- My main areas are teaching methods, especially student centred methods, especially cooperative learning, as well as multiple intelligences and extensive reading. I also do environmental education and I want to do more with human-animal studies., Vegetarianism, and Vegetarianism as a Social Movement About Animalsedit
- I have lived in sensational Singapore since 1993. I teach students and teachers, and I also do volunteer work on beha... moreI have lived in sensational Singapore since 1993. I teach students and teachers, and I also do volunteer work on behalf of non-human animals and others.
You can contact me at george.jacobs@gmail.comedit
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This two-page article suggests benefits of graded readers – provides an environment for immersive language learning, builds confidence and a love for reading, and gives opportunities for contextualized learning of vocabulary and grammar -... more
This two-page article suggests benefits of graded readers – provides an environment for immersive language learning, builds confidence and a love for reading, and gives opportunities for contextualized learning of vocabulary and grammar - and counters claims that graded readers are necessarily dull and inauthentic. Also, resources are provided for finding graded readers and general advice on extensive reading.
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This is the first of three articles which draw lessons from the process of writing and publishing the free online book "Cooperative Learning and the Sustainable Development Goals." The key takeaways from this are are to work on projects... more
This is the first of three articles which draw lessons from the process of writing and publishing the free online book "Cooperative Learning and the Sustainable Development Goals." The key takeaways from this are are to work on projects that fit your passions, to look for collaborators, and to search for and used models.
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This is the first of two chapters that look at the concept of individual differences among students and how Student Centered Cooperative Learning (SCCL) helps all students to succeed and feel comfortable. The present chapter looks at how... more
This is the first of two chapters that look at the concept of individual differences among students and how Student Centered Cooperative Learning (SCCL) helps all students to succeed and feel comfortable. The present chapter looks at how students differ along the introversion–extroversion continuum. The chapter begins by explaining introversion, extroversion, and ambiversion. Next, the chapter explains away the myth that extroversion is superior. General strengths of introverts and ambiverts are explained in addition to their specific strengths as leaders and teachers. The chapter also discusses how SCCL can cater to the needs of all students, regardless of where they lie on the introversion–extroversion continuum.
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We humans are social animals. We learn best and enjoy learning most when we learn with and for others. The research-supported benefits of students working together include increased higher order thinking, greater engagement, higher self... more
We humans are social animals. We learn best and enjoy learning most when we learn with and for others. The research-supported benefits of students working together include increased higher order thinking, greater engagement, higher self esteem and higher test scores. Thus, student–student interaction, a.k.a., peer interaction, collaborative learning, and cooperative learning, should be a regular and significant aspect of students’ learning experiences.
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Students understand the what and why of their studies, and they help shape their curriculum. Students’ ideas are valued over the way they express their ideas, i.e., substance is valued over form, although form is also important.
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The previous ten chapters have each discussed simple, powerful steps toward implementing Student Centered Learning. This chapter looks more strategically at implementing the overall paradigm shift.
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Many teachers seem interested in their classes being more student-centered. Students making more choices about their own learning forms a key aspect of student-centered learning, as well as life-long learning. This article offers ideas... more
Many teachers seem interested in their classes being more student-centered. Students making more choices about their own learning forms a key aspect of student-centered learning, as well as life-long learning. This article offers ideas for ways to provide students with more choices in their learning and suggests ways to encourage students to make choices when given opportunities to do so. These ideas for increasing student choice include extensive reading, cooperative learning, multiple intelligences, service learning, thinking questions, and use of the internet and other IT affordances. Student choice fits with an overall paradigm shift toward democratizing society, and it also fits with greater choice for teachers. Theoretical underpinnings of student choice include social cognitivism, social constructivism, humanistic psychology, self-directed learning, and social interdependence theory.
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This book offers simple, easy, yet powerful strategies that teachers can implement to make their classes more student-centered. It is about evolution, not revolution; it is about small steps for individual classes, not giant leaps for... more
This book offers simple, easy, yet powerful strategies that teachers can implement to make their classes more student-centered. It is about evolution, not revolution; it is about small steps for individual classes, not giant leaps for humankind, although many small steps may add up to giant leaps.
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This article argues that language students and teachers are changemakers and that, in keeping with progressivist philosophy and the bottom-up social paradigm, they can play a powerful role in creating a better world. As our understanding... more
This article argues that language students and teachers are changemakers and that, in keeping with progressivist philosophy and the bottom-up social paradigm, they can play a powerful role in creating a better world. As our understanding of the world continues to increase, both students and teachers can use this increased understanding to initiate changes, so that we can transition to better times. These changes include transformations of all sizes. Small transformations take place within and among individuals, while big transformations involve systems and institutions and thousands or even billions of people, as well as companies, other organizations, and countries. Many in education concentrate on small transformations, and those, no doubt, carry weight. This article encourages us in language education to include contributing to or even attempting to initiate big transformations in a number of areas. In fact, working on all sizes of transformations simultaneously may be the most e...
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This article explores one technique that is consistent with the student-centered paradigm in language education: student-generated books. First, benefits of student-generated are dis-cussed. Then, the article explores the crucial area of... more
This article explores one technique that is consistent with the student-centered paradigm in language education: student-generated books. First, benefits of student-generated are dis-cussed. Then, the article explores the crucial area of maintaining student ownership of their own books. The next topic explained in the article is why dialog is important as the students are developing their books. Finally, it is suggested that book creation works for students of all ages and levels, with examples given of students at the early childhood level and of second language students at university level.
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This chapter describes how cooperative learning provides one means of making the best of the less than ideal situation that teachers face when facilitating learning in large classes. The chapter begins with a description of some of the... more
This chapter describes how cooperative learning provides one means of making the best of the less than ideal situation that teachers face when facilitating learning in large classes. The chapter begins with a description of some of the difficulties teachers confront when using group activities with large classes. Next, background on cooperative learning is presented, including theory, research, principles, differences between cooperative learning and traditional group activities, and details of a few cooperative learning techniques. The rest of the chapter offers practical solutions to problems and concerns of teachers who use cooperative learning in large classes. These include matters such as how to form groups, getting students’ attention when they are working in their groups, arranging the seating of groups, dealing with the noise level, selecting cooperative learning techniques appropriate to large classes, and delegating responsibility to students. Using Cooperative Learning i...
