Classroom Practice Research Articles

Becoming Linguistically and Culturally Responsive Educators: Teacher Candidates’ Perspective Shifts in an Introductory Linguistics Course

ABSTRACT Many teacher education programs aim to address the acute need for culturally and linguistically responsive educators by fostering linguistic consciousness and awareness of language learner populations. This mixed-methods study explores how elementary education teacher candidates’ perspectives shift through critical reflection and dialogue about English learners’ education and equitable classroom practices. Using a transformative learning framework, our findings illustrate that collaborative learning tasks as well as peers’ and multilingual graduate teaching assistants’ experiences play a disorienting role in challenging monolingual and bilingual teacher candidates’ beliefs about language acquisition, bilingualism, and English learners’ education. We discuss implications for teacher language awareness and instructional practices in ESL endorsement courses.

Aligning Beliefs with Action: A Study of Esl Teachers' Beliefs on Fostering Learner Autonomy

Learner autonomy, where students take charge of their learning, is a growing focus in language education. However, research suggests a gap exists between teachers' belief in learner autonomy and their actual classroom practices. This study, conducted at a public Malaysian university, investigates this disconnect by exploring how ESL teachers perceive learner autonomy and how those beliefs translate into action. Using a mixed methods approach, the research first employed surveys to examine the correlation between teachers' beliefs and their reported use of autonomy-fostering practices. In-depth interviews then provided richer insights into the experiences and challenges teachers face in implementing such practices. The findings revealed a positive correlation - teachers with stronger beliefs were more likely to report using autonomy-fostering methods. However, interviews highlighted the complexities of implementing learner autonomy, revealing both potential benefits and practical challenges. This study underscores the need for targeted professional development programs that bridge the gap between teachers' beliefs and effective classroom strategies. By equipping teachers with practical tools and addressing implementation challenges, such programs can empower them to cultivate truly autonomous learners.

Facilitating collaborative inquiry into practice around artifacts of mathematics teaching

AbstractAlthough there has been increasing attention to the importance of teacher agency in professional development, there has been little attention to what it takes to facilitate collaborative work that both centers teachers’ assets and expertise and leads to productive learning. This paper presents a framework for focused and responsive facilitation of productive discourse around instructional practice in teacher learning communities. Drawing on a situative perspective, we trace the development of six novice teacher leaders as they were mentored to lead online collaborative lesson design groups focused on analyzing artifacts of K-8 mathematics instruction in a large urban district in the US. Our framework articulates how leaders facilitated the discussions in ways that both built on teacher knowledge, experiences, and contributions while also focusing on professional learning goals. Our analysis also shows how rich learning opportunities were co-constructed and sustained by the mentors, teacher leaders, and participants in each group over time. Through narrative descriptions of one group, we show how the teacher participants began to take on some of the facilitation practices themselves as they apprenticed into the practices of the community. This approach to professional learning positions teachers’ experience and knowledge as important assets while supporting them to try out and reflect on new classroom practices.

Exploring English Teachers’ Cooperative Practices in Teaching Writing Skills

Cooperative language learning (CLL) is considered one of the communicative approaches in which students participate in collaborative learning activities in actual classroom settings. This research aims to examine English instructors’ cooperative practices in instructing writing skills. I employed the narrative inquiry to explore the teaching and learning stories of teachers through their lived stories. This research study seeks to add to the discourse of cooperative practices in English language classrooms to enhance the writing skills of learners in the context of Nepal. Four English instructors from four public secondary schools in Rupandehi district were purposefully selected as participants for this study. The in-depth unstructured interview was used as a tool for collecting data. I adopted social constructivism as a theoretical framework. This study uncovered that the teacher participants used CLL activities such as think-pair-share and group work activities to energize, optimize and enhance students’ writing skills. Moreover, CLL increases learners’ insights and confidence by enhancing their creativity and critical thinking ability in writing through teamwork and makes them more responsible and accountable for learning themselves through their active engagement in various cooperative activities. The study reveals teacher participants’ effective practices of cooperative language learning in generating and creating fresh information to offer a solution to the assigned writing tasks and make learning successful. Teamwork, group work and think-pair-share activities contribute to the learners’ success in writing skills.

