self Representation, ESL/EFL Writing, Electronic Scholary Editions, English As a Second Language (ESL), Scientific writing and personal pronouns, and Academic Competence
This research-in-progress paper describes the creation of an ELT research group in a local Japanese context. It critically analyses the rationale for its existence and operation and puts forward a collaborative methodology to sustain it... more
This research-in-progress paper describes the creation of an ELT research group in a local Japanese context. It critically analyses the rationale for its existence and operation and puts forward a collaborative methodology to sustain it which is an evolving triangulation of quantitative and qualitative approaches. Quantitative analyses of online mailing list interaction among the group and descriptions of meetings have revealed who communicates on what themes according to Senge’s taxonomy (1990). Also, reflective written narratives of each member’s background have been gathered and disseminated among the group, and semi-structured interviews with each member have been conducted, both to gain qualitative insights into beliefs about teacher development and the group’s operation. Tentative findings from analysis of online interaction show the majority of emails are task-oriented, which is consistent with asynchronous communication. Differences between the research group and other groups arise when the number of times each group member contributes is analyzed. Data from interviews and written narratives show that members’ motivations for joining the group stem from a lack of support for their research at the workplace and, to some extent, a desire to create a feeling of collegiality away from workplace hierarchies. This triangulated approach is informative to not only our own group, but possibly to other teacher groups.
Research Interests:
This paper considers conversations of the disciplines (Bazerman, 1980) regarding disciplinary writing norms. Traditionally, English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and English for Academic Purposes (EAP) instruction focuses on academic skills... more
This paper considers conversations of the disciplines (Bazerman, 1980) regarding disciplinary writing norms. Traditionally, English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and English for Academic Purposes (EAP) instruction focuses on academic skills generally relevant to the classroom. Our intention is to bridge the academic writing classroom (EAP) with writing for publication (ESP). We realize such a perspective provides a challenge for students and teachers unfamiliar with publishing norms, particularly field-specific norms, which include editorial expectations for the presentation of manuscripts, talk around texts such as author email correspondence, and expectations regarding revision and co-construction of research following editorial review. We feel the keys to overcoming these challenges lie in linking the classroom roles of teacher-as-writer and student-as-writer with a network of supportive literacy brokers. The implications of this are intra- and interdisciplinary in nature, calling for improved interconnection between EAP instructors and their colleagues who teach "content" courses, and a flattening of the hierarchical relationship that often exists between them. In terms of classroom practice, this linkage involves a pedagogical approach moving beyond academic text production intended to satisfy university curriculum requirements toward preparing classroom participants to write for academic publication.
Research Interests:
This case study re-envisions the objectives of an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) program as taught by expatriate staff in a Japanese university. EAP courses in Japan often assume students will study in English speaking countries and... more
This case study re-envisions the objectives of an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) program as taught by expatriate staff in a Japanese university. EAP courses in Japan often assume students will study in English speaking countries and prepare them for a western academic experience. However, increasingly English medium content courses are offered in Japanese schools. These courses, while conducted in English are nevertheless grounded in a Japanese academic context and its customs. This qualitative study examines the values and opinions of Japanese Kiso Semi (a fundamental academic skills preparation seminar) teachers through questionnaires and interviews to better inform EAP decision-making. Findings reveal insights into both Japanese academic norms and Japanese faculty expectations for student behavior and performance. Understanding these norms and expectations has lead to a questioning of current EAP curriculum design and a proposed localization of that design. This has implications for specific EAP course objectives, particularly in terms of the importance of intertextuality, multimodality, the role of critical thinking, and the possible transferability of skills between content and language classes.
Research Interests:
This study has illustrated how a long-term ethnographic approach of archiving data and profiling its key participants represents an effective means of revealing perceptions of a new Self-Access Learning Center (SALC) within a university... more
This study has illustrated how a long-term ethnographic approach of archiving data and profiling its key participants represents an effective means of revealing perceptions of a new Self-Access Learning Center (SALC) within a university in Japan. This on-going process of conducting qualitative interviews and conversational narratives with center staff, accompanied by student questionnaires, has required methodological reduction of the large amount of ensuing data. Such a process is achieved by a combination of
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crystallization of themes emerging from dialogues, and analysis of questionnaire data from various perspectives. This methodology reflects the researchers‘ wishes to investigate the self-access center where they work in a manner more locally situated, co-constructive and, importantly, in one which accords voice and agency to peripheral SALC stakeholders. As a study for the purpose of the continuous improvement of practice, the triangulated methodology employed to gather and analyze data can be adopted by other self-access centers seeking a rich, diverse body of evidence and an analytical framework to respond to the pedagogical and institutional environment where they operate.
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crystallization of themes emerging from dialogues, and analysis of questionnaire data from various perspectives. This methodology reflects the researchers‘ wishes to investigate the self-access center where they work in a manner more locally situated, co-constructive and, importantly, in one which accords voice and agency to peripheral SALC stakeholders. As a study for the purpose of the continuous improvement of practice, the triangulated methodology employed to gather and analyze data can be adopted by other self-access centers seeking a rich, diverse body of evidence and an analytical framework to respond to the pedagogical and institutional environment where they operate.
Research Interests:
This study has traced the growth of a new facility intended to promote independent language study in a Japanese university. The study traces this Self Access Learning Center (SALC) from its inception through the first two years of its... more
This study has traced the growth of a new facility intended to promote independent language study in a
Japanese university. The study traces this Self Access Learning Center (SALC) from its inception through the
first two years of its development. It has revealed how key qualitative insights from an archive of semistructured
interviews, conversational narratives and questionnaires with students, teachers, center staff and
university management are marked by their shifting and diverse nature. Findings related to language policy for
the center show how initial ‘English only’ regulations have been opposed and amended by stakeholders.
Findings focusing on the center stakeholders’ metaphors of self access language learning have changed or been
supplemented and show great diversity. Importantly, SALC’s positioning in the wider university has
experienced problems with diverse evaluation expectations and, despite considerable financial backing,
remains marginalized. Finally, SALC’s integration with university curricula has seen mixed results; the center
is connected closely to the English curriculum as taught by non-Japanese, but not to curricula taught by
Japanese teachers of English or content subjects. This indicates that integration of university-wide curricula
with autonomous modes of learning remains a hurdle. This study may inform other centers seeking to gather
data on the diverse voices impacting upon their development.
Japanese university. The study traces this Self Access Learning Center (SALC) from its inception through the
first two years of its development. It has revealed how key qualitative insights from an archive of semistructured
interviews, conversational narratives and questionnaires with students, teachers, center staff and
university management are marked by their shifting and diverse nature. Findings related to language policy for
the center show how initial ‘English only’ regulations have been opposed and amended by stakeholders.
Findings focusing on the center stakeholders’ metaphors of self access language learning have changed or been
supplemented and show great diversity. Importantly, SALC’s positioning in the wider university has
experienced problems with diverse evaluation expectations and, despite considerable financial backing,
remains marginalized. Finally, SALC’s integration with university curricula has seen mixed results; the center
is connected closely to the English curriculum as taught by non-Japanese, but not to curricula taught by
Japanese teachers of English or content subjects. This indicates that integration of university-wide curricula
with autonomous modes of learning remains a hurdle. This study may inform other centers seeking to gather
data on the diverse voices impacting upon their development.
Research Interests:
"This paper examines a year in the development of a Self Access Learning Center (SALC) at a small public university in Northern Japan. The SALC was established to support language learning as part of the institution's transition from a... more
"This paper examines a year in the development of a Self Access Learning Center (SALC) at a small public university in Northern Japan. The SALC was established to support language learning as part of the institution's transition from a two-year junior college to a four-year university and as a recently-added part of the university community, its identity, position and role in the school are still evolving.
This paper seeks to document one critical aspect of that evolution. Looking back at the first year of SALC’s operation, the idea of metaphor has emerged as a key concept. Establishing and running SALC has been a clear instance of the importance of metaphors in academic decision making.
"
This paper seeks to document one critical aspect of that evolution. Looking back at the first year of SALC’s operation, the idea of metaphor has emerged as a key concept. Establishing and running SALC has been a clear instance of the importance of metaphors in academic decision making.
"
Research Interests:
"This paper outlines a proposed two-level perspective on EAP syllabus design in contexts where content courses are taught in English by local faculty. In English for Local Academic Purposes (ELAP), teachers should understand the academic... more
"This paper outlines a proposed two-level perspective on EAP syllabus design in contexts where content courses are taught in English by local faculty. In English for Local Academic Purposes (ELAP), teachers should understand the academic norms of their local context to meet the needs of students studying in English-medium classes. In English for Specific Local Academic Purposes
(ESLAP), teachers should go deeper to understand the specific needs of the actual students studying in English at their institution. Applying the ELAP / ESLAP perspective to a Japanese case, the researchers found some overlap with western norms including the importance of intertextuality and multimodality, but also some areas where English for Academic Purposes (EAP) practice can benefit from localization, such as through the addition of translanguaging."
(ESLAP), teachers should go deeper to understand the specific needs of the actual students studying in English at their institution. Applying the ELAP / ESLAP perspective to a Japanese case, the researchers found some overlap with western norms including the importance of intertextuality and multimodality, but also some areas where English for Academic Purposes (EAP) practice can benefit from localization, such as through the addition of translanguaging."
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This study reports on the steering of a self-access learning center in a Japanese university by its “middle management” committee over the first years of its operation. Middle management practice was informed by an ethnographic archive of... more
This study reports on the steering of a self-access learning center in a Japanese university by its “middle management” committee over the first years of its operation. Middle management practice was informed by an ethnographic archive of various facets of center use, particularly concerning language policy and curriculum integration, issues about which the archive reveals considerable shifts in stakeholder views over time. It is argued that this evidence-based middle management style has been an effective, but sometimes limited, means in decision-making as it succeeds in placing research at the center of middle management activity, not at its periphery.