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A great deal of theory and research, not to mention students’ and teachers’ practical experience, supports the use of group activities in education. Collaborative learning and cooperative learning are two terms commonly used in... more
A great deal of theory and research, not to mention students’ and teachers’ practical experience, supports the use of group activities in education. Collaborative learning and cooperative learning are two terms commonly used in discussions of how and why to use group activities. This article looks at the issue of whether the two terms collaborative learning and cooperative learning are synonymous or whether they represent different conceptualisations of how and why students should interact as part of their learning. Those scholars who differentiate the two terms often see collaborative learning as more student centred and cooperative learning as a more teacher centred way to facilitate student-student interaction. The present article argues that collaborative and cooperative learning should be seen as synonymous student centric approaches, and that teachers and students, regardless of which of the two terms they use, should and will vary the ways they shape their learning environmen...
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Group activities have become more common in second language instruction. For example, a few years ago I collaborated on a study comparing ESL coursebooks from the 1960s with those from the 1990s (Jacobs, Crookall, & Thiyaragarajali,... more
Group activities have become more common in second language instruction. For example, a few years ago I collaborated on a study comparing ESL coursebooks from the 1960s with those from the 1990s (Jacobs, Crookall, & Thiyaragarajali, 1997). My colleagues and I found many more group activities in the latter books. Key support for the increase in group activities lies in interactionist views of second language acquisition (Long, 1996; Pica, 1996). For instance, Swain (1999) argues that while learners need to receive large quantities of comprehensible input in order to develop proficiency in a second language, learners also need to produce output, via speaking and writing, in order to advance to higher levels of proficiency.
Research Interests: Psychology and Guidelines
After an opening anecdote about a well-functioning small group of students, the article discusses concepts related to democracy. Next, the article defines student centered learning (SCL) and some SCL elements, linking these elements to... more
After an opening anecdote about a well-functioning small group of students, the article discusses concepts related to democracy. Next, the article defines student centered learning (SCL) and some SCL elements, linking these elements to concepts in democracy. The following section offers various means of implementing SCL. Subsequently, the article looks at issues raised about the use of SCL. To conclude the article, the authors maintain that SCL not only promotes learning but that SCL also fosters democracy
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Cooperative learning involves students in working together with peers to learn, to develop learn-ing skills and to enjoy the learning process. This paper examines ten areas in which the author be-lieves he and other teachers do... more
Cooperative learning involves students in working together with peers to learn, to develop learn-ing skills and to enjoy the learning process. This paper examines ten areas in which the author be-lieves he and other teachers do cooperative learning well. These areas are: (1) keeping group size small, usually four or fewer; (2) encouraging students to form heterogeneous groups; (3) monitoring groups as they cooperate and encouraging groups to rely on themselves; (4) creating tasks that the groups find challenging, but not too challenging; (5) encouraging group members to do their fair share in their groups; (6) facilitating a feeling of positive interdependence among group members; (7) being willing to try new ideas in their implementation of cooperative learning; (8) learning from their ex-periences in using cooperative learning; (9) looking for opportunities to share with colleagues about their use of cooperative learning; (10) being cooperative in their lives outside the classroom
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Educators can benefit from occasionally stepping outside our profession to look for new ideas. Mindset: Changing the Way You Think to Fulfil Your Potential is a book that was written by a well-regarded psychology professor and has sold... more
Educators can benefit from occasionally stepping outside our profession to look for new ideas. Mindset: Changing the Way You Think to Fulfil Your Potential is a book that was written by a well-regarded psychology professor and has sold more than a million copies. The book’s central premise is that people tend toward one of two mindsets: a fixed mindset, which sees ability as inborn and largely unmodifiable; and a growth mindset, which sees ability as something people can develop by making persistent effort and learning new strategies. The present book review begins with explaining the two mindsets. Then, questions about mindset are answered. Next, in the review’s longest portions, suggestions from the book which might be useful for teachers are shared. These suggestions may help students become more successful learners, not to mention better people overall. Finally, the reviewer recommends that when the author and her colleagues do further work on mindsets, they might wish to examin...
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Group activities developed in Western countries have been advocated for use in foreign and second language learning internationally. This article reports the views of 31 second language educators from six Southeast Asian countries (Brunei... more
Group activities developed in Western countries have been advocated for use in foreign and second language learning internationally. This article reports the views of 31 second language educators from six Southeast Asian countries (Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand) on the appropriateness of group activities in their own educational contexts. Background is provided on the six countries and relevant previous scholarship is reviewed. Data were collected via questionnaires and interviews. Some of the participants also took part in the data analysis. Results showed that these Southeast Asian second language educators feel group activities are appropriate to their contexts and that they are already making use of groups in their teaching. Key problems cited in using groups were low motivation, significant variation in proficiency levels, and large classes. These problems are discussed. The recommendation is made that the literatures on cooper...
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Writers have many digital tools available to help them with the creation of text. In some cases, these tools have been in existence for a long time, such as spellcheckers and basic grammar checkers that are available on word processing... more
Writers have many digital tools available to help them with the creation of text. In some cases, these tools have been in
existence for a long time, such as spellcheckers and basic grammar checkers that are available on word processing software.
Today, new and increasingly more advanced tools are in use, and the ramifications of their use are not yet fully understood,
particularly in the language classroom. Public interest in such tools has reached new levels with the release of artificially
intelligent tools such as ChatGPT. In addition to this, the speed at which assistive writing technologies are developing may
outpace that of the creation of institutional academic integrity policies and guidelines for their use. This results in grey areas,
confusion, and a lack of awareness of such tools and their uses among educators, students, and administrators. This conceptual
article seeks to systematically review and categorize these tools drawing on the research literature and the authors’ personal
experience in the classroom. From this inductive analysis, three categories of digital writing tools aside from ChatGPT and
large language model (LLM)-driven text creation tools are described. These are machine translators (MTs), digital writing
assistants (DWAs), and automated paraphrasing tools (APTs). The key contribution of this article is the development of
these three categories, which can form a basis for crafting comprehensive pedagogical approaches and academic integrity
policies that focus on a broader range of tools than ChatGPT and LLMs alone.
existence for a long time, such as spellcheckers and basic grammar checkers that are available on word processing software.
