The study reported in the thesis sought to explore how semi-specialists TEYL teachers who have not received specialized TEYL training and did not graduate from public 3- years teachers’ training colleges construct their professional sense of self or professional identity) within the context of educational reform in Poland which has led to the lowering of the start age of English instruction the last to the first grade of primary school, as well as to the introduction of new child-friendly pedagogic practices. The study aimed to explore the following research questions: 1) What factors contribute to semi- specialists TEYL teachers’ feelings of em-powerment/ disempowerment in a context of educational reform in young learners’ classroom 2) What strategies do semi-specialist TEYL teachers use to feel empowered? 3) In what ways does participation in the online platform for teachers profes-sional development help teachers to feel empowered? The data were obtained through face to face semi- structured interviews with 5 semi- specialists TEYL teachers who are currently employed in public primary schools. The research conveyed the significance of macro (the politics of the Ministry of Education), meso (teachers’ autonomy in a classroom and collaboration in a school community), micro factors (teachers’ life histories). The teachers listed the following factors that shape their professional self in the context of the re-form: teachers’ initial experiences with TEYL, the status of TEYL as a profes-sion, the politics of the Ministry of Education, capacity for autonomy in a class-room, collaboration with others, supportive relationships with others, the role of platform. Some of these factors like the initial experiences with TEYL, the status of TEYL as a profession and the politics of the Ministry of Education are disem-powering for teachers’ professional self, while others like supportive relationships and the role of platform are more empowering.

The aim of this study is to investigate English language teachers’ understanding of creativity in the context of primary education in Kuwait. The meaning of creativity, and the factors that support or suppress it, are investigated from the point of view of female English language teachers in the primary stage in Kuwait. Most research in the fields of both TESOL and creativity in education has been undertaken in the West, some in the East, but very little in the Middle East (Craft, 2001a) in a context similar to that of Kuwait. In the context of Kuwait, creativity is called for in policy, but there is a lack of research and clarification as to what creativity means to English language teachers in their own context. The main approach to data collection and analysis was grounded theory. In the first stage of data collection, fifteen in-depth interviews and ten non-participant observations were carried out, to provide both breadth of research and depth of understanding. In the second stage, to enlarge the data, a survey (of seventy-five participants) was designed based on the findings of the first stage of data collection and analysis, as well as on the findings of previous literature. The participants were female TESOL teachers and senior teachers in primary schools in Kuwait. Findings from interviews, observations and questionnaires were consistent in many ways regarding the meaning of creativity in TESOL in the context of the study. All three methods of data collection revealed that creativity was perceived as a multi-faceted concept. The creative English language teacher was viewed as confident and self-directed. Using new and successful teaching material and methods, establishing good relationships with learners and being able to meet their needs in English language were associated with creative English language teaching. However, some findings emerged from certain data collection methods but not others. For example, the salience of clarity and freedom (autonomy) emerged from the interviews but not from the observations or questionnaire. All three methods showed similar supporting and suppressing factors for creativity. Supporting factors were both internal and external, notably the availability of teaching material (resources) and self-motivation. Suppressing factors were the lack of teaching aids and a negative school environment. The current study contributes to knowledge by expanding the understanding of two areas of research which are TESOL and creativity within the context of Kuwait, focusing on the voice of the primary stage teacher. The current study agrees with previous studies that creativity is associated with newness and value (Cheng and Yeh, 2006; Forrester & Hui, 2007) and the current study explained that newness and value are relative. The current research suggests that TESOL teachers can be creative in one or many aspects (Rietzschel et al., 2009). The current study agrees with previous studies that creativity is context related because there are creativity elements which are unique to the cultural context (Craft, 2001a; Grigorenko & Tan, 2008), but at the same time the current study proposes that creativity can be universal in some ways because of some common findings of studies from different contexts. Other contributions to knowledge points are clarity and freedom and their relation to creativity in TESOL. Clarity is not mentioned much in the literature, but can be linked to knowledge (Sternberg & Lubart, 1991). Freedom can also be related to autonomy and creativity (Sternberg, 2006b). The current research views that the process, product, person and place of creativity in TESOL are interrelated (Wallace, 1926; Fryer, 1996; Runco, 1997; Craft, 2001; Rhodes, 1961). Unlike previous studies, the current research into creativity in TESOL was not associated with artistic language, literature (Mok et al., 2006), or errors and violating language rules (Tin et al., 2010; Brown, 2001). The current findings are also different from the literature in that creativity was not linked to imagination (Beetlestone, 1998; Craft, 2000; Craft, Jeffrey & Leibling, 2001; Fryers, 1996; Egan et al., 1988; Craft, 2002, 2003a) or aesthetics (Craft, 2001a). On the other hand, creativity in TESOL is linked to personal traits including confidence, which agrees with the literature (NACCCE, 1999; Craft, Jeffrey, & Leibling 2001; Burnard et al., 2006; Craft, 2002; Craft, 2001b; Claxton et al., 2006; Fryer, 1996). The current study suggests more detailed the written preparation notes of the participants the less confident participants seemed to be. This can be related to the negative effect of evaluation on creativity (Sternberg, 2006b). The literature associated intrinsic motivational factors with creativity (Jones & Wyse, 2004, Sternberg, 2006b), but the current study shows that extrinsic as well as intrinsic motivational factors support creativity in TESOL. The current study suggests belonging to field and workplace is a supporting factor for creativity. This can be related to collaboration which is suggested in previous studies (Craft et al., 2008; John-Steiner, 2000; Miell & Littleton). The literature suggests that creativity flourishes in collaboration; however some of the current research participants prefer to work individually, while others prefer to work collaboratively to be more creative. Teaching material is an important tangible side to the creativity of TESOL (Cheng & Yeh, 2006), and relationships are also linked to improving TESOL creativity according the current research. Implications for teachers’ reflection, teachers’ education and training courses as well as better communication with the teacher for teaching material design and a better school working environments are some of the recommendations of the current research. Future research can benefit from the findings and the recommendations of the current research.

