Special Issue

ELT in the time of the coronavirus 2020

 

Guest Editor

The guest editor for this special issue is Dr. Jock Wong, Centre for English Language Communication, National University of Singapore.

 

Aims and Scopes

Unlike scholars in most other disciplines, who may conduct lectures in a huge lecture hall for hundreds of students, English language educators, who often play a supportive role in universities, tend to work with students in seminar-style sessions (in a classroom). This means that during times when increased physical distancing is required, like the current time of the coronavirus, while lecturers could webcast their lectures for students to watch at their own time, ELT practitioners like us have to find other ways to maximize their students’ learning.

 

What are some of the things that ELT practitioners in universities around the world do to maximize student learning AND increase physical distancing? One obvious answer might be the use of IT and apps, such as Google Meet and Zoom. However, what about universities which do not have the financial means to fully equip their teaching staff with IT resources? What about students who cannot afford to own a computer device? Other issues include those related to course materials, consultations and assessments. How have you adapted materials to online teaching? How have you facilitated one-on-one consultations and monitor student progress? What adjustments have you made to assess students from a distance? Further, your students might need moral support at this time and what kinds of support have you provided, and how? Above all, what kinds of support has your organization provided and what more could they do? We believe these are some of the questions ELT practitioners are facing now.

 

The International Journal of TESOL Studies invites submissions for a special issue on ‘ELT in the time of the coronavirus 2020’. Contributors will address some of the questions raised above, or related issues/themes not mentioned above, and share their ideas with readers. The objective is thus one of sharing. If you have good ideas for fellow university ELT practitioners during this time, this is the place for you. You could present theories, methods and reflections. You could contribute ideas pertaining to any kind of module taught at a university level (e.g. report writing, academic writing, oral presentation).

 

Style Guide

Papers can be around 3,000-5,000 words in length (excluding the reference section) or more if necessary. You could use the following categories as a template for your paper:

1. Statement of the teaching context: Provide a short introduction to the country, the cultural context, the organization, the module, and the students where the distancing pedagogic practices are used.

2. Rationale for the practice or methodology: Present the problems that have emerged from the need to increase physical distancing. Explain the practices or methodology used to address the problems and their underlying theoretical and/or practical motivations. Present limitations if it helps. Links to video clips of your methodology (in which you are present, with consent from students and other people who appear in the video) in use are welcome.

3. Outcome of the practice or methodology: Comment on the outcome (if there is sufficient data) or expected outcome (if there is limited data).

4. Reflection: Reflect on and critically evaluate the methodology. Can the methodology be easily adapted for use by other ELT practitioners (at least those who work in a similar environment as you) during this time? Reflections on other related areas may also be included. Provide suggestions for the readers.

 

Deadline

The deadline for submission is tentatively 30 June (partly depending on the coronavirus situation). However, the aim is that if we receive enough good papers soon, we will publish them even before the deadline. You may indicate your interest to the guest editor by submitting an abstract (around 300 words) soon. Alternatively, you may make a submission without sending him an abstract beforehand. In both cases, please include an abstract in the paper submitted. It must be added that although we would like to publish papers in this special issue as soon as we can, each paper to be considered for publication will be peer reviewed to meet the standards of this journal.

 

Format of Submissions

Interested researchers need to submit abstracts and full papers to the guest editor, Dr. Jock Wong at jockonn@gmail.com.