Today, new and increasingly more advanced tools are in use, and the ramifications of their use are not yet fully understood,
particularly in the language classroom. Public interest in such tools has reached new levels with the release of artificially
intelligent tools such as ChatGPT. In addition to this, the speed at which assistive writing technologies are developing may
outpace that of the creation of institutional academic integrity policies and guidelines for their use. This results in grey areas,
confusion, and a lack of awareness of such tools and their uses among educators, students, and administrators. This conceptual
article seeks to systematically review and categorize these tools drawing on the research literature and the authors’ personal
experience in the classroom. From this inductive analysis, three categories of digital writing tools aside from ChatGPT and
large language model (LLM)-driven text creation tools are described. These are machine translators (MTs), digital writing
assistants (DWAs), and automated paraphrasing tools (APTs). The key contribution of this article is the development of
these three categories, which can form a basis for crafting comprehensive pedagogical approaches and academic integrity
policies that focus on a broader range of tools than ChatGPT and LLMs alone.
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This two-page interview provides info on the interviewee's path to becoming a teacher and some of his perspectives on teaching, including a preference for collaboration and for linking the classroom with the world outside.
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Writers have many digital tools available to help them with the creation of text. In some cases, these tools have been in existence for a long time, such as spellcheckers and basic grammar checkers that are available on word processing... more
Writers have many digital tools available to help them with the creation of text. In some cases, these tools have been in existence for a long time, such as spellcheckers and basic grammar checkers that are available on word processing software. Today, new and increasingly more advanced tools are in use, and the ramifications of their use are not yet fully understood, particularly in the language classroom. Public interest in such tools has reached new levels with the release of artificially intelligent tools such as ChatGPT. In addition to this, the speed at which assistive writing technologies are developing may outpace that of the creation of institutional academic integrity policies and guidelines for their use. This results in grey areas, confusion, and a lack of awareness of such tools and their uses among educators, students, and administrators. This conceptual article seeks to systematically review and categorize these tools drawing on the research literature and the authors' personal experience in the classroom. From this inductive analysis, three categories of digital writing tools aside from ChatGPT and large language model (LLM)-driven text creation tools are described. These are machine translators (MTs), digital writing assistants (DWAs), and automated paraphrasing tools (APTs). The key contribution of this article is the development of these three categories, which can form a basis for crafting comprehensive pedagogical approaches and academic integrity policies that focus on a broader range of tools than ChatGPT and LLMs alone.
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Nobody disagrees that reading is good for students' language development. The more they read texts that they can understand, the more confident and adept they become. However, it can be quite a struggle to get students started on their... more
Nobody disagrees that reading is good for students' language development. The more they read texts that they can understand, the more confident and adept they become. However, it can be quite a struggle to get students started on their reading journey. We suggest that this is partly due to a lack of access to comprehensible and compelling reading materials. We argue that book series, which contain highly familiar language, easy-to-follow story lines and relatable characters, can potentially be used to get students hooked on reading and to keep them reading.
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Reading aloud is often seen as a little more than a resource that can be used when the students’ level is too low for them to do extensive reading by themselves. However, there are those who argue that there is room in every class for... more
Reading aloud is often seen as a little more than a resource that can be used when the students’ level is too low for them to do extensive reading by themselves. However, there are those who argue that there is room in every class for reading books aloud, regardless of the age of level of the students. Our guest for this episode, Dr. George Jacobs, is one of them. In this interview you’ll find a most accessible introduction to the best practices and principles for reading aloud to students, and its connections with positive education and with sociocultural theory.
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Reading aloud is often seen as a little more than a resource that can be used when the students’ level is too low for them to do extensive reading by themselves. However, there are those who argue that there is room in every class for... more
Reading aloud is often seen as a little more than a resource that can be used when the students’ level is too low for them to do extensive reading by themselves. However, there are those who argue that there is room in every class for reading books aloud, regardless of the age of level of the students. Our guest for this episode, Dr. George Jacobs, is one of them. In this interview you’ll find a most accessible introduction to the best practices and principles for reading aloud to students, and its connections with positive education and with sociocultural theory.
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How can teachers motivate students to read extensively in a second language? One strategy is for teachers to read aloud to students to promote the joys of reading generally, to build students’ language skills and to introduce students to... more
How can teachers motivate students to read extensively in a second language? One strategy is for teachers to read aloud to students to promote the joys of reading generally, to build students’ language skills and to introduce students to specific authors, book series, genres, websites, etc. This article begins by discussing why teachers might want to read aloud to their students. Next, guidelines are given for reading aloud. These guidelines include insights from the literature on dialogic reading (Whitehurst, Arnold, Epstein, Angell, Smith, & Fischel, 1994).
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This article begins by explaining the student centered learning paradigm. Next, the article explains various features of a student centered approach to education and how extensive reading (ER), as it is most often practiced, fits with... more
This article begins by explaining the student centered learning paradigm. Next, the article explains various features of a student centered approach to education and how extensive reading (ER), as it is most often practiced, fits with those features. The bulk of the article suggests how ER might be implemented to make it even more learner centered.
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This article advocates that students and teachers create some of their own extensive reading materials. Learning communities act as a means of motivating and sustaining student and teacher production of extensive reading materials. The... more
This article advocates that students and teachers create some of their own extensive reading materials. Learning communities act as a means of motivating and sustaining student and teacher production of extensive reading materials. The article begins by explaining learning communities. The bulk of the article has two parts. The first part focuses on student created extensive reading materials, discussing benefits and ways to produce such materials. The second part does the same for teacher created extensive reading materials. It is suggested that involving students and teachers in creating ER materials facilitates more egalitarian, more caring education practices.
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This article offers guidance to teachers and students in selecting materials for extensive reading (ER). First, the article explains characteristics of ER and reviews some of the potential gains for students who do ER. Second, the article... more
This article offers guidance to teachers and students in selecting materials for extensive reading (ER). First, the article explains characteristics of ER and reviews some of the potential gains for students who do ER. Second, the article considers criteria for teachers to bear in mind when selecting ER materials. Third, the article then suggests ways that teachers and students can find ER materials. Fourth, guidance is provided to students for when they select what to read from among the ER materials available to them. Finally, advice is given on integrating ER with course textbooks.