Dialogic pedagogy involves students as critical inquirers, who can analyze their perspectives and attitudes. Dialogic creates liminal space (Buber, 1965) where conversation generates knowledge and personal relations. I intend to explore these ‘dialogic spaces’ where a group of 20 students and their teacher engage in dialogue around literary texts in an advanced English composition and literature major class of female students of one university in United Arab Emirates (UAE). My study takes further, growing interest in the value of dialogical process in second language learning. It describes the ways in which learners engaged in dialogical process begin to challenge perspectives and power relations. Because of the positive response that followed the sessions (conducted for the pilot study), I wanted to explore the process in relation to gender and culture. My dissertation research takes further the questions raised in the assignment study. I want to consider the conditions that will allow perspectives to remain in dialogue. My research explores how dialogic literacy practices function in relation to particular cultural and ideological discourses (Fairclough, 1992; Gee, 1996; Luke, 1991). The data include: class observations, field notes, semi-structured interviews (of students and the teacher) and writing assignments. The study employs an exploratory research design to discover and understand perspectives of the people involved (Merriam, 1998). I therefore emphasize that the analyses of the data are offered as partial and unfinished interpretations based on a specific theoretical framework. Although the research findings cannot be generalized across all female students in the UAE, they provide some insight into the learning experiences and preferences of Emirati women. Knowledge is finding light in darkness and staying warm in the cold. This is the knowledge our students must acquire. Not facts and theories, but a deep knowing (O’Reilley, 1998). Thus it seems appropriate to me to call this study, ‘the lighting of a fire’ (W.B.Yeats).

No description available.

This study explores the ways that native speakers are represented in different discourses. It combines the personal with the empirical by starting with narratives of professional development, followed by a corpus analysis of how native speakers are defined, and ending with a critical discourse analysis of the roles allocated to native speakers in academic discourse. First, the use of narrative inquiry speaks to the lived experience of three native English speaking language teachers as they develop their professional identity and seek professional development. Their narratives uncover the tensions between their personal goals and external perceptions. In order to situate these narratives in the field, a corpus analysis identifies the difference between how native speakers are defined in general discourse and within academic literature. These different definitions demonstrate distinct patterns of usage that differentiate the concept of the native speaker, the native speaker of English, and the native speaker of English as a language teacher. Finally, a critical discourse analysis illuminates the dominant representations of native speakers in academic literature. An interpretation of six academic articles, drawing on van Leeuwens network of role allocation, highlights: 1) how native speakers are differentiated from non-native speakers; 2) how native speaking language teachers are objectified or excluded from the discourse. The analysis reveals how representations of native speakers influence the participation of native English speaking language teachers in the field of TESOL. The implications indicate that the current representations of native speakers detract from professional development by perpetuating static identities rather than encouraging professional development.