Research Interests:
English-medium content classes are becoming more common on Japanese university campuses. When taught by Japanese faculty, the language of instruction may be English but the classroom culture remains grounded in local academic norms. This... more
English-medium content classes are becoming more common on Japanese university campuses. When taught by Japanese faculty, the language of instruction may be English but the classroom culture remains grounded in local academic norms. This has implications for EAP practice at such universities. This study looks at data collected from Japanese faculty working in an English-medium program in the social sciences. The study examines their goals, expectations for student performance and descriptions of classroom practice. Data analysis shows important implications for change in four areas. EAP teachers preparing students for work in a local English-medium program in Japan, rather than for study abroad, may need to reconsider their practice including longer-term focus on a single topic, more one-on-one interaction with students, the addition of translanguaging and a greater focus on academic skills rather than language. Although findings are limited to our local context,
some resonance may be found in similar Japanese universities offering English-medium content instruction and EAP courses preparing students for that purpose.
some resonance may be found in similar Japanese universities offering English-medium content instruction and EAP courses preparing students for that purpose.
Research Interests:
Courses taught through English are an emerging feature in Japanese universities. From an English-education perspective, this raises the question of how best to prepare new undergraduates at various proficiency levels to move onto such... more
Courses taught through English are an emerging feature in Japanese universities. From an English-education perspective, this raises the question of how best to prepare new undergraduates at various proficiency levels to move onto such courses. We investigate a class based on Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) principles, with a focus on academic listening and associated writing tasks. Some research (Dalton-Puffer, 2007) suggests that a CLIL approach may not be effective in developing the skill of writing. However, even with its strong content focus, our results showed that carefully scaffolding progress into writing literacy provided all students with equal chances to take strides towards developing autonomous academic skills. Specifically, we encouraged students to look beyond the confines of the class and access materials and advice across the campus, with no restriction on L1 use. Through this approach, in addition to linguistic development, we observed that our class became increasingly useful as a resource for future content classes themselves. This helped to give our class extra validity, and support all students’ motivation level.
Research Interests:
This questionnaire-based case study investigated non-Anglophone readers’ perceptions of a ‘periphery’ online English language teaching journal. Findings showed respondents (n = 37) regarded its policy of publishing ‘alternative voice’... more
This questionnaire-based case study investigated non-Anglophone readers’ perceptions of a ‘periphery’ online English language teaching journal. Findings showed respondents (n = 37) regarded its policy of publishing ‘alternative voice’ non-standard academic papers as acceptable. Although seen as a research conduit for and by new periphery academics, some requested impact factor indexing whilst recognizing the journal’s qualitative features. Contrasted with studies showing conservative perceptions by journal reviewers on academic writing, non-Anglophone readers were more open-minded to non-standard language use. It is argued then that the findings and methodology from this small-scale study may resonate with other studies into new online periphery journals.
Research Interests: Teaching English as a Second Language, Open Access, Academic Writing, TESOL, Non-Native English Speaking Professionals in TESOL, and 6 morePeer Review, Academic Ranking, Research and Publications, Scholarly Publishing, Native Speaker/non-Native Speaker Teachers of English, and Research and Publication
"""English-medium content classes are becoming more common on Japanese university campuses. When taught by Japanese faculty, the language of instruction may be English but the classroom culture remains grounded in local academic norms.... more
"""English-medium content classes are becoming more common on Japanese university campuses. When taught by Japanese faculty, the language of instruction may be English but the classroom culture remains grounded in local academic norms. This has implications for EAP practice at such universities. This study looks at data collected from Japanese faculty working in an English-medium program in the social sciences. The study examines their goals, expectations for student performance and descriptions of classroom practice. Data analysis shows important implications for change in four areas. EAP teachers preparing students for work in a local English-medium program in Japan, rather than for study abroad, may need to reconsider their practice including longer-term focus on a single topic, more one-on-one interaction with students, the addition of translanguaging and a greater focus on academic skills rather than language. Although findings are limited to our local context, some resonance may be found in similar Japanese universities offering English-medium
content instruction and EAP courses preparing students for that purpose."
content instruction and EAP courses preparing students for that purpose."
Research Interests: Japanese Studies, English for Specific Purposes, Japanese Language And Culture, Academic Writing, TESOL, and 13 moreAcademic Literacies, ESP, Academic literacy, CLIL, Bilingualism, Translingualism, EAP, Teacher Education in Teaching English to Speakers of Second/Foreign Languages (TESOL), Bilingual Education; Dual Language Programs, Early and Late Immersion, and the role of the L1, English as a medium of instruction, EAP study skills, English Language as a medium of instruction in Higher Learning Institutions, and Translanguaging
This study has explored the use of portfolios and of awareness-raising of literacy networks in a CLIL lecture preparation class for first-year undergraduates in a Japanese university. It is argued that CLIL-related literature has a... more
This study has explored the use of portfolios and of awareness-raising of literacy networks in a CLIL lecture preparation class for first-year undergraduates in a Japanese university. It is argued that CLIL-related literature has a paucity of practical studies investigating these two elements essential to autonomy-building, particularly for students who have been previously mostly exposed to teacher-centered modes of instruction. Questionnaires asking students their perceptions of portfolio use and self-study were gathered over three years and were coupled with a one year small-scale data set of student-drawn ‘literacy maps’ exploring who and what materials students had consulted to produce a final lecture-related report. Findings revealed increased awareness of the importance of portfolio and self-study and even their cross-fertilization over to other classes across the language and content curricula; however, some reticence was evident regarding self-scoring in self-study mode, showing that the transition from traditional teacher-centredness at high school had not yet been overcome. Also, of importance was the initially extensive use of self-access center advisors which, when withdrawn, may have negatively impacted students’ literacy networks. Implications to be drawn from this study lie primarily in the expanded use of portfolios and increased awareness-raising of student networks as important means towards the development of autonomous study skills and literacy. Questions do, however, remain as to the extent that this approach actually mirrors English-medium instruction in content classes at the university.
Research Interests: Literacy, Teaching English as a Second Language, Social Networking, Academic Writing, TESOL, and 13 moreLearner Autonomy, Autonomy, CLIL, Teacher Education in Teaching English to Speakers of Second/Foreign Languages (TESOL), Lecture notes, Bilingualism, CLIL, Language Testing, CLIL use in tertiary teaching, Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), The relationship and effects of building academic and exhibition portfolios, Academic Skills, Lecture Listening, EAP/ESP, and Especially the Use of Portfolios
Research Interests:
This small-scale study has investigated the perceptions of Associate Editors into their roles and responsibilities at two Asian-based online journals in the field of English language teaching and linguistics, paying particular attention... more
This small-scale study has investigated the perceptions of Associate Editors into their roles and responsibilities at two Asian-based online journals in the field of English language teaching and linguistics, paying particular attention to the shift in those perceptions from blind manuscript reviewers up to their present supervisory roles. From the viewpoint of journal management, the role of manuscript supervision by Associate Editors is seen as key to the maintenance of journal quality and positioning in its respective fields and is put forward in this study as a form of ‘middle management,’ involving team leadership skills and sensitivity towards authors and reviewers. From the perspective of understanding the challenges facing scholars pursuing publication in English, investigation into the nature of the pivotal role played by Associate Editors is argued here as an essential counterbalance to existing literature into authorial experiences in publishing. Methodologically, we have taken an emic, ethnographic stance by researching not only the views of fellow editors with whom we regularly interact, but also ourselves as one of us is currently an Associate Editor being investigated in this study, and the other a Senior Editor. Findings from questionnaire-based research have revealed divergence and convergence in views concerning editorial duties. Of note in terms of similarity is the perception in this data collected from ten Associate Editors that knowledge and experience of supervision should be shared, especially of discourse to convey negative feedback to authors. The sense of reward inherent to the position came in the form of satisfaction in team-building and aiding authors to final acceptance, rather than a sense of higher status within the academic field or journal. Divergence in views manifested itself in the means by which editors should be developed, some advocating formal schemes, and others more individualized and voluntary pathways. Most editors concurred that previous reviewing experience was beneficial to supervisory competence. Implications from these findings and the literature imply that various forms of editorial development are needed to accommodate the diverse needs of editors as they progress from reviewer to higher positions of responsibility whilst facing work pressures and fatigue.
Research Interests: Teaching English as a Second Language, Publishing, Open Access, Open Access Publishing, Scholarly Editing, and 12 moreEditing of Journals, Open Journal, Academic Writing, TESOL, Non-Native English Speaking Professionals in TESOL, Open Source/Open Access and Libraries, Peer Review, Academic Publishing, Research Writing, Middle Management, Centers of Power Versus the Periphery, and Peer reviewing
This case study is so designed that students will need to use knowledge of past tenses, history and marketing know-how. They find themselves going back in time to interact with the material. In essence, this case study is different from... more
This case study is so designed that students will need to use knowledge of past tenses, history and marketing know-how. They find themselves going back in time to interact with the material. In essence, this case study is different from others in that it ‘evolves’ according to student choices at key points. This passes control over the development of the story over to the students themselves within an ever-loosening framework of historical and fictitious events which they can imagine and research. Along with the chance to ‘imagine’ the potential possibilities that a marketing person would have at a certain point in history, students’ schema is also developed since the ‘imagined’ choices need to be made in light of the real-world events at that time. Imagination is, in this sense, connected to historical reality.
The case study approach to teaching Business English is taken, in this example, not simply to “bridge the gap between English language and business content instruction” (Uber Gross, 1988, p. 131), but also to allow learners to adapt materials to their own knowledge base. This fundamentally goes beyond McDonough and Shaw’s (1993) advice that teachers adapt materials to learner needs by passing the responsibility for adaptation over to the Business English students themselves.
