The Emergence of Loving Pedagogy in the L2 Affective Domain:How Affective Pedagogy Accounts for Chinese EFL Teachers’Professional Success and Job Satisfaction?

The success of teachers in professional environments has a desirable influence on their mental condition.Simply said,teachers’professional success plays a crucial role in improving their mental health.Due to the invaluable role of professional success in teachers’mental health,personal and professional variables helping teachers succeed in their profession need to be uncovered.While the role of teachers’personal qualities has been well researched,the function of professional variables has remained unknown.To address the existing gap,the current investigation measured the role of two professional variables,namely job satisfaction and loving pedagogy,in Chinese EFL teachers’professional success.To do this,three validated scales were provided to 1591 Chinese EFL teachers.Participants’answers to the questionnaires were analyzed using the Spearman correlation test and structural equation modeling.The data analysis demonstrated a strong,positive link between the variables.Moreover,loving pedagogy was found to be the positive,strong predictor of Chinese EFL teachers’job satisfaction and professional success.The findings of the current inquiry may help educational administrators enhance their instructors’professional success,which in turn promotes their mental and psychological conditions at work.

Macao Secondary School EFL Teachers' Perspectives on Written Corrective Feedback: Rationales and Constraints

Corrective feedback on writing(WCF)has been one of the most controversial topics in ESL/EFL teaching.In the past decades,much has been disputed regarding the effectiveness and preferences of the quantity,focus,directness and source of WCF.With so much uncertainty,the researcher set out to investigate how research-informed secondary school teachers in Macao reported their beliefs,rationales,practices and constraints of administering corrective feedback for EFL writing in Macao secondary schools.Twelve secondary school teachers were recruited at a TESOL conference to conduct focus-group discussions.Similar to previous findings,results suggest teachers had clear rationales as to their ways of practising WCF.However,many expressed difficulties in acting according to rationales and beliefs.Despite their experience and knowledge,practical constraints such as school policies and teacher workload made it unlikely for them to follow their thoughts with feedback on writing.This study identified six sources of constraints that could prohibit practices and potentially reshape ones’beliefs,which sheds light on future directions of WCF research.

Kinds and Levels of Questions Raised by EFL Teachers and 10th-Grade Students Through Classroom Interaction

The aim of this study is to reveal and classify kinds and levels of questions raised by EFL （English as a foreign language） teachers and students in the 10th-grade classes in Irbid Second Directorate of Education. The sample consisted of 20 teachers： 10 males and 10 females who taught 10th-grade classes, and 20 10th-grade classes： 10 male classes and 10 female classes where the interaction was held. Analysis of the kinds and levels of classroom questions raised by both teachers and students was done. An X2-test was used in analyzing the data of this study to see whether there was a significant difference in the kinds and levels of classroom questions between male and female students. The finding of the study showed that male and female teachers raised three kinds of questions： wh-, yes/no, and multiple choice, there were no differences between male and female teachers in the kinds of questions raised. This study recommended that EFL teachers should vary their teaching procedures and use other different types and levels of questions, other than the types and levels mentioned above.

The Dynamism of Teachers＇ Identity： The Case of Iranian EFL Teachers

Recent conceptualizations of professional identity as an ongoing process of interpretation and re-interpretation of experiences demonstrate that it is dynamic and subject to an ongoing learning process. In effect, identity is essentially viewed as fluid, dynamic, recursive, and discursive process in which statements about actions are translated into statements about states, and vice versa. Having these standpoints in mind, the present paper aims at depicting the profile of English as a foreign language （EFL） teachers＇ professional identity. The second purpose of this study is to examine the relationships among the components of teachers＇ professional identity as measured by Kao and Lin＇s （2015） model comprising six latent factors of teachers＇ professional identity： self-expectation （SE）, teachers＇ duties （TD）, external influential factors （EF）, pedagogy （PE）, instructional skills and knowledge （SK）, and teachers＇ citizenship behavior （CB）. This study also sought to scrutinize the dynamics of teachers＇ identity in accordance with their teaching experience, gender, and educational level. For these purposes, 110 EFL teachers were chosen from different language institutes in Mashhad, a city in northeastern Iran. The results indicated that SE received the highest value and EF obtained the lowest mean score in our sample. The highest correlation was observed between SK and PE, followed by the relationship between TD and PE. The results indicated that there were significant correlations between teachers＇ teaching experience and all the teachers＇ identity components. It was also found that there were statistically significant differences between male and females in four components of identity as follows： TD, PE, SK, and CB. The results showed that there were variations in teacher identity with regards to their educational level.

