This book investigates various aspects of speaking in a foreign language. It is unique in considering this key skill from both psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic perspectives, and in focusing entirely on instructed foreign language contexts. The book demonstrates how theory and research can be translated into classroom practice.
This is a comprehensive guide to quantitative research, rooted in the author's own teaching and research. In particular, it challenges both the student who does not do numbers and the student who does nothing but numbers (and who therefore fails to interpret or challenge his/her results). The book shows how all educational researchers need to do quantitative research, even if only in the sense of reading other people's research findings. In fact, the book argues that the conventional distinction between primary and secondary research data is inadequate, since there is enormous need/opportunity
This volume extends the Task-Based Language Teaching: Issues, Research and Practice books series by deliberately exploring the potential of task-based language teaching (TBLT) in a range of EFL contexts. It is specifically devoted to providing empirical accounts about how TBLT practice is being developed and researched in diverse educational contexts, particularly where English is not the dominant language. This collection of 13 studies provides strong indications that the research and implementation of TBLT in EFL settings is both on the rise and interestingly diverse, not least because it must respond to the distinct contexts, constraints, and possibilities of foreign language learning.
Newly updated and revised, this popular text provides a solid introduction to the foundations of research methods, with the goal of enabling students and professionals in the field of applied linguistics to become not just casual consumers of research who passively read bits and pieces of a research article, but discerning consumers able to effectively use published research for practical purposes in educational settings. All issues important for understanding and using published research for these purposes are covered. Key principles are illustrated with research studies published in refereed journals across a wide spectrum of applied linguistics.
Written in an informal style, this is the essential, practical and accessible step-by-step guide for all teacher-training students, who in addition to facing the enormous challenge of training to become a teacher, also have to conduct their own classroom-based research.
It contains three sections that mirror the process of doing classroom research. From getting started and choosing appropriate research strategies, to making your findings public, the book covers the whole range of issues to help you succeed with what can seem like a daunting task.
