Abstracts of Global Education Articles from Language Teaching Journals

Please send in relevant news items on global topics from language teaching journals.

Peace Education in the ESL Classroom

by G. Ghaith & K. Shaaban (American Univ. of Beirut)

TESL Reporter. Vol 27. No 2. October 1994

In this article, the authors give an overview of the field of peace education in English language teaching and propose a framework for integrating peace education into English language curriculum and instruction. The framework they propose comprises five dimensions: Themes (communication, environment, conflict, co-existence), Skills (negotiation, managing anger, conflict mediation, tolerance of ambiguity, critical thinking), Methods (cooperative learning, teaching culture, literature-based instruction, humanistic methods), Materials (media, literature, games, NGO reports), and Assessment (social distance, semantic differential, checking statements, forced choice).

TESL Reporter, Brigham Young University BYU Box 1964, Laie, HI 96762 USA

Dear Sir or Modem

by Anthea Tillyer (City University of New York)

Thai TESOL Newsletter. Vol 7. No. 3. December 1994

In this short article, the author gives a basic introduction to e-mail and electronic communications for English teachers who are computer novices. The author first outlines the advantages of e-mail over regular mail and faxes (faster speed & lower cost) and explains the history and workings of the Internet. She then explains how to get started in electronic communications and describes the basics (computer, electronic address, modem and communications software) that language teachers need to get hooked up. The article stresses the benefits that e-mail brings in promoting international communication and introduces the TESL-L electronic network where English teachers round the world can share research and classroom ideas.

Thai TESOL c/o R. Burgess, Suranaree Univ. of Tech., Muang Dist., Nakhon Ratchasima, THAILAND

Designing an Advanced Speaking Course

by Linda Bawcom (Fundacion Ponce de Leon, Madrid)

English Teaching Forum. Vol 33. No 1. January 1995

In this article, the author describes the 11 steps she used to set up an advanced level speaking course for English language learners in Spain. She decided to make the course content-based and used topics and sub-topics from The Readers Guide to Periodicals to produce a questionnaire to find out what topics her students would be interested in studying. Her survey found that over 50% of her students were most interested in topics such as ethics, ecology, crime, ethnicity and stereotyping. The top 10 sub-topics students chose were global issues-oriented: pollution, genetics, racism, US sub-cultures, cross cultural issues, energy, drugs, terrorism, ethics, abortion, men & women, justice & euthanasia.

IATEFL Newsletter, 3 Kingsdown Chambers, Tankerton, Whitstable, Kent CT5 2DJ ENGLAND

Interdisciplinary Teaching

by Sirio di Giuliomaria (textbook writer, Rome, Italy)

Practical English Teaching. Vol 14. No. 3. March 1994

In this short article, the author argues for an interdisciplinary approach to language teaching and for more cooperation between language teachers and content-subject teachers. As an example, he argues that studying environmental issues in language classes not only reviews concepts learned in science classes but also may stimulate students to solve local ecological problems and thus make them more conscious of their potential role in society - an important education goal in itself. Studying culture can make students aware that no culture is superior or inferior, simply different, and thus encourage students to avoid generalizations, stereotypes and prejudices.

Practical English Teaching, Brookhampton Lane, Kineton, Warwick CV35 0JB UK

ELT Culture and Communication

by Julian Edge (Aston University, England)

IATEFL Newsletter. No 125. November 1994

In this article, the author discusses two issues concerning English teaching and cultural sensitivity. One is the dilemma of teacher trainers who introduce 'western' communicative methods and values (task-based learning, idea sharing, open debate, problem solving, learner autonomy) into traditional authoritarian cultures. The other concerns the murder of Prof. Hitoshi Igarashi, translator of Salman Rushdie's novel Satanic Verses, and the refusal of the British ELT Journal to publish an article against this murder without also running an article arguing for the murder for the sake of "balance".

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