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Papers by Richard Badger

Applied Linguistics, 2010

Many student teachers doubt the relevance of second language acquisition to the language classroo... more Many student teachers doubt the relevance of second language acquisition to the language classroom. This paper investigates the ways in which SLA courses can be justified in terms of whether they influence the views of students teachers. We found the SLA course influenced some, but not all, views of the student teacher. We suggest that the variation in the changes of the SLA may reflect the way students teachers perceive the knowledge of SLA that they bring to the course and that this is best understood within a framework which sees SLA courses as a means of facilitating interaction between the views and knowledge of students teachers and of the views of knowledge of researchers in SLA. Introduction The contribution of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research to English language teaching and to teacher education is not straightforward (Ellis, 1997; Lightbown, 1985). While the intention of SLA research is to improve language pedagogy (Ellis, 1997 p. 69), and most SLA researchers ha...

TESOL Quarterly, 2018

This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Condition... more This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy.

ITL - International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 1999

The ability to carry out repairs is a key skill in spoken discourse for non-native speakers of En... more The ability to carry out repairs is a key skill in spoken discourse for non-native speakers of English and has been widely studied. However, VAN HEST et al. (1997) have suggested that investigations into repair in L2 need to be more theoretically driven and less concerned with individual differences. Drawing on information from a pilot study of twenty-three conversations, lasting 185 minutes between six native and six non-native speakers, this paper argues that there is no conflict between a concern with individual differences and theory building. What is needed is a contextualised theory which is grounded in particular situations and individual differences. The paper identifies three possible areas of difficulty that may arise if a theory is not contextualised. Firstly, the paper argues that theory driven research encourages methods of data collection that we characterise as experimental and suggest that these need to be supplemented by more naturalistic forms of data collection. S...

TESL Canada Journal, 1999

This article investigates a first-year undergraduate program in TESOL consisting of three strands... more This article investigates a first-year undergraduate program in TESOL consisting of three strands: a language-based course, a theme-based content course, and a sheltered-content course. Learners rated different aspects of their development in language, skills, and strategies-as well as motivational factors-over two semesters. Overall, learners rated the language-based course more highly in the first semester and the two content courses more highly in the second. Three conclusions were drawn: first, variation in methodology and design of the content course is such that it is difficult to generalize about generic types of content course; second, our EAP course/program might benefit from progressing asymmetrically, by starting with a more extensive language component and ending with a more extensive content component; and, third, no course was perceived by learners to provide optimum language acquisition and skills development in every domain.

A study examined cohesive reference in a newspaper report of a law case, with the intention of he... more A study examined cohesive reference in a newspaper report of a law case, with the intention of helping students read such texts. Occurrences of two classes of items signaling referential cohesion were analyzed: personals (personal pronouns and possessive adjectives) and demonstratives (including the definite article). Factors that might lead a reader to misinterpret items as cohesive or non-cohesive were sought out. It is concluded that referential cohesive analysis is a useful tool for examining texts, but that the approach carries with it several problems. It is often difficult to determine whether an item is cohesive or not, and to establish the kind of link between the cohesive item and the antecedent. (MSE) * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. *

Academic Exchange Quarterly, Sep 22, 2001

Abstract Many student teachers doubt the relevance of second language acquisition to the language... more Abstract Many student teachers doubt the relevance of second language acquisition to the language classroom. This paper investigates the ways in which SLA courses can be justified in terms of whether they influence the views of students teachers. We found the SLA course influenced some, but not all, views of the student teacher. We suggest that the variation in the changes of the SLA may reflect the way students teachers perceive the knowledge of SLA that they bring to the course and that this is best understood within a framework which sees SLA courses as a means of facilitating interaction between the views and knowledge of students teachers and of the views of knowledge of researchers in SLA. Introduction The contribution of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research to English language teaching and to teacher education is not straightforward (Ellis, 1997; Lightbown, 1985). While the intention of SLA research is to improve language pedagogy (Ellis, 1997 p. 69), and most SLA researchers have at some time been language teachers (Tarone et al, 1976 p. 19), SLA courses on teacher education programmes are often said to be either excessively theoretical (Brown, 1983 p. 53; Brumfit, 1983 p. 59; Lightbown, 1985 p. 183) or not `relevant' to what goes on in the classroom (Eykin in Markee, 1997 p.80; Lynch, 1997 p.317). This partly reflects the nature of educational research. For example, in a review of fifty examples of SLA research, it emerged that only fifteen were actually carried out in authentic language classrooms (Nunan, 1991 p. 5). Thus, Krashen(1983 p. 255) has concluded that theory is "rejected by most language teachers" This division between theory and practice has been echoed by many of the undergraduates and postgraduates studying with the authors on programmes in TESOL. Our student teachers pride themselves on their pragmatism, just wanting to `get on with the job' of learning how to teach in the classroom. In keeping with a majority of similar programmes (Ellis, 1997 p. 70), our programme contains an SLA course. We find that our student teachers' pragmatism mitigates against the theory and research aspects of SLA. Here are examples of the sort of feedback we have been receiving over the years both orally and, here, from the students' written evaluation forms on our courses in SLA: () This course was much more theoretical than I am used to. () This course gave me information overload -- I was not sure how it fitted into the classroom. () There is an imbalance between theory and practice. () Too many theories. These views are not limited to our own students. So Markee says ... from the perspective of practising foreign language teachers, Second Language Acquisition research is rarely worth reading because the ideas researchers discuss are too distant from teachers' everyday classroom concerns (1997 p. 80) Similarly Lynch (1997 p. 317) states Many, perhaps most, language teachers regard research into language acquisition and language learning as remote and irrelevant. However, there is a paradox here. While many student teachers appear to reject theory; at the same time many of them appear to expect from a course "instant panaceas, rigid rules of thumb, clear statements of practice, and absolute generalisations (Brumfit, 1983 p. 60)" or "definitions, rules, absolutes"(Brown, 1983 p. 54). Where else can this come but from theory? Krashen states: "Given a brief workshop or inservice, the most practical, most valuable information we can provide [teachers] is a coherent view of how language is acquired, a theory of second language acquisition" (1983 p. 281 in Markee, 1997 p. 87). Perhaps it is not that we are giving our student teachers too much theory; but rather we are not giving them the right theory, or addressing the right issues (Wright, 1992 p. 189). There is also a more abstract debate about the relationship between theories and classroom practice. …

