Publications by category
Books
Li L (2020).
Language Teacher Cognition: a Sociocultural Perspective. London, Springer Nature Limited (Palgrave Macmillan).
Abstract:
Language Teacher Cognition: a Sociocultural Perspective
Abstract.
Li L (2019).
Thinking Skills and Creativity in Second Language Education Case Studies from International Perspectives., Routledge.
Abstract:
Thinking Skills and Creativity in Second Language Education Case Studies from International Perspectives
Abstract.
Li L (2017). New Technologies and Language Learning.
Li L (2017).
Social Interaction and Teacher Cognition. Edinburgh, Edinburgh University Press.
Abstract:
Social Interaction and Teacher Cognition
Abstract.
Wegerif R, Li L, Kaufman JC (2015).
The routledge international handbook of research on teaching thinking.Abstract:
The routledge international handbook of research on teaching thinking
Abstract.
Journal articles
Li L (In Press). Integrating thinking skills in foreign language learning: Whatcan we learn from teachers’ perspectives?. Thinking Skills and Creativity
Li L (In Press). Should we teach critical thinking?. Secondary ELT
Li L (2023). Critical thinking from the ground up: teachers’ conceptions and practice in EFL classrooms. Teachers and Teaching, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print), 1-23.
Li L (2021). Learning Together Online: Insights into Knowledge Construction of Language Teachers in a CSCL Environment.
Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research,
9, 39-62.
Abstract:
Learning Together Online: Insights into Knowledge Construction of Language Teachers in a CSCL Environment
Sociocultural perspectives of learning emphasise the role of social interaction and activity in the process of knowledge construction and foreground the social-cultural settings in which knowledge construction occurs. This paper examines how in-service language teachers co-construct technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) in asynchronous discussion and explores two significant areas: 1) the critical elements of TPACK and 2) the process and strategies of knowledge construction. As such, the focus of the paper is placed on the type of knowledge that is considered significant by language teachers and the process of knowledge construction, with attention to the communicative strategies and resources. Online chats from 13 teachers are analysed using both thematic and sociocultural discourse analysis. The results indicate that TPACK mainly concerns the affordances of technology and methods to integrate technology from teachers’ perspectives. In the process of co-constructing TPACK, teachers use different communicative strategies to negotiate meaning and achieve mutual understanding. Various contextual resources are exploited to facilitate and mediate the process of knowledge construction. This paper highlights the significance of context in developing knowledge, the need for providing participants with training for communicative strategies, establishing ground rules in collaborative work, giving ownership of task or topic to the participants and the importance of social talk.
Abstract.
Li L (2020). Book review. System, 94, 102321-102321.
Li L (2020). Novice teachers' discursive construction of their identity: Insights from foreign language classrooms.
Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research,
8(3), 57-76.
Abstract:
Novice teachers' discursive construction of their identity: Insights from foreign language classrooms
Language teacher identity has received considerable attention in the past decade for its crucial roles in improving effective pedagogy and enhancing teacher learning. While a large number of studies have been conducted to investigate the multidimensional nature and complexities of in-service teacher identity, there is still insufficient knowledge regarding novice teachers who stayed in the profession for less than three years. In particular, although much research has argued the significant relationship between discourse and identity, few studies have investigated teacher identity through the lens of classroom discourse. This article addresses these gaps by drawing on applied conversation analysis to investigate the identity construction of seven teachers in the context of Chinese secondary English classes. Classroom recordings were made for detailed moment-by-moment analysis to explore the complexity of being a novice teacher in classroom practice. Findings revealed that identity construction-manifested through interactive work with students-is by and large about developing personal practical knowledge and engaging in language-related practices. The article discusses the implications of researching teacher identity for effective pedagogy and teacher education.
Abstract.
Li Z, Li L (2019). An examination of kindergarten teachers’ beliefs about creative pedagogy and their perceived implementation in teaching practices. Thinking Skills and Creativity, n/a, n-n/a.
Pifarré M, Li L (2018). Characterizing and unpacking learning to learn together skills in a wiki project in primary education.
Thinking Skills and Creativity,
29, 45-58.
Abstract:
Characterizing and unpacking learning to learn together skills in a wiki project in primary education
Learning to learn together (L2L2) skills are widely acknowledged as some of the most important 21 st century skills that enable learners to participate in a digital and global society. This paper examines how L2L2 skills emerged in a small-group wiki-based collaborative project and in the context of face-to-face real-classroom practice, in order to conceptualise L2L2 and identify the key features of the skills involved. To this end, our paper reports on an empirical study with primary school students who worked in two different modes of interaction, namely face-to-face in-pair discussion and on-line wiki-based between-pair discussion. The study identified and defined key features of four L2L2 skills, namely distributed leadership, mutual engagement, group reflection and group assessment, all of which emerged to a similar extent during the wiki project. It was found that a few distinctive features of L2L2 skills are related to different stages of task resolution, wiki affordances and different modes of collaboration. Therefore, this empirical study argues that technology and pedagogy are equally important and required to promote L2L2 skills in primary school classrooms and also it discusses some educational implications for the design of more effective technology-enhanced pedagogy.
