Books
Grabe, William & Stoller, Fredricka L., Teaching and researching: Reading (2nd edn). London: Longman, 2011. Pp. xii + 320. ISBN 978-1-4082-0503-7 (pbk).
Reading may seem straightforward, but within the language learning and teaching environment there is a host of competing theories which examine the ways in which reading can be taught effectively. This title considers all of the most prevalent and active theories and builds connections from research on reading to sound instructional practices and suggests research possibilities. Offering an overview of reading theory, it summarises the main ideas and issues in first and second language contexts and covers key research studies.
Graf, Madeleine, Including and supporting learners of English as an additional language. London: Continuum, 2011. Pp. xiv + 139. ISBN 978-1-4411-6267-0 (pbk).
This book identifies issues arising in teaching children from a range of linguistic backgrounds, and provides practical, research-grounded suggestions for good practice. Issues are discussed in the context of social inclusion and the Every Child Matters agenda, and some differences in policy between England and Wales are identified. Strategies for working with children for whom English is an Additional Language (EAL) are explored and attention is paid to the period of transition between Key Stage 2 (KS2) and Key Stage 3 (KS3). Case studies, points for discussion or reflection and research summaries are incorporated in this accessible text. Clear links to the Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) standards for both England and Wales are provided, and a bank of suggested resources and support material is included.
Oxford, Rebecca, Teaching and researching: Language learning strategies. London: Longman, 2011. Pp. xiv + 333. ISBN 978-0-5823-8129-2 (pbk).
After thirty years, language learning strategy researchers have accumulated a critical mass of knowledge. There is now a need for a systematic and coherent effort to chart the field and map out the issues. There is also a need for conceptual cross-fertilization and a concerted effort in theory-building, so that more useful research avenues can be explored for students' benefit. This accessible and informative book shows why self-regulated learning strategies are necessary for language proficiency and offers practical suggestions for assessing, teaching, and researching these strategies. This book integrates sociocultural, cognitive, and affective dimensions, proving there is nothing as practical as a good theory.
Porte, Graeme, Appraising research in second language learning: A practical approach to critical analysis of quantitative research (2nd edn). Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company, 2010. Pp. xxv + 307. ISBN 978-90-272-1995-4 (pbk).
Designed for students of applied linguistics and SLA on research training courses, practising language teachers, and those in training, this combination textbook/workbook is a set or recommended textbook on more than a hundred undergraduate and postgraduate courses worldwide. It seeks to meet a current need in the literature for a set of procedures that can be applied to the independent reading of quantitative research. Innovative features of the workbook include awareness-raising reading tasks and guided exercises to help develop and practise the critical skills required to appraise papers independently. Through informed and constructive appraisal of others' work, readers are shown how to become more research literate themselves, discover new areas for investigation, and organise and present their own work more effectively for publication and peer evaluation. This revised second edition sees a closer integration of the text- and workbook and a number of additions to the text itself, as well as further guided and unguided research appraisal exercises.
Yavas, Mehmet, Applied English phonology (2nd edn). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011. Pp. xii + 268. ISBN 978-1-4443-3322-0 (pbk).
Applied English Phonology has been extensively revised and expanded, using an accessible style and numerous exercises to explore the fundamental aspects of the English sound system, including basic phonetic elements, phonemics, allophonic rules of English consonants and vowels, phonotactics, and stress and intonation. Brand new sections are included on U.S. regional vowel shifts, sociophonetic variations, and the role of perception and Optimality Theory with reference to second language phonology, and the book is accompanied by new sound files for numerous transcription exercises.