Strategies and Implementation of Exploring the Integration of Artificial Intelligence in Ideological and Political Education

The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) technology heralds significant transformations in education, especially in ideological and political education, where traditional teaching methods are being reassessed due to mounting challenges. This paper embarks on a mission to investigate how AI technology can revolutionize the delivery of political science courses by adopting a “human-computer collaboration” model. The central aim is to enhance the effectiveness and quality of teaching while stimulating students' critical thinking skills. It delves into the landscape and potential applications of AI technology in this field, emphasizing the role of intelligent teaching assistants in augmenting teachers' capabilities for lesson planning and delivery. This study not only outlines the design and implementation of AI tools but also emphasizes their potential to foster a more engaging and intelligent learning environment. By doing so, it contributes to the discourse on leveraging AI to advance teaching platforms and classroom practices, thereby enhancing the educational experience.

An analysis of reviews related to grammar teaching and learning in Die Unterrichtspraxis/Teaching German (2000–2023)

AbstractTeaching and learning grammar has been a cornerstone of many German language courses. This article analyzes reviews of teaching and learning materials related to grammar, which were published in Die Unterrichtspraxis/Teaching German between 2000 and 2023, discussing general trajectories and highlighting works that remain relevant today. The article contributes to the journal's special issue on Form by providing an opportunity to reflect on and discuss the relevance of grammar‐related resources in German studies. It also reminds readers of instructional materials that focus on the grammatical form of language and that continue to be useful due to their theoretical insight, pedagogical advice, and/or practical classroom examples.

The effect of ADHD-type behaviours on language skills development in the classroom context from the perspective of Polish EFL teachers

This study investigated the effect of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) on language skills development in English as a foreign language (EFL) from the teacher perspective. The focus was the ADHD effect on the learning of the individual with the condition and their classmates. The participants were 51 pre-school, primary and secondary school teachers in Poland. Data were collected using an online questionnaire with closed- and open-ended questions. The findings suggest various effects of ADHD on skills development in the EFL context. Statistical analysis also found a more significant impact of ADHD-type behaviours on the EFL learning of the classmates of the individual with ADHD and in upper grades of primary school and secondary school. The findings are discussed in the context of foreign language school curricula and inclusive classroom practices.

Teacher practices regarding teaching presence in Vietnamese tertiary online distance education programmes

This study explored how teachers adapt their agentic teaching practices in the context of online distance education programmes in Vietnam. A single-institution case study design was used to collect data through online individual semistructured interviews that were conducted via Zoom with five teachers from a variety of disciplines who had been teaching in online distance education programmes at the Centre for E-Learning at a Vietnamese higher education institution. Data analysis highlighted the role of teachers’ agentic teaching presence in the pedagogy used in online distance education programmes. Specifically, the teachers exhibited acceptance of an approach to organising their practice that involved adherence to course outlines that had previously been designed and approved without questioning and modifications. However, the results further revealed the agentic direct instruction strategies used by teachers in terms of the varied delivery of course content, student feedback and assessments, which exhibited a stronger emphasis on facilitating online classroom discourse and interactions via various channels with the goal of enhancing students’ learning support, experience, and engagement. The findings of this research thereby affirm the pivotal role played by teaching presence in the setting investigated in this research in particular as well as in the context of online distance education in general. The study highlights the need for further interconnections to be established to link multiple aspects of social, cognitive and teaching presence to the practices that teachers use to enhance students’ engagement and learning experience. The study also has pedagogical implications with regard to teaching in online distance education programmes that pertain not only to teachers’ classroom practices but also to their professional development.