The case study approach to teaching Business English is taken, in this example, not simply to “bridge the gap between English language and business content instruction” (Uber Gross, 1988, p. 131), but also to allow learners to adapt materials to their own knowledge base. This fundamentally goes beyond McDonough and Shaw’s (1993) advice that teachers adapt materials to learner needs by passing the responsibility for adaptation over to the Business English students themselves.
Research Interests:
This study proposes that if regular interview-based investigation into the English language learning strategies is conducted, research into the interviewing process employed to gather that information itself is required. This ’research... more
This study proposes that if regular interview-based investigation into the English language learning strategies is conducted, research into the interviewing process employed to gather that information itself is required. This ’research into research’, or “revisiting” of the interviewing technique (Duranti 1997), has in the case of this study conducted in a Thai college setting entailed the use of a micro-analytic discourse approach in combination with localised assessment criteria of interview data. This assessment framework is referred to as “layers of insight”, drawing upon a combination of information from the interview content - learning strategies - and from the discourse of the interviews themselves. The findings from the use of this new interpretative methodology have shown that better insights into regular learner strategies research can be gained if the interviewer becomes aware of recurring patterns of speech used from interview to interview and is able to interpret them with localised assessment criteria rather than anglo-centric norms.
Research Interests:
This study addresses reviewer development programs at 2 Asia-based English language teaching (ELT) journals which aim to raise awareness of peer review language. Little discussion or research about competence or standards in peer review... more
This study addresses reviewer development programs at 2 Asia-based English language teaching (ELT) journals which aim to raise awareness of peer review language. Little discussion or research about competence or standards in peer review exists, so developing competence for new reviewers is difficult. This research addresses how novice reviewers of manuscripts develop an understanding of appropriate feedback language by analyzing written review discourse in reviewer development programs. Attention is paid to how reviewers are socialized into their responsibilities through interactions with review mentors,
reflecting upon their feedback to authors over several practice reviews. The focus of the analysis is on changes to review language through correspondence between mentor and mentee. The process by which this analysis has been conducted and its outcomes may carry important messages for authors,
reviewers, potential reviewers interested in the peer review process, and senior editors interested in issues of quality in peer review.
reflecting upon their feedback to authors over several practice reviews. The focus of the analysis is on changes to review language through correspondence between mentor and mentee. The process by which this analysis has been conducted and its outcomes may carry important messages for authors,
reviewers, potential reviewers interested in the peer review process, and senior editors interested in issues of quality in peer review.
Research Interests: Discourse Analysis, Publishing, Phonology, Phonetics, Pragmatics, and 18 moreSemantics, Sociolinguistics, Scholarly Editing, Editing of Journals, Open Journal, Academic Writing, TESOL, Syntax, Applied Linguistics, Morphology, Cognitive Linguistics, English Grammar, ESP, Academic Publishing, Feedback in writing, Research Writing, EAP, and Arabic-English translation
Research Interests:
Business English courses often require the course designer to customise materials to the specific needs of the learners. This article describes and critically views this process for the materials employed with groups of students from... more
Business English courses often require the course designer to customise materials to the specific needs of the learners. This article describes and critically views this process for the materials employed with groups of students from Islamic countries preparing to study Business-related courses at U.K. universities before and after the terrorist attacks of 11th September, 2001. At that time, the potential religious and political sensitivities of teaching Muslim students in the U.K. quickly became heightened and were reflected in changes in syllabus design. This design, or re-design, process of the syllabus involved revision of the existing materials evaluation checklist and the embracement of more regular student feedback, the latter of which, importantly, introduced the notion of ‘negotiating’ the syllabus content. It is proposed in this article that such an on-going evaluation process is necessary for such Business English programs in a time when external events influence student lives and, therefore, needs.
Research Interests: Discourse Analysis, Business English, Education, Teaching English as a Second Language, Phonology, and 24 moreTeacher Education, Phonetics, Pragmatics, Semantics, Sociolinguistics, Religion and Politics, Critical Pedagogy, Educational evaluation, TESOL, Syntax, Applied Linguistics, Morphology, Cognitive Linguistics, English Grammar, ESP, Reflective Teaching, Research Writing, Instructional Materials Development and Evaluation, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), EAP, Arabic-English translation, English As a Second Language (ESL), Materials Evaluation & Design, and Managing Innovations In ELT
Research Interests:
This case study re-envisions the objectives of an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) program as taught by expatriate staff in a Japanese university. EAP courses in Japan often assume students will study in English speaking countries and... more
This case study re-envisions the objectives of an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) program as taught by expatriate staff in a Japanese university. EAP courses in Japan often assume students will study in English speaking countries and prepare them for a western academic experience. However, increasingly English medium content courses are offered in Japanese schools. These courses, while conducted in English are nevertheless grounded in a Japanese academic context and its customs. This qualitative study examines the values and opinions of Japanese Kiso Semi (a fundamental academic skills preparation seminar) teachers through questionnaires and interviews to better inform EAP decision-making. Findings reveal insights into both Japanese academic norms and Japanese faculty expectations for student behavior and performance. Understanding these norms and expectations has lead to a questioning of current EAP curriculum design and a proposed localization of that design. This has implications for specific EAP course objectives, particularly in terms of the importance of intertextuality, multimodality, the role of critical thinking, and the possible transferability of skills between content and language classes.
Research Interests: Discourse Analysis, Japanese Studies, English for Academic Purposes, Teaching English as a Second Language, Phonology, and 39 moreTeacher Education, Curriculum Design, Research Methodology, Phonetics, Pragmatics, Semantics, Japanese Language And Culture, Sociolinguistics, Critical Pedagogy, Academic Writing, TESOL, English, Faculty Development, Syntax, Applied Linguistics, Morphology, Bilingual Education, Cognitive Linguistics, Teaching English As A Foreign Language, English Grammar, ESP, TEFL, Teacher Development, CLIL, English Education, Reflective Teaching, Research Writing, Japan Studies, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), EAP, Management in Education, Continuous professional development, English as a medium of instruction, Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), Arabic-English translation, English as the Medium of Instruction, Plurilingual Education, English As a Second Language (ESL), and Pedagogy and Learning
Research Interests:
"This small-scale “intrinsic” case study (Stake, 1995, p. 3) investigates the beliefs of English language teachers towards English language teaching training and qualifications, at universities, college and private language schools in a... more
"This small-scale “intrinsic” case study (Stake, 1995, p. 3) investigates the beliefs of English language teachers towards English language teaching training and qualifications, at universities, college and private language schools in a local Japanese context. This paper argues that semi-structured interviewing is an effective means in exploring this “hidden side” of teacher cognition (Freeman, 2002, p. 1), if eliminated data is reintegrated into the findings and additionally, if the interview discourse and both participants’ backgrounds and relative “positioning” (Sarangi & Candlin, 2003, p. 278) are shown.
Findings suggest that the collaborative process of interviewing eight participants is “professional practice” (Baker & Johnson, 1998, p. 241) in itself. Analysis of the interview talk also reveals that some beliefs towards ELT qualifications are related to specific incidents during their careers, or even beforehand. In some instances, the effectiveness of teacher training in ELT for local classroom practice is doubted.
In conclusion, although this study has informed the researcher of only those teacher beliefs in a specific local context, the methodological approach to gathering, analyzing, and representing the ensuing talk could be an effective means for researchers wishing to “unpack” (Diaz-Maggioli, 2002, p. 2) beliefs in other research contexts.
"
Findings suggest that the collaborative process of interviewing eight participants is “professional practice” (Baker & Johnson, 1998, p. 241) in itself. Analysis of the interview talk also reveals that some beliefs towards ELT qualifications are related to specific incidents during their careers, or even beforehand. In some instances, the effectiveness of teacher training in ELT for local classroom practice is doubted.
In conclusion, although this study has informed the researcher of only those teacher beliefs in a specific local context, the methodological approach to gathering, analyzing, and representing the ensuing talk could be an effective means for researchers wishing to “unpack” (Diaz-Maggioli, 2002, p. 2) beliefs in other research contexts.
"
Research Interests:
This study has attempted to formulate a coding system for interview discourse between native and non-native speakers of English. Drawing upon data collected in a Thai college setting, it amalgamates codes focusing on the exchange... more
This study has attempted to formulate a coding system for interview discourse between native and non-native speakers of English. Drawing upon data collected in a Thai college setting, it amalgamates codes focusing on the exchange sequence, moves and acts to create an inter-complementary system which display the inter-connectedness of utterances. This system is one which entails the creation of visual tools to aid the researcher in tracing patterns within and across interviews for the purpose of interview ‘quality control’. Through such visual displays, it is argued that the intersubjectivity of an utterance can be traced beyond exchange boundaries, even across interviews themselves. Additionally, the codification of interviews can also help the researcher trace patterns in the interview discourse of both participants. This reveals that the assumed egalitarian ‘co-construction’ nature of talk to be often, in reality, discourse in which the native speaker interviewer engineers the talk back to the original topic whilst continually compensating for the non-native speaker’s linguistic competence.
Research Interests:
This presentation was for Dalarna University's internal faculty seminar FoS (Forum för Språkvetenskap) Higher Seminar. We spoke about our recent study into the influence of our own literacy histories on current undergraduate thesis... more
This presentation was for Dalarna University's internal faculty seminar FoS (Forum för Språkvetenskap) Higher Seminar. We spoke about our recent study into the influence of our own literacy histories on current undergraduate thesis supervisory practices at two universities in Japan and one in Sweden.
Research Interests:
This is the PowerPoint of an invited talk for the online symposium organized by Bunkyo Gakuin University, Tokyo on Feb 13th, 2021.