Journal of Further and Higher Education, 2014

ABSTRACT IELTS scores are widely used in combination with academic results as a way of judging wh... more ABSTRACT IELTS scores are widely used in combination with academic results as a way of judging whether non-English background students should be admitted to degree-level courses in Anglophone contexts. However, successful study at university requires more than language competence and intellectual ability and international students often seem to start from a different place from similarly qualified local students. This study investigated how an IELTS preparation course helped Chinese students taking an Economics A-level course to achieve a similar level of academic socialisation to local students. The participants were six students on the programme, their Economics teacher and their English teacher. The data sets were field notes of the Economics and IELTS classes, interviews with the students and teachers, teaching materials and students’ writing. We found that the IELTS classes helped expand the students’ vocabulary and developed their confidence in speaking. Other features of the courses such as the use of local accents, colloquial language, the ability to use sources, extensive reading and, more generally, independent study were less obviously addressed. Despite these gaps, the students completed their pre-university and university studies successfully, at least partly because of three factors unrelated to the IELTS course: (1) interaction with a range of groups that supported academic socialisation, (2) the Economics teacher’s attitude to the students’ participation and (3) the students’ resources, which meant they were aware of what was needed for academic success, had a desire to succeed and had, or could develop, the appropriate skills for appropriate academic socialisation.

Journal of Pragmatics, 2006

Argument plays an important role in (applied) linguistics and is one of the mechanisms by which t... more Argument plays an important role in (applied) linguistics and is one of the mechanisms by which the cognitive content of the discipline is developed. This role has been reflected in the recent development of specific sections in some journals for series of argumentative or agonistic articles. However, concern has also been expressed about the potential of agonistic argument to damage the human community of current and potential (applied) linguists. This paper reports on a study into three arguments represented by articles which have appeared in these sections and uses a variety of concordancing tools to explore how such articles differ both from other articles that appear in the same journal and from other articles written by the same authors. The research concludes that agonistic articles address important issues but that they display more negative attitudes towards other members of the discourse community than non-agonistic articles do. There is a danger that the arguments may damage the community of (applied) linguists.

English for Specific Purposes, 2009

... The analysis procedures were as follows: 1. After (Creswell, 2007) and (Tesch, 1990), we read... more ... The analysis procedures were as follows: 1. After (Creswell, 2007) and (Tesch, 1990), we read through the transcripts of the data to obtain a sense of the overall data and made notes of aspects that ... In ISKD 2, the teacher, Jenny, was explaining the future with 'will' to her students ...

Critical Inquiry in Language Studies, 2009

This paper analyses a corpus of UK policy documents which sets out national security policy as an... more This paper analyses a corpus of UK policy documents which sets out national security policy as an exemplar of the contemporary discourse of counter-terrorism in Europe, the USA and worldwide. A corpus of 148 documents (c. 2.8 million words) was assembled to reflect the security discourse produced by the UK government before and after the 7/7 attacks on the London Transport system. To enable a chronological comparison, the two sub-corpora were defined: one relating to a discourse of citizenship and community cohesion (2001-2006); and one relating to the 'Preventing Violent Extremism' discourse (2007-2011). Wordsmith Tools (Scott 2008) was used to investigate keywords and patterns of collocation. The results present themes emerging from a comparative analysis of the 100 strongest keywords in each subcorpus; as well as a qualitative analysis of related patterns of the collocation, focusing in particular on features of connotation and semantic prosody.

