Resources for Research in ELT - English Language Teaching

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Resources for Research in ELT - English Language Teaching

10 April 2011 at 20:45

Dear Friends,

These days, the teachers & research scholars are more interested in Research in ELT. Here is the list of some important resources for those who are interested in English Language Teaching & Research.

I found these videos quite interesting. The entire workshop by Prof Simon Borg is in four parts. You will find all four parts embedded here under: Doing Good Quality ELT Research - Prof Simon Borg (3rd ELT Malta Conference ReSIG Supported Pre-conference Event)

I request readers to contribute thier best resouces for ELT by posting comments under this Note.

Cautionary: This is 'not' the best and the final list of 'Top 10' ELT resources.

1. http://eltj.oxfordjournals.org/

ELT Journal is a quarterly publication for all those involved in the field of teaching English as a second or foreign language. The Journal links the everyday concerns of practitioners with insights gained from related academic disciplines such as applied linguistics, education, psychology, and sociology.

2. http://www.asian-efl-journal.com/

The Asian EFL Journal is published monthly and presents information, theories, research, methods and materials related to language acquisition and language learning. An academic Second Language Acquisition Research Journal.The Asian EFL Journal is one of the world's leading refereed and indexed journals for second language research.

3. http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/

The TeachingEnglish website

TeachingEnglish is produced by the British Council with content and editorial support from the British Broadcasting Corporation. Both organisations receive funding from the UK government for their work in promoting English, supporting English language teaching (ELT) and providing information and access to ELT products, services and expertise from the UK. All teaching material on the site is free to access.

4. http://www.englishstudydirect.com/index.htm

This resource aims:

• to promote quality online English courses that offer personal tuition 
• to provide an organised database of links to quality learning resources for students 
• to provide a database of links to quality web resources for teachers and researchers 
• to provide a database for consultancy services in academic English online
  
  5. http://www.educationaldevelopment.net/elt2/journals.htm
  A very good resource with links of ELT related journals.
  
  6. http://www.britishcouncil.org/india-english-elt.htm7.
  If you are an English student or a teacher, this site can help you develop your skills and experience through English courses, teacher training courses, exams, online courses, information resources and networks.
  
  8. http://www.eltworld.net/journal/journal.html
  Published every three months,Horizons is the free journal of David’s English Teaching World. Available to download in PDF format, Horizons is a true reflection of what’s happening in the world of English teaching today.
  
  9. http://nikpeachey.blogspot.com/
  A blog worth following for those who are interested in technology and ELT.
  
  10. http://www.cambridgeindia.org/
  Visit this site to get updates on latest books published by Cambridge University Press in India.
  
  11. http://www.scoop.it/t/elt-research
  Generally related to ELT and language learning, but also to the wider world of education as well.
  Curated by Richard Whiteside

• Research Articles:

1. Research Engagement in English Language Teaching. Simon Borg: 

Despite the substantial amount of work which has been conducted into teachers’ research engagement in mainstream education, this topic has been awarded scant attention in the field of English language teaching. This paper presents the results of a survey representing the first stage of multi-method investigation of research engagement in ELT. Moderate levels of reading and doing research were reported by the sample studied here, and this level of research engagement is analysed in relation to two key factors also examined in the survey: teacher’s conceptions of research and their perceptions of the institutional research culture.

Post by Dr. Dilip Barad.

Ph.D. Research Writing - 'ONLY' in English Language: UGC, New Delhi, India

Post by Dr. Dilip Barad.

How to teach poetry? : An Enigma!

How to teach Poetry

(One of th M.Phil students Alpesh Parmar posted message on FB asking to share something on 'how to teach poetry?'... this note is written extempore for him... which may be helpful to others as well... I request all the readers of this note to contribute something by sharing your experince of teaching poetry by commenting on this note)

Dear Friends,

Teaching poetry is not everyone's cup of tea. There is no fun in the world as great as teaching it to those who love it... there is nothing as boring as teaching poetry to those who hate it. It is so because (to quote Yuri Lotman) - ‘A poem is both a system of rules, and a system of their violation’.

Reading/Teaching poetry is not as easy as one thinks. It necessisates undertanding of culture (in/for which it is written), history (historiography of metaphors, semantics etc) and above all linguistic competency.

Here is the list of books and websites which may help teachers and students in reading/teaching poetry:

• Books:

1. Terry Eagleton: How to read a poem? Blackwell Publisher (2006). TERRY EAGLETON’S book seeks to teach its readers how to read poems through a combination of literary history, theoretical discussion, and leading by example. The book develops a simple and unshowy working definition of poetry (‘a certain memorable or inventive use of language, and a moral insight into human existence’), but at the same time suggests a correspondence between the best poetry and a kind of productive contradiction … (read Jonathan Baines's  full article on http://nq.oxfordjournals.org/content/57/1/151.full)
2. I.A. Richards: Pratical Criticism (1920) From his practical experiments into 'reading poems' at Cambidge University, I A Richards drew 'a list of principle difficulties that may be encountered by any reader in the presence of any poem. This analysis was in part intended to develop educational method to teach poetry in the classroom. (read Robert Shaffer's full article on http://www.jstor.org/pss/40012942)
3. Elaine Showalter: Teaching Literature Blackwell Publisher (2003). Drawing on 40 years of international teaching experience, as well as the real life experiences of friends and colleagues in the field,Showalter offers original and provocative reflections on teaching literature in higher education, and addresses practical, theoretical, and methodological issues.

• Websites:

Whenever students come with such questions which can't be answered, the easy way is to give him 'list' of books - whcih are unattainable... there are at least two benefits of doing this - (i) As teachers, we can create a favourable impression - of knowing names of so many books and we speak on those books with such an air of authority - as if we have written it or 'read' it - (ii) it helps in establishing superiority over student's lack of knowledge. But the best of all is - students will never dare to come agian to ask for anything.

I believe, if teacher 'really' want to 'share' with students, he should give books instead of lists - or atleast photocopies of important pages. I find easy way in sharing weblinks. Click and go...

Well, these weblinks are not as goos as the books listed above but it will serve the purpose of two-minute-maggie to hungry child - just as maggie does not give nutritions but helps in satisfying hunger - similarly, these weblinks are not 'nutritious' but it surely will cater the needs of hungry mind - i would be glad if it makes you more hungry to read the books.

1. http://www.poetryteachers.com/poetclass/poetclass.html
2. http://www.ehow.com/how_2179046_teach-poetry-high-school-students.html
3. http://www.slideshare.net/mungo13/teaching-poetry
4. http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/Showalter/004.pdf (read chapter 4 on Teaching Poetry from Elaine Shawalter's book 'Teaching Literature')
5. http://www.hstreasures.com/articles/poetry.html

Post by Dr. Dilip Barad.

Literary Theory and Criticism in the Digital Age

Post by Dr. Dilip Barad.

A Pride of Asiatic Lions (Gir Lions) and a Gir Cow with her Calf

Post by Dilip Barad.

Research Ideas in English Language Teaching

Post by Dr. Dilip Barad.