Research Interests:
This presentation explores research directions surrounding academic publishing in EFL and Applied Linguistics. It puts forward the idea that research in our field requires a reexamination of perspectives of the journey into academic... more
This presentation explores research directions surrounding academic publishing in EFL and Applied Linguistics. It puts forward the idea that research in our field requires a reexamination of perspectives of the journey into academic publication. Much research has focused primarily on how “off-networked” (Swales, 1996), multilingual scholars pursuing English for Research Publication Purposes (ERPP) struggle to negotiate the norms of publication in center journals (Flowerdew, 2007). Equally important to an understanding of this potential stigmatization is research how journal staff interact through peer review with both Anglophone and multilingual authors writing from non-center contexts (Adamson, 2012; Muller & Adamson, 2013). This recalibration of understanding ERPP also considers the wider trends of the de-centering of academic writing norms towards those accepted in semi-periphery and periphery academic contexts (Lillis, 2012; Bennett, 2014), the migration of scholars for study and work, the increase in the number and variety of journals at local and international levels, and the pressures to publish for career advancement for “contingent” and “non-contingent” faculty (Gaillet & Guglielmo, 2014). These emerging complexities in publication practice mean that discussion of ERPP must go beyond traditional issues of ethnicity and journal prestige.
Research Interests:
This study explores methodological issues of teaching the research area of sociolinguistics to Japanese undergraduate students using English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI). EMI has recently become popular in Japanese tertiary education... more
This study explores methodological issues of teaching the research area of sociolinguistics to Japanese undergraduate students using English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI). EMI has recently become popular in Japanese tertiary education as a government initiative and has been adopted in many institutions for content courses usually delivered in Japanese. EMI practice is, however, still an emerging area of research pedagogically and is informed by Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) studies in other contexts. In CLIL, emphasis is placed on the “dual focus” (Coyle, et al., 2010, p. 1) of both language and content and for delivering content in the students’ L2. In this particular EMI case of teaching sociolinguistics, lesson content has been delivered in both English (the students’ L2) and Japanese (their L1) as a “translanguaging” (Blackledge & Creese, 2010) means to linguistically scaffold the content input and to integrate “bilingual language practices” (Garcia & Wei, 2014, p. 80) among students of diverse language proficiencies. A dissertation in English involving spoken discourse analysis is the primary evaluative outcome and is written with reference to sociolinguistic theories taught during the course. A written model has been used to scaffold the complex language and structure of this dissertation to students unfamiliar to the genre of English academic research writing and has proved to be beneficial and motivating for particularly lower proficiency students. Observations of class interaction and written outcomes reveal that translanguaging and scaffolding of the writing were helpful in developing research and writing proficiencies and have provided “safe” (Martin, 2005, p. 80) zones of language practice for students hesitant to use English. This move towards bilingualism and language-sensitive scaffolding in EMI has acted as a means to decenter potentially demotivating monolingual practice in the classroom (Hanson, 2013).
Research Interests:
With the increasing popularity of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) in teaching practice and research, Asian institutions have gradually started to adopt this concept. This talk will investigate key concepts underpinning... more
With the increasing popularity of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) in teaching practice and research, Asian institutions have gradually started to adopt this concept. This talk will investigate key concepts underpinning CLIL and critically analyze its use in preparing students for English-medium instruction (EMI) in local Asian contexts.
The “dual focus” (Coyle, Hood & Marsh, 2010, p. 1) on both content and language in English classes, particularly in EAP and ESP, is not necessarily new as it serves more as an umbrella term for existing approaches to teaching such as in EAP, ESP, and Cbi. Its integration of content materials, methods and assessment into language classes can range from the “soft” language lessons with a touch of content to the “hard” English-medium classes with subjects teachers. Variation also exists in who delivers instruction: solely language teachers, language teachers team-teaching with content teachers, or content teachers working alone (Met, 2009). Issues arise about: 1. Assessment of language or content competence and how CLIL is cognitively beneficial for those foci; 2. The teaching competences and training required to engage in such lessons; 3. Language policy and the role of the students’ L1 in L2 CLIL instruction; 3. Authenticity and relevance of CLIL syllabi to student needs; 4. Language teachers negotiation of disciplinary border crossing with content instructors; 5. Language teaching methodologies, especially autonomy and collaboration and the extent to which content instructors value them. Addressing these issues in local Asian contexts helps to appropriate CLIL practice.
The “dual focus” (Coyle, Hood & Marsh, 2010, p. 1) on both content and language in English classes, particularly in EAP and ESP, is not necessarily new as it serves more as an umbrella term for existing approaches to teaching such as in EAP, ESP, and Cbi. Its integration of content materials, methods and assessment into language classes can range from the “soft” language lessons with a touch of content to the “hard” English-medium classes with subjects teachers. Variation also exists in who delivers instruction: solely language teachers, language teachers team-teaching with content teachers, or content teachers working alone (Met, 2009). Issues arise about: 1. Assessment of language or content competence and how CLIL is cognitively beneficial for those foci; 2. The teaching competences and training required to engage in such lessons; 3. Language policy and the role of the students’ L1 in L2 CLIL instruction; 3. Authenticity and relevance of CLIL syllabi to student needs; 4. Language teachers negotiation of disciplinary border crossing with content instructors; 5. Language teaching methodologies, especially autonomy and collaboration and the extent to which content instructors value them. Addressing these issues in local Asian contexts helps to appropriate CLIL practice.
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This paper examines a year in the development of a Self Access Learning Center (SALC) at a small public university in Northern Japan. The SALC was established to support language learning as part of the institution's transition from a... more
This paper examines a year in the development of a Self Access Learning Center (SALC) at a small public university in Northern Japan. The SALC was established to support language learning as part of the institution's transition from a two-year junior college to a four-year university and as a recently-added part of the university community, its identity, position and role in the school are still evolving.
This paper seeks to document one critical aspect of that evolution. Looking back at the first year of SALC’s operation, the idea of metaphor has emerged as a key concept. Establishing and running SALC has been a clear instance of the importance of metaphors in academic decision making.
This paper seeks to document one critical aspect of that evolution. Looking back at the first year of SALC’s operation, the idea of metaphor has emerged as a key concept. Establishing and running SALC has been a clear instance of the importance of metaphors in academic decision making.
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As one of Asia’s leading online journals in its field, Asian EFL Journal represents a valuable source of Asia-related research operating at the ‘periphery’ in the world of academic publishing. In order to sustain its popularity and... more
As one of Asia’s leading online journals in its field, Asian EFL Journal represents a valuable source of Asia-related research operating at the ‘periphery’ in the world of academic publishing. In order to sustain its popularity and maintain ‘quality’ in editorial practice, extensive studies have been conducted into its ‘internal’ operation revealing a diversity of views about academic writing among Anglophone and non-Anglophone reviewers and editors. Also of importance in the need to sustain journal quality is the ‘external’ view of the journal. For this purpose, over 2012, an online questionnaire-based case study investigated non-Anglophone readers’ perceptions of various facets of the journal: academic writing, scope, and relevance to practice and research. Findings showed respondents generally expressed positive views of the journal. Although seen as a research conduit for and by new periphery academics, some requested impact factor indexing whilst recognizing the journal’s qualitative features. Contrasted with previous studies showing conservative perceptions by the journal’s reviewers on academic writing, non-Anglophone readers were more open-minded to non-standard language use. It is argued that the findings and methodology from this small-scale study bring important lessons for senior editors about ‘quality’ in academic writing and journal positioning in the field.
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This presentation investigates how English for Academic Purposes (EAP) practitioners engage in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) and outlines the growing need for them to ‘map’ their knowledge of disciplinary border... more
This presentation investigates how English for Academic Purposes (EAP) practitioners engage in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) and outlines the growing need for them to ‘map’ their knowledge of disciplinary border crossings. EAP work is frequently undertaken by language specialists who endeavour to make their syllabi relevant to the needs of students in academic contexts. These needs are often assumed or misinterpreted, resulting in an EAP faculty marginalized within the larger institution. To counter this problem, EAP specialists who integrate content knowledge into their practice need to reflect upon how they interact with non-EAP content faculty in various types of border crossings. This requires them to engage with the concepts of interdisciplinarity, collegiality, and collaboration. Drawing upon teaching contexts in Europe and Asia, consideration of these three themes illustrate how local ‘mapping’ in interdisciplinary collaboration is essential to make collaboration between language and content specialists successful.
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This presentation investigates the intermingling of languages, termed as translanguaging, in a compulsory English academic lecture preparation course at a regional Japanese university. The course provides 1st year students with multimodal... more
This presentation investigates the intermingling of languages, termed as translanguaging, in a compulsory English academic lecture preparation course at a regional Japanese university. The course provides 1st year students with multimodal foci on academic listening, reading, and writing skills in English. Adopting a Content and Language Integrated Learning approach (CLIL) approach of a dual focus on both language and content related to the students’ mainstream content studies, the course prepares students for the demands of academic study in a local Japanese context where only partial English-medium instruction is the reality, as opposed to full L2 immersion in an Anglophone context. This means that both Japanese and English are used for the academic lecture activities, particularly for academic citation practice in homework writing and a report.
This study draws upon data from student questionnaires and written work over a three year period (2011-2014), examining how translanguaging has been used to convey meaning and the perceptions of students towards this language policy. Findings reveal the emphasis of both content and language assessment criteria in writing, and strategic use of Japanese-language reading related to the lecture themes have resulted in better than expected outcomes for most students, especially those of lower proficiency. Awareness of translanguaging among the students has led to written work which has enhanced authenticity and relevance to local purposes. Final conclusions suggest that translanguaging in this non-Anglophone, partial English-medium context reflects the growing realities of the use of English as a lingua franca.
