Effective Teaching in EFL Classroom

This article explores the potential ways to enhance effective EFL teaching in EFL classroom. The author considered that elements such as teacher＇s understandings of classroom structures, the differences in classroom norms and creation of positive climate could contribute to the overall EFL classroom effectiveness. By referencing contemporary EFL teaching theories, the author attempted to touch on the implications to the contemporary Chinese EFL education. It has suggested that teachers should gain thorough understanding of those elements in their daily practice.

Teacher Expectations for Student Learning in the Classroom

This paper is a discussion of the issues about teacher expectations for students＇ learning in the classroom. The discussion mainly focuses on such topics as the types of expectation effects, the sources of teacher expectations and the communication of teacher expectations. It is concluded that teacher expectations do play an important role in classroom teaching and learning, and therefore some suggestions are made for the peer teachers.

ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TEACHER TALK IN THE ELT CLASSROOM

Teacher talk is of crucial significance to the ELT classroom.However,little research hasbeen carried out on teacher talk.This paper discusses the types of teacher talk,analyzes the vari-ous factors affecting teacher talk,and puts forward some suggestions to make teacher talk moreeffective and efficient.Teacher talk (TT) is of crucial significance for all classrooms,particularly the ELT class-room,because in the ELT classroom,language is not only the objective of the course,but also themedia to achieve the objective.Both the organization of the classroom and the process of acquisi-tion are achieved through TT.Whether an ELT class is successful or not depends to a large degreeon the effectiveness of TT.However,not many professionals in China have realized the impor-tance of TT.Little research has been carried out on TT.(Wang Yinquan,1999:54) The papercasts away a brick to attract jade.

Effects of traffic noise on pupils'behavior in classroom

Noise surveys in this country reported that a large number of classrooms in primary and secondary schools in the urban areas were disturbed by environmental noise, particularly by traffic noise. A series of psychological tests were conducted to identify pupils' behavior in a classroom under different noise levels within the range of 40 to 70 dBA. Statistical analysis results were obtained by using Relational Data Analysis System (RDAS) software. According to the t-test and single factor variance analysis of the results, significant differences of the pupils' behavior in the classroom have been observed when the percentile exceeded sound level either L50 exceeds 50 dBA or L10 exceeds 55 dBA, or the equivalent continuous sound level Leq exceeds 50 dBA. The same conclusion has been drawn from the average percentages of syllable articulation under different noise levels in a classroom which were the results of tests made in accordance with the procedure described in the National Standard. The maximum acceptable noise level in the classroom thus can be determined.

Appraisal of the Production-Oriented Approach： An Introduction

The production-oriented approach （POA） has been developed over a decade. It is driven by the need to improve English classroom instruction for university students in China （Wen, 2016）. It is also motivated by the aspiration to enhance the quality of foreign language education in other similar pedagogical contexts outside China. A volume of research has been done by Wen Qiufang and her research team, to formulate the theory of POA and to test its effectiveness in classroom pedagogy （e.g. Wen, 2016, 2015; Yang, 2015; Zhang, 2015）. At the moment, the POA is still at an early stage of theory building and almost all empirical research is done in the Chinese context. In order to improve the quality of this theory and to make it intelligible to the international academic community, a one-day symposium was held in Beijing Foreign Studies University on May 15, 2017. The symposium was entitled ＇The first international forum on innovative foreign language education in China： Appraisal of the POA＇. In the forum, leading experts in applied linguistics were invited to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the POA and the directions for its future development. The symposium was the first attempt for the POA research team to discuss its latest work with international scholars. This Viewpoint section collects the responses of four experts who participated in the symposium, listed in alphabetical order. The collection of articles covers three topics related to the POA： its pedagogical application, its use for teacher training, and its research. Alister Cumming is Professor Emeritus and the former Head of the Centre for Educational Research on Languages and Literacies, University of Toronto, Canada. His article focuses primarily on POA research as an exemplary case of design-based research. Rod Ellis is Research Professor in the School of Education at Curtin University, Australia. He discusses POA in terms of pedagogy, teacher training and research, with both critiques and constructive suggestions. Paul Kei Matsuda is Professor of English and Director of Second Language Writing at Arizona State University, the writed states. He responds to POA from the perspective of an expert researcher and teacher of L2 writing. Charlene Polio is Professor and Associate Chair in the Department of Linguistics ＆ Germanic, Slavic, Asian ＆ African Languages atMichigan State University, the writed states. She conceptualises POA as a useful method to address some issues in pre-service teacher development. Overall, the articles in this section are insightful and reader-friendly. They are not only useful for the development of POA in particular, but may also be valuable to a broad range of researchers as they touch upon pertaining issues, as well as emerging topics, in the field of applied linguistics. We therefore find it necessary to make them accessible to a wide readership.