Abstract.
Sert O, Li L (2017). A qualitative study on CALL knowledge and materials design: Insights from pre-service EFL teachers.
International Journal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning and Teaching,
7(3), 73-87.
Abstract:
A qualitative study on CALL knowledge and materials design: Insights from pre-service EFL teachers
The present study investigates how academic coursework and formal learning of instructional technology and materials design help pre-service English language teachers' development of critical knowledge of CALL materials. The participants are 111 pre-service English language teachers enrolled in a TEFL programme at a Turkish University. Throughout a 14-week semester, these participants learn to design a variety of CALL materials including online teaching tools and a set of Web 2.0 tools. The article explores the skills and knowledge of pre-service teachers on the design and development of audio-visual web-based activities, through qualitative content analysis of their written reflections. The analyses of reflections on practice have revealed that these teachers demonstrate strong and critical understanding of CALL in enriching authenticity, enhancing motivation, facilitating language learning, and providing multimodal resources. They also display great awareness of instructional knowledge, in particular, in the design and interface of technology to facilitate learning.
Abstract.
Li L (2016). Thinking skills and creativity in second language education: Where are we now?. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 22, 267-272.
Memari Hanjani A, Li L (2014). EFL learners’ written reflections on their experience of attending. process-based, student-centered essay writing course. The Asian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 2(1), 149-166.
Memari Hanjani A, Li L (2014). Exploring L2 writers’ collaborative revision interactions
and their writing performance.
System(44), 101-114.
Abstract:
Exploring L2 writers’ collaborative revision interactions
and their writing performance
Over the last few decades, researchers and practitioners have acknowledged the social aspects
of language learning. This study drew on Vygotsky’s sociocultural learning theory to
investigate EFL students’ interactional dynamics during a collaborative revision activity. It
also examined the impact of this jointly performed task on participants’ writing performance.
Participants included five pairs of EFL learners enrolled in an L2 essay-writing course
at an Iranian university. Each pair attended one collaborative revision session during which
they jointly revised their argumentative texts utilizing the feedback provided by their
instructor. The researchers collected the participants’ interactions during collaborative
revision and their revised drafts. Data analysis revealed that students employed a variety of
functions in their negotiations including scaffolding. It was also observed that scaffolding
wasmutual and both partners benefited from the joint revision task regardless of their level
of L2 writing proficiency. These findings suggest that collaborative revision can be incorporated
in EFL writing pedagogy as a method to improve writing and revision skills.
Abstract.
Li L (2014). Understanding language teachers' practice with educational technology: a case from China.
System(46), 105-119.
Abstract:
Understanding language teachers' practice with educational technology: a case from China
This article explores how eight secondary school teachers integrated educational technology into English language teaching in Beijing, China and considers their views of the factors influencing technology use. Analysing data from classroom recordings and follow-up interviews, this study revealed that PowerPoint was the most frequently used technological application in the classroom, while the internet and other technological tools were also used by the teachers. They employed educational technology for different pedagogical purposes, including addressing professional needs in improving teaching, designing materials and conducting professional development. Teachers also claimed that they used technology to address learners' needs, such as improving engagement, enhancing language acquisition, facilitating understanding and establishing a context for language use. The study identified four important factors in influencing teachers' use of technology, including sociocultural contexts, teachers' beliefs, access to resources, and technology competence and confidence. This study suggests that a critical reflective approach is useful in assisting teachers to understand their needs and pedagogical beliefs concerning technology use. Ongoing professional development is also valuable in promoting teachers' technology competence and confidence, thereby improving the use of technology in their teaching.
Abstract.
Walsh S, Li L (2013). Conversations as space for learning.
International Journal of Applied Linguistics,
23(2), 247-266.
Abstract:
Conversations as space for learning
This article reports on a microanalytic study of teachers’ and learners’ jointly created ‘space for learning’. Using data from two English language classes recorded in China, we identify specific interactional features which create space, enhance participation and increase opportunities for learning. Adopting the theoretical underpinnings and principles of conversation analysis, we demonstrate how teachers and learners create space for learning through the use of specific practices such as increased wait-time, reduced teacher echo, extended learner turns and increased planning time. Space is also created by teachers according to their ability to manage learner contributions in a positive and focused way: by shaping learner contributions through the use of scaffolding, paraphrasing and re-iterating. Implications for teacher education and classroom practice are discussed.
Abstract.
Li L, Simpson R (2013). Telling tales: discursive narratives of ESOL migrant identities.
Novitas-ROYAL (Research on Youth and Language),
7(1), 1-16.