Extensive reading (ER) programs involve students in silently reading large quantities of materials. These materials are usually at a level that permits students to gain at least a fair understanding of what they are reading without... more
Extensive reading (ER) programs involve students in silently reading large quantities of materials. These materials are usually at a level that permits students to gain at least a fair understanding of what they are reading without outside help. Such programs’ benefits for first- and second-language (L1 and L2) learners are well documented (Coady, 1997; Day & Bamford, 1997; Elley, 1996; Krashen, 1993; McQuillan, 1994; Nagy, Anderson, & Herman, 1987; Ng, 1988, 1994; Yu, 1993, 1999; see also an annotated bibliography of works on ER in L2 contexts).
Despite this strong, widely disseminated evidence supporting ER, implementation has been infrequent and often less than a complete success. Greaney (1996) notes that in many lower income countries, ER programs must grapple with such problems as lack of reading materials and inadequate preparation of teachers. However, these problems apply worldwide, even in countries which could afford large quantities of books for ER if they placed a higher priority on it. Day and Bamford (1997) suggest that the key impediment to successful ER implementation lies in a teacher-centered view of reading instruction. In this view, teaching means talking: if teachers are not talking, then they must not be earning their salaries. Extensive reading is seen as something students should be doing at home, after they have finished their homework (Tong, 2001). In contrast, Day and Bamford propose a combination of teacher-led intensive reading and large quantities of in-school and out-of-school ER.
Other reasons for not using ER are of a more practical nature. Teachers often face a great deal of pressure from administrators, community members, and others to finish the syllabus -- to do every single activity on every single page of the textbook or workbook. Further, ER is less easy to assess than are discrete reading skills. While the research suggests that ER is precisely the prescription for attaining high scores on reading exams, in an increasingly exam-oriented environment, a short-sighted “practical” view of exam preparation that has students doing large numbers of exercises that mirror exam questions often prevails.
Extensive reading involves students in independent silent reading. Thus, it may seem a contradiction to talk about ER and student-student cooperation, but actually the two can come together smoothly, as is described in this article. The first section discusses the possible benefits of adding a group element to ER. The second presents cooperative learning principles that can facilitate effective group interaction to accompany ER. Section 3 provides examples of activities that blend principles of cooperative learning with ER in various student groupings.
Despite this strong, widely disseminated evidence supporting ER, implementation has been infrequent and often less than a complete success. Greaney (1996) notes that in many lower income countries, ER programs must grapple with such problems as lack of reading materials and inadequate preparation of teachers. However, these problems apply worldwide, even in countries which could afford large quantities of books for ER if they placed a higher priority on it. Day and Bamford (1997) suggest that the key impediment to successful ER implementation lies in a teacher-centered view of reading instruction. In this view, teaching means talking: if teachers are not talking, then they must not be earning their salaries. Extensive reading is seen as something students should be doing at home, after they have finished their homework (Tong, 2001). In contrast, Day and Bamford propose a combination of teacher-led intensive reading and large quantities of in-school and out-of-school ER.
Other reasons for not using ER are of a more practical nature. Teachers often face a great deal of pressure from administrators, community members, and others to finish the syllabus -- to do every single activity on every single page of the textbook or workbook. Further, ER is less easy to assess than are discrete reading skills. While the research suggests that ER is precisely the prescription for attaining high scores on reading exams, in an increasingly exam-oriented environment, a short-sighted “practical” view of exam preparation that has students doing large numbers of exercises that mirror exam questions often prevails.
Extensive reading involves students in independent silent reading. Thus, it may seem a contradiction to talk about ER and student-student cooperation, but actually the two can come together smoothly, as is described in this article. The first section discusses the possible benefits of adding a group element to ER. The second presents cooperative learning principles that can facilitate effective group interaction to accompany ER. Section 3 provides examples of activities that blend principles of cooperative learning with ER in various student groupings.
Many years ago, some primary school teachers and I changed the words of Michael Jackson’s song Beat It in order to inspire people to read more.
Quotes can inspire and instruct. The collection below focuses mostly on quotes about reading, why and how to read. Also included are quotes on writing and on education generally. Some of the people quoted are quite famous, such as Walt... more
Quotes can inspire and instruct. The collection below focuses mostly on quotes about reading, why and how to read. Also included are quotes on writing and on education generally. Some of the people quoted are quite famous, such as Walt Disney and Dr Seuss, while others are less famous but equally wise. Quotes can be used in many ways: to remind ourselves of good ideas; to share with colleagues and pre-service teachers; to inspire students and other stakeholders.
I apologise for the lack of complete bibliographic information for most of the quotes. My bad.
I apologise for the lack of complete bibliographic information for most of the quotes. My bad.
This book chapter reports a study designed to examine the effectiveness of an English-language ER program for remedial students at a public secondary school in the southern Philippines. Sixty first-year students at the school, 30 females... more
This book chapter reports a study designed to examine the effectiveness of an English-language ER program for remedial students at a public secondary school in the southern Philippines. Sixty first-year students at the school, 30 females and 30 males, who were to be assigned to remedial reading classes constituted the participants in this study. Using a matched-pairs design, each student was first matched with another of similar IQ, sex, socio-economic status, reading level, and past achievement. Then, one member of each pair was randomly assigned to the experimental remedial reading class, and the other member was assigned to the control class, so as to achieve balance on the variables in the two remedial reading classes.
A Pre-test - Post-test Control Group design was used. The dependent variable, reading proficiency, was assessed via two instruments: the Informal Reading Inventory (IRI) (Johnson, Kress, & Pikulski, 1987), which yields scores from 0-100 on reading comprehension, and the Gray Standardized Oral Reading Test (GSORT) (Gray, 1967), which measures reading speed and accuracy, and indicates the grade level at which the student is reading. Both instruments were administered twice, once two months before the six-month treatment began and again after the treatment had been carried out. During the six months, both the control and experimental groups received 40 minutes of regular English class daily, plus an additional 40-minute remedial reading class. In their remedial reading class, the control group was taught in the conventional way from a textbook which included lessons on vowel and consonant sounds, minimal pairs, reading and reciting poems, and reading short selections. The only silent reading the control group did - and this infrequently - was of these short selections from their textbook. In contrast, the experimental remedial reading group took part in an ER program, the core of which consisted of students reading texts of their choice and doing a variety of post-reading activities. Post-test scores showed that the treatment group outperformed their control group peers to a statistically significant extent.