ELT Journal, 2000

Based upon the three major problems that prevail in the argumentative writing of graduates, such ... more Based upon the three major problems that prevail in the argumentative writing of graduates, such as loose framework, Chinese thinking and poor coherence, the article perfects the four stages of Process Genre Pedagogy (PGP) put forward by Han Jinlong and brings forth anew the other five, namely, model paper analysis and demonstration, group discussion and imitation, individual imitation and writing, whole-class comment and modification, as well as final drafting and publication. The research indicates that the effectiveness is demonstrated in the following advantages, explicit discourse framework awareness, co-emphasis on both language and discourse, and the strengthening of cooperative learning, in the company of demerits like being prescriptive and timeconsuming. It is suggested finally that the efficacy of Process Genre Pedagogy in improving argumentative writing for In-service Masters of Education be maximized by means of optimizing information input, reinforcing technical training and constructing harmonious learning environment.

System, 2007

The teacher who works for or allows status quo is the traitor. Purposeful change is the new norm ... more The teacher who works for or allows status quo is the traitor. Purposeful change is the new norm in teaching' . Change Forces: Probing the Depths of Educational Reform. Falmer, London.]. The University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Pakistan (USJP) is the main provider of tertiary education in English in the province of Sindh. However, concern has been expressed about the English literacy skills of USJP graduates, something which has been said of similar regional universities in Pakistan. This may link to the fact that in USJP, as elsewhere in higher education in Pakistan, reading is taught in lectures.

Journal of Second Language Writing, 2006

This study examines whether peer feedback can be a substitute for teacher feedback and which meas... more This study examines whether peer feedback can be a substitute for teacher feedback and which measures can be taken to improve its effectiveness. A pre-test post-test control group design examined the long-term learning effects of individual peer feedback and of collective teacher feedback on writing assignments in secondary education. Moreover, it examined the added value of a priori question forms and a posteriori reply forms aimed at supporting the assessee's response to peer feedback. The study supports the 'non-inferiority' hypothesis of there being no significant difference in students' progress after plain substitutional peer feedback or teacher feedback. Both groups (plain peer feedback and teacher feedback), however, improved significantly less than the groups that worked with question or reply forms, confirming the added-value of these forms. Almost half of the students found the received peer feedback helpful, but less than a quarter considered giving feedback an aid in their own learning process.

English for Specific Purposes, 2000

In this article we explore the usefulness of the criterion of authenticity for the selection and ... more In this article we explore the usefulness of the criterion of authenticity for the selection and evaluation of EAP materials. These materials were specialised listening texts used on a ®rst year undergraduate programme at a U.K. university. Using a student questionnaire and techniques of discourse analysis based on Halliday's concepts of ®eld, tenor and mode, we investigated the levels of diculty and relevance of materials using four media: published audio tapes, audio recordings of a live lecture, video materials and a short, simulated lecture by the teacher. We found that the texts which related to the students experience and permitted learner interaction appeared to have more potential for language learning than those which merely replicated the discourse of the target situation. #

Journal of Further and Higher Education, 2002

ABSTRACT Much research has been done on note taking at lectures over the past 75 years. However, ... more ABSTRACT Much research has been done on note taking at lectures over the past 75 years. However, in the UK during the past decade students have been admitted without the traditional formal qualifi cations. The aims of this study were to compare the core academic skill of ...

Journal of Further and Higher Education, 2004

This paper explores how lecturers across a range of subjects perceived lectures. In particular, w... more This paper explores how lecturers across a range of subjects perceived lectures. In particular, what did they regard the role of modern technology to be. Twenty‐five lecturers were interviewed, using a semi‐structured schedule. Results indicated a range of views from the lecture as an inspirational address to providing a detailed outline of each point in a related sequence. Nearly all of the sample regarded their main function as transmitting knowledge in some form or other. There was a range of attitudes towards modern technology, from those who refused to use it to passionate advocates of Power Point presentations and advocates of the use of videos of world famous lecturers in the field.

Teaching and Teacher Education, 2001

This paper is a response to the common perception by student teachers that the research and theor... more This paper is a response to the common perception by student teachers that the research and theory courses on their program are overtheoretical and unrelated to classroom practice. While there is some support for a categorical distinction between theory and practice in language education, it is suggested that the beliefs, assumptions and knowledge of teachers are in fact inextricably bound up with what goes on in the classroom. We investigate two groups of student teachers studying at undergraduate and postgraduate level to become teachers of English to speakers of other languages. We examine the extent to which a research and theory course which both groups took in second language acquisition influenced key beliefs which students held relating to language learning during their period of study. r