Haga clic aquí para la traducción al español (Google Translate) Introduction For decades, second & foreign language pedagogy has been dominated by skill-acquisition theory, which views learning as the gradual automation of explicit knowledge through repeated practice (Anderson, 1982; DeKeyser, 2006). According to this model, students first acquire declarative knowledge, “knowing that,” about grammatical rules… Continue reading Rethinking grammar instruction: Why usage-based, Construction Grammar-informed language learning outperforms skill-acquisition approaches
Rethinking error correction: More effective pathways for grammatical development
Haga clic aquí para la traducción al español (Google Translate) Introduction The role of error correction in second language (L2) instruction has long divided scholars & practitioners. On one side, researchers such as Dana Ferris (1995, 1997, 1999, 2012; Ferris & Roberts, 2001) contend that selective & focused corrective feedback can promote accuracy & aid… Continue reading Rethinking error correction: More effective pathways for grammatical development
ELT methodology is chronically under-defined: When we teach without definition, we teach in the dark
Haga clic aquí para la traducción al español (Google Translate) Introduction Gaining sufficient competence in the English language is not a luxury, it has become a gateway to higher education, career mobility, & global citizenship for millions of students worldwide. Given what is at stake, our students cannot afford to be let down by sub-optimal… Continue reading ELT methodology is chronically under-defined: When we teach without definition, we teach in the dark
What’s happening in your mind when you write an essay? A look inside the writer’s thought processes
Haga clic aquí para la traducción al español (Google Translate) From blank page to finished paper Staring at a blank page can be one of the most intimidating parts of academic life. It’s not uncommon to feel that writing an essay is a single, mysterious talent that you either have or you don’t. The good… Continue reading What’s happening in your mind when you write an essay? A look inside the writer’s thought processes
The Case for Phone Bans in Education: Evidence from a Large-Scale Randomised Controlled Trial
Haga clic aquí para la traducción al español (Google Translate) Introduction The debate over the role of mobile phones in education has intensified in recent years, with critics warning of distraction & losses in learning, & defenders emphasising teaching responsibility & digital literacy. Yet rigorous empirical evidence has so far been lacking. A large-scale randomised… Continue reading The Case for Phone Bans in Education: Evidence from a Large-Scale Randomised Controlled Trial
Ensuring success for adult EFL students
Haga clic aquí para la traducción al español (Google Translate) Introduction In Spain & in many other countries, English language academies play an important role in supplementing the instruction pupils receive in schools. For children & adolescents, academies function largely as after-school “top-up” lessons. Since school-based English classes often amount to only 2-4 hours per… Continue reading Ensuring success for adult EFL students
Premature calls for AI literacy in curricula: A case against jumping on the AI-hype bandwagon
Haga clic aquí para la traducción al español Introduction The current public discourse on artificial intelligence (AI) has predictably triggered a surge in calls to incorporate “AI literacy” into curricula. Pundits, policymakers, educational consultants, & think tanks now routinely champion the inclusion of AI literacy, typically vaguely defined or entirely undefined, as an educational necessity.… Continue reading Premature calls for AI literacy in curricula: A case against jumping on the AI-hype bandwagon
How Language Students Really Learn: What Construction Grammar (CxG) can teach us
Haga clic aquí para la traducción al español (Google Translate) Introduction As language teachers, we all want our students to become confident, fluent speakers who use language appropriately & effectively. But too often, we watch them struggle to apply the grammar rules we’ve taught, e.g. mixing up tenses, forming awkward sentences, or sticking to the… Continue reading How Language Students Really Learn: What Construction Grammar (CxG) can teach us
Making It Stick: Towards more effective vocabulary practice in language learning
Haga clic aquí para la traducción al español (Google Translate) Introduction Vocabulary is foundational to language competence. Yet the ways learners practise & internalise new vocabulary often fall short of the complex demands of actual language use. Traditional techniques such as pre-taught vocabulary, memorisation of decontextualised word lists, or single-sentence definitions neglect the fact that… Continue reading Making It Stick: Towards more effective vocabulary practice in language learning
Why teaching needs to be more scientific & what that really means
Haga clic aquí para la traducción al español (Google Translate) Introduction In an activity concerned with care, relationships, & creativity, talk of science can sound clinical, rigid, or even irrelevant. Many teachers & school leaders reasonably ask: Can research really capture the complexity of teaching? Doesn’t experience matter more? Shouldn’t we trust our professional instincts?… Continue reading Why teaching needs to be more scientific & what that really means