Abstract:
Telling tales: discursive narratives of ESOL migrant identities
This paper concerns migrant identity construction in an ESOL course. Taking a poststructuralist
perspective, identity is viewed a fluid process of ongoing struggle between different subject positions that
individuals take in a variety of social sites. In this study, five migrant ESOL learners were interviewed to talk
about the concept of self to investigate the process of identity construction. The purpose of this study was also to
identify the role of learning English for migrant workers in relation to imagined community and self. The study
showed how these migrant ESOL learners conceptualize self in relation to two aspects: learning English and
investment, gaining social and cultural capitals and access to imagine community, and being transmigrants. This
paper highlights the implications in language education.
Abstract.
Li L (2013). The complexity of language teachers’ beliefs and practice: one EFL teacher’s theories. Language Learning Journal, 41(2), 175-191.
Li L, Wegerif R (2013). What does it mean to teach thinking in China? Challenging and developing notions of 'Confucian Education'. Thinking Skills and Creativity, online
Li L (2012). Belief construction and development: Two tales of Non-native English speaking student teachers in a TESOL programme.
Novitas-ROYAL (Research on Youth and Language),
6(1), 33-58.
Abstract:
Belief construction and development: Two tales of Non-native English speaking student teachers in a TESOL programme
This article explores the development of two NNS (non-native English speaking) student teachers’ beliefs throughout a one-year TESOL programme in a UK university. This research drew on the constructs of a qualitative case study approach to focus on individuals to seek understanding and perceptions, employing three data collection instruments: semi-structured interviews, micro-teaching evaluation sessions and student teachers’ written comments on their teaching. Data analysis focused on how beliefs developed within dimensions of belief, namely, subject matter, learning, teaching, learners and the teacher. The study suggests there are two types of beliefs: core beliefs and peripheral beliefs. Yet, teacher education programmes seem to only shape and develop the latter and these changes and developments are conditioned to sociocultural contexts. A major contribution of this study is to argue that the development of student teachers’ beliefs has undergone several stages; for example, confirmation/consolidation, integration/ addition, realization, localization/re-construction. The article also presents a different view and understanding of the development of teachers’ beliefs throughout a teacher education programme; a finding which has the potential to inform the future design of language teacher education programmes.
Abstract.
Alghamdi A, Li L (2012). Teaching Arabic and the Preparation of its Teachers before Service in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. International Journal for Cross-Disciplinary Subjects in Education, 3(1), 665-668.
Pifarré M, Li L (2012). Teaching how to learn with a wiki in primary education: What classroom
interaction can tell us. Learning, Culture and Social Interaction, 1(2), 102-113.
Li L, Walsh S (2011). 'Seeing is Believing': Looking at EFL Teachers' Beliefs through Classroom Interaction.
Classroom Discourse,
2(1), 39-57.
Abstract:
'Seeing is Believing': Looking at EFL Teachers' Beliefs through Classroom Interaction
This article explores the pedagogical beliefs and professional practices of two secondary school EFL teachers – one novice and one experienced - in the People's Republic of China. Using a qualitative case study methodology based on interview and classroom observation data, our study depicts the teachers’ pedagogical beliefs about teaching and learning, the teacher and the learner, and the subject matter by comparing what they say about their professional practice with what they do while teaching. We argue that, by combining an analysis of words (stated beliefs articulated in interviews) and actions (depicted through classroom interaction), it is possible to gain a fuller understanding of the relationship between beliefs and practices; to offer a fine-grained perspective of how teachers' beliefs translate into actions; and, to consider the extent to which beliefs and classroom actions converge or diverge. Findings demonstrate either convergence or divergence of the teachers’ stated beliefs and professional practice.
Abstract.
Li L (2011). Obstacles and opportunities for developing thinking through interaction in language classrooms. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 6(3), 146-158.
Li L, Walsh S (2011). Technology uptake in Chinese EFL classes.
Language Teaching Research,
15(1), 99-125.
Abstract:
Technology uptake in Chinese EFL classes
This article presents findings from what we believe to be the first large-scale study of its kind on the use of ICT (Information and Communications Technology) in English language classes in China. Participants are 400 EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers from different types of schools in Beijing. The purpose of the study was to examine these EFL teachers’ computer use and factors affecting the use of computers as an aid to teaching. Questionnaires and follow-up focus group interviews were employed to address the following research questions: What is the current ICT environment in Chinese secondary schools? What are EFL teachers’ ICT skills and what training is provided? How are computers used at present in EFL classes? What factors influence EFL teachers to use computers in their teaching? Findings support the idea that most schools provide a satisfactory learning setting with computers and most teachers in the study had adequate technical computer skills. However, computer use is mainly limited to PowerPoint presentations of pictures, grammar and sentence structures. Positive factors affecting computer integration include the popularity of ICT as a support for learning, the desire to change current teaching methods and the benefits to both teachers and learners, while negative factors include a lack of time, inadequate professional support, poor training and the need for a more integrated approach to ICT integration. The implications are that ICT is recognized as necessary and of benefit to language learners, and that teachers need additional training in two areas: to help teachers attain a higher standard of computer knowledge and skills, and to help teachers to better understand CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) pedagogy and to integrate ICT into their teaching. We suggest that this kind of support could be provided through professional development activities which are specific to the EFL learning context.