This study draws upon data from student questionnaires and written work over a three year period (2011-2014), examining how translanguaging has been used to convey meaning and the perceptions of students towards this language policy. Findings reveal the emphasis of both content and language assessment criteria in writing, and strategic use of Japanese-language reading related to the lecture themes have resulted in better than expected outcomes for most students, especially those of lower proficiency. Awareness of translanguaging among the students has led to written work which has enhanced authenticity and relevance to local purposes. Final conclusions suggest that translanguaging in this non-Anglophone, partial English-medium context reflects the growing realities of the use of English as a lingua franca.
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This presentation investigates the shift of editorial responsibilities from reviewer to Associate Editor, a promotion often sought after. Questionnaire findings from Associate Editors at Asian EFL Journal and its sister journal, The... more
This presentation investigates the shift of editorial responsibilities from reviewer to Associate Editor, a promotion often sought after. Questionnaire findings from Associate Editors at Asian EFL Journal and its sister journal, The Linguistics Journal, reveal a lack of preparedness for such supervisory roles in dealing with reviewers and authors, and a need for shared approaches, especially concerning the discourse of mediating feedback to authors.
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This presentation investigates the ways in which English for Academic Purposes (EAP) practitioners engage in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) and outlines the growing need for them to ‘map’ their knowledge of disciplinary... more
This presentation investigates the ways in which English for Academic Purposes (EAP) practitioners engage in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) and outlines the growing need for them to ‘map’ their knowledge of disciplinary border crossings. EAP work is frequently undertaken by language specialists who endeavor to make their syllabi relevant to the needs of students in academic contexts. These needs are often assumed or misinterpreted, resulting in an EAP faculty marginalized within the larger institution. To counter this problem, EAP specialists who integrate content knowledge into their practice need to reflect upon how they interact with non-EAP faculty in various types of border crossings. This requires them to engage with the concepts of interdisciplinarity, collegiality, and collaboration. Drawing upon teaching contexts in Europe and Asia, consideration of these three themes illustrate how local ‘mapping’ in interdisciplinary collaboration is essential to make collaboration between language and content specialists successful.
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This discussion will consider conversations of the disciplines among ESP/EAP teachers, students and content faculty regarding disciplinary writing norms. Traditionally, ESP/EAP instruction focuses on academic skills generally relevant to... more
This discussion will consider conversations of the disciplines among ESP/EAP teachers, students and content faculty regarding disciplinary writing norms. Traditionally, ESP/EAP instruction focuses on academic skills generally relevant to the classroom. Our intention is to bridge the academic writing classroom with writing for publication. We realize such a perspective provides a challenge for students and teachers, both perhaps unfamiliar with publishing norms, particularly those that are field specific. These norms include editorial expectations for the presentation of manuscripts and talk around texts, such as author email correspondence, along with expectations regarding revision and co-construction of research following editorial review. We feel the keys to overcoming these challenges lie in linking the classroom roles of teacher-as-writer and student-as-writer with a network of supportive literacy brokers. The implications of this are intra- and interdisciplinary in nature, calling for improved interconnection between EAP and content faculty and flattening of the hierarchical relationship that exists between them. Important for classroom practice, this involves a pedagogical approach moving beyond a focus on academic text production in the university curriculum toward the importance of specifically preparing classroom participants for writing for academic publication.
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Research Interests: Educational Technology, Pragmatics, Multi- & Bilingualism & Biliteracy, Semantics, Sociolinguistics, and 16 moreLanguage Planning and Policy, Learner Autonomy, Intercultural Education, Syntax, Learning Styles, Plurilingualism, Language Choice, Motivation, Bilingualism, Self Access Language Learning, Independent learning, Study skills, Material Development, Code Switching, Sociolinguistics, Sociology of Languages, Language Policy and Planning, and Beliefs and attitudes
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This presentation investigates the repositioning of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) in a wider corporate context or university curriculum and outlines the growing need for disciplinary border crossings. ESP work is frequently... more
This presentation investigates the repositioning of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) in a wider corporate context or university curriculum and outlines the growing need for disciplinary border crossings. ESP work is frequently undertaken by language specialists who endeavor to make their syllabus relevant to the needs of students in a wider corporate or academic context. These needs are often assumed or misinterpreted, resulting in an ESP/EAP faculty isolated and marginalized within the larger institution. To counter this problem, ESP requires a ‘repositioning’ both practically and conceptually in which three themes - interdisciplinarity, collegiality and collaboration, and the dual focus of content and language - are put forward as areas for reflection and action by local ESP practitioners. Drawing upon examples from various teaching contexts in Europe and Asia, the three themes are combined to illustrate how local “mapping knowledge” (Klein, 1996, p. 2-3) is essential to make collaboration between language and subject specialists successful. In essence, the ESP practitioner requires awareness of local disciplinary cultures, both of their own and of subject specialists. Awareness also of issues surrounding collegiality and collaboration is essential as assumptions and beliefs about these concepts may be greatly divergent within an organization (Adamson, 2010). The third theme of the combination of language and content refers to Met’s (2009) continuum and current research in CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) from European contexts. Of importance to the relationship between language and subject specialists is “disjuncture” (Mehisto, 2008, p. 93), the discomfort experienced by teachers stepping outside their disciplinary boundaries to collaborate. Conclusions point to the potential benefits of the pedagogical “cross fertilization” (Klein, 1996, p. 4) between teachers of differing disciplinary cultures, but warn of teachers’ “shadow structures” (Lemert, 1990, p. 6), unawareness of which may lead to clashes in disciplinary norms. Finally, the repositioning of ESP in consideration of these three key themes is proposed as a means to make language instruction more relevant for students and beneficial for all faculty.
Key words: Interdisciplinarity, collegiality, collaboration, CLIL
Adamson, J. (2010). “’I wonder why they don’t talk to us more’: Exploring Interdisciplinarity in Japanese higher education” (2010). RELT (Journal of Reflections on English Language Teaching), Vol. 9(1), pp. 43-58.
Klein, J. T. (1996). Crossing Boundaries: Knowledge, Disciplinarities, and Interdisciplinarities. Charlottesville & London: University Press of Virginia.
Lemert, C. C. (1990). Depth as a Metaphor for the Major: A Postmodernist Challenge.Paper presented at meeting of Association of American Colleges, San Francisco, 11th January.
Mehisto, P. (2008). CLIL Counterweights: Recognising and decreasing disjuncture in CLIL. International CLIL Research Journal, 1(1), pp. 93-119.
Met, M. (2009). Content-Based Instruction: Defining Terms, Making Decisions. NFLC Reports. Retrieved 3.3.2010 from: http://www.carla.umn.edu/cobaltt/modules/principles/decisions.html
Key words: Interdisciplinarity, collegiality, collaboration, CLIL
Adamson, J. (2010). “’I wonder why they don’t talk to us more’: Exploring Interdisciplinarity in Japanese higher education” (2010). RELT (Journal of Reflections on English Language Teaching), Vol. 9(1), pp. 43-58.
Klein, J. T. (1996). Crossing Boundaries: Knowledge, Disciplinarities, and Interdisciplinarities. Charlottesville & London: University Press of Virginia.
Lemert, C. C. (1990). Depth as a Metaphor for the Major: A Postmodernist Challenge.Paper presented at meeting of Association of American Colleges, San Francisco, 11th January.
Mehisto, P. (2008). CLIL Counterweights: Recognising and decreasing disjuncture in CLIL. International CLIL Research Journal, 1(1), pp. 93-119.
Met, M. (2009). Content-Based Instruction: Defining Terms, Making Decisions. NFLC Reports. Retrieved 3.3.2010 from: http://www.carla.umn.edu/cobaltt/modules/principles/decisions.html
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This was a solicited book review of Ross Forman's book, First and Second Language Use in Asian EFL.
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This study investigated the beliefs and practices of two English language teachers-an English as an Additional Language (EAL) speaker and an Anglophone speaker-towards Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) at a regional Japanese... more
This study investigated the beliefs and practices of two English language teachers-an English as an Additional Language (EAL) speaker and an Anglophone speaker-towards Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) at a regional Japanese university offering English medium instruction (EMI). Established in 2009, the university offers students EMI in the fields of
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Call for Papers September 2024 special issue of EFL International Journal
Multilingualism, Multiculturalism and English Language Education:
New Challenges, Needs and Opportunities
Multilingualism, Multiculturalism and English Language Education:
New Challenges, Needs and Opportunities
Research Interests:
Asian EFL Journal has recently widened its scope to accept submissions globally and for that purpose has retitled itself to EFL International Journal (EFLIJ). The same editorial board and procedures are still in place. For those wishing... more
Asian EFL Journal has recently widened its scope to accept submissions globally and for that purpose has retitled itself to EFL International Journal (EFLIJ). The same editorial board and procedures are still in place. For those wishing to submit research papers, practical teaching papers, book reviews and full theses for consideration, please go to the new website here
https://www.academics.education/eflij/
https://www.academics.education/eflij/
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This is the special edition of EFL International Journal (formerly Asian EFL Journal) 25/5
https://www.academics.education/journal/eflij-editions/special-issue/eflij-volume-25-issue-5-september-2021/
https://www.academics.education/journal/eflij-editions/special-issue/eflij-volume-25-issue-5-september-2021/
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The Asian EFL Journal (AEJ) https://www.asian-efl-journal.com/ is a fully peer-reviewed international journal. As one of the world’s leading refereed and indexed journals, it provides monthly and bimonthly Main Issues which have been... more
The Asian EFL Journal (AEJ) https://www.asian-efl-journal.com/ is a fully peer-reviewed international journal. As one of the world’s leading refereed and indexed journals, it provides monthly and bimonthly Main Issues which have been made accessible to the global EFL and ESL teachers and academic researchers. So far the AEJ has received remarkable welcome with increasing number of quality papers which contain diversity of contents, original insights and up-to-date practical knowledge.
