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English-for-Teaching: rethinking teacher proficiency in the classroom / Donald Freeman, Anne Katz, Pablo Garcia Gomez and Anne Burns. // ELT journal. 2015, Vol. 69, No.2
2015.
p. 129-139.

The expansion of English teaching in state education systems places increasing demands on English language teachers and how they are trained. A major thrust of these efforts has focused on improving teachers’ English language proficiency. This expectation is manifested in policy and pedagogical directives that teachers ‘teach English in English’. We argue for a reconceptualization of teacher language proficiency, not as general English proficiency but as a specialized subset of language skills required to prepare and teach lessons. This concept of English-for-Teaching as a bounded form of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) for the classroom builds on what teachers know about teaching, while introducing and confirming specific classroom language. This article describes how the construct was developed and then describes sample classroom tasks and the language needed to enact them in three major areas: managing the classroom, understanding and communicating lesson content, and assessing students and giving feedback.
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Syllable Circles for pronunciation learning and teaching / John Whipple, Charlie Cullen, Keith Gardiner and Tim Savage // ELT journal. 2015, Vol. 69, No.2
2015.
p. 151-164.

Syllable Circles are interactive visualizations representing prominence as a feature in short phrases or multi-syllable words. They were designed for computer-aided pronunciation teaching. This study explores whether and how interactive visualizations can affect language learners’ awareness of prominence, or stress, in English pronunciation. The study followed seven learners and three teachers. Think-aloud protocols, notes from direct observation, and interviews allowed for six streams of data. It was found that interactive visualizations of Syllable Circles facilitate learners’ noticing of prominence. Learners and teachers believed interactive visualizations were a useful means for presenting prominence and other suprasegmental features, and would be valuable learning and teaching resources.
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Toward facilitative mentoring and catalytic interventions / Melissa K. Smith and Marilyn Lewis // ELT journal. 2015, Vol. 69, No.2
2015.
p. 140-150.

In TESOL teacher mentoring, giving advice can be conceptualized as a continuum, ranging from directive to facilitative feedback. The goal, over time, is to lead toward the facilitative end of the continuum and specifically to catalytic interventions that encourage self-reflection and autonomous learning. This study begins by examining research on the mentor’s advice-giving role. Next, the experiences of seven mentors participating in a mentor training programme illustrate how mentors view and fulfil their role. Data from the seven mentors’ coursework is examined to identify the approaches and techniques that emerge during this process as they attempt to move toward catalytic interventions.