A Pre-test - Post-test Control Group design was used. The dependent variable, reading proficiency, was assessed via two instruments: the Informal Reading Inventory (IRI) (Johnson, Kress, & Pikulski, 1987), which yields scores from 0-100 on reading comprehension, and the Gray Standardized Oral Reading Test (GSORT) (Gray, 1967), which measures reading speed and accuracy, and indicates the grade level at which the student is reading. Both instruments were administered twice, once two months before the six-month treatment began and again after the treatment had been carried out. During the six months, both the control and experimental groups received 40 minutes of regular English class daily, plus an additional 40-minute remedial reading class. In their remedial reading class, the control group was taught in the conventional way from a textbook which included lessons on vowel and consonant sounds, minimal pairs, reading and reciting poems, and reading short selections. The only silent reading the control group did - and this infrequently - was of these short selections from their textbook. In contrast, the experimental remedial reading group took part in an ER program, the core of which consisted of students reading texts of their choice and doing a variety of post-reading activities. Post-test scores showed that the treatment group outperformed their control group peers to a statistically significant extent.
This paper reports on a study of the impact of extensive reading (ER) on the language proficiency of a group of Vietnamese government officials studying English. Two questions were of interest. First, we wanted to examine if ER could be... more
This paper reports on a study of the impact of extensive reading (ER) on the language proficiency of a group of Vietnamese government officials studying English. Two questions were of interest. First, we wanted to examine if ER could be successfully implemented with adult second language learners beyond traditional student age. Secondly, we were interested in the relationship between learning gain and a set of ER variables, such as amount of ER materials read, the extent to which this material was perceived to be a useful and enjoyable activity. The results indicated that older adult second language learners could indeed benefit from a carefully planned and systematically implemented ER program. Further, a regression analysis showed that amount of ER was the only significant predictor of participants' gain scores.
Extensive reading (ER) with its emphasis on encouraging learners to read self-selected, large amounts of meaningful language fits well with current principles for good second/foreign language pedagogy (Grabe, this Section of the... more
Extensive reading (ER) with its emphasis on encouraging learners to read self-selected, large amounts of meaningful language fits well with current principles for good second/foreign language pedagogy (Grabe, this Section of the anthology; Day & Bamford, 1998). In this paper, we briefly describe what ER is, how it is different from intensive reading, what its learning benefits are for students, and what theories underpin ER. The paper also discusses some of the reasons why many of us are still not implementing ER.
This article reports a six-month study that used a matched-pairs pre-test, post-test control group design to measure the relative effectiveness of extensive reading with remedial reading students in a Philippines secondary school (n=60).... more
This article reports a six-month study that used a matched-pairs pre-test, post-test control group design to measure the relative effectiveness of extensive reading with remedial reading students in a Philippines secondary school (n=60). Ninety percent of students at the school come from low-income homes where reading materials tend to be scarce. The dependent variable, reading proficiency, was assessed using the Informal Reading Inventory and the Gray Standardized Oral Reading Test. Both groups received the same 40 daily minutes of English instruction plus a remedial class. In their remedial class, the control group studied via a traditional approach, emphasizing intensive reading and phonics. For the experimental group, remedial reading class involved reading self-selected materials and doing a variety of post-reading activities. Results suggest that extensive reading led to greater gains than traditional reading instruction. Details on how extensive reading was implemented and a rationale for extensive reading are provided.
The four-page chapter is a lesson plan for encouraging students to thank each other and to use other social skills, as part of an overall attempt to create a cooperative classroom environment. The chapter begins with a story about an... more
The four-page chapter is a lesson plan for encouraging students to thank each other and to use other social skills, as part of an overall attempt to create a cooperative classroom environment. The chapter begins with a story about an extensive reading lesson in which students collaborated in groups of two. At the end of the lesson, the teacher asked students to thank their partner, but many students did not. The lesson plan then presents a generalizable procedure for encouraging expressions of gratitude and other social skills. The chapter ends with a reflection on the importance of social skills in learning and in life generally.
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Gamification is a useful trend in education, and games have long been part of language education, as well as providing a student centered learning strategy. Back in 1998, well-known language expert David Crystal published a book on this... more
Gamification is a useful trend in education, and games have long been part of language education, as well as providing a student centered learning strategy. Back in 1998, well-known language expert David Crystal published a book on this topic that may still be useful today. The current paper reviews this book.
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The interviewer asks questions as to how George M Jacobs became involved in teaching, what were the attractions of cooperative learning, student-centred pedagogy and positive psychology, how he stays optimistic in the face of seeming lack... more
The interviewer asks questions as to how George M Jacobs became involved in teaching, what were the attractions of cooperative learning, student-centred pedagogy and positive psychology, how he stays optimistic in the face of seeming lack of change in teaching, how he finds new areas to explore.
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This was a two-hour workshop session for caregivers and children organised by the Singapore Book Council. The idea is that even children, including those who cannot yet write, can create their own books with appropriate assistance from... more
This was a two-hour workshop session for caregivers and children organised by the Singapore Book Council. The idea is that even children, including those who cannot yet write, can create their own books with appropriate assistance from adults and peers. Simple facilitation techniques were presented.
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Many second language teachers are familiar with the term Student Centred Learning (SCL), also known as Learner Centred Teaching, Active Learning, Person Centred Learning and, in preschools and primary schools, as Child Centred Teaching.... more
Many second language teachers are familiar with the term Student Centred Learning (SCL), also known as Learner Centred Teaching, Active Learning, Person Centred Learning and, in preschools and primary schools, as Child Centred Teaching. This chapter begins by looking at some of the meanings and elements of SCL such as student-student interaction, learner autonomy, curricular integration, respect for diversity, thinking skills and alternative assessments. It then traces some of the construct’s roots. Four of the most important roots, i.e., Progressive Education, Humanistic Psychology, Constructivism and Socio-Cultural Theory, are briefly discussed and explicit connections between these roots and SCL elements are highlighted. The largest part of the chapter suggests practical applications of SCL in second language learning so that L2 teachers can try these out and explore further applications appropriate for their own teaching contexts.
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Change seems to be a constant in education. We can better understand and implement change in second language education if we look for connections between changes. The concept of paradigm shift offers one means of making such connections.... more
Change seems to be a constant in education. We can better understand and implement change in second language education if we look for connections between changes. The concept of paradigm shift offers one means of making such connections. This article describes eight changes that fit with the paradigm shift in second language education toward what is most often described as communicative language teaching. These eight changes are: learner autonomy, cooperative learning, curricular integration, focus on meaning, diversity, thinking skills, alternative assessment and teachers as co-learners.