Abstract.
Li L (2010). Introduction to the special issue: 'Thinking skills and creativity: SE Asian perspectives'. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 5(3), 99-100.
Chapters
Li L (2023). Developing Language Teacher Cognition about Technology-Enhanced Assessment: a Case of Student Teachers in a TESOL Programme. In (Ed) Innovation in Learning-Oriented Language Assessment, 277-294.
Li L (2023). Technology + Pedagogy in EFL Virtual Classrooms: University Teachers’ Professional Needs on Technology-Enhanced Pedagogy. In (Ed) Second Language Teacher Professional Development, 169-190.
Li L (2022). Learning to Teach: a Discursive Construction of Pre-service EFL Teachers’ Identities. In (Ed) Theory and Practice in Second Language Teacher Identity, 105-120.
Morris GR, Xu J, Li L (2022). Transitioning to the New Normal. In (Ed)
Cases on Teaching English for Academic Purposes (EAP) During COVID-19, IGI Global, 205-229.
Abstract:
Transitioning to the New Normal
Abstract.
Fan X, Li L (2021). Breaking the Stereotypes. In (Ed)
Advances in Early Childhood and K-12 Education, IGI Global, 108-129.
Abstract:
Breaking the Stereotypes
Abstract.
Li L, Morris GR (2021). Thriving in the New Normal. In (Ed)
Trends and Developments for the Future of Language Education in Higher Education, IGI Global, 253-271.
Abstract:
Thriving in the New Normal
Abstract.
Li L, Morris GR (2021). Thriving in the new normal: In-service professional development needs and experiences. In (Ed)
Trends and Developments for the Future of Language Education in Higher Education, 253-271.
Abstract:
Thriving in the new normal: In-service professional development needs and experiences
Abstract.
Li L (2019). "Thinking" move in second language education. In (Ed) Thinking Skills and Creativity in Second Language Education: Case Studies from International Perspectives, 1-16.
Li L (2019). Teacher cognition and teacher expertise. In (Ed) The Routledge Handbook of English Language Teacher Education, 335-349.
Li L (2017). Integrating Technology in ESP: Pedagogical Principles and Practice. In (Ed) Integrating Information and Communication Technologies in English for Specific Purposes, 7-25.
Li L (2016). CALL tools for lexico-grammatical acquisition. In (Ed) The Routledge Handbook of Language Learning and Technology, 461-477.
Li L (2016). CALL tools for lexico-grammatical acquisition. In (Ed)
The Routledge Handbook of Language Learning and Technology, 461-477.
Abstract:
CALL tools for lexico-grammatical acquisition
Abstract.
Walsh S, Li L (2016). Classroom talk, interaction and collaboration. In (Ed) The Routledge Handbook of English Language Teaching, 486-498.
Li L (2015). A Confucian perspective on teaching thinking in China. In (Ed) The Routledge International Handbook of Research on Teaching Thinking, 45-57.
Liu PY, Li L (2015). An overview of metacognitive awareness and L2 reading strategies. In (Ed) The Routledge International Handbook of Research on Teaching Thinking, 266-279.
Memari Hanjani A, Li L (2015). Peer Collaboration in L2 Writing; an Iranian Experience. In Kennedy C (Ed) English language teaching in the Islamic Republic of Iran: Innovations, trends and challenges, British Council. 93-93.
Li L (2015). What’s the use of technology? Insights from EFL classrooms in Chinese secondary schools. In Jenks C, Seedhouse P (Eds.) International Perspectives on Classroom Interaction, Palgrave, 168-187.
Jackson MA (2012). Introduction. In (Ed) The Oxford Handbook of the History of Medicine, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1-17.
Conferences
Li L (2012). Language teacher’ collaborative knowledge construction in web-based discussion. 45th Annual Meeting of the British Association for Applied Linguistics. 6th - 8th Sep 2012.
Li L (2011). Understanding language teachers’ behaviour and concerns with technology: a Chinese perspective. 16th World Congress of Applied Linguisitcs. 22nd - 28th Aug 2011.
Li L (2010). Conversations as space for learning. International Symposium: New Insights into the Study of Conversation. Applications to the Language Classroom. 26th - 28th May 2010.
Abstract:
Conversations as space for learning
Abstract.
Li L (2009). ‘Seeing is believing': looking at teachers' beliefs through classroom interaction. BAAL. 3rd - 5th Sep 2009.
Abstract:
‘Seeing is believing': looking at teachers' beliefs through classroom interaction
Abstract.
Reports
Li L (2019). Pathways for the development of students’ critical thinking in EAP programmes., Cambridge University Press.
Publications by year
In Press
Li L (In Press). Integrating thinking skills in foreign language learning: Whatcan we learn from teachers’ perspectives?. Thinking Skills and Creativity
Li L (In Press). Should we teach critical thinking?. Secondary ELT
2023
Li L (2023). Critical thinking from the ground up: teachers’ conceptions and practice in EFL classrooms. Teachers and Teaching, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print), 1-23.
