Andy Curtis - Böcker

'This volume addresses a very timely and important topic, and provides both broad and in-depth coverage of a number of large-scale English tests in China, including Hong Kong and Taiwan, and about the Chinese learner.' – Lyle F. Bachman, From the ForewordBuilding on current theoretical and practical frameworks for English language assessment and testing, this book presents a comprehensive, up-to-date, relevant picture of English language assessment for students in China (Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan) and for Chinese learners of English around the world. Written by well-recognized international scholars in language testing, it covers: the history of tests and testing systems, issues and challenges, and current research in China both test-designers’ and test-users’ points of view on test development and test validation within a range of political, economical, social, and financial contexts in China theoretical/conceptual perspectives on the use of the English language assessment at different levels, including societal, university, and schools empirical research related specifically to test development, curricular innovation, and test validationGiven the long history of objective testing and its extensive use in Chinese society, and considering the sheer number of students taking various tests in English in China and elsewhere, an understanding of the impact of English language testing is essential for anyone involved in testing and assessment issues in China and elsewhere in the world. This is a must-read volume for testing and assessment policy makers, curriculum designers, researchers, ESL/EFL materials writers, graduate students, and English language teachers/researchers at all levels.

'This volume addresses a very timely and important topic, and provides both broad and in-depth coverage of a number of large-scale English tests in China, including Hong Kong and Taiwan, and about the Chinese learner.' – Lyle F. Bachman, From the ForewordBuilding on current theoretical and practical frameworks for English language assessment and testing, this book presents a comprehensive, up-to-date, relevant picture of English language assessment for students in China (Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan) and for Chinese learners of English around the world. Written by well-recognized international scholars in language testing, it covers: the history of tests and testing systems, issues and challenges, and current research in China both test-designers’ and test-users’ points of view on test development and test validation within a range of political, economical, social, and financial contexts in China theoretical/conceptual perspectives on the use of the English language assessment at different levels, including societal, university, and schools empirical research related specifically to test development, curricular innovation, and test validationGiven the long history of objective testing and its extensive use in Chinese society, and considering the sheer number of students taking various tests in English in China and elsewhere, an understanding of the impact of English language testing is essential for anyone involved in testing and assessment issues in China and elsewhere in the world. This is a must-read volume for testing and assessment policy makers, curriculum designers, researchers, ESL/EFL materials writers, graduate students, and English language teachers/researchers at all levels.

The unique contribution of this book is to bring together Critical Race Theory and narrative inquiry and apply them specifically to a largely overlooked area of experience within the field of TESOL: What does it mean to be a TESOL professional of color? To address this question, TESOL professionals of color from all over the world, representing a wide range of racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, offer accounts of their own experiences, responding to two related questions:*Can you identify critical events or conditions in your personal or professional life that are the result of you being a person of color that affect who you are now and what you do as a TESOL professional of color?*What have you learned from these events or conditions that have had a bearing on your life as a TESOL professional of color?Color, Race, and English Language Teaching: Shades of Meaning is intended for researchers, professionals, and students in the field of English language teaching. The book is designed as a text for MATESOL programs and courses that deal with issues of language, culture, and teaching. The introduction presents a brief overview of relevant aspects of Critical Race Theory, narrative inquiry, and educational research. Focus questions for each chapter are included to help readers apply aspects of the narratives to their own experience.

The unique contribution of this book is to bring together Critical Race Theory and narrative inquiry and apply them specifically to a largely overlooked area of experience within the field of TESOL: What does it mean to be a TESOL professional of color?    To address this question, TESOL professionals of color from all over the world, representing a wide range of racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, offer accounts of their own experiences, responding to two related questions:*Can you identify critical events or conditions in your personal or professional life that are the result of you being a person of color that affect who you are now and what you do as a TESOL professional of color?*What have you learned from these events or conditions that have had a bearing on your life as a TESOL professional of color? Color, Race, and English Language Teaching: Shades of Meaning is intended for researchers, professionals, and students in the field of English language teaching. The book is designed as a text for MATESOL programs and courses that deal with issues of language, culture, and teaching. The introduction presents a brief overview of relevant aspects of Critical Race Theory, narrative inquiry, and educational research. Focus questions for each chapter are included to help readers apply aspects of the narratives to their own experience.

