Distance Education and Languages

Evolution and Change

Edited by Prof. Börje Holmberg, Dr. Monica Shelley, Dr. Cynthia J. White

Publication date:

23 March 2005

Publisher

Multilingual Matters

Dimensions:

210x148mm
6x8"

ISBN-13: 9781853597763

This edited book is the first collection of studies dealing specifically with the teaching of languages at a distance. It contains contributions from language teaching professionals working all over the world in different contexts and at different stages of development, and covers a variety of languages. Based on practical experience and research, it includes work on learner autonomy and support; theories of distance language learning; the development of intercultural competence; methodology and course design; different learning environments and how to make best use of them, and language teacher education. These contributions have been collected together in one volume to encourage the establishment of collaborative links between practitioners in different institutions and around the world and inspire more related research in the future to guide our understanding and reflection on evolution and change within the field.

Börje Holmberg: Preface
Monica Shelley and Cynthia White: Introduction
Part 1: Learner Autonomy
1 Stella Hurd: Autonomy and the Distance Language Learner
2 Linda Murphy: Critical Reflection and Autonomy: A Study of Distance Learners of French, German and Spanish
3 Alex Ding: Theoretical and Practical Issues in the Promotion of Collaborative Learner Autonomy in a Virtual Self-access Centre
Part 2: Learner Perspectives and Support
4 Cynthia White: Towards a Learner-based Theory of Distance Language Learning: The Concept of the Learner–Context Interface
5 Cristina Ros i Solé and Mike Truman: Feedback in Distance Language Learning: Current Practices and New Directions
6 Carisma Dreyer, Nwabisa Bangeni and Charl Nel: A Framework for Supporting Students Studying English via a Mixed-mode Delivery System
Part 3: Development of Intercultural Competence
7 Monica Shelley and Uwe Baumann: Assessing Intercultural Competence Gain in a German Distance Learning Course for Adults
8 Richard Fay and Leah Davcheva: Developing Professional Intercultural Communicative Competence: Reflections on Distance Learning Programmes for Language Educators and Translators/Interpreters in Bulgaria
Part 4: Methodology and Course Design
9 Börje Holmberg: Teaching Foreign Language Skills by Distance Education Methods: Some Basic Considerations
10 Cecilia Garrido: Course Design for the Distance Learner of Spanish: More Challenges than Meet the Eye
Part 5: Learning Environments
11 Donald Weasenforth, Christine F. Meloni and Sigrun Biesenbach-Lucas: Learner Autonomy and Course Management Software
12 Vincenza Tudini: Chatlines for Beginners: Negotiating Conversation at a Distance
13 Andreas Schramm: Making Online Students Connect: Ethnographic Strategies for Developing Online Learning Experiences
14 John Milton: From Parrots to Puppet Masters: Fostering Creative and Authentic Language Use with Online Tools
15 Mirjam Hauck and Regine Hampel: The Challenges of Implementing Online Tuition in Distance Language Courses: Task Design and Tutor Role
Part 6: Language Teacher Development
16 Heidi Hansson and Elisabeth Wennö: Closing the Distance: Compensatory Strategies in Distance Language Education
17 Franca Poppi, Lesley Low and Marina Bondi: PLEASE (Primary Language Teacher Education: Autonomy and Self-Evaluation)
18 Do Coyle: Exploring Zones of Interactivity in Foreign Language and Bilingual Teacher Education
Notes on Contributors
Author Index
Subject Index

I found that Holmberg and his colleagues offer an excellent account of the practice of distance education, with particular emphasis paid to language. I found this book very useful and I was honoured to have been given the opportunity to review such excellent work. I feel that Holmberg and colleagues have written a fine compendium of distance education in relation to language teaching.