A qualitative evaluation study of introducing game-based learning methods during pre-service teachers’ Internship

This study presents the results of a qualitative evaluation of how pre-service teachers incorporate games into their classroom practices during internships. Two Game-Based Learning (GBL) methods, namely the PCaRD model and the GameChangers approach, were introduced to assist pre-service teachers in delivering game-based learning activities effectively within disciplines such as English and Sports, as part of their university course requirements. Data was collected from 48 pre-service teachers, highlighting the perceived benefits of both methods in teaching with games and emphasizing their complementarity. Essential competencies identified included prior gaming experience, training in game creation, digital skills, and understanding of student behavior and reactions. Main challenges encountered included time constraints, classroom equipment deficiencies, class management issues, pupil behavior, and aligning games with the curriculum.

Contextual resources supporting the co‐evolution of teachers' collective inquiry and classroom practice after the grant ended

Contextual resources supporting the co‐evolution of teachers' collective inquiry and classroom practice after the grant ended

Understanding meaning-making through technology use

Previous research has highlighted that technology implementation in schools may lead to increased complexity, as digital hardware and software offer a variety of possibilities for sign-making activities. Moreover, recent studies argue that since classroom practices are facilitated increasingly by screen-based activities, digital technology opens a multitude of ways to represent meaning, as an abundance of sign systems becomes available for communication through various digital visual user interfaces (DVUIs) (Jewitt, 2017). In addition, research indicates that technology implementation has a strong impact on school practice (Säljö, 2013) and that knowledge on how to take advantage of technology in learning settings from a more comprehensive perspective is needed (Bezemer & Kress, 2016). To gain a more comprehensive picture of technology use in educational environments, the main goal of the thesis is to explore the use of hardware and software by teachers and students in sign-making activities from a multimodal layer perspective. The main aim of this paper is, in particular, to discuss how multimodal methodology can be used to explain detailed aspects of technology use in networked learning (NL) settings. Concerning the various means used in school and their affordances in semiotic mediation (Norman, 2007; Wartofsky, 1979), all are considered in relation to the users and results of use. From a technology perspective, the multimodal layers, therefore, include things-to-things, things[1]to-human/human-to-things and human-to-human connections (Bonderup Dohn, Cranmer, Sime, de Laat and Ryberg, 2018; Goodyear, Carvalho & Bonderup Dohn, 2014) and focus on technologies, communication resources (i.e. sign systems), representations and activities. The technologies and their functions are therefore regarded as important. In addition, the multimodal layers relate to the semiotic properties of technology, how they inhere and prompt sign systems in different ways as interpreted by the actors and are reshaped into modes of representation in different activities. The conclusion is that multimodal methodology, particularly the multimodal layer approach, seems to be beneficial to unpack the relationships and connections between the means used and the actors in NL environments via its coherent approach. A greater understanding of the detailed aspects of technology use in teaching and learning may also be obtained if the existing multimodal layers are accounted for and connected. Insights can guide stakeholders on how to integrate technology in future practices and inform technology choices in relation to specific activities.

Student welfare through involvement and networked learning in primary teacher training

What makes students eager to learn? This is a fundamental question for every educator. After all, students who are motivated and involved in their studies are more likely to succeed (Affolter, Gerber, Grund, & Wagner, 2015) and simply 'pleasant to teach'. Student welfare is particularly relevant for primary teacher training colleges in the Netherlands, which struggle with dwindling student numbers, high variety in student population, and the risk of study delay or dropout (Dutch Inspectorate of Education, 2017). In order to enhance student engagement, teacher training colleges in different regions in the Netherlands - Doetinchem, Utrecht, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam - have formed teacher learning groups (TLGs) on various topics relevant for (pre-service) teachers, consisting of students of different years, teacher trainers, and in-service teachers. TLGs are increasingly acknowledged as a powerful means of enhancing learning and development. On the one hand, they offer students room for social learning and agency, stimulating their involvement and motivation (Vrieling-Teunter, Van den Beemt, & De Laat, 2019). On the other, they stimulate and facilitate in-service teachers’ professional development (Lieberman & Wood, 2003). As TLG participants work together to solve authentic problems (Laferrière, Lamon, & Chan, 2006), both pre-service and in-service teachers gain specific and concrete ideas that can be directly related to their own classroom practice (Guskey, 2002). TLGs can thus be seen as social action evolving around relationships, or ties. TLGs, as collections of ties, enable both collaborative and individual learning and knowledge sharing (Schreurs et al., 2014).