Recently due to the globally unprecedented challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic in terms of COVID-19 pandemic that the people of all aspects have to face and struggle for the solutions to cope with, the AEJ has decided to expand its role and to provide a special issue focusing on the impact of COVID-19 on the delivery of EFL and/or ESL teaching across the globe. The measures of social distancing and lockdown in almost every country in the world pushed many educational institutes to shift from the traditional classroom-based language courses with in-person interactions to totally online, the digital remote learning. The Covid-19 crisis raises a lot of important issues, such as the redesign of the curriculum, creating online resources, modifying the methods of examinations and assessment, the virtual classroom management, learners’ belief and attitude, etc. It is so sudden and so unexpected that it takes time for both teachers and learners to identify those challenges previously not encountered and find new technologies and effective online pedagogies to achieve their learning objectives.
The COVID-19 pandemic is having many life-altering short- and likely long-term effects. This global crisis also creates a chance for the teachers and researchers to reflect on the education delivery and navigate pedagogical skills for now and the Post-Covid-19 EFL education. The learners may reset their goals to fit into the digital future. Therefore it is of upper importance to investigate how the EFL teachers and learners manage to win the challenges and share the effective experiences in a time of COVID-19 pandemic by the use of online technology.
Aims and Scopes
This Special Issue aims to provide a platform for EFL teachers, learners and researchers to present original research and latest developments in response to COVID-19’s impact on the EFL teaching and learning, and to provide research-based suggestions and practical guidance, the implications of the findings. Areas of interest for this special issue include, but are not limited to, the following topics:
Special Issue Theme: New Challenges, New Strategies and New Prospects in a Time of COVID-19 Pandemic
Challenges for shifting EFL courses to online teaching
Belief, attitude and action
Motivation and strategies
Online teacher training
Leaderships and online class managements
Development of 4 skills online resources
Online examinations, assessment and quality control
Development of professional competence
Design of online EFL courses and curriculum
Integration of online and offline learning
Gender and EFL learning strategies
Advantages and disadvantages of online learning in comparison with the classroom environment
Digital pedagogy in EFL teaching
New understanding of the digital learning
Theoretical foundations and practical considerations
Intercultural sensitivity and communication competence
Narrative-based studies (based on teacher/student experiences)
Please note: This Special Issue invites papers directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Development of EFL teaching and learning skills through online platforms is particularly welcome.
Important Dates
01 June 2020: Start of abstract submission
31 August 2020: Deadline for abstract submission
30 September 2020: Notification of abstract results
31 December 2020: Full paper submission
31 March 2021: Feedback of full paper
30 June 2021: Final paper submission
Submission Guidelines
Abstract submission in English
Title of the paper (Times New Roman 16)
Full name and affiliation of the author(s)
An abstract of limited to 260 words in English
Text: 12 font Times New Roman
Within a paragraph: no spacing
The corresponding author’s e-mail address
Keywords (maximum 4 words)
NB:
All submitted manuscripts will be anonymously reviewed.
Full manuscripts should be limited to 6,000 words in English inclusive of references.
Full paper submission will be invited after being peer reviewed.
Guest Editor(s)
Dr Xiuping Li, Ulster University, UK
Recently due to the globally unprecedented challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic in terms of COVID-19 pandemic that the people of all aspects have to face and struggle for the solutions to cope with, the AEJ has decided to expand its role and to provide a special issue focusing on the impact of COVID-19 on the delivery of EFL and/or ESL teaching across the globe. The measures of social distancing and lockdown in almost every country in the world pushed many educational institutes to shift from the traditional classroom-based language courses with in-person interactions to totally online, the digital remote learning. The Covid-19 crisis raises a lot of important issues, such as the redesign of the curriculum, creating online resources, modifying the methods of examinations and assessment, the virtual classroom management, learners’ belief and attitude, etc. It is so sudden and so unexpected that it takes time for both teachers and learners to identify those challenges previously not encountered and find new technologies and effective online pedagogies to achieve their learning objectives.
The COVID-19 pandemic is having many life-altering short- and likely long-term effects. This global crisis also creates a chance for the teachers and researchers to reflect on the education delivery and navigate pedagogical skills for now and the Post-Covid-19 EFL education. The learners may reset their goals to fit into the digital future. Therefore it is of upper importance to investigate how the EFL teachers and learners manage to win the challenges and share the effective experiences in a time of COVID-19 pandemic by the use of online technology.
Aims and Scopes
This Special Issue aims to provide a platform for EFL teachers, learners and researchers to present original research and latest developments in response to COVID-19’s impact on the EFL teaching and learning, and to provide research-based suggestions and practical guidance, the implications of the findings. Areas of interest for this special issue include, but are not limited to, the following topics:
Special Issue Theme: New Challenges, New Strategies and New Prospects in a Time of COVID-19 Pandemic
Challenges for shifting EFL courses to online teaching
Belief, attitude and action
Motivation and strategies
Online teacher training
Leaderships and online class managements
Development of 4 skills online resources
Online examinations, assessment and quality control
Development of professional competence
Design of online EFL courses and curriculum
Integration of online and offline learning
Gender and EFL learning strategies
Advantages and disadvantages of online learning in comparison with the classroom environment
Digital pedagogy in EFL teaching
New understanding of the digital learning
Theoretical foundations and practical considerations
Intercultural sensitivity and communication competence
Narrative-based studies (based on teacher/student experiences)
Please note: This Special Issue invites papers directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Development of EFL teaching and learning skills through online platforms is particularly welcome.
Important Dates
01 June 2020: Start of abstract submission
31 August 2020: Deadline for abstract submission
30 September 2020: Notification of abstract results
31 December 2020: Full paper submission
31 March 2021: Feedback of full paper
30 June 2021: Final paper submission
Submission Guidelines
Abstract submission in English
Title of the paper (Times New Roman 16)
Full name and affiliation of the author(s)
An abstract of limited to 260 words in English
Text: 12 font Times New Roman
Within a paragraph: no spacing
The corresponding author’s e-mail address
Keywords (maximum 4 words)
NB:
All submitted manuscripts will be anonymously reviewed.
Full manuscripts should be limited to 6,000 words in English inclusive of references.
Full paper submission will be invited after being peer reviewed.
Guest Editor(s)
Dr Xiuping Li, Ulster University, UK
Research Interests:
This paper presents the results of a genre analysis of reviewers’ reports on research manuscripts submitted for publication consideration in refereed journals. Following the methodology developed in Swales (1981) and Bhatia (1993), 64... more
This paper presents the results of a genre analysis of reviewers’ reports on research manuscripts submitted for publication consideration in refereed journals. Following the methodology developed in Swales (1981) and Bhatia (1993), 64 reviewers’ reports were examined in terms of their schematic structure. The component moves were identified and their linguistic signals were highlighted. We concluded that the nature of reviewers’ reports, being personal and evaluative in nature, necessitates the use of the first- person writer pronoun (“I”), qualitative adjectives and premodifying adverbs. The results also show that the ‘evaluation’ move is lengthier, in terms of the number of words used, than the other moves in the reports since it represents the main communicative purpose of the report. Evaluation is couched in three different ways: explicit, implicit and flagged. A strong relationship is established between the reviewers’ cooperation with the manuscript writer and the final decision provided in the ‘position’ move. That is, the more questions a reviewer raises, the less favourable the decision is going to be, and the more suggestions for improvements are given, the more positive the ‘position’ move is going to be. Points and/or issues that reviewers look for are singled out and the linguistic features pertinent to the moves and the steps used for their realization are identified. The study concludes with some guidelines for cooperative and successful reviewing.
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Research Interests: English for Specific Purposes, Teaching English as a Second Language, Multilingualism, Interdisciplinarity, TESOL, and 9 moreContent and Language Integrated Learning, Pedagogy, Content-based, interdisciplinary approach to teaching foreign language, CLIL, Bilingualism, EAP, Content-based instruction, English as a medium of instruction, and TESOL, Content and Language Integrated Learning, English Medium Instruction
Research Interests: Discourse Analysis, Cartography, Education, Teaching English as a Second Language, Second Language Acquisition, and 24 moreTranslation Studies, Languages and Linguistics, Phonology, Research Methodology, Phonetics, Pragmatics, Multi- & Bilingualism & Biliteracy, Semantics, Sociolinguistics, TESOL, English, Syntax, Code-Switching, Applied Linguistics, Morphology, Language and Identity, Cognitive Linguistics, Linguistics, English Grammar, ESP, Bilingualism, Research Writing, Code Switching, and Arabic-English translation
Research Interests: Business English, Program Evaluation, Education, English for Specific Purposes, Teacher Education, and 12 moreQualitative methodology, Critical Pedagogy, Educational evaluation, TESOL, ESP, English for Academic/Professional Purposes with a focus on English for International Business and Management., Reflective Teaching, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), EAP, English As a Second Language (ESL), Materials Evaluation & Design, and Managing Innovations In ELT
"This thesis has investigated a small number of transcribed interviews taken from an educational setting in Thailand. It has shown how systems of coding spoken discourse can be used to interpret that data but has also stressed the... more
"This thesis has investigated a small number of transcribed interviews taken from an educational setting in Thailand. It has shown how systems of coding spoken discourse can be used to interpret that data but has also stressed the necessity to employ tools of analysis, especially those which carry Thai-specific means of assessment, to gain better insights into the turn-taking behaviour. In this respect, it is a multi-layered investigation into intercultural communication, employing what I have termed as ‘layers of insight’ for that process of interpretation.
The research undertaken also has an added element of using data which was originally collected for the purpose of investigating learning strategies. This is in contrast to the present objective of looking at how the interviews themselves were constructed by both participants. I have argued that this ‘double focus’ requires the researcher to carry forward the contextual information about the participants and interview as a speech event to the present research in order to help better interpret the data. This process has been useful, but, at times, prone to some overlap and redundancy. In order to organize the multitude of ‘layers’ and potential insights into the turn-taking of the interviews, much emphasis has been placed upon the methodological process streamlined into two steps.