Li L (2023). Developing Language Teacher Cognition about Technology-Enhanced Assessment: a Case of Student Teachers in a TESOL Programme. In (Ed) Innovation in Learning-Oriented Language Assessment, 277-294.
Li L (2023). Technology + Pedagogy in EFL Virtual Classrooms: University Teachers’ Professional Needs on Technology-Enhanced Pedagogy. In (Ed) Second Language Teacher Professional Development, 169-190.
2022
Li L (2022). Learning to Teach: a Discursive Construction of Pre-service EFL Teachers’ Identities. In (Ed) Theory and Practice in Second Language Teacher Identity, 105-120.
Morris GR, Xu J, Li L (2022). Transitioning to the New Normal. In (Ed)
Cases on Teaching English for Academic Purposes (EAP) During COVID-19, IGI Global, 205-229.
Abstract:
Transitioning to the New Normal
Abstract.
2021
Fan X, Li L (2021). Breaking the Stereotypes. In (Ed)
Advances in Early Childhood and K-12 Education, IGI Global, 108-129.
Abstract:
Breaking the Stereotypes
Abstract.
Li L (2021). Learning Together Online: Insights into Knowledge Construction of Language Teachers in a CSCL Environment.
Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research,
9, 39-62.
Abstract:
Learning Together Online: Insights into Knowledge Construction of Language Teachers in a CSCL Environment
Sociocultural perspectives of learning emphasise the role of social interaction and activity in the process of knowledge construction and foreground the social-cultural settings in which knowledge construction occurs. This paper examines how in-service language teachers co-construct technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) in asynchronous discussion and explores two significant areas: 1) the critical elements of TPACK and 2) the process and strategies of knowledge construction. As such, the focus of the paper is placed on the type of knowledge that is considered significant by language teachers and the process of knowledge construction, with attention to the communicative strategies and resources. Online chats from 13 teachers are analysed using both thematic and sociocultural discourse analysis. The results indicate that TPACK mainly concerns the affordances of technology and methods to integrate technology from teachers’ perspectives. In the process of co-constructing TPACK, teachers use different communicative strategies to negotiate meaning and achieve mutual understanding. Various contextual resources are exploited to facilitate and mediate the process of knowledge construction. This paper highlights the significance of context in developing knowledge, the need for providing participants with training for communicative strategies, establishing ground rules in collaborative work, giving ownership of task or topic to the participants and the importance of social talk.
Abstract.
Li L, Morris GR (2021). Thriving in the New Normal. In (Ed)
Trends and Developments for the Future of Language Education in Higher Education, IGI Global, 253-271.
Abstract:
Thriving in the New Normal
Abstract.
Li L, Morris GR (2021). Thriving in the new normal: In-service professional development needs and experiences. In (Ed)
Trends and Developments for the Future of Language Education in Higher Education, 253-271.
Abstract:
Thriving in the new normal: In-service professional development needs and experiences
Abstract.
2020
Li L (2020). Book review. System, 94, 102321-102321.
Li L (2020).
Language Teacher Cognition: a Sociocultural Perspective. London, Springer Nature Limited (Palgrave Macmillan).
Abstract:
Language Teacher Cognition: a Sociocultural Perspective
Abstract.
Li L (2020). Novice teachers' discursive construction of their identity: Insights from foreign language classrooms.
Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research,
8(3), 57-76.
Abstract:
Novice teachers' discursive construction of their identity: Insights from foreign language classrooms
Language teacher identity has received considerable attention in the past decade for its crucial roles in improving effective pedagogy and enhancing teacher learning. While a large number of studies have been conducted to investigate the multidimensional nature and complexities of in-service teacher identity, there is still insufficient knowledge regarding novice teachers who stayed in the profession for less than three years. In particular, although much research has argued the significant relationship between discourse and identity, few studies have investigated teacher identity through the lens of classroom discourse. This article addresses these gaps by drawing on applied conversation analysis to investigate the identity construction of seven teachers in the context of Chinese secondary English classes. Classroom recordings were made for detailed moment-by-moment analysis to explore the complexity of being a novice teacher in classroom practice. Findings revealed that identity construction-manifested through interactive work with students-is by and large about developing personal practical knowledge and engaging in language-related practices. The article discusses the implications of researching teacher identity for effective pedagogy and teacher education.
Abstract.
2019
Li L (2019). "Thinking" move in second language education. In (Ed) Thinking Skills and Creativity in Second Language Education: Case Studies from International Perspectives, 1-16.
Li Z, Li L (2019). An examination of kindergarten teachers’ beliefs about creative pedagogy and their perceived implementation in teaching practices. Thinking Skills and Creativity, n/a, n-n/a.
Li L (2019). Pathways for the development of students’ critical thinking in EAP programmes., Cambridge University Press.
Li L (2019). Teacher cognition and teacher expertise. In (Ed) The Routledge Handbook of English Language Teacher Education, 335-349.
Li L (2019).
