TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)
Co-ordinators: Malcolm MacDonald, Sarah Rich and Salah Troudi
Here at Exeter, we are committed to/ actively engaged in undertaking research into a number of different aspects of TESOL.
Areas of particular interest are:
- Research which aims to develop a critical understanding of TESOL policy, curriculum design and classroom practice in different settings. We are interested in questions concerning how the sociocultural setting outside the classroom and wider political and historical processes impact on the teaching and learning processes inside the classroom. We are also interested in questions about the teaching and learning process in the classroom itself, and in the development of appropriate classroom pedagogy.
Research into spoken and written discourse. We are interested in exploring written and spoken texts both in terms of describing their linguistic features (a microanalysis) but also in terms of how discourse can be seen to represent and reproduce wider societal structures and power differentials (a macroanalysis). A particular interest is classroom discourse and the ways in which this creates or limits learning opportunities in the classroom. - Research into intercultural communication both in classrooms and in other settings.We are interested in questions concerning how intercultural understanding is achieved and in thinking about how to develop classroom methodology to develop intercultural competence.
- Research into how learners and teachers construct their identities and how these influence what happens in TESOL classrooms.
A particular focus of current research in the department is on how the above impact on the teaching of English to young learners and on teacher education.
For more information please contact Malcolm MacDonald, Programme Director for the EdD TESOL.
Dr Jill Cadorath
Dr Li Li
Dr Malcolm MacDonald
Ms Sarah Rich
Dr Salah Troudi