Understanding the Process of Pre-service EFL Teachers＇ Reflective Thinking on Classroom Interaction

Based on Dewey＇s （1933） connotation on reflection, this study focuses on the process ofpre-service EFL （English as a foreign language） teachers＇ reflective thinking. There are eight teachers participating in the study during their practicum. Their reflective diary, the interviews between the researchers and the teachers, and classroom observation data are triangulated each other. The features of their reflection process are concluded： （1） Their reflections tend to be spontaneous interpretation; （2） their reflective thinking is partly ＂reasoning＂ phases; and （3） they depend on the authorities in the process of reflective thinking. Some implications are made for the guidelines in EFL teachers＇ practicum

A Small Scale Retrospective Study on Chinese EFL Teachers'Experienc-es in the Practicum

The goal of this small scale retrospective study is to examine the perceptions of Chinese EFL(English as a foreign language) teacher trainees of what they do and what they develop in the practicum. Research questions guiding this research are:(1)How much relative attention do Chinese teachers attribute to teaching EFL areas in the practicum in retrospect?(2) What activities do Chinese EFL teachers recollect doing in the practicum? and(3) What are the areas which they are aware of having developed in during the practicum? A questionnaire targeting EFL areas and general activities is employed to collect data; items contain 5-point Likert scales and three open-ended questions. Forty-eight respondents(44 female) are included in the sample. In the teaching of EFL areas, the results indicate that the participants experienced more emphasis on exam-oriented areas. The means for practicum activities show that participants highlighted learning by observation, discussion, and journals, among their various recalled activities. When evaluating development and learning opportunity in the practicum, participants reported improvements in general pedagogical knowledge, but they missed out on other aspects of teacher knowledge. The findings bring about evidence in what is effective and what is not of the practicum. It gives guidance to what could be changed for the practicum.

A Research on Different Classroom Questioning Strategies Between Chinese and Foreign EFL Teachers

The application of questioning as a teaching tool has always been considered as a main part of the teaching process.Based on the viewpoint of several researchers,a survey was conducted on the application of different questioning strategies by Chinese and foreign EFL teachers in a middle school,in order to determine their effects on students’language learning output and propose measures to optimize Chinese teachers’questioning strategies for improving students’learning efficiency.This research provides preliminary results based on the data collected from the video recordings of class sessions,a questionnaire,and an interview.According to the analysis,the questioning strategies differ between Chinese and foreign EFL teachers in many aspects,such as in information seeking,offering,modification,adjustment,feedback,and so forth.

On Competences Required for EFL Teachers in Secondary School

With the implementation of English Curriculum Standard for Senior High School,core competence,a vital construct in deepening curriculum reforms,has been brought into the spotlight,which attaches importance to cultivating students’key competences so as to realize the value of people cultivation.In another angle,the continuous intensification of education reform poses more demands on the faculty.What competences required for EFL teachers worth taking into consideration seriously.The paper elaborates required competences for EFL teachers hoping to offer pragmatic suggestions for EFL teachers in the perspective of professional development.

Changes and Characteristics of EFL Teachers' Professional Identity:The Cases of Nine University Teachers

Teacher identity has emerged as a central topic in educational research since 1990s. Professional identity among university EFL teachers is however understudied, especially those were engaged in in-service PhD study. Drawing on the interviews with nine EFL teachers in a Chinese university, this qualitative case research explored the changes of their professional identity with in-service PhD study experience. Positive changes were reported by all nine teachers, although with varied loci. Consistent with prior studies, the nine teachers demonstrated multi-leveled, achievement-oriented and discipline-focused professional identities. This research highlights the powerful influence of policy upon their identity changes. Their professional identities are shaped and reshaped in the process of negotiating and balancing between personal beliefs and rules at different levels. Teachers with non-English PhD academic background displayed conflicting professional identity, with institutional pressure being the important sources of their struggle and dilemma.