Thinking Skills and Creativity in Second Language Education Case Studies from International Perspectives., Routledge.
Abstract:
Thinking Skills and Creativity in Second Language Education Case Studies from International Perspectives
Abstract.
2018
Pifarré M, Li L (2018). Characterizing and unpacking learning to learn together skills in a wiki project in primary education.
Thinking Skills and Creativity,
29, 45-58.
Abstract:
Characterizing and unpacking learning to learn together skills in a wiki project in primary education
Learning to learn together (L2L2) skills are widely acknowledged as some of the most important 21 st century skills that enable learners to participate in a digital and global society. This paper examines how L2L2 skills emerged in a small-group wiki-based collaborative project and in the context of face-to-face real-classroom practice, in order to conceptualise L2L2 and identify the key features of the skills involved. To this end, our paper reports on an empirical study with primary school students who worked in two different modes of interaction, namely face-to-face in-pair discussion and on-line wiki-based between-pair discussion. The study identified and defined key features of four L2L2 skills, namely distributed leadership, mutual engagement, group reflection and group assessment, all of which emerged to a similar extent during the wiki project. It was found that a few distinctive features of L2L2 skills are related to different stages of task resolution, wiki affordances and different modes of collaboration. Therefore, this empirical study argues that technology and pedagogy are equally important and required to promote L2L2 skills in primary school classrooms and also it discusses some educational implications for the design of more effective technology-enhanced pedagogy.
Abstract.
2017
Sert O, Li L (2017). A qualitative study on CALL knowledge and materials design: Insights from pre-service EFL teachers.
International Journal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning and Teaching,
7(3), 73-87.
Abstract:
A qualitative study on CALL knowledge and materials design: Insights from pre-service EFL teachers
The present study investigates how academic coursework and formal learning of instructional technology and materials design help pre-service English language teachers' development of critical knowledge of CALL materials. The participants are 111 pre-service English language teachers enrolled in a TEFL programme at a Turkish University. Throughout a 14-week semester, these participants learn to design a variety of CALL materials including online teaching tools and a set of Web 2.0 tools. The article explores the skills and knowledge of pre-service teachers on the design and development of audio-visual web-based activities, through qualitative content analysis of their written reflections. The analyses of reflections on practice have revealed that these teachers demonstrate strong and critical understanding of CALL in enriching authenticity, enhancing motivation, facilitating language learning, and providing multimodal resources. They also display great awareness of instructional knowledge, in particular, in the design and interface of technology to facilitate learning.
Abstract.
Li L (2017). Integrating Technology in ESP: Pedagogical Principles and Practice. In (Ed) Integrating Information and Communication Technologies in English for Specific Purposes, 7-25.
Li L (2017). New Technologies and Language Learning.
Li L (2017).
Social Interaction and Teacher Cognition. Edinburgh, Edinburgh University Press.
Abstract:
Social Interaction and Teacher Cognition
Abstract.
2016
Li L (2016). CALL tools for lexico-grammatical acquisition. In (Ed) The Routledge Handbook of Language Learning and Technology, 461-477.
Li L (2016). CALL tools for lexico-grammatical acquisition. In (Ed)
The Routledge Handbook of Language Learning and Technology, 461-477.
Abstract:
CALL tools for lexico-grammatical acquisition
Abstract.
Walsh S, Li L (2016). Classroom talk, interaction and collaboration. In (Ed) The Routledge Handbook of English Language Teaching, 486-498.
Li L (2016). Thinking skills and creativity in second language education: Where are we now?. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 22, 267-272.
2015
Li L (2015). A Confucian perspective on teaching thinking in China. In (Ed) The Routledge International Handbook of Research on Teaching Thinking, 45-57.
Liu PY, Li L (2015). An overview of metacognitive awareness and L2 reading strategies. In (Ed) The Routledge International Handbook of Research on Teaching Thinking, 266-279.
Memari Hanjani A, Li L (2015). Peer Collaboration in L2 Writing; an Iranian Experience. In Kennedy C (Ed) English language teaching in the Islamic Republic of Iran: Innovations, trends and challenges, British Council. 93-93.
Wegerif R, Li L, Kaufman JC (2015).
The routledge international handbook of research on teaching thinking.Abstract:
The routledge international handbook of research on teaching thinking
Abstract.
Li L (2015). What’s the use of technology? Insights from EFL classrooms in Chinese secondary schools. In Jenks C, Seedhouse P (Eds.) International Perspectives on Classroom Interaction, Palgrave, 168-187.
2014
Memari Hanjani A, Li L (2014). EFL learners’ written reflections on their experience of attending. process-based, student-centered essay writing course. The Asian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 2(1), 149-166.
Memari Hanjani A, Li L (2014). Exploring L2 writers’ collaborative revision interactions
and their writing performance.
System(44), 101-114.
Abstract:
Exploring L2 writers’ collaborative revision interactions
and their writing performance
Over the last few decades, researchers and practitioners have acknowledged the social aspects
of language learning. This study drew on Vygotsky’s sociocultural learning theory to
investigate EFL students’ interactional dynamics during a collaborative revision activity. It
also examined the impact of this jointly performed task on participants’ writing performance.