The paradigm shift of which these changes are part is put into perspective as an element of larger shifts from positivism to post-positivism and from behaviorism to cognitivism. The authors argue that in second language education, although the paradigm shift was initiated many years ago, it still has been only partially implemented. Two reasons for this partial implementation are: (1) by trying to understand each change separately, second language educators have weakened their understanding by missing the larger picture; and (2) by trying to implement each change separately, second language educators have made the difficult task of change even more difficult.
The paradigm shift of which these changes are part is put into perspective as an element of larger shifts from positivism to post-positivism and from behaviorism to cognitivism. The authors argue that in second language education, although the paradigm shift was initiated many years ago, it still has been only partially implemented. Two reasons for this partial implementation are: (1) by trying to understand each change separately, second language educators have weakened their understanding by missing the larger picture; and (2) by trying to implement each change separately, second language educators have made the difficult task of change even more difficult.
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The call to change seems to be a constant in education. In second language education, a constellation of changes have been proposed and, to some extent, implemented. This constellation of interconnected changes can perhaps best be termed... more
The call to change seems to be a constant in education. In second language education, a constellation of changes have been proposed and, to some extent, implemented. This constellation of interconnected changes can perhaps best be termed a paradigm shift, with this paradigm fitting under the general umbrella of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT). The concept of paradigm shift usefully offers one means of making such connections between the changes linked to CLT. The article attempts to put the CLT paradigm shift into perspective as an element of larger shifts from positivism to post-positivism and from behaviorism to cognitivism. This article describes eight changes that fit with the CLT paradigm shift in second language education. These eight changes are: learner autonomy, the social nature of learning, curricular integration, focus on meaning, diversity, thinking skills, alternative assessment, and teachers as co-learners. The authors argue that in second language education, although the CLT paradigm shift was initiated many years ago, it still has been only partially implemented. Two reasons for this partial implementation are: (1) by trying to understand each change separately, second language educators have weakened their understanding by missing the larger picture; and (2) by trying to implement each change separately, second language educators have made the difficult task of change even more challenging.
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Research Interests:
Student centred learning classroom practices are contrasted with those in teacher centred learning classrooms. The discussion focuses on the theoretical underpinnings of the former, and provides nine steps and tips on how to implement... more
Student centred learning classroom practices are contrasted with those in teacher centred learning classrooms. The discussion focuses on the theoretical underpinnings of the former, and provides nine steps and tips on how to implement student centred learning strategies, with the aim of developing the 21st century skills of self-directed and lifelong learning in students.
Diet change toward eating less meat and more plant foods is advocated for reasons of health, environmental protection, and kindness toward non-human animals. This article is written for people who advocate meat reduction, regardless of... more
Diet change toward eating less meat and more plant foods is advocated for reasons of health, environmental protection, and kindness toward non-human animals. This article is written for people who advocate meat reduction, regardless of whether their audiences are in schools, universities, organizations, or in the general public. However, the article may also be of interest to people who teach other content. Multiple Intelligences is an optimistic theory which posits that people are intelligent in many ways and that people learn best when a wide variety of learning modes are deployed. The article begins by explaining Multiple Intelligences theory and its possible uses in education. The main part of the article makes suggestions for teaching meat reduction via a range of intelligences.
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This book is about the paradigm shift in language education towards what has been called Communicative Language Teaching and Student Centered Learning. The book focuses on eight essential elements of this shift: These eight changes are:... more
This book is about the paradigm shift in language education towards what has been called Communicative Language Teaching and Student Centered Learning. The book focuses on eight essential elements of this shift: These eight changes are: learner autonomy, the social nature of learning, curricular integration, focus on meaning, diversity, thinking skills, alternative assessment, and teachers as co-learners.
We, the two authors of this article, have used dialogue journals for many years: Pearly with primary school students and George with secondary, tertiary, and adult students. Below, we share our ideas and those of others about this... more
We, the two authors of this article, have used dialogue journals for many years: Pearly with primary school students and George with secondary, tertiary, and adult students. Below, we share our ideas and those of others about this valuable learning tool. In the examples from our students' journals, names have been replaced with letters.
This is a summary/review of a book on the interaction between food and technology. The author is a professor of food policy. Topics discussed include organic food, GMO foods, the different roles of Big Ag and Big Food, the treatment of... more
This is a summary/review of a book on the interaction between food and technology. The author is a professor of food policy. Topics discussed include organic food, GMO foods, the different roles of Big Ag and Big Food, the treatment of farmed animals, and the viability of local food. Some of the author's views are controversial, e.g., he favors GMO foods and non-organic foods, and he says local food is unrealistic. He appreciates the cruelty of factory farming and sees an important role for alternative protein.
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This is a radio interview as part of a British Council series on integrating Environmental Education with language education. Topics discussed include localizing teaching materials, persisting when Environmental Education may be... more
This is a radio interview as part of a British Council series on integrating Environmental Education with language education. Topics discussed include localizing teaching materials, persisting when Environmental Education may be controversial, UN Environmental Education objectives, and why language teaching is so flexible. I am one of three interviewees. A transcript and show notes are included.
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This keynote address (shown on video) at an international symposium for language educators makes suggestions as to what language educators can do so that positive changes arise from all the hardships experienced due to Covid-19. The three... more
This keynote address (shown on video) at an international symposium for language educators makes suggestions as to what language educators can do so that positive changes arise from all the hardships experienced due to Covid-19. The three suggestions are: (1) promote equitable online learning for people of all ages; (2) take long-term measures to reduce global warming; (3) use cooperative learning to promote social cohesion. The video contains occasional one-minute breaks to encourage symposium participants to reflect on points raised in the presentation.
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LOH Wan Inn and I wrote a children's book entitled "Animal Olympics", the story of nonhuman animals getting together to put on their own Olympic Games, highlighting the unique abilities of various animals, e.g., being the fastest on 8... more
LOH Wan Inn and I wrote a children's book entitled "Animal Olympics", the story of nonhuman animals getting together to put on their own Olympic Games, highlighting the unique abilities of various animals, e.g., being the fastest on 8 legs. In the story, two animals that don't seem to have special abilities are snails and humans, but then the animals realize that snails can use their slime for the finish line, and humans can write the story of the Animal Olympics. Alejandro Ayala Polanco, a teacher and animal activist in Chile, translated the book into Spanish and published it online.
