The JOURNAL OF APPLIED LINGUISTICS - Volume 27
Annual Publication of the Greek Applied Linguistics Association

Contents

Aspassia Chatzidaki & Ioanna Xenikaki
BILINGUAL DEVELOPMENT OF IMMIGRANT ADOLESCENTS IN GREECE

Ermioni Christopoulou
SHOULD EFL TEXTBOOK WRITERS CHANGE THEIR MIND? A CORPUS-BASED STUDY ON THE USE OF IDIOMS IN EFL TEXTBOOKS AT C2 LEVEL

Anna-Maria Hatzitheodorou
GENRE IN LEGAL ENGLISH INSTRUCTION

Μαρία Παραδιά, Σωτήριος Γκλαβάς, Ναπολέων Μήτσης, Δημήτριος Τζιμώκας
ΕIΔΗ ΔΙΔΑΚΤΙΚΟY ΥΛΙΚΟY ΚΑΙ ΤYΠΟΙ ΑΞΙΟΛOΓΗΣΗΣ ΤΟΥ ΛΕΞΙΛΟΓIΟΥ ΣΤΟ ΠΛΑIΣΙΟ ΤΗΣ ΓΛΩΣΣΙΚHΣ ΔΙΔΑΣΚΑΛIΑΣ ΓΥΜΝΑΣIΟΥ

Erifili Roubou
CRITICAL REFLECTION IN EDUCATION: A TRAINING PROGRAMME FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHERS

Dina Tsagari
CLASSROOM EVALUATION IN EFL STATE-SCHOOLS IN GREECE AND CYPRUS: TOWARDS ‘ASSESSMENT LITERACY’

bullet Aspassia Chatzidaki & Ioanna Xenikaki
BILINGUAL DEVELOPMENT OF IMMIGRANT ADOLESCENTS IN GREECE
Τhe present paper presents the results of a questionnaire survey conducted among 118 adolescents of immigrant origin in the town of Ierapetra, Crete, with a view to examining their bilingual development and patterns of language use. In particular, we discuss findings related to (a) the mastery of both Greek and their ethnic languages and (b) potential correlations between degree of develo pment and other variables. Results indicate that Greek appears to be the informants' dominant language, while its development is related to a younger age at arrival and a longer period of stay. However, the ethnic languages are reportedly developed to satisfactory levels. They are also used quite extensively with members of family and peer networks, although Greek gains ground among younger speakers. Ethnic language development correlates mostly with (i) frequency of use in a number of activities and (ii) plans to repatriate or stay in the host country, but not with frequency of visits to the country of origin.


bullet Ermioni Christopoulou
SHOULD EFL TEXTBOOK WRITERS CHANGE THEIR MIND? A CORPUS-BASED STUDY ON THE USE OF IDIOMS IN EFL TEXTBOOKS AT C2 LEVEL
Research has paid special attention to idiomatic multi-word units (MWUs) or pre-fabricated patterns used by English speakers, and various criteria have been proposed for an elaborate classification of these patterns. Idiomatic MWUs comprise an integrative part of EFL textbooks and it is interesting to investigate their frequency. Thus, the present paper addresses the issue of frequency of idiomatic MWUs in a small pedagogic corpus which consists of two EFL textbooks for Greek learners of English at C2 level of language proficiency. Ad - ditionally, comparisons are drawn between the occurrence of MWUs in the two EFL textbooks and their occurrence in the Bank of English. The data demonstrate important discrepancies between the two corpora, which indicates that EFL textbook designers should be informed by corpus findings. Last, serious implications come to light regarding the issue of recycling MWUs in EFL textbooks.


bullet Anna-Maria Hatzitheodorou
GENRE IN LEGAL ENGLISH INSTRUCTION
This paper argues for raising genre awareness in academic classrooms in order to enhance academic literacy. Analyzing research article abstracts can lead towards that goal. An adapted framework of moves for the analysis of abstracts is suggested and then applied to abstracts of three journals of the discipline of Law. It is found that the frequency of occurrence of moves is determined by the journal and certain moves are more central than others. It is contended that the approach adopted in this paper highlights the connection of purpose in writing with content and style, and, therefore, sensitizes students to the discursive practices of their disciplines. The analysis of abstracts reported here can generate further research on abstract writing and be implemented in EAP/ESP classrooms with the ultimate goal of more effectively understanding how different disciplines construct research article abstracts.