UNDERSTANDING AND ASSESSING EFL TEACHERS' REFLECTIVE THINKING

This paper aims to investigate ways of assessing the quality of teachers' reflective thinking and the factors that influence reflective thinking in EFL teachers through case studies.The reflections are assessed from three perspectives:content,depth and changes in action.The findings of this study reveal that there are three main factors which affect teachers' reflective thinking:differences of schools in different economic regions (teaching environment);mode of cooperation;teachers' beliefs.It also indicates that improvement of teaching depends on teaching context,teachers' beliefs and teachers' reflection regardless of their professional titles. EFL teachers' reflections can deepen based on changes of their personal beliefs,their teaching contexts and background,and the mode of cooperation.

Learning to Do Action Research Through Reflection:A Longitudinal Study of Rural EFL Teachers

This longitudinal study presents a full view of three rural high school EFL teachers＇ stories about learning to do action research through reflection. It takes a closer look at the contributions of reflection to action research, the challenges the teachers faced, and the changes they achieved. Over a 22-week semester, the three teachers engaged in a series of interrelated learning activities including journal writing, individual dialogues, group meetings and action research. The findings show that learning to do action research was a time-consuming and arduous task, and such difficukies arose when they identified research topics, formed research questions, collected data and wrote their reports. However, reflection through writing, talking and discussing pushed the process forward. The teachers＇ professional development was mainly reflected in the changes in teaching practices and beliefs. A revisit held seven years later confirms that teachers＇ ability to identify problems and to take action improved, but none of them tried to do further action research. For the teachers living in an unsupportive research context, integrating action research into teaching practices may not be a priority.

A Study of Ethnic Mongolian University EFL Teachers’ Beliefs and Decision Making

本研究采用定性(访谈和课堂观察)和定量(问卷调查)结合的研究方法,从90名受试中选取了3名蒙古族大学英语教师作为研究对象,探究特定文化背景下的蒙古族大学英语教师的教学信念与课堂决策的关系。定量研究结果发现:1)蒙古族大学英语教师的教学信念具有传统与现代相结合的特征,有些信念值得我们进一步的深入探究;2)教师的课堂决策受到他们学习经历、教学经历、培训经历和个人经历的影响;定性研究结果发现:1)教师报告的信念与课堂决策基本一致;2)教师"所倡导的理论"与他们"所采用的理论"之间有差异;3) 在这些教师的信念中,语言与文化是一个重复出现的主题。本研究结果表明蒙古族大学英语教师的教学信念与特定的民族文化交织在一起,对课堂决策产生了深远影响。

Exploring Researcher Identity Construction of University EFL Teachers in China

Based on the narratives of four Chinese university EFL teachers＇ research experiences, this study reports on the dynamic construction of their researcher identities and the crucial socioinstitutional and individual factors that have afforded and constrained researcher identity construction. The results presented different trajectories of researcher identity construction through the EFL teachers＇ three stages of research experiences （beginning, stagnation/ development, and struggle stages） in their professional lives. Academic learning contexts such as Master＇s and PhD programs were shown to be replete with factors that contributed to the development of researcher identity, while the institutional context and the broad social context in China were exposed to be greatly constraining. Motivation, publications, academic qualifications, and networking with researchers were four important individual factors that impacted the EFL teachers＇ researcher identity construction, The findings suggest that Chinese EFL teachers raise awareness of their researcher identities, make continuous critical reflections, and exercise agency to seek opportunities for development while governments and institutions should reform the current educational and promotion systems to support EFL teachers＇ research engagement.

Assessment Literacy of Secondary EFL Teachers: Evidence from a Regional EFL Test

This study investigated the assessment skills of secondary EFL teachers through analyzing the quality of test items on a municipal English examination for eighth graders in a city located in northern China. Data included students＇ answers to test items as well as a post-test questionnaire and teachers＇ responses to semi-structured interviews. It was found that overall, the test functioned satisfactorily, with most items moderately easy yet discriminating, and high internal consistency and strong correlations among subscale scores. However, item analysis and content review of the test identified some items with incorrect or multiple keys, which may result from a combination of EFL teachers＇ inadequate language proficiency and their attempts to write attractive distractors.

INNOVATION IN TEACHING ADVANCED WRITING TO EFL TEACHERS

1.IntroductionWriting is a productive skill of the language,which usually comes at the end of the four languageskills.Many learners find it difficult when they writeeither because they don’t have anything to writeabout or because they don’t know how to write.As aresult,they are daunted by any writing tasks.Teach-ers also find it difficult when they teach the writingcourse either because there aren’t enough teaching re-sources to go to or because the sheer marking of thecomposition poses as a monster of some sort.Theseproblems have hindered the effective teaching andlearning of writing.