Research Interests: Children's Literature, Animal Welfare, Animal Rights, Animal Ecology, Animal Studies, Animal Ethics, Animal Cognition, Animal Liberation, Animals in Culture, Philosophy Of Animals, Animals & Society studies, Ethics of Animals, and Laboratory Animal Welfare, Animal Law, and Philosophy and Sociology of Human/animal Relations
Paul Shapiro is a major person in the alternative protein space. His book focuses particularly on how meat and other products are being grown in labs from cultured animal cells. This will be real meat, but without the animals.
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This paper explains what critical literacy is, why it should be included in the teaching of languages, and how to include critical literacy in language education. An example of doing critical literacy is provided via a pilot... more
This paper explains what critical literacy is, why it should be included in the teaching of languages, and how to include critical literacy in language education. An example of doing critical literacy is provided via a pilot study of a critical analysis of promotional materials for burgers, both burgers made from animals killed for their meat and burgers made from plant based ingredients. The burger analysis project is described in detail, including the texts and images analysed. Also, the authors offer suggestions on how to implement five pedagogic principles relevant to the learning of critical literacy and to education generally. These principles are: students should be active learners; students should have some input into what they study and how they study it; tasks should be doable for students yet involve some challenge; students should have opportunities to interact with peers and others; and learning should contribute to making the world a better place.
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This commentary emphasizes that people have many dietary choices between eating meat, dairy, and eggs every meal, on one hand, and eating no animal based foods, on the other hand. Adding more plant based foods can boost human health,... more
This commentary emphasizes that people have many dietary choices between eating meat, dairy, and eggs every meal, on one hand, and eating no animal based foods, on the other hand. Adding more plant based foods can boost human health, address climate change, and show concern for animal welfare. Reducitarian and flexitarian dietary choices are explained.
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The letter bemoans the lack of transparency in food labelling. For people who follow a plant-based diet for health, environmental and/or compassionate reasons, it is sometimes difficult to know which products contain ingredients of animal... more
The letter bemoans the lack of transparency in food labelling. For people who follow a plant-based diet for health, environmental and/or compassionate reasons, it is sometimes difficult to know which products contain ingredients of animal origin. Suggestions are made. Greater transparency in food labelling promotes greater harmony among people with different dietary preferences, by making it possible for people to know what they are eating and serving to others. This transparency would enable people, regardless of their dietary choices, to make informed choices for themselves and for their family, friends and colleagues. Difficult for consumers to know if food ingredients are of plant or animal origins if labels are unclear By GEORGE JACOBS
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The key point of this article is that plant based diets, especially those sourced from high tech food innovations, help countries and cities gain greater food independence, because more can be grown on less land. These foods include... more
The key point of this article is that plant based diets, especially those sourced from high tech food innovations, help countries and cities gain greater food independence, because more can be grown on less land. These foods include plants, plant based meats, and clean (i.e., lab grown) meats.
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This 90-minute workshop raised issues about the preparation of books about animals written for children and youth. One of those issues was - given the ill-treatment of most animals, especially those raised for human food, should books... more
This 90-minute workshop raised issues about the preparation of books about animals written for children and youth. One of those issues was - given the ill-treatment of most animals, especially those raised for human food, should books seek to address and change this situation?
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This is a review of an autobiography of Nathan Runkle, the founder of Mercy for Animals, an organisation dedicated to improving the lives of farm animals. The book provides insight into the author's back and inspiration, and into the... more
This is a review of an autobiography of Nathan Runkle, the founder of Mercy for Animals, an organisation dedicated to improving the lives of farm animals. The book provides insight into the author's back and inspiration, and into the evolution of the factory farming system.
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This article describes the history and meaning of the terms vegetarian, vegan and plant based. Based on the analysis of various google search tools, the authors discuss the greater use of vegan, instead of vegetarian' as well as the rise... more
This article describes the history and meaning of the terms vegetarian, vegan and plant based. Based on the analysis of various google search tools, the authors discuss the greater use of vegan, instead of vegetarian' as well as the rise of the term plant-based.
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This review summarizes and provides highlights from "Even Vegans Die' a book which argues that being vegan brings many benefits, including kindness towards nonhuman animals, environmental protection and increased human health. As to the... more
This review summarizes and provides highlights from "Even Vegans Die' a book which argues that being vegan brings many benefits, including kindness towards nonhuman animals, environmental protection and increased human health. As to the health benefits, while being vegan reduces health risks, vegans do fall ill. Thus, we should avoid blaming, including self-blaming, vegans who become sick. Instead, we should care for them (and ourselves) and when necessary help them (and ourselves) prepare to face death and to leave behind a legacy that will continue their compassionate efforts.
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This is a review of the book "Are We Smart Enough To Know How Smart Animals Are" by Frans de Waal. de Waal is a noted ethologist. He concludes that human are smart enough to recognize the intelligence of other animals, although we may... more
This is a review of the book "Are We Smart Enough To Know How Smart Animals Are" by Frans de Waal. de Waal is a noted ethologist. He concludes that human are smart enough to recognize the intelligence of other animals, although we may ignore the growing body of evidence.
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This article begins by reviewing the concept of locus of control. The main section of the article gives ideas, often with examples, of applications of locus of control to moving our diets toward whole food, plant based eating in order to... more
This article begins by reviewing the concept of locus of control. The main section of the article gives ideas, often with examples, of applications of locus of control to moving our diets toward whole food, plant based eating in order to protect our health and lead a greener lifestyle.
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Education materials can be analysed in many ways. The current study analysed EAL (English as an Additional Language) coursebooks as to the presentation of nonhuman animals in the books. The study examined 22 EAL coursebooks. The research... more
Education materials can be analysed in many ways. The current study analysed EAL (English as an Additional Language) coursebooks as to the presentation of nonhuman animals in the books. The study examined 22 EAL coursebooks. The research looked at the percentage of activities that contained animals in the coursebooks, what types of animals were present, and whether animals were the focus of the activity. Animals that appeared were categorized as wild animals, animals for human consumption, animals used in research (e.g. rabbits for cosmetic products), companion animals, work animals, animals viewed as pests (e.g. rats), animals in entertainment and extinct animals. The Discussion section offers suggestions as to what teachers can do if they are dissatisfied with the content of their coursebooks in regard to presentation of nonhuman animals.
