The Language Teacher

Introduction

The
Language
Teacher
O n l i n e

I am often asked by potential contributors and readers about the kinds of articles TLT publishes. The current TLT aims to offer readers a wide variety of practical, pedagogical articles which say something new about our field, which pick up a current trend and present it from a different viewpoint, or which inspire teachers to rethink their approaches and techniques.

The bottom line is quality reading from cover to cover that is relevant to you, our readers. In addition to full-length articles, TLT devotes at least half of each issue to keeping you informed about JALT activities and those of other organizations. We hope you enjoy this balance.

Though much of this information is bilingual, there are still many opportunities for contributions in Japanese. Book Reviews, My Share, Opinions and Perspectives, and A Chapter in Your Life all welcome submissions in Japanese. Please contact the Japanese language editors of these columns (p. 2) for more information or to submit your article.

A new column making its debut this month invites letters in Japanese and English. Please take a look at the introduction by co-editors Bill Lee and Koarai Mikiya.

To introduce this issue, we open with a practical and informative article on the academic publishing world by a current journal editor based in Hong Kong, George Braine. Two articles on student evaluation of teachers and teaching follow, the first one by a Japan-based author, Stephen M. Ryan, and the second one by an author in Turkey, Aysegul Daloglu. Gu Jianxin presents his successful conversation classes in China, which implement pictures in a number of different ways.

The next three articles were contributed by speakers at JALT98: Main Speakers Michael McCarthy and Mark Clarke (in collaboration with his colleagues, Alan Davis, Lynn K. Rhodes, and Elaine DeLott Baker).

Our Japanese article this month is by Kobayashi Hiroaki, who discusses "foreigner talk." Alan Hunt offers a comprehensive report of a seminar conducted by Batia Laufer earlier this year.

Staff changes on the proofreading front include the retirements of Craig Sower and Lanny Dryden. Thanks to both of them for their excellent work. Craig will join the Editorial Advisory Board as an article reviewer. Two new proofreaders join TLT staff this issue, John Grummitt and Steven Snyder. Welcome and thanks to all!

Laura MacGregor, Editor