Measurable Degrees Of Foreign Accent

This book comprehensively deals with foreign language pronunciation. It considers several essential issues, including the relationship between native and foreign language pronunciations, the problems of non-native learners when learning foreign language pronunciation and the factors that can positively or negatively affect its learning. The book analyses foreign language pronunciation from both the linguistic and pedagogical points of view. It will thus appeal to all foreign language learners, teachers, linguists, and methodologists.

The testing and assessment of language competence continues to be a much debated issue in foreign language teaching and research. This book is the first one to address the testing of four important dimensions of foreign language education which have been left largely unconsidered: learner autonomy, intercultural competence, literature and literary competence, and the integration of content and language learning. Each area is considered through a theoretical framework, followed by two empirical studies, raising questions of importance to all language teachers: How can one test literary competence? Can intercultural competence be measured? What about the integrated assessment of content-and-language in CLIL and teaching? Is progress in autonomous learning skill gaugeable? The book constitutes essential reading for anyone interested in the testing and assessment of seemingly largely untestable aspects of foreign language competence. "The title of this book is well chosen. Despite the apparent oxymoron, this collection of papers succeeds in addressing important issues of educational policy and theory with the precision born of empirical work combined with discussion of principles. This book will open new options for testers, for teachers and for those who make policy decisions." Michael Byram, School of Education, University of Durham, UK

The Tuning Russia project is a result of the effort and dedication of many people with a commitment to higher education. From the outset it has been clear that the Tuning Russia project is both a project and an experience. It is a project that has brought together leading representatives of higher education institutions in Russia and Europe to discuss the most significant aspects of university systems with the ultimate aim of bringing about improvements through the sharing of good practices.

An accessible introduction to language development aimed at a wide audience of students from different disciplines such as psychology, behavioural science, linguistics, cognitive science, and speech pathology. It requires only minimal knowledge of psychology, and is intended for undergraduates from the second year of studies onwards. The wide accessibility to undergraduates is achieved by avoiding technical terminology when possible and explaining all crucial concepts in the text. From the first moment of life, language development occurs in the context of social activities. This book emphasises how language development interacts with social and cognitive development, and shows how these abilities work together to turn children into sophisticated language users—a process that continues well beyond the early years. Covering the breadth of contemporary research on language development, Brooks and Kempe illustrate the methodological variety and multi-disciplinary character of the field, presenting recent findings with reference to major theoretical discussions. Through their clear and accessible style, readers are given an authentic flavour of the complexities of language development research. With such research advancing at a rapid pace, Language Development uncovers new insights into a variety of areas such as the neurophysiological underpinnings of language, the language processing capabilities of newborns, and the role of genes in regulating this amazing human ability.

The last twenty years has seen a huge evolution in approaches to language-learning, due to new technology as well changing theories on how to best teach languages. Recognising the key relationship between research, practice and program development, Changing Language Education Through CALL is an important text advocating change that makes effective use of new research into learning styles, as well as new technology. Bringing together sixteen internationally respected experts in second-language acquisition and computer technologies, it presents teachers with user-friendly, flexible ways to incorporate technology into the language learning process and provides both the theoretical and practical basis for CALL applications across a broad spectrum of teaching styles, textbooks and courses. Practical and clearly presented, each chapter in this book concentrates on the learning process and the teacher’s role in facilitating this through the proper and effective use of technology - thus ensuring that the partnership of pedagogical expertise and technological innovation remains the work’s focus.

The first edition of this work became a standard reference work in the general context of humanistic approaches to foreign language teaching and learning. This new edition gives a brief overview of further developments in relevant fields and discusses the importance of the concept of teaching as an art in light of the increasing standardization and digitalization of education. Reviews of the 1st edition I believe that the book will become a standard reference point for all those who, against the current tide of 'scientific', objectives-based, test-oriented, control-obsessed, sterile approaches to language teaching, continue to believe that language teaching is indeed an art, and a joyful art at that. Prof. Dr. Alan Maley in English Language Teaching Journal Peter Lutzker is a major educational thinker and has spent half an earthly span living towards this major book. (...) I have placed Peter's book on my shelves next to those of Rogers, Curran, Dufeu and Stevick. Mario Rinvolucri in Humanising Language Teaching