Category Archives: Linguistics, applied linguistics and SLA

English Today for free

Posted on 27/11/2009 by alexcase

No, that doesn’t mean you can use the language without charge for 24 hours only (like the name “Jaffa Cakes”, someone forgot to copyright the English language and must be kicking themselves now), but rather that the journal English Today … Continue reading →

Posted in Cambridge University Press, English as an International Language/ Lingua Franca, Linguistics, applied linguistics and SLA, links | 1 Comment

The complete guide to ELT Jargon Part 26

Posted on 20/11/2009 by alexcase

Update: Complete collection now here. Chat bots- Teachers who are reduced to automatic expressions of “interest” by a student who keeps on going on and on Cognitive strategies- Ways of avoiding having to think in class Connectionism- Knowing enough people … Continue reading →

Posted in Linguistics, applied linguistics and SLA, Listening | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Linguistics can be useful!

Posted on 04/10/2009 by alexcase

David Crystal explains why “Bob” is such a strange, and therefore funny, name for a girl in the best episode of Blackadder 2 (and why “Pretend your name is Keith” is not nearly as funny in The Chicken Song) “if … Continue reading →

Posted in Linguistics, applied linguistics and SLA | 4 Comments

SLA error correction

Posted on 10/09/2009 by alexcase

In best EFL progress test style, change at least one word in the often seen sentence below to make it less ridiculous: “Our teaching methodology is in line with current SLA theory” Took me a while too, in fact I … Continue reading →

Posted in Linguistics, applied linguistics and SLA, Rod Ellis | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The best of Teaching English Guest Writer Articles

Posted on 21/08/2009 by alexcase

Another example of how blogging can be a good thing even if nobody reads, in this case making me read something worthwhile that I just hadn’t quite found time for month after month after month… Surprising myself slightly, my top … Continue reading →

Posted in British Council, Cross cultural training in EFL, Dogme, Linguistics, applied linguistics and SLA, Skills, Teaching English in Japan, Teaching methods and methodologies, TEFL | Leave a comment

Some nice quotes from the last ELTJ

Posted on 16/08/2009 by alexcase

As promised, proof that I do pay some attention when reading TEFL magazines: A possible explanation for why Mr Bean and TEFL go so well together: “An adult learner has noted that what [textbook character] Arthur and learners in the … Continue reading →

Posted in CPD, ELT Journal, Linguistics, applied linguistics and SLA, links, Mr Bean, TBA (Task Based Approach), Teaching teenagers, Teaching young learners, TEFL heroes- Jeremy Harmer, TEFL reviews | Tagged | 1 Comment

Alternative TEFL jargon August 2009

Posted on 13/08/2009 by alexcase

Perhaps to prove that I’m still blogging like it’s 1999, have churned out The Alternative TEFL Jargon Dictionary Part 145. Take that TEFL!* discourse management- (also “discourse with management”) needing to make polite conversation with your boss (English) native speaker … Continue reading →

Posted in Linguistics, applied linguistics and SLA, TEFL | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Rules, Patterns, Words and Doubts

Posted on 12/08/2009 by alexcase

A continuation of Rules, Patterns, Words and Quotes and What I Learnt About Rules, Patterns and Words, obviously all about the quite wrong but quite interesting book of the same name. This will probably only be of interest to those who … Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative teaching techniques, Collocations, Functional language, Grammar, Grammar books, Linguistics, applied linguistics and SLA, PPP (Presentation practice production), TBA (Task Based Approach), Teaching methods and methodologies, Test teach test, Vocabulary | Tagged | 4 Comments

How not to teach pronunciation

Posted on 21/07/2009 by alexcase

“Japanese college students who’d had little exposure to spoken English underwent 12 sessions listening to exaggerated “Ls” and “Rs” while watching the computerized instructor’s face pronounce English words. Brain scans — a hair dryer-looking device called MEG, for magnetoencephalography — … Continue reading →

Posted in Linguistics, applied linguistics and SLA, links, minimal pairs, Pronunciation, Teaching English in Asia, Teaching English in China, Teaching English in Japan, Teaching English in Korea, Teaching English in Thailand | Tagged , | 1 Comment

New TEFL articles etc June 2009

Posted on 29/06/2009 by alexcase

Here is this month’s supply, perfect for reading while your students do their end of term tests: 18 fun activities on the topic of amusement parks (a fab topic with kids and teenagers, tied in with feelings vocab, videos etc) … Continue reading →

Posted in Feelings vocabulary, Linguistics, applied linguistics and SLA, Skills, Teaching teenagers, Teaching young learners, Technology, TEFL, TEFL games, TEFL heroes- David Crystal, TEFL heroes- Sandy McManus, TEFL heroes- Scott Thornbury, Vocabulary, Writing, Writing games | 1 Comment