FROM WRITING TO CHATTING: PROMOTING REFLECTIVE PRATICE AMONGST INSERVICE ESL/EFL TEACHERS

It has been commonplace to hear of teacher educators promoting reflective practice. The feasibility of the ways of reflective practice suggested in the recent literature will be reviewed. This paper arises from the conceptualization of reflection and a review of the concrete problems facing Hong Kong practitioners. In revisiting reflective practice as it is limited and constrained by the heavy workload of English teachers in Hong Kong, it seems to be of utmost importance to provide feasible ways for these teachers to develop their professional competence in this area. The difficulties and the problems that constrain Hong Kong teachers’ reflective practice shall be highlighted and it is argued that what in-service teachers require is a viable and effective way of being reflective. I shall suggest "Chatin-private" (Ouyang, 1997) as an alternative for the overworked teachers to remain reflective in the case of Hong Kong with a particular emphasis on workload of secondary school teachers.

Writing Proficiency in Preservice EFL Teachers:A Discourse-Analytic Study in the Chinese Mainland

The study investigates writing proficiency in preservice English as a Foreign Language(EFL)teachers characterized by selected discourse features inherent in their writing performance.Eighty-one preservice EFL teachers from a key normal university in the Chinese mainland participated in the study.The discourse-analytic approach was adopted to provide evidence underlying teachers’writing performance.The results suggest that 11 out of 19 features selected are informative of preservice EFL teachers’writing performance in that they can successfully differentiate EFL teachers at various levels of proficiency.These findings have implications for the professional preparation and development of preservice EFL teachers and provide insight into the development of language assessment for this population.

Effects of Study Abroad on EFL Teachers' Self-perceptions

Studying abroad （SA） is an important means for EFL teachers to develop their professional competence. This paper reports on an enquiry in Shandong Province, China, into a SA program for a group of 103 secondary school English teachers. Drawing on questionnaire data and teachers＇ interview narratives, the paper examines how the SA experience influenced their self-perceptions of EFL teaching in three aspects, namely, language proficiency, teaching ideology and the comparison of native speaking and non-native speaking English teachers. The enquiry revealed that the length of SA was a powerful factor in determining teachers＇ attitudes toward their jobs and their own capacities to perform them successfully. These findings are discussed with suggestions for making SA experience an effective, sustainable path for secondary school English teachers＇ professional development.

TEACHER VOICE FROM CHINA:THE IMPACT OF CROSS-CULTURAL EXPERIENCES ON TERTIARY EFL TEACHERS' MOTIVATION FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Based on the researchers assumption that teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in China with cross-cultural experiences have better cultural awareness than their peers, the research was conducted to investigate the impact of the experiences on tertiary EFL teachers motivation for professional development. Narrative accounts from in-depth interviews with a case were triangulated with the data from a questionnaire survey (N=39) and participant observations in two Chinese universities. Meaning and ...

English as Foreign Language(EFL)Teachers’Efficacy and Positive Achievement Emotions:Relations to Instructional Changes After Attending a Study Abroad Program

Due to government policy,the number of study abroad professional de­velopment program for EFL teachers increased greatly in China during recent years.Study abroad program aims to help EFL teachers improve their knowledge and teaching practices,which requires them to make ad­justments to their traditional teaching styles accordingly.Hence,teachers may experience strong emotional reactions when they are faced with dif­ferent modes of teaching methods.From the perspective of“emotion”,this study used control-value theory of achievement emotions as the theoretical framework to examine the relationship between teacher efficacy,positive achievement emotions,and instructional changes among 386 Chinese EFL teachers who attended study abroad programs.Purposive sampling was used in data collection.Data analysis was conducted using Structural Equa­tion Model(SEM).The results showed that teacher efficacy correlated pos­itively with positive achievement emotions(enjoyment,hope,and pride)and instructional changes.Positive achievement emotions mediated the relationship between teacher efficacy and instructional changes.Findings showed the impact of teacher efficacy and positive achievement emotions on changes in teachers’thinking and instructional practices.Based on the findings and limitations of this study,implications on teacher education and professional development program,directions and suggestions for future studies are discussed.