Redeveloping interactional practices in foreign language classrooms

Redeveloping interactional practices in foreign language classrooms

The Dutch Black Hole Consortium

The Dutch Black Hole Consortium is funding an educational project to bring scientific results into both classrooms and informal learning settings. For primary level, lessons are being created using innovative techniques and research to stimulate scientific thinking through hands-on and minds-on learning. The lessons build on the existing project Minds-On. At secondary level, the focus lies with teacher education; trainee physics teachers will be able to experience real scientific research to inspire and improve their classroom practices. The consortium is also developing a large citizen science project and science museum exhibits.

Resourceful Solidarity and Classroom Liability of Language Teachers in Public Secondary Schools

This study examined the relationship between resourceful solidarity and classroom obligations among public secondary school language teachers in Manay District, Davao Oriental, Philippines. Utilizing a correlational research design, data were collected from all 131 language teachers in the district. Mean, Pearson r, and regression analysis were employed to analyze the data. Results indicated high levels of resourceful solidarity and moderate levels of classroom obligations among teachers. A significant positive relationship was found between these two variables, with specific dimensions of resourceful solidarity influencing classroom obligations. Based on these findings, it is recommended that school administrators provide ongoing professional development to enhance teachers' collaborative capacity and implement supportive systems to strengthen their classroom practices.

THE USE OF ENGLISH MEDIUM INSTRUCTION IN MULTILINGUAL CLASSROOMS IN JAPANESE LANGUAGE TEACHING

Purpose. This article examines the use of English medium instruction (EMI) for teaching Japanese as a foreign language (JFL) by non-native speakers with a focus on multilingual classrooms. It also explores teachers’ positive and negative beliefs about using EMI in classroom settings for JFL instruction. Methods and procedure. 274 non-native Japanese language teachers from around the world (57 countries) voluntarily participated in a survey, answering a questionnaire on Google Forms and Jotform. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed. The research instrument was piloted before the main study and was found to be effective and adequate to elicit the desired data. The research questions aimed to identify whether there were any relationships between the use of EMI and the multilingual classroom. Findings. The results showed a clear correlation between the extensive use of EMI and the multilingual character of JFL classrooms. Translanguaging turned out to be a common practice adopted by non-native Japanese teachers regardless of the primary language of instruction. The article concludes that EMI can be a valuable tool for JFL instruction in multilingual classrooms. Based on the investigation of the teachers’ beliefs, the results showed a changing positive attitude towards English employed in JFL classrooms. Implications for research and practice. The findings can be used to further investigate EMI in JFL instructional practices in multilingual classrooms, improve the quality of JFL instruction and facilitate the integration of multilingual education into foreign language teaching. Future research can explore the effectiveness of EMI in different JFL contexts and investigate the impact of EMI on students’ language learning outcomes.