Participants included five pairs of EFL learners enrolled in an L2 essay-writing course
at an Iranian university. Each pair attended one collaborative revision session during which
they jointly revised their argumentative texts utilizing the feedback provided by their
instructor. The researchers collected the participants’ interactions during collaborative
revision and their revised drafts. Data analysis revealed that students employed a variety of
functions in their negotiations including scaffolding. It was also observed that scaffolding
wasmutual and both partners benefited from the joint revision task regardless of their level
of L2 writing proficiency. These findings suggest that collaborative revision can be incorporated
in EFL writing pedagogy as a method to improve writing and revision skills.
Abstract.
Li L (2014). Understanding language teachers' practice with educational technology: a case from China.
System(46), 105-119.
Abstract:
Understanding language teachers' practice with educational technology: a case from China
This article explores how eight secondary school teachers integrated educational technology into English language teaching in Beijing, China and considers their views of the factors influencing technology use. Analysing data from classroom recordings and follow-up interviews, this study revealed that PowerPoint was the most frequently used technological application in the classroom, while the internet and other technological tools were also used by the teachers. They employed educational technology for different pedagogical purposes, including addressing professional needs in improving teaching, designing materials and conducting professional development. Teachers also claimed that they used technology to address learners' needs, such as improving engagement, enhancing language acquisition, facilitating understanding and establishing a context for language use. The study identified four important factors in influencing teachers' use of technology, including sociocultural contexts, teachers' beliefs, access to resources, and technology competence and confidence. This study suggests that a critical reflective approach is useful in assisting teachers to understand their needs and pedagogical beliefs concerning technology use. Ongoing professional development is also valuable in promoting teachers' technology competence and confidence, thereby improving the use of technology in their teaching.
Abstract.
2013
Walsh S, Li L (2013). Conversations as space for learning.
International Journal of Applied Linguistics,
23(2), 247-266.
Abstract:
Conversations as space for learning
This article reports on a microanalytic study of teachers’ and learners’ jointly created ‘space for learning’. Using data from two English language classes recorded in China, we identify specific interactional features which create space, enhance participation and increase opportunities for learning. Adopting the theoretical underpinnings and principles of conversation analysis, we demonstrate how teachers and learners create space for learning through the use of specific practices such as increased wait-time, reduced teacher echo, extended learner turns and increased planning time. Space is also created by teachers according to their ability to manage learner contributions in a positive and focused way: by shaping learner contributions through the use of scaffolding, paraphrasing and re-iterating. Implications for teacher education and classroom practice are discussed.
Abstract.
Li L, Simpson R (2013). Telling tales: discursive narratives of ESOL migrant identities.
Novitas-ROYAL (Research on Youth and Language),
7(1), 1-16.
Abstract:
Telling tales: discursive narratives of ESOL migrant identities
This paper concerns migrant identity construction in an ESOL course. Taking a poststructuralist
perspective, identity is viewed a fluid process of ongoing struggle between different subject positions that
individuals take in a variety of social sites. In this study, five migrant ESOL learners were interviewed to talk
about the concept of self to investigate the process of identity construction. The purpose of this study was also to
identify the role of learning English for migrant workers in relation to imagined community and self. The study
showed how these migrant ESOL learners conceptualize self in relation to two aspects: learning English and
investment, gaining social and cultural capitals and access to imagine community, and being transmigrants. This
paper highlights the implications in language education.
Abstract.
Li L (2013). The complexity of language teachers’ beliefs and practice: one EFL teacher’s theories. Language Learning Journal, 41(2), 175-191.
Li L, Wegerif R (2013). What does it mean to teach thinking in China? Challenging and developing notions of 'Confucian Education'. Thinking Skills and Creativity, online
2012
Li L (2012). Belief construction and development: Two tales of Non-native English speaking student teachers in a TESOL programme.
Novitas-ROYAL (Research on Youth and Language),
6(1), 33-58.
Abstract:
Belief construction and development: Two tales of Non-native English speaking student teachers in a TESOL programme
This article explores the development of two NNS (non-native English speaking) student teachers’ beliefs throughout a one-year TESOL programme in a UK university. This research drew on the constructs of a qualitative case study approach to focus on individuals to seek understanding and perceptions, employing three data collection instruments: semi-structured interviews, micro-teaching evaluation sessions and student teachers’ written comments on their teaching. Data analysis focused on how beliefs developed within dimensions of belief, namely, subject matter, learning, teaching, learners and the teacher. The study suggests there are two types of beliefs: core beliefs and peripheral beliefs. Yet, teacher education programmes seem to only shape and develop the latter and these changes and developments are conditioned to sociocultural contexts. A major contribution of this study is to argue that the development of student teachers’ beliefs has undergone several stages; for example, confirmation/consolidation, integration/ addition, realization, localization/re-construction. The article also presents a different view and understanding of the development of teachers’ beliefs throughout a teacher education programme; a finding which has the potential to inform the future design of language teacher education programmes.
