Storybridge to Second Language Literacy makes a case for using authentic children’s literature—alternately also referred to as ‘stories’ or ‘real books’—as the medium of instruction in teaching English to young learners, particularly in contexts where children must access general curriculum subjects in English. The author first proposes theoretical foundations for the argument that illustrated children’s books are superior to traditional language teaching courses in the primary school. She builds the case around the motivational power of stories, the language and content of quality children’s literature, and the potential of literature to contribute to development of second language academic literacy. She then reviews research of the past thirty years that clearly supports her claim. Finally, she uses transcripts from real classrooms to illustrate how teachers in diverse contexts make use of stories. Through the classroom vignettes, a practical model of literature-based instruction emerges that is adaptable to a wide range of primary school teaching contexts, including English as a second language contexts in core-English countries. Storybridge to Second Language Literacy compiles in one volume solid theoretical foundations for story-based instruction, research evidence of the past thirty years supporting the approach (not currently available in a single source), and extensive classroom vignettes illustrating diverse practical applications (not lesson plans).This makes the book valuable for anyone in the field of young learner ELT. MA students in TESOL will find the book useful and will develop an understanding of why and how literature-based instruction works and develop insight to guide their practice. Members of TESOL Elementary Education, EFL, and Bilingual Education SIGs, and IATEFL Young Learner SIG will be interested in the volume. Instructors of teacher development courses should also find the proposed volume a valuable addition to assigned readings. Each chapter is followed by ‘Think about it’ questions and ‘Try it out’ suggestions.

The book explores young Arabic-speaking children's English language learning. Through classroom-based research and learner work samples, the book analyses the interplay between cultural norms and the critical role that teachers play in orchestrating classroom discourse through skillful use of available instructional materials, questioning strategies and feedback to learners. The author shows the potential of instructional materials to influence young learners' vocabulary, reading comprehension, and written production, as well as the way they acquire the academic literacies needed in school subjects taught in English. She reviews the spread of the practice of teaching English to young and very young children and the increasing demand for English-medium instruction in the Arabic-speaking region, with a particular focus on the negative transfer from Arabic to English spelling and grammar. The book also discusses the importance of story narratives, arguing they are an ideal medium for language teaching because of their rich linguistic repertoire and the strong motivational force that stories have on young language learners and their cognitive growth, essential to their later academic success. Taken together, the research findings and classroom vignettes suggest that children's language learning happens within a complex system of interactive variables and cultural norms and expectations.

SLA Research and Materials Development for Language Learning is the only book available to focus on the interaction between second language acquisition theory and materials development for language learning. It consists of contributions written by experts in SLA, experts in materials development, researchers who have expertise in both fields, and introductions and conclusions by the editor. The book is organized into four major sections – position statements; materials driven by SLA theory; evaluations of materials in relation to SLA theory; and proposals for action – that offer a diverse range of perspectives while maintaining a cohesive and comprehensive overview on the subject. This book is ideal for post-graduate courses in applied linguistics and second language acquisition and for researchers interested in the relationship between SLA and materials development.

In the past few decades, there has been a growing interest in the benefits of linking the learning of a foreign language to the study of its literature. However, the incorporation of literary texts into language curriculum is not easy to tackle. As a result, it is vital to explore the latest developments in text-based teaching in which language, culture, and literature are taught as a continuum. Teaching Literature and Language Through Multimodal Texts provides innovative insights into multiple language teaching modalities for the teaching of language through literature in the context of primary, secondary, and higher education. It covers a wide range of good practice and innovative ideas and offers insights on the impact of such practice on learners, with the intention to inspire other teachers to reconsider their own teaching practices. It is a vital reference source for educators, professionals, school administrators, researchers, and practitioners interested in teaching literature and language through multimodal texts.

This volume represents a unique addition to the growing body of empirical literature on materials development, adopting a reverse approach to the topic. Rather than applying ‘theory to practice’, practitioners and researchers from 11 countries reappraise applied linguistics theories through practice. The book also provides evidence for the diversity of materials development around the globe at different levels for different specialities and for different purposes. Each chapter surveys the relevant literature (such as task-based learning and language and culture), describes a specific research project, reports the results of the project, and discusses the implications of these results for the development of materials both in the local context and in general. After each section there are editorial comments highlighting the issues emerging from the research, and there is a conclusion which connects the findings of the various chapters and makes suggestions both for future research and for the principled development of materials for L2 learners. The book will be suitable for teachers, materials developers, academics and students in post-graduate courses in applied linguistics, in TEFL/TESOL and in the teaching of other languages as an L2.