TEACHER MULTILINGUAL BELIEFS AND PRACTICES IN THE ENGLISH CLASSROOM: IMPLICATIONS FOR COURSE DEVELOPMENT

The CEFR and the Companion Volume to the CEFR (Council of Europe, 2001, 2020), as the main language policy documents in Europe, intend to improve the standard of language teaching, learning and assessment. These documents among other things proclaim students’ diverse linguistic repertoire as an asset in the language classroom. In this light, the promotion of multilingual education initiatives and enhancing students’ plurilingualism is an educational requirement. Teachers, language teachers included, are seen as agents of change who can foster multilingual approaches in their language classrooms (Krulatz et al., 2022). Although previous studies have found that many language teachers hold favourable views on multilingualism, they face challenges when implementing multilingual approaches in the (foreign) language classroom. Teachers’ beliefs on multilingualism in (foreign) language teaching and learning and how these impact their teaching practices have not been investigated in the Ukrainian education context, which has always been multilingual. The purpose of the article is to share and discuss the results of a quantitative study designed to investigate Ukrainian teacher beliefs in learning English and whether these beliefs are reflected in teaching practices. Data were collected using an online questionnaire administered to 73 English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers from 12 Ukrainian universities. The research questions were ascertained using descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analysis. The collected insights helped to identify areas that require a more careful consideration in the multilingual education in Ukraine. The outcomes reveal complex and uneven relationships between teacher multilingual beliefs and the implementation of multilingual practices in EFL classrooms in Ukraine, with discrepancies in their perceptions and practices. The main finding suggests that the majority of Ukrainian language teachers have a favorable perception of multilingualism, yet they lack the required expertise and confidence to effectively build on their students' linguistic resources in teaching English. In addition, there are some critical gaps in teacher understanding of fundamental concerns about multilingualism. Suggestions will be made for a scenario-based approach to a teacher professional development course.

Speaking and Listening in English For Today at SSC and HSC Levels: Accentuation and Actualization

To be communicatively competent, speaking and listening skill sare two of the four macro-skills to be given importance. However, teaching these two is highly neglected in Bangladeshi classrooms as there have been no initiatives to assess them although the prescribed textbooks English For Today: Classes Nine-Ten and English For Today: Classes Eleven-Twelve by the National Curriculum and Textbook Board, Bangladesh (NCTB) assign speaking and listening tasks to perform in CLT methodology, which Bangladesh introduced in 2001 (Rahman & Karim, 2015). This study investigates how much emphasis these two set books have given to the twoneglected skills i.e., speaking and listening by comparing the tasks assigned in the books. Also, this paper attempts to find out the classroom practices of these activities in reality. To achieve these aims, the books were evaluated following a textbook evaluation checklist. Five teachers teaching English in classes 9-10 and 11-12 were interviewed and 50 students in classes 9-10 and 11-12 were given questionnaires to know the actuality of classroom practices following the activities in the books. The study shows that the books have a range of listening and speaking activities though little exposure to speaking and listening activities is made in classrooms and there is no sufficient logistic support or motivation (i.e., central assessment) for the actualization of them.

Unveiling Pedagogical Translanguaging: Investigating Teachers’ Translingual Practices and Purposes in ELT Classrooms

Unveiling Pedagogical Translanguaging: Investigating Teachers’ Translingual Practices and Purposes in ELT Classrooms

An Investigation of Graduate Theses on Classroom Teachers' Instructional Practices Related to Inclusion

Introduction: Inclusion and the role of classroom teachers in this education process have become increasingly important in recent years. The number of postgraduate theses on inclusion has gradually increased in this context. In this direction, this study aims to examine the doctoral theses dealing with classroom teachers' instructional practices related to inclusion. Method: The study used document analysis. A total of fifty-four postgraduate theses on classroom teachers' instructional practices related to inclusion, determined by criterion sampling, were subjected to analysis. Findings: When the results obtained in the research are examined, it is seen that the laws and regulations enacted and the postgraduate studies carried out are historically parallel. However, methodologically, it was seen that more quantitative analyses were conducted on classroom teachers' instructional practices related to inclusion. It was found that designs and models such as descriptive/general survey, relational design, and case study were used intensively, and in terms of sampling methods, simple random sampling, criterion sampling, purposive sampling, and maximum variation sampling methods came to the fore. Again, when the subjects/variables addressed by the theses and the tendencies of the theses were examined, it was seen that the teaching and classroom practices carried out by classroom teachers related to inclusion gained weight. In addition, it was determined that the topics of classroom management in inclusion, teacher competencies or qualifications, support for teachers in special education, and teacher attitudes also formed a trend in postgraduate research. Discussion: As a result, when we look at the theses, it is seen that a method based on describing the existing situation and problems is followed, and experimental research, suggestions, planning, and modeling for solving problems or effective inclusion practices are missing.