Abstract.
Jackson MA (2012). Introduction. In (Ed) The Oxford Handbook of the History of Medicine, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1-17.
Li L (2012). Language teacher’ collaborative knowledge construction in web-based discussion. 45th Annual Meeting of the British Association for Applied Linguistics. 6th - 8th Sep 2012.
Alghamdi A, Li L (2012). Teaching Arabic and the Preparation of its Teachers before Service in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. International Journal for Cross-Disciplinary Subjects in Education, 3(1), 665-668.
Pifarré M, Li L (2012). Teaching how to learn with a wiki in primary education: What classroom
interaction can tell us. Learning, Culture and Social Interaction, 1(2), 102-113.
2011
Li L, Walsh S (2011). 'Seeing is Believing': Looking at EFL Teachers' Beliefs through Classroom Interaction.
Classroom Discourse,
2(1), 39-57.
Abstract:
'Seeing is Believing': Looking at EFL Teachers' Beliefs through Classroom Interaction
This article explores the pedagogical beliefs and professional practices of two secondary school EFL teachers – one novice and one experienced - in the People's Republic of China. Using a qualitative case study methodology based on interview and classroom observation data, our study depicts the teachers’ pedagogical beliefs about teaching and learning, the teacher and the learner, and the subject matter by comparing what they say about their professional practice with what they do while teaching. We argue that, by combining an analysis of words (stated beliefs articulated in interviews) and actions (depicted through classroom interaction), it is possible to gain a fuller understanding of the relationship between beliefs and practices; to offer a fine-grained perspective of how teachers' beliefs translate into actions; and, to consider the extent to which beliefs and classroom actions converge or diverge. Findings demonstrate either convergence or divergence of the teachers’ stated beliefs and professional practice.
Abstract.
Li L (2011). Obstacles and opportunities for developing thinking through interaction in language classrooms. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 6(3), 146-158.
Li L, Walsh S (2011). Technology uptake in Chinese EFL classes.
Language Teaching Research,
15(1), 99-125.
Abstract:
Technology uptake in Chinese EFL classes
This article presents findings from what we believe to be the first large-scale study of its kind on the use of ICT (Information and Communications Technology) in English language classes in China. Participants are 400 EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers from different types of schools in Beijing. The purpose of the study was to examine these EFL teachers’ computer use and factors affecting the use of computers as an aid to teaching. Questionnaires and follow-up focus group interviews were employed to address the following research questions: What is the current ICT environment in Chinese secondary schools? What are EFL teachers’ ICT skills and what training is provided? How are computers used at present in EFL classes? What factors influence EFL teachers to use computers in their teaching? Findings support the idea that most schools provide a satisfactory learning setting with computers and most teachers in the study had adequate technical computer skills. However, computer use is mainly limited to PowerPoint presentations of pictures, grammar and sentence structures. Positive factors affecting computer integration include the popularity of ICT as a support for learning, the desire to change current teaching methods and the benefits to both teachers and learners, while negative factors include a lack of time, inadequate professional support, poor training and the need for a more integrated approach to ICT integration. The implications are that ICT is recognized as necessary and of benefit to language learners, and that teachers need additional training in two areas: to help teachers attain a higher standard of computer knowledge and skills, and to help teachers to better understand CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) pedagogy and to integrate ICT into their teaching. We suggest that this kind of support could be provided through professional development activities which are specific to the EFL learning context.
Abstract.
Li L (2011). Three important issues in using CALL.
Abstract:
Three important issues in using CALL
My recent research on language teachers’ integration of technology in language teaching identified four implications for learning, teaching and teacher education. First, teachers’ beliefs about effectiveness of technology link to teachers’ motivation and attitudes towards technology integration; Second, pedagogical beliefs are closely connected to why and how teachers use technology to support their teaching; third, professional development is a core unit of successful technology implementation and teachers must see relevance of technology in their teaching contexts; finally, resources and support is crucial to the technology use. In this article, I will be looking at some of the practical applications of my research and suggesting how language teachers might integrate technology in their teaching.
Abstract.
Web link.
Li L (2011). Understanding language teachers’ behaviour and concerns with technology: a Chinese perspective. 16th World Congress of Applied Linguisitcs. 22nd - 28th Aug 2011.
2010
Li L (2010). Conversations as space for learning. International Symposium: New Insights into the Study of Conversation. Applications to the Language Classroom. 26th - 28th May 2010.
Abstract:
Conversations as space for learning
Abstract.
Li L (2010). Introduction to the special issue: 'Thinking skills and creativity: SE Asian perspectives'. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 5(3), 99-100.
2009
Li L (2009). ‘Seeing is believing': looking at teachers' beliefs through classroom interaction. BAAL. 3rd - 5th Sep 2009.
Abstract:
‘Seeing is believing': looking at teachers' beliefs through classroom interaction
Abstract.
