JALT Journal - Issue 35.2; November 2013


Volume: 35
Issue No. 2
Date of publication: November 2013
https://doi.org/10.37546/JALTJJ35.2
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In this Issue

Articles 

35.2 JJWe are pleased to present a variety of pieces for you in this autumn issue of JALT Journal. Our first contribution, a full-length research article, comes from Michinobu Watanabe, who explores whether Japanese students’ willingness to communicate in English changes during the high school years. We also present two Perspectives pieces. The first is by Chit Cheung Matthew Sung, who explores controversies surrounding the implications of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) for English Language Teaching (ELT) while considering the realities of language teachers and learners. In the second, Gregory Paul Glasgow discusses the impact of MEXT’s new national senior high school Course of Study for Foreign Languages on collaboration between Japanese teachers of English (JTEs) and assistant language teachers (ALTs). 

Point to Point

In addition, we offer a stimulating point-counterpoint debate. Panayiotis Panayides initiates the debate by responding to an article from our previous issue entitled “Using Rasch Analysis to Create and Evaluate a Measurement Instrument for Foreign Language Classroom Speaking Anxiety” (2013, vol. 35, pp. 5-28). The author of the original article, Matthew T. Apple, makes his counterpoints to the critique in “The Author Responds.”

Reviews

In the first of our six book reviews, Crystal Green looks at an investigation into professional identity through the experiences of native Japanese teachers of English. In the second, Harumi Kimura reviews a book focused on refuting common misunderstandings about how people learn languages. Third, Leigh McDowell examines a model for curriculum design in language courses and programs. The next review, by Jason Moser, covers an edited collection of research studies into task-based language teaching in EFL contexts. Our fifth review comes from Richard J. Sampson, who reports on a range of studies into identity, motivation, and autonomy in language learning in an edited volume. Finally, Vick Ssali and Umida Ashurova join forces to review an edited work that exclusively addresses language learning outside the classroom.

From the Editor

It’s hard to imagine November’s cool breezes and the changing colours of the leaves when the JALT Journal production cycle begins in the sweltering heat of July. However, if I close my eyes and sit right under the air conditioner in my office, I can almost do it. Once again, I thank the members of the Editorial Advisory Board and additional readers for their assistance. At this time, I would like to thank Tim Murphey in particular; he leaves the EAB after many years of service to JALT Journal as a reviewer. I again offer my thanks to all the authors who have chosen JALT Journal as the home for their work, Anne Howard, our Associate Editor who is increasingly taking on JJ tasks, Greg Sholdt, our go-to stats man, and as always, Production-Editor-slash-Goddess Aleda Krause and her crack production team who are keeping JALT Journal standards high. Starting with this issue, JALT Journal will be printed on recycled paper, in response to a JALT member suggestion.

Melodie Cook

Contents