The CATESOL Journal

Th is article addresses the important connections between lexical knowledge and second language writing. Based on a review of the literature, it enumerates the eff ects of limited lexical knowledge on student writing and presents evidence that immigrant students in college and university ESL writing programs are in particular need of strategies and tools for increasing their knowledge of vocabulary. In addition to outlining relevant goals for ESL lexical study, the author suggests a range of useful activities such as the use of learners’ dictionaries and lexical journals, the integration of grammar and vocabulary study, and ways in which lexical issues can be foregrounded throughout the various stages of the writing process.

Although the necessity and importance of teaching pragmatics have been recognized, language teachers may hesitate to teach pragmatics in their classrooms for two reasons. First, teaching pragmatics is a diffi cult and sensitive issue due to the high degree of “face threat” it oft en involves and, second, the number of available pedagogical resources is limited. In this critical review of empirical studies in interlanguage pragmatics (ILP), the author argues that ILP research is a useful source of information for language teachers to make informed decisions about teaching pragmatics. First, she discusses the similarities and diff erences between L1 and L2 speakers’ pragmatics and explanations for such diff erences. Secondly, she considers how L2 learners develop pragmatic competence, both in and outside classrooms. Finally, she examines the issues of teachability and the teaching of pragmatics in language classrooms.

The traditional MATESOL practicum course involves placing teachers-in-preparation under the supervision of mentor teachers. While this arrangement allows individual teachers-in-preparation to develop a strong relationship with their mentor teachers, it often prevents them from engaging in a collaborative relationship with their peers. This paper describes how computer-mediated communication (CMC) tools have been integrated in a practicum course in order to promote peer support and collaboration. The paper concludes that the integration of CMC tools into the practicum course allows teachers-in-preparation to give and receive such support, to assume more responsibility for their own learning, and to be provided with increased opportunities for self-paced learning.

In Fall 1998, an on-line intermediate grammar/writing course was offered using the Internet and e-mail as the primary means of instruction and communication. The goal was to transfer successfully the involvement and the dynamism of the ESL classroom to an on-line environment. The author describes the planning involved in adapting an existing course to the Internet, including the rationale for instructional design decisions. At the end of the semester, the course was evaluated both by the instructor and by the students. While general communication between teacher and student was good, the author concludes that the adaptation was not completely successful. Based on the evaluations, recommendations are given for improving the course in future semesters.

It has been a quarter of a century since the passing of Title IX (1972) which barred sex discrimination in educational programs receiving federal funding. This federal action, combined with an interest in determining to what extent education reproduces gender inequality, prompted a number of studies and intervention programs. Ten years after Title IX, a disturbing report revealed how subtle and consistent acts by college faculty left women at a distinct disadvantage (Hall, 1982). This was further supported by the Sadkers’ research, which found that the students least likely to receive attention were minority females (Sadker & Sadker, 1994). This suggests that female ESL students are potentially the most vulnerable to sexism in education. This paper provides a brief survey of research on sexism in education, reviews studies that focus on gender in ELT, and offers five recommendations to facilitate the recognition and reduction of sexism in ELT.

The purpose of this article is to identify some of the social, instructional, and administrative processes that both marginalize and enhance collaboration between ESL teachers and mainstream instructors and administrators. The article documents the verbal and written interactions between one ESL teacher and twelve mainstream instructors and administrators within an elementary school “pullout” ESL program. Its findings reveal that the ESL teacher operates as a “marginal” member of many of the social, instructional, and administrative events within the school. The implications for practice suggest opening new dialogues between ESL and mainstream teachers that include and dignify the expertise of the ESL teacher in faculty, department, and committee meetings

Researchers (Bowley & Meng, 1994; Cope & Black, 1985; Kamhi-Stein, 1996) have focused on the need for librarians and ESL faculty to collaborate on teaching library skills for academic purposes. These skills are needed to utilize resources that include print materials, computer databases, and Internet sources. Information literacy competency standards are currently being developed on the national, state, and local levels by library and educational organizations, but little is known about ESL instructors’ perceptions of teaching library research skills, also known as information competency skills. This study surveyed full-time and part-time ESL faculty at an urban community college about the levels at which various information competency skills should be taught. The results of this study reveal that most fulltime ESL instructors favored introducing only the most basic library skills (such as how to check out books and information about how a library is organized) at the beginning ESL level. They favored teaching most other information competency skills (such as database retrieval and on-line resources) at more advanced ESL levels. It is evident from this study that ESL curriculum designers need to integrate all library and information research skills in a progressive manner with sufficient scaffolding and collaboration among librarians, teachers, and students.