An essential guide for pre-service and in-service English language teachers. There are countless theories and approaches to language teaching, and with so many different methodologies available it can be difficult for teachers to weigh up the pros and cons of each – or even to know where to start. Written by an experienced teacher and researcher, Methods and Methodologies for Language Teaching takes a fresh look at ten approaches to classroom language teaching and learning. Each chapter includes suggested activities and further reading, presenting the origins and key features of each methodology before discussing its relation to assessment and learning outcomes. This is a clear, concise and context-driven introduction to teaching methods which reasserts the significance of methodology as a central pillar of language learning.

The idea of Peace Linguistics (PL) has been around for decades. However, the practice of PL has only occurred much more recently, only within the last few years, since the first creditbearing, university-level PL course was taught at Brigham Young University-Hawaii in 2017. Since then, the field of NPL has grown beyond its original goals, of using peaceful language and language that avoids or de-escalates conflict. The New Peace Linguistics (NPL) focuses on in-depth, systematic analyses of the spoken and written language of some of the most powerful people in the world, such as presidents of the USA, as it is they who have the power to start wars or to bring peace. As the first book to be published on PL and on NPL, this work represents a ground-breaking study of the power of language to hurt and harm or to help and give hope.The first four chapters of the book, which provide the foundation on which the rest of the book is built, introduce the concept of Peace Linguistics and the New Peace Linguistics, starting with the origins of PL and coming to the present day. The remaining Part Two and Part Three chapters present in-depth, systematic NPL analyses of George W. Bush, Colin L. Powell, Barack H. Obama, Donald J. Trump and Joseph R. Biden. The concluding chapter reiterates the most important distinguishing and recurring features of NPL, and looks at where the field may be headed in the future.

The idea of Peace Linguistics (PL) has been around for decades. However, the practice of PL has only occurred much more recently, only within the last few years, since the first creditbearing, university-level PL course was taught at Brigham Young University-Hawaii in 2017. Since then, the field of NPL has grown beyond its original goals, of using peaceful language and language that avoids or de-escalates conflict. The New Peace Linguistics (NPL) focuses on in-depth, systematic analyses of the spoken and written language of some of the most powerful people in the world, such as presidents of the USA, as it is they who have the power to start wars or to bring peace. As the first book to be published on PL and on NPL, this work represents a ground-breaking study of the power of language to hurt and harm or to help and give hope.The first four chapters of the book, which provide the foundation on which the rest of the book is built, introduce the concept of Peace Linguistics and the New Peace Linguistics, starting with the origins of PL and coming to the present day. The remaining Part Two and Part Three chapters present in-depth, systematic NPL analyses of George W. Bush, Colin L. Powell, Barack H. Obama, Donald J. Trump and Joseph R. Biden. The concluding chapter reiterates the most important distinguishing and recurring features of NPL, and looks at where the field may be headed in the future.

This volume presents in-depth studies on leading themes in education policy and intercultural communication in contemporary Asia, covering empirical as well as theoretical approaches, and offering both an in-depth investigation of their implications, and a synthesis of areas where these topics cohere and point to advances in description, analysis and theory, policy and applications. The studies address key questions that are essential to the future of education in an Asia where intercultural communication is ever more important with the rise of the ASEAN Economic Community and other international initiatives. These questions include the properties of the increasing globalisation of communication and how it plays out in Asia, especially but not exclusively with reference to English, and how we can place intercultural communication in this context, as well as studies that highlight intercultural communication and its underlying value systems and ideologiesin Asia.