Trials and tribulations of Sla framework in designing Arabic courses for speakers of other languages

There is a consensus among language teachers and researchers that language course design is always a work in progress. This is influenced by variables such as the type of language being taught and whether the teaching of this language has been researched. Arabic is one the languages that have created aperennial debate among its teachers about the anticipated challenges pointing principally to three reasons. The first reason refers to the dichotomy that exists between MSA and Colloquial Arabic, which will have a direct impact on teaching the macro-skill of „speaking‟. The second reason deals with the complexity of MSA in terms of grammar. The final reason discusses the theoretical aspects of language teaching and learning and its implications to the design of the Arabic program. This paper discusses these problems stemming from the recent empirical pilot study of teaching Arabic for a specific purposes (ASP). The study exposes some the problems mentioned above and suggests solutions to improve the teaching of Arabic in the light of theories of SLA and language teaching and learning.

Enhancing English language learners’ text understanding through metaphor awareness

 The study examined awareness of metaphor as a tool to enhance English language learners’ understanding of texts with embedded metaphors. Findings revealed that an enhanced awareness of metaphor, as indicated by greater use of the metalanguage of metaphor, longer turns conversation and reflective journals, helped them get deeper text meaning.

International students in Australia: read ten thousand volumes of books and walk ten thousand miles

A number of international students, predominately from Asian countries, are present in universities in the UK, United States, and Australia. There is little research exploring their experiences as they negotiate the disciplinary requirements of their courses. This paper investigates students' agency as they write their first assignment for their Master's of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages course and the academics who teach them. Talk around texts and the positioning theory are used to analyse the data. It is argued that the students demonstrate strategic agency, which allows them to better understand the academic requirements of their disciplines. The analysis reveals the complexities involved in international students' adaptation to disciplinary discourse and the implications for teaching and learning in higher education.

TESOL professional standards in the "Asian century": dilemmas facing Australian TESOL teacher education

Australian teacher education programmes that prepare teachers of English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) are confronting the nexus of two facets of globalization: transformations in the Asian region, captured in the notion of the "Asian century", and shifting conceptions of professionalism in TESOL in non-compulsory education. In booming Asian economies, English language learning is integral to the demand for high-quality education. This has produced increases in TESOL Teacher Education Programme (TTEP) enrolments of both domestic Australian students and international students from Asia. Growth in demand for TTEPs has necessitated that they cater to student diversity, and the intended contexts of practice. This demand has coincided with a concurrent movement towards professional standards for TESOL that, we argue, confronts complexities around quality, accountability, and professional identity and achieving conceptual and contextual coherence. Drawing on discourses of managerialism and performativity, this paper explores tensions between increased student demands for TTEPs, professional standards discourses which are part of the global policy discourses on teacher quality, and the achievement of programmatic conceptual and contextual coherence from the perspective of Australian TTEPs.

Interview with Syafiyah

Syafiyah is an Indonesian who studied at the University of Canberra in 1992-1993. She studied on an Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) Scholarship and completed a Masters in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). The interview was conducted in English on 23 October 2014 by Dr. Ahmad Suaedy of the Abdurrahman Wahid Centre for Inter-faith Dialogue and Peace at Universitas Indonesia. This set comprises: an interview recording, and a transcript of the interview.

Sustaining dietary changes for preventing obesity and diabetes: lessons learned from the successes of other epidemic control programs

A degree of success has been achieved in controlling several epidemics of infectious and non-infectious causes of death in countries, such as, Australia and New Zealand. Using the epidemiological triad (host, vector, environment) as a model, the key components of the control of these epidemics have been identified and compared to the current status of interventions to prevent obesity and its main disease consequence, type 2 diabetes. Reductions in mortality from tobacco, cardiovascular diseases, road crashes, cervical cancer and sudden infant death syndrome have been achieved by addressing all corners of the triad. Similarly, prevention programs have minimized the mortality from HIV AIDS and melanoma mortality rates are no longer rising. The main lessons learned from these prevention programs that could be applied to the obesity/diabetes epidemic are: taking a more comprehensive approach by increasing the environmental (mainly policy-based) initiatives; increasing the 'dose' of interventions through greater investment in programs; exploring opportunities to further influence the energy density of manufactured foods (one of the main vectors for increased energy intake); developing and communicating specific, action messages; and developing a stronger advocacy voice so that there is greater professional, public and political support for action. Successes in the other epidemics have been achieved in the face of substantial barriers within individuals, society, the private sector and government. The barriers for preventing obesity/diabetes are no less formidable, but the strategies for surmounting them have been well tested in other epidemics.

On the fast track speeding nurses into the future: a two year Bachelor of Nursing for graduates of other disciplines

It has been suggested in nursing literature that a bachelor's degree should be the pre-requisite to professional nursing education and registration. The perceived advantages of graduates entering the nursing profession led faculty in the School of Nursing La Trobe University to introduce in 1997 an innovative two-year Bachelor of Nursing (BN) program, believed to be the first in Australia, for graduates of other disciplines. A problem-based learning (PBL) approach was selected to facilitate the teaching learning process. Data to evaluate the progress of the accelerated students were collected by examining their previous degree background, conducting a focus group discussion mid year and comparing the students' academic results with those completing the traditional three-year course. Findings indicate that students in the accelerated course were highly motivated but experienced significant stress. In part the stress emanated from the need to identify their own learning needs. However, despite their concerns most accelerated students scored at least as well both clinically and academically as traditional students. Moreover, in six of the seven final year subjects each group studied the accelerated students performed better.

Construct validity of the Chinese version of the disability of the arm, shoulder and hand questionnaire (DASH-HKPWH)

The study evaluated the construct validity of the Chinese Hong Kong version of the disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand questionnaire (DASH-HKPWH). Three hundred and thirty four patients with a broad range of upper extremity disorders were recruited into the study. Each completed DASH-HKPWH and SF-36 forms and their pain intensity (numeric pain rating scale) and grip strength were also measured. The mean DASH-HKPWH score was 40 (SD = 20). Principal component factor analysis identified a single factor, which accounted for 47% of the total variance. Pearson correlation was applied to assess convergent and divergent validity of the DASH-HKPWH by comparison with the above-mentioned subjective and objective measurements. Our findings were comparable to the DASH of other languages

The 'China Threat' in American self-imagination: the discursive construction of other as power politics

Argues that the "China threat" argument in mainstream international relations literature in the United States is derived, primarily, from a discursive construction of otherness. Construction which is predicated on a particular narcissistic understanding of the U.S. self and on a positivist-based realism, concerned with absolute certainty and security; Concern which is central to the dominant U.S. self-imagery.

English teachers' shaping of students' democratic attitudes in Taiwan

This study has several findings. English language teachers' multiple identities and 'guided democracy' educate students to be autonomous and tolerant of different cultures. A global curriculum enables students to negotiate 'Eastern' and 'Western' cultures. Communicative pedagogies have contributed to both solutions and problems. An integrated pedagogy is essential.