The results of the data analysis have revealed that the turn-taking coding system requires further experimentation and that a future ‘revisiting’ of the data may require careful re-organising of the ‘layers of insight’, but also that there is much potential in the combination of contextual information in those layers with the detailed codification system."
The research undertaken also has an added element of using data which was originally collected for the purpose of investigating learning strategies. This is in contrast to the present objective of looking at how the interviews themselves were constructed by both participants. I have argued that this ‘double focus’ requires the researcher to carry forward the contextual information about the participants and interview as a speech event to the present research in order to help better interpret the data. This process has been useful, but, at times, prone to some overlap and redundancy. In order to organize the multitude of ‘layers’ and potential insights into the turn-taking of the interviews, much emphasis has been placed upon the methodological process streamlined into two steps.
The results of the data analysis have revealed that the turn-taking coding system requires further experimentation and that a future ‘revisiting’ of the data may require careful re-organising of the ‘layers of insight’, but also that there is much potential in the combination of contextual information in those layers with the detailed codification system."
Research Interests: English for Academic Purposes, Teaching English as a Second Language, Teacher Education, Sociolinguistics, Critical Pedagogy, and 8 moreTESOL, Applied Linguistics, Teaching English As A Foreign Language, Reflective Teaching, English as a Foreign Language (EFL), Second Language Acquisiton, Thai learners, interviewing, learner strategies, and English As a Second Language (ESL)
This study investigated the beliefs and practices of two English language teachers - an English as an Additional Language (EAL) speaker and an Anglophone speaker - towards Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) at a regional... more
This study investigated the beliefs and practices of two English language teachers - an English as an Additional Language (EAL) speaker and an Anglophone speaker - towards Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) at a regional Japanese university offering English medium instruction (EMI). It examined how two teachers conceptualized and implemented their CLIL syllabi and what limitations and opportunities CLIL offered. Qualitative data elicited from a collaborative autoethnography (CAE) revealed CLIL as both a bridge into EMI and post-university life. For this purpose, both teachers scaffolded language and content materials, especially with general cultural and social science themes. Translanguaging was important in developing pragmatic integration of students' Japanese in classes. Difficulties were noted in teaching higher cognitive skills due to the test focus of secondary education. Pedagogically, both shifted along a CLIL continuum between language and content foci according to student needs. The perceived limitations stressed the problematic balance between content and language and a lack of a language threshold before embarking on CLIL. Further issues raised were the paucity of teacher development in CLIL and tension between content and language teachers in syllabus design. Finally, opportunities were mentioned in the knowledge transfer between content and language classes and the development of autonomous collaboration. Of final note, the teachers' linguistic backgrounds were seen as important for students. Overall, implications for this study suggested that teaching practitioners can reinforce their classroom instructions with research knowledge.
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In this presentation, I outline how qualitative research can be conducted in Asian contexts. This argument is not a rebuttal of quantitative research, but made with pragmatic awareness of the growth of English-medium instruction (EMI),... more
In this presentation, I outline how qualitative research can be conducted in Asian contexts. This argument is not a rebuttal of quantitative research, but made with pragmatic awareness of the growth of English-medium instruction (EMI), and the increasing spread of English as the language of research in Asia. In essence, I propose that qualitative methods empower local Asian-based scholars but, to do so, it is essential to validate the use of the local first language (L1), its accompanying literacy and local research practices, and the content knowledge acquired in the L1. The purpose is to fundamentally decenter monolingual (English-only) language and anglophone disciplinary practices to localize research themes relevant to scholar backgrounds and needs so that their voices are better represented in the research community.
Key words: EMI, qualitative research, L1, decentering
Key words: EMI, qualitative research, L1, decentering
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In this presentation, we look at the use of collaborative autoethnography in applied linguistics.
Research Interests:
This workshop is particularly intended for beginner researchers wishing to understand the submission and review process of EFL IJ. I will start with an overview of the review process and explain the significance of the ‘screening’ stage,... more
This workshop is particularly intended for beginner researchers wishing to understand the submission and review process of EFL IJ. I will start with an overview of the review process and explain the significance of the ‘screening’ stage, that is, the decision-making criteria that the senior editors consider when receiving submissions. Advice will be given how to negotiate that first stage. I then move on to why papers are rejected and will give the audience various titles and extracts from papers for them to pass verdict upon and discuss. This will allow the audience a chance to see manuscript evaluation through an editor’s eyes. I conclude with some key points concerning what editors themselves look for in Research Article (RA) and Teaching Article (TA) submissions.
Research Interests:
This presentation discusses the issues and trends in academic publishing which impact scholarly activity and journal presence in academia. Whilst referring to experiences primarily in the field of TESOL and Applied Linguistics, it also... more
This presentation discusses the issues and trends in academic publishing which impact scholarly activity and journal presence in academia. Whilst referring to experiences primarily in the field of TESOL and Applied Linguistics, it also considers academic publishing across the fields. As a backdrop to this analysis, worldwide publication practices in all disciplines have been greatly influenced by the spread of English and the increasing pressure to publish in English. As a consequence, there has been an explosion in the number of online English-language journals catering for this increased demand for publication. Three inter-related perspectives are investigated in relation to this trend: scholar positioning, journal positioning, and centering forces.
Scholar positioning is viewed through the lens of the researcher’s identity and ethnicity in relation to the geographical locations of center, periphery and semi-periphery and workplace status as either contingent or non-contingent faculty. These criteria in turn may alter our relative degree of access to funding and research literature which then lead to the necessity to compensate by means of brokering and networking in order to pursue research.
The locality and context of our own research moves us then to issues of journal positioning in the field and how journal scope and readership can, or cannot, accommodate our research perspectives. Journals themselves are examined in terms of what business models they adopt – Open or Closed Access; Gold, Green or Diamond Open Access. This embraces discussion of if, and to what extent, journals pursue profit and how they view themselves within the wider intellectual commons.
The third aspect through which we can observe academic publishing is that of the role of centering forces in our discipline – the influences exerted on scholars and journals by universities, governments and indexing organizations. This raises issues of citation, representation of Open Access journals in indexes and the potential impact of Impact Factor metrics on journals and scholars.
Scholar positioning is viewed through the lens of the researcher’s identity and ethnicity in relation to the geographical locations of center, periphery and semi-periphery and workplace status as either contingent or non-contingent faculty. These criteria in turn may alter our relative degree of access to funding and research literature which then lead to the necessity to compensate by means of brokering and networking in order to pursue research.
The locality and context of our own research moves us then to issues of journal positioning in the field and how journal scope and readership can, or cannot, accommodate our research perspectives. Journals themselves are examined in terms of what business models they adopt – Open or Closed Access; Gold, Green or Diamond Open Access. This embraces discussion of if, and to what extent, journals pursue profit and how they view themselves within the wider intellectual commons.
The third aspect through which we can observe academic publishing is that of the role of centering forces in our discipline – the influences exerted on scholars and journals by universities, governments and indexing organizations. This raises issues of citation, representation of Open Access journals in indexes and the potential impact of Impact Factor metrics on journals and scholars.
Research Interests:
This workshop is particularly intended for beginner researchers wishing to understand the submission and review process. I will start with an overview of the review process and explain the significance of the ‘screening’ stage, that is,... more
This workshop is particularly intended for beginner researchers wishing to understand the submission and review process. I will start with an overview of the review process and explain the significance of the ‘screening’ stage, that is, the decision-making criteria that the senior editors consider when receiving submissions. Advice will be given how to negotiate that first stage. I then move on to why papers are rejected and will give the audience various titles and extracts from papers for them to pass verdict upon and discuss. This will allow the audience a chance to see manuscript evaluation through an editor’s eyes. I conclude with some key points concerning what editors themselves look for in Research Article (RA) and Teaching Article (TA) submissions.
Research Interests:
This presentation problematizes research and publication practices in Asia from various perspectives. The first issue is that there has been an increase in submissions to English-language journals worldwide basically due to the pressure... more
This presentation problematizes research and publication practices in Asia from various perspectives. The first issue is that there has been an increase in submissions to English-language journals worldwide basically due to the pressure to publish in English rather than in other languages across the fields (Zuengler & Carroll, 2010). This raises the question how Asian-based scholars position ourselves for the purpose of researching and publishing, and, significant in this process, how we are afforded or assume our identities. Positioning and identity formulation are often shaped by labels of ‘center’ - ‘periphery’ or ‘native’ - ‘non-native’ which in themselves privilege and stigmatize researchers on the basis of language and ethnicity, yet frequently fail to consider the increasing migratory flows for study and academic labor purposes which create scholarly identities transcending traditional labels. Much research surrounding publishing has focused on the ‘multilingual’ scholar struggling with Anglophone editors and reviewers to publish in center journals (Flowerdew, 2008; Casanave, 2008) and how blind peer review is biased by normative Anglophone language use and content orientation. Less research has investigated journal perspectives in terms of how editors and reviewers interact and position themselves towards authors; however, recently a body of work is slowly emerging to re-address this imbalance (Paltridge, 2013; Nunn & Adamson, 2007, 2009). These editorial perspectives seek to sensitize journal staff to authorial issues and recalibrate attitudes towards language and content norms. Further to this journal focus, at the university-level, the relationship between academic supervisors and tutees wishing or obliged to publish to graduate is also of importance. The supervisory process of “text mediation” (Luo & Hyland, 2016) for publication requires knowledge of disciplinary and publication norms in drafting and feedback which vary in style and again shape the emerging scholar’s sense of agency and identity within their new disciplinary community. Supervision of the emerging scholar also requires imparting of knowledge concerning the role that “centering institutions” (Lillis, 2012) play in publication. Government, journal, university and indexing organizations all stipulate diverse guidelines which exert influential “centripetal” (p. 702) pressure to conform to Anglocentric research norms. The question then is raised as how scholars maintain their sense of personal agency and identity when negotiating the myriad norms and expectations when publishing in English.
