Backward design vs. technology-first adoption, or why EdTech will not save you

Image & concept credit: Dr. Donna Lanclos

Haga clic aquí para la traducción al español (Google Translate) Introduction In Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL), curriculum design decisions increasingly occur in technology-saturated environments where platforms, tools, & analytics promise efficiency & innovation. Instructional designers are persistently bombarded with demands by pundits & the EdTech industry to adopt the latest buzzword technology or risk becoming… Continue reading Backward design vs. technology-first adoption, or why EdTech will not save you

Report: The cognitive & pedagogical implications of generative AI in education

Haga clic aquí para la traducción al español (Google Translate) Introduction This report synthesises findings from recent research on the application & impact of Large Language Models (LLMs) in educational settings. The evidence indicates that while LLMs present opportunities for efficiency, their integration poses significant cognitive hazards for learners & complex pedagogical challenges for educators.… Continue reading Report: The cognitive & pedagogical implications of generative AI in education

Integrating extramural English: Developing stronger communicative proficiency in universities & colleges

Haga clic aquí para la traducción al español (Google Translate) Introduction As universities & colleges seek to internationalise, English is becoming established as the de facto common medium of instruction, communication, & participation. English language teachers in EAP departments frequently note that students have broad repertoires of vocabulary & can parse complex grammar structures with… Continue reading Integrating extramural English: Developing stronger communicative proficiency in universities & colleges

Why traditional EFL coursebooks fail to develop communicative & linguistic competence

Haga clic aquí para la traducción al español (Google Translate) Introduction Despite decades of development & innovation in language pedagogy, most commercial EFL coursebooks continue to present English through a linear, grammar-based syllabus organised around discrete structures introduced in a fixed sequence. This article argues that such materials are fundamentally misaligned with the actual nature… Continue reading Why traditional EFL coursebooks fail to develop communicative & linguistic competence

Explicit instruction vs. corrective feedback

Haga clic aquí para la traducción al español (Google Translate) Introduction Feedback is often portrayed as the pedagogical heart of writing instruction. Orthodox “process writing” practices encourage teachers to respond extensively to student drafts, conference individually, & guide students through multiple rounds of revision. However, this model implicitly assumes that learning happens primarily after students… Continue reading Explicit instruction vs. corrective feedback

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

Why education experts resist evidence-based practices & embrace fads: A call for professional maturity

Haga clic aquí para la traducción al español (Google Translate) Abstract Despite decades of educational research, evidence-based practices remain marginalised in teacher training, curriculum design, & classroom implementation. Instead, unproven fads continue to dominate. This article argues that education’s failure to mature into a profession grounded in empirical research (unlike medicine, accounting, or engineering) is… Continue reading Why education experts resist evidence-based practices & embrace fads: A call for professional maturity

Declarative vs. procedural memory in language learning: What every learner & teacher should know

Haga clic aquí para la traducción al español (Google Translate) Introduction Why do so many people spend years studying a language; memorising verb tables, drilling grammar rules, passing exams; yet still struggle to speak fluently? The answer lies in how the human brain learns. Language learning isn’t just about knowledge, it’s about memory & not… Continue reading Declarative vs. procedural memory in language learning: What every learner & teacher should know

Reconciling task-based & genre-based approaches in language teaching

Haga clic aquí para la traducción al español (Google Translate) Introduction Much of the pedagogical discourse in English language teaching has positioned Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) & Genre-Based Instruction (GBI) as separate, distinct, & sometimes competing theoretical & instructional views. However, this dichotomy may be misleading. In practice, both approaches address different, yet complementary dimensions… Continue reading Reconciling task-based & genre-based approaches in language teaching