This study aims to discover how Korean English language teachers navigate and negotiate their professional identities as they were immersed in the U.S. TESOL program. They would ultimately end up teaching English in Korea upon completing the U.S. TESOL program. For this purpose, this study examines the following research questions: (1) How did their experiences influence their teaching identities? (2) How do they come to reconstruct their teachers’ identities as a result of being matriculated in the U.S. Ph.D. TESOL program? And (3) how would they imagine their professional identities as Korean NNES professionals for their future teaching in Korea? In order to explore Korean NNES professionals’ identity changes, I used critical theory, as an epistemological consideration and narrative inquiry, as a methodological tool. I integrated the qualitative methods for the substantial investigation of different aspects of language ideologies through multiple sources: (1) casual conversation, (2) autobiographical accounts, (3) virtual discussions through blog entries, (4) in-depth interviews, and (5) E-interviews. I used a hermeneutic process to analyze data of the Korean NNES professionals’ identity constructions. From K-12 through graduate program, English was one of the gatekeepers and a form of capital for the participants in Korean society. The implementation of English-only classes led the participants, as NNES professionals, to be marginalized from English language education in Korea due to their lack of proficiency in English. The participants ended up enrolling in a U.S. TESOL program to gain U.S. degrees, to increase their oral proficiency of English, and to understand the theoretical background of TESOL. As the participants engaged in community of practice, they became members in an academic community, transformed their perceptions of English and of their teaching, and had constructed their hybrid teacher identities. The findings provide insights into experiences that would affect NNES professionals’ identity construction, paying attention to processes of ideological influences upon their beliefs and attitudes toward English language education in Korea and in the U.S. This study has implications for restructuring curricula in TESOL programs because its findings inform educators about NNES teacher candidates’ experiences and perspectives on English language education. / Gloria Park, Ph.D. Jeannine M. Fontaine, Ph.D. Lisya Seloni, Ph.D.

English has become the default language of global communication, and users around the world are adapting the traditional standards of grammar and interaction. It is imperative that teachers of English keep pace with these changing conceptualizations of the language as well as the changing expectations of its users so that they can best prepare language learners for the sociolinguistic realities they will encounter. Teacher training programs have a critical role to play in that they must keep pace with both the changing global linguistic landscape and how these changes influence pre-service teachers. It is therefore imperative to understand the attitudes of pre-service teachers towards the varieties of English that their students will encounter. This study considers the attitudes of pre-service TESOL teachers towards varieties of native and non-native English as used in naturalistic communicative situations. It considers personal factors that may play a role in how participants evaluate the interactive speech samples and whether TESOL training programs influence the development of attitudes towards language-in-use. To this end, a mixed methods design involving three primary components was used: an online survey of 70 respondents from 26 institutions, four focus group interviews, and a curriculum analysis of five teacher training programs. This study is unique in that participants evaluate speech-in-action that is representative of the types of language found in many English as a lingua franca (ELF) settings. Among other things, primary results suggest that (a) standard language ideology influences many participant assessments of both native and non-native speech, (b) teacher training programs exert at least some influence on the attitudes of pre-service teachers towards varieties of spoken English in discourse, and (c) engagement with non-native speech in teacher preparation courses and language learning as a component of a curriculum can benefit pre-service teachers. Implications for applied linguistics, teacher training, and ELF are considered

The purpose of this research study was to explore the possibilities of critical pedagogy and critical literacy in an English language course at a higher education institution in the Sultanate of Oman. Its aim was to propose an alternative curriculum for an English language pathway module by introducing socially-contextualized generative themes, position questioning and post-methodological teaching and learning strategies which would lead to an increased engagement with multiple perspectives hence an increased level of critical awareness. Moreover, the study sought to provide a platform for students’ voice where their views and choices were not only taken into consideration but had a direct impact on the direction of the critical intervention. The present study did not try to advocate for a new pedagogical framework that is prescriptive in nature but rather emphasize the ephemeral and hence dynamic nature classroom methodology. The study took place at a private higher education institution in the capital city of the Sultanate of Oman. The site of the intervention was a lower level English language vocabulary and reading focused module that served as support for English language majors. The participants were two teachers who had taught the module in the past as well as a group of students who had enrolled in the module at the time of the intervention. The group of student participants was entirely composed of females who possessed various levels of English language proficiency and originated from various parts of Oman. Data were collected during three intervention stages, following an action research design, through multiple methods: interviews, focus-groups, tests, questionnaires, observations. The research diary kept during the intervention represented another data source and an important instrument of recording instances of reflection on action. Participant confidentiality and anonymity was maintained throughout the data collection and analysis. The collected data was analysed following the principles of thematic analysis but also keeping in mind the democratic character of action research. Thus, a comparison of the researchers’ interpretations of the analysis with the experiences of the participants as well as the opinions of the external observers was undertaken. Several major themes emerged from the data at the different stages of the intervention: students’ needs and abilities, the need for a reformed curriculum, assessment of the students’ level of critical literacy, positioning and identifying multiple perspectives, students’ views on the critical intervention and their development of critical awareness as well as challenges and caveats at the intervention stage, students’ resistance versus emotional attachment to the module. In terms of readiness for a critical intervention, students and teacher participants held different views, as teachers associated readiness with a high level of critical thinking and language proficiency whereas students associated it with interest and emotional attachment. The majority of student experiences during the critical intervention were clustered around a shift in perspective which did not only evidence their increased sense of awareness of the world and its various social issues but also an increased display of empathy and compassion. Students also avowed an increased improvement in all four language skills as a result of this experience. Student silence had an impact on the reshaping of the intervention hence proved an opportunity for reflection and change. The key findings of the study suggest that, although considered a high-risk endeavour, critical pedagogy offers ample opportunities for English language education as students’ attitudes to it were generally positive. Students wish to take an active role in authoring the course of their learning and will make apparent their choices even through opposition, resistance and silence. Furthermore, critical pedagogy needs to be understood in the context of possibility as it is not a prescripitive set of rules or strategies nor automatically democratic and free from imposition. It is constantly informed and transformed by its authors’ and its participants’ contributions. The study has thus brought an overall understanding of the possibilities of critical pedagogical endeavours as well as the possibilities of critical action research to illuminate the phenomena of critical literacy and participant voice.