bullet Μαρία Παραδιά, Σωτήριος Γκλαβάς, Ναπολέων Μήτσης, Δημήτριος Τζιμώκας
ΕIΔΗ ΔΙΔΑΚΤΙΚΟY ΥΛΙΚΟY ΚΑΙ ΤYΠΟΙ ΑΞΙΟΛOΓΗΣΗΣ ΤΟΥ ΛΕΞΙΛΟΓIΟΥ ΣΤΟ ΠΛΑIΣΙΟ ΤΗΣ ΓΛΩΣΣΙΚHΣ ΔΙΔΑΣΚΑΛIΑΣ ΓΥΜΝΑΣIΟΥ
The present paper focuses on the instruction materials and assessment techniques currently used for vocabulary teaching as part of Modern Greek Language courses in Greek junior high schools and investigates the extend that these materials and techniques conform with the principle of vocabulary-grammar equality. More specifically, the main aim of the study is to examine whether there is a correlation between the vocabulary status preferred by the instructor and the teaching materials and assessment techniques being applied. In addition, the relevant proposals made by the instructors concerning the improvement of students’ textbooks, are presented. For these aims to be accomplished, a special questionnaire was developed, which was filled in by philologists of both sexes and of different teaching experience, from all three grades of junior high schools, both provincial and urban. The results of the sampling reveal that the instructors are divided in two almost equivalent groups: those who regard both vocabulary and grammar as equally important and those who consider vocabulary of secondary importance. However, as far as the general teaching method of vocabulary is concerned, almost all instructors prefer working on vocabulary in a systematic way and within a communicative model. Contrary to that, as far as the teaching materials are concerned, instructors rely on typically traditional solutions such as the use of language material and vocabulary activities exclusively from the textbook where vocabulary has been approached separately from the other language levels. In addition, there was a proportionate tendency to the above in the instructors’ proposals concerning the improvement of students’ textbooks. Finally, yet in opposition to the above teaching practices, instructors appear to particularly promote the integrated vocabulary assessment method.

 
bullet Erifili Roubou
CRITICAL REFLECTION IN EDUCATION: A TRAINING PROGRAMME FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHERS
The focus of this paper is on reflective teaching, the latest approach to teacher education programs. It begins with an overview of prior approaches that eventually led to its emergence and outlines the basic principles that underlie it. This article also links theory to practice by offering a practical and easy to implement model for teacher education programs. The model and the extra activities provided are applicable to various teaching contexts and can prove a valuable aid both for pre-service and in-service teachers who want to reflect on their current teaching practices and beliefs they bring into the language classroom. Due to the number of different activities involved in each stage, it can also be implemented by academic institutions as part of students’ teaching practice as well as by teacher education institutions offering courses and hands-on experience to prospective professionals in the field of foreign language teaching.

 
bullet Dina Tsagari
CLASSROOM EVALUATION IN EFL STATE-SCHOOLS IN GREECE AND CYPRUS: TOWARDS ‘ASSESSMENT LITERACY’
The measurement of language skills is a widespread, if not integral practice of most language teaching programs around the world. This has resulted in the introduction of various assessment procedures carried out by teachers and used as a basis for measuring progress in a foreign language (Brindley 1997). However, we know very little about how teachers deal with assessment demands in their daily practice and the types of skills they need to cope with these demands (‘assessment literacy’).
This paper discusses the nature of ‘assessment literacy’ and presents results of investigations carried out to date in the field. It also presents further research findings which illustrate the nature and practices of classroom assessment and opportunities from in-service teachers of English in public schools in Greece and Cyprus. The paper concludes by making suggestions on how teachers can successfully develop their ‘assessment literacy’.