This collection of essays examines English language learning in formal education contexts from pre-school to lower secondary level. Focused on an in-service teacher education project that aimed to enhance the teaching of English in a group of schools, it takes into account the perspectives of multiple stakeholders – heads of school, teachers, parents and children. Its novelty lies in the variety of themes it covers, such as the account of a vertical implementation of a Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) project at three school levels, teachers’ attitudes to using picturebooks in L2 settings, cultural differences in the presentation of content in textbooks, and the role of the native language assistant. “English for Young Learners” makes a valid contribution to research on a matter of crucial importance in Italian education in the 21st century, the improvement of the teaching and learning of English. It will be of interest to student teachers, educators, practitioners and researchers.

Der didaktische Wert von picturebooks für den Englischunterricht in der Grundschule gilt als unumstritten. Jedoch gibt es in Forschung und Unterrichtspraxis derzeit kaum Ansätze, wie der Transfer dieses vermeintlich kindlichen Literaturmediums in die Sekundarstufe gelingen kann. Dieser Band legitimiert picturebooks als komplex angelegte Textform, die sich auch mit fortgeschrittenen Lernenden zu kompetenz- und inhaltsorientierter Arbeit im Englischunterricht anbietet. Die im Band versammelten konzeptuellen und empirischen Perspektiven zeigen angehenden und praktizierenden Lehrkräften konkret auf, wie vielfältig picturebooks den Unterricht bereichern können. Eine große Bandbreite praktischer Beispiele verdeutlicht ihr Potenzial für den Englischunterricht der Sekundarstufen - von der Förderung verschiedener literacies und literarischen Lernens bis hin zur Fokussierung von Themen wie Umwelt, sozialer Gerechtigkeit oder kultureller Diversität.

This is the first collection of research studies to explore the potential for mixed methods to shed light on foreign or second language learning by young learners in instructed contexts. It brings together recent studies undertaken in Cameroon, China, Croatia, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Tanzania and the UK. Themes include English as an additional language, English as a second or foreign language, French as a modern foreign language, medium of instruction controversies and content and language integrated learning (CLIL). The volume reviews the choice of research methodologies for early language learning research in schools with a particular focus on mixed methods and proposes that in the multidisciplinary context of early language learning this paradigm allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the evidence than other approaches might provide. The collection will be of interest to in-service and trainee teachers of young language learners, graduate students in the field of TESOL and early language learning, teacher educators, researchers and policymakers.

The present volume collects papers from InnoConf18, which took place at the University of Liverpool in June 2018. The theme of the conference was ‘New trends in language teaching and learning at university’. The contributions collected here aim to reflect on best practice in the sector while at the same time capturing state-of-the-art language teaching and learning methodologies. The short papers in this peer-reviewed selection display examples of active learning and student empowerment across all levels of learning and demonstrate the benefits of maximising engagement through a creative and inspiring learning environment. We believe this volume will be of use to language teachers and practitioners in higher education and beyond.

This singular new textbook is both an introduction to the major theories of second language acquisition and a practical proposal for their application to language learning courses. It explains and evaluates these theories, and focuses on recent research that has enriched thinking about the best ways to facilitate communicative effectiveness in an L2. It then suggests practical applications regarding language planning, curriculum development, pedagogy, materials development, teacher development, and assessment, establishing a tangible connection between theory and practice. Unlike many SLA books which are narrowly focused on the acquisition of language, it explores the roles of factors such as pragmatics, para-linguistic signals, gesture, semiotics, multi-modality, embodied language, and brain activity in L2 communication. SLA Applied connects research-based theories to the authors' and students' real-life experiences in the classroom, and stimulates reflection and creativity through the inclusion of Readers' Tasks in every chapter. This engaging and relevant text is suitable for students in Applied Linguistics or TESOL courses, trainee teachers, researchers, and practitioners.