Studies have shown that language tests can and often do have powerful influences on teaching, learning, and the creation and dissemination of educational materials, such as textbooks, in addition to the formation and implementation of language education policies (Au, 2007; Alderson & Wall, 1993; Bailey, 1996, 1999; Cheng, 2008). While the literature provides evidence for this influence, collectively described as ‘impact’, or more specifically, ‘washback’, the form and intensity in which it occurs differ greatly across contexts, due to the dynamic and complex nature of washback phenomena. This case study investigated the washback effects of an English language speaking test, the GMATE (General Multimedia Assisted Test of English), used as an exit examination in a large university in Seoul, South Korea. Developed from the Washback Hypotheses (Alderson & Wall, 1993, p.120-121), there were two main research questions answered through this study: 1) What are the perceived washback effects of the GMATE on teachers’ teaching? 2) What are the perceived washback effects of the GMATE on students’ studying? To answer these and related sub-questions, a mixed-methods approach was taken, including questionnaires, interviews, and classroom observations. This provided a clear picture of what was occurring in this particular context, while offering a voice to the 459 students and 17 teachers who participated in the study. The findings of this study showed that the GMATE indeed had washback effects on the teachers and student participants, and that these effects varied depending on students’ proficiency level, year in school, and term of study. Furthermore, these results supported the notion that washback is highly contextual (Cheng et al., 2014; Cheng, Sun, & Ma, 2015; Cheng, Watanabe, & Curtis, 2004), as this thesis highlighted the importance of bearing in mind sociocultural factors that may contribute to washback effects in this and other unique research contexts.

This action research study explores the role of blended learning as a tool for the professional empowerment of teachers of English as a foreign language in provincial and rural areas of Uruguay. Specifically, a three-year blended teacher development programme designed to facilitate professional empowerment by integrating face-to-face and online learning opportunities is examined through Garrison, Anderson and Archer’s (2000) Community of Inquiry framework as well as through Kumaravadivelu’s (2001, 2006b) Postmethod parameters of particularity, practicality and possibility. Findings suggest that blended learning can facilitate the professional empowerment of teachers in geographically-removed areas by fostering their movement towards higher levels of cognitive thinking. The teaching, social and cognitive activity in a blended setting is distributed over the face-to-face and online learning arenas, with the teaching and cognitive ‘presences’ being embedded in the social. While the highest levels of cognitive activity are rarely visible in participants’ virtual discourse, this discourse refers to other environments where cognitive activity is more clearly evidenced, such as participants’ assessed work and classroom practices. In short, the Community of Inquiry parameters offer a lens through which to visualise effective course design and pedagogy for teacher education in this context, by providing a language to articulate what is particular about the setting, what participants perceive as practical and ultimately what is possible for them to achieve in terms of empowerment and emancipation. These parameters are explored through the examination of the whole-group processes as well as the in-depth analysis of two participants’ individual journeys. This study also foregrounds the complexity and richness of action research, especially in terms of the multiplicity of roles determined by the researcher’s immersion in the field, and highlights the need for extensive reflexivity. The academic, professional and situated contributions indicated above are identified, as is the potential for further research in this and other similar settings.