Research Interests:
This study describes how three Japan-based tutors practically guided thesis writing, and potentially publication, and provided students with the agency to negotiate disciplinary norms. This was achieved by scaffolding students’ writing,... more
This study describes how three Japan-based tutors practically guided thesis writing, and potentially publication, and provided students with the agency to negotiate disciplinary norms. This was achieved by scaffolding students’ writing, bilingual discussions, direct corrective and metalinguistic feedback, and mind-mapping. We argue these emphases on language and content helped both non-Anglophone and Anglophone novice researchers and were informed by studies in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) and English-medium Instruction (EMI). Few such investigations consider the later stages of undergraduate/postgraduate thesis supervision in English. Our supervisory practices are influenced by data from bilingual language correspondence with students over multiple drafts, and long-term Collaborative Autoethnography. Our examples illustrate the balance between explicit, prescriptive feedback, often in scaffolding of pre-writing structure, and language use. We have aimed consistently to promote students’ agency in their own writing.
Research Interests:
This study explores issues surrounding English language academic publication among Japan-based scholars engaged in university English language teaching. Previous studies reveal publication-related problems among specific ethnolinguistic... more
This study explores issues surrounding English language academic publication among Japan-based scholars engaged in university English language teaching. Previous studies reveal publication-related problems among specific ethnolinguistic backgrounds of researchers of English as an Additional Language (EAL) (Flowerdew, 2001, 2007, 2008; Lillis & Curry, 2010; Salager-Meyer, 2008, 2013). In contrast, this study considers the experiences of a more diverse cross-section of Japan-based scholars (n = 8), including a balance of Japanese and non-Japanese, males and females, and experienced and less experienced scholars. The Collaborative Autoethnography (CAE) (Chang,Ngunjiri &. Hernandez, 2013) methodology of gathering data about publication experiences and perceptions intentionally encourages participants to both write their own narratives and help co-construct those of others on a closed Google Drive site similar to a conversation. The study was conducted over 6 months in 2017 and has a dual purpose: to gather co-constructed data about publication issues in Japanese academia, and to form a community of (publication) practice (CoPP), in which participants can interact and inform each other in the longer term. Findings reveal a diversity of experiences in the process of writing for academic publication for both national and international journals. A common narrative was that academic writing problems were shared by Japanese and non-Japanese scholars. Commonalities were also evident in experiences among experienced and less experienced scholars in dealing with journal editorial feedback, particularly the pressure exerted by editors on authors to cite works by the editors themselves, and also a lack of mediation by supervising editors when reviewers’ feedback differs. Further to this, the CAE saw frequent advice given on the choice of target journals and publishers. Of final note is the potential formation of a longer-term community of (publication) practice among the participants, some of whom have already started to collaborate beyond the parameters of this study.
Research Interests:
This study explores issues surrounding English language academic publication among Japan-based scholars engaged in university English language teaching. Previous studies reveal publication-related problems among specific ethnolinguistic... more
This study explores issues surrounding English language academic publication among Japan-based scholars engaged in university English language teaching. Previous studies reveal publication-related problems among specific ethnolinguistic backgrounds of researchers of English as an Additional Language (EAL) (Flowerdew, 2001, 2007, 2008; Lillis & Curry, 2010; Salager-Meyer, 2008, 2013). In contrast, this study considers the experiences of a more diverse cross-section of Japan-based scholars (n = 8), including a balance of Japanese and non-Japanese, males and females, and experienced and less experienced scholars. The Collaborative Autoethnography (CAE) (Chang,Ngunjiri &. Hernandez, 2013) methodology of gathering data about publication experiences and perceptions intentionally encourages participants to both write their own narratives and help co-construct those of others on a closed Google Drive site similar to a conversation. The study was conducted over 6 months in 2017 and has a dual purpose: to gather co-constructed data about publication issues in Japanese academia, and to form a community of (publication) practice (CoPP), in which participants can interact and inform each other in the longer term. Findings reveal a diversity of experiences in the process of writing for academic publication for both national and international journals. A common narrative was that academic writing problems were shared by Japanese and non-Japanese scholars. Commonalities were also evident in experiences among experienced and less experienced scholars in dealing with journal editorial feedback, particularly the pressure exerted by editors on authors to cite works by the editors themselves, and also a lack of mediation by supervising editors when reviewers’ feedback differs. Further to this, the CAE saw frequent advice given on the choice of target journals and publishers. Of final note is the potential formation of a longer-term community of (publication) practice among the participants, some of whom have already started to collaborate beyond the parameters of this study.
Research Interests:
With the worldwide growth of English-medium instruction (EMI), issues have arisen for those engaged in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) provision to prepare students for such study in their L2. One response is the growth of Content and... more
With the worldwide growth of English-medium instruction (EMI), issues have arisen for those engaged in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) provision to prepare students for such study in their L2. One response is the growth of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) in teaching practice and research. This talk will critically analyze two key concerns surrounding CLIL as a gateway into EMI: the transfer of knowledge between English and content disciplines, discussed here as “interdisciplinarity” (Klein, 1996), and the use of the students’ L1 (Japanese) in the process of EAP tasks, termed as “translanguaging” (Blackledge & Creese, 2010). Both issues present challenges and opportunities for teachers and students in terms of motivation and discomfort. Interdisciplinary interaction is frequently faced with teacher “disjuncture” (Mehisto, 2008), a state of mind where teachers are challenged by unfamiliar pedagogy and practices outside their own disciplinary norms. Issues surrounding this exchange of disciplinary knowledges will be explored. Most contentious is the issue of translanguaging; in this discussion I will look at the potentials and pitfalls in this “shuttling” (Canagarajah, 2014) between languages and argue that it aids localized bilingual literacy development. Cases referred to in this talk come from studies into CLIL writing (Adamson & Coulson, 2014, 2015) and EMI as practised by English faculty (Fujimoto-Adamson & Adamson, 2018).
Adamson, J.L. & Coulson, D. (2014). Pathways towards success for novice academic writers in a CLIL setting: A study in an Asian EFL context. In Al-Mahrooq, R., Thakur, V. S. & Roscoe, A. (Eds.) Methodologies for Effective Writing Instruction in EFL and ESL Classrooms. (pp. 151-171). Hershey, PA: IGI Global.
Adamson, J.L. & Coulson, D. (2015). Translanguaging in English academic writing preparation. International Journal of Pedagogies and Learning, 10(1), 24-37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/22040552.2015.1084674
Blackledge, A., & Creese, A. (2010). Translanguaging in the bilingual classroom: A pedagogy for learning and Teaching? The Modern Language Journal, 94, 103-105.
Canagarajah, S. (2014). EAP in Asia. In Liyanage, I. & Walker, T. (Eds.) English for Academic Purposes (EAP) in Asia. (pp. 93-102). Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense Publishers.
Fujimoto-Adamson, N. & Adamson, J.L. (2018). From EFL to EMI: Hybrid Practices in English as a Medium of Instruction in Japanese Tertiary Contexts. In Kırkgöz, Y. & Dikilitaş, K. (Eds.). Key Issues in English for Specific Purposes. (pp. 2010221). Springer.
Klein, J. T. (1996). Crossing Boundaries: Knowledge, Disciplinarities, and Interdisciplinarities. Charlottesville & London: University Press of Virginia.
Mehisto, P. (2008). CLIL Counterweights: Recognising and decreasing disjuncture in CLIL. International CLIL Research Journal, 1(1), 93-119.
Adamson, J.L. & Coulson, D. (2014). Pathways towards success for novice academic writers in a CLIL setting: A study in an Asian EFL context. In Al-Mahrooq, R., Thakur, V. S. & Roscoe, A. (Eds.) Methodologies for Effective Writing Instruction in EFL and ESL Classrooms. (pp. 151-171). Hershey, PA: IGI Global.
Adamson, J.L. & Coulson, D. (2015). Translanguaging in English academic writing preparation. International Journal of Pedagogies and Learning, 10(1), 24-37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/22040552.2015.1084674
Blackledge, A., & Creese, A. (2010). Translanguaging in the bilingual classroom: A pedagogy for learning and Teaching? The Modern Language Journal, 94, 103-105.
Canagarajah, S. (2014). EAP in Asia. In Liyanage, I. & Walker, T. (Eds.) English for Academic Purposes (EAP) in Asia. (pp. 93-102). Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense Publishers.
Fujimoto-Adamson, N. & Adamson, J.L. (2018). From EFL to EMI: Hybrid Practices in English as a Medium of Instruction in Japanese Tertiary Contexts. In Kırkgöz, Y. & Dikilitaş, K. (Eds.). Key Issues in English for Specific Purposes. (pp. 2010221). Springer.
Klein, J. T. (1996). Crossing Boundaries: Knowledge, Disciplinarities, and Interdisciplinarities. Charlottesville & London: University Press of Virginia.
Mehisto, P. (2008). CLIL Counterweights: Recognising and decreasing disjuncture in CLIL. International CLIL Research Journal, 1(1), 93-119.
Research Interests:
The 2018 English Scholars beyond Borders Symposium and Conference will be held at the university of Toyama, Japan, March 23-25th. Details can be found here:... more
The 2018 English Scholars beyond Borders Symposium and Conference will be held at the university of Toyama, Japan, March 23-25th. Details can be found here:
http://www.englishscholarsbeyondborders.org/conference/esbb-2018-toyama-japan-conference-and-symposium/
http://www.englishscholarsbeyondborders.org/conference/esbb-2018-toyama-japan-conference-and-symposium/