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This article by Cara Giaimi revisits the issue of pronoun use when referring to nonhuman animals, as an issue which reflects changing views towards our fellow animals. I co-authored a paper on this previously: Gilquin, G., & Jacobs, G. M.... more
This article by Cara Giaimi revisits the issue of pronoun use when referring to nonhuman animals, as an issue which reflects changing views towards our fellow animals. I co-authored a paper on this previously: Gilquin, G., & Jacobs, G. M. (2006). Elephants who marry mice are very unusual: The use of the relative pronoun who with nonhuman animals. Society & Animals, 14(1), 79-105. http://www.animalsandsociety.org/assets/library/597_sa1417.pdf
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This article begins with general suggestions for developing students’ ability to find, evaluate and understand information online. Next, the article addresses the specific case of finding information on vegan nutrition. Three sources are... more
This article begins with general suggestions for developing students’ ability to find, evaluate and understand information online. Next, the article addresses the specific case of finding information on vegan nutrition. Three sources are recommended as quality sources of information on the nutritional needs of people pursuing vegan diets.
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This is a brief note and book excerpt related to Roald Dahl's children's book, The BFG. In the excerpt, the book's two main characters have a conversation in which one says that giants shouldn't eat humans, and other main character, the... more
This is a brief note and book excerpt related to Roald Dahl's children's book, The BFG. In the excerpt, the book's two main characters have a conversation in which one says that giants shouldn't eat humans, and other main character, the Big Friendly Giant (BFG), says that by the same logic, humans should not eat pigs. Indeed, until the end of the book, the BFG is vegetarian.
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This is a favourable review of a book on service learning. Service learning combines students (and others) doing service for others while, at the same time, students are doing learning that is consistent with their curriculum.
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This conference paper was delivered via Youtube video, with Q&A done via Skype (but not recorded). The presentation covers three benefits of eating more plant foods and less meat: health environmental protection, and kindness toward... more
This conference paper was delivered via Youtube video, with Q&A done via Skype (but not recorded). The presentation covers three benefits of eating more plant foods and less meat: health environmental protection, and kindness toward non-human animals. The video includes places to pause the video for discussion. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5yfMYyhpbA
The present article suggests that teachers bring students’ attention to the link between language and bias against nonhuman animals. First, the social phenomena that have brought our attention to the issue of what is known as speciesism... more
The present article suggests that teachers bring students’ attention to the link between language and bias against nonhuman animals. First, the social phenomena that have brought our attention to the issue of what is known as speciesism (“a failure, in attitude or practice, to accord any nonhuman being equal consideration and respect”, Dunayer 2004, p. 5) are discussed. Second, speciesism in English is exemplified. Third, the wisdom of bringing the issue into ELT is discussed. Finally, brief suggestions are made as to how ELT teachers might include a focus on speciesism in their instruction.
This article reports a study examining the presence of environmental issues in ELT coursebooks published since 1990. Seventeen randomly-selected coursebooks were analysed in order to find the percentage of activities related to... more
This article reports a study examining the presence of environmental issues in ELT coursebooks published since 1990. Seventeen randomly-selected coursebooks were analysed in order to find the percentage of activities related to environmental issues. Such activities were then examined to establish whether they involved participation in environmental protection. The results are discussed in light of teaching methodology and United Nations environmental education objectives.
This article proposes that readers consider the meaning of the use or non-use of the relative pronoun who with nonhuman animals. Language affects and is affected by humans’ views of the world (Fairclough, 1992; Whorf, 1956). What does our... more
This article proposes that readers consider the meaning of the use or non-use of the relative pronoun who with nonhuman animals. Language affects and is affected by humans’ views of the world (Fairclough, 1992; Whorf, 1956). What does our use or non-use of who when referring to other animals say about our existing attitudes toward other animals? What attitudes toward nonhuman animals does it promote? The article suggests that using who with other animals might, in small measure, reflect and promote a greater level of concern for nonhuman animals, and that this concern fits with a larger global trend toward humans extending rights to and showing compassion for fellow humans and now other animals who formerly were without rights and received little compassion.
The article begins with a brief discussion of what triggered the authors’ interest in the issue of the use of who with reference to nonhuman animals. Next, the concept of a widening circle of compassion is explained. The two main sections of the article are a description of research methods that could be used to study the issue and a report of a small-scale study of how the issue is treated in works on the grammar of English.
The article begins with a brief discussion of what triggered the authors’ interest in the issue of the use of who with reference to nonhuman animals. Next, the concept of a widening circle of compassion is explained. The two main sections of the article are a description of research methods that could be used to study the issue and a report of a small-scale study of how the issue is treated in works on the grammar of English.
This is a brief written version of a PowerPoint presentation at the 2008 IVU World Vegetarian Congress in Dresden, Germany. As part of that presentation, excerpts from English and German children’s books were read. (Thanks are due to Mahi... more
This is a brief written version of a PowerPoint presentation at the 2008 IVU World Vegetarian Congress in Dresden, Germany. As part of that presentation, excerpts from English and German children’s books were read. (Thanks are due to Mahi Klosterhalfen for finding and reading from the German books.) Due to copyright restrictions and in order to keep the file size of this document small, only a brief summary of one of the stories will be provided in this paper.
People have many reasons to adopt a vegetarian diet, among which is compassion for our fellow animals. Vegetarians can strengthen the appeal of the compassion rationale for vegetarianism by providing evidence that other animals too... more
People have many reasons to adopt a vegetarian diet, among which is compassion for our fellow animals. Vegetarians can strengthen the appeal of the compassion rationale for vegetarianism by providing evidence that other animals too display intelligence, emotion, and personality. This evidence can help convince humans that nonhuman animals are not mere objects to be used however we wish, like so many pieces of rock. Instead, nonhuman animals are thinking, feeling beings who deserve opportunities to live their lives according to their capabilities and dispositions.
The goal of this paper is to heighten the persuasive powers of vegetarians by bringing together a sampling of the growing amount of information that points to the sentience of our fellow animals. The paper is somewhat artificially divided into three sections: on intelligence, emotion, and personality. In addition to the normal list of works cited, the paper ends with other sources of further information, in hopes of making the paper as useful as possible.
The goal of this paper is to heighten the persuasive powers of vegetarians by bringing together a sampling of the growing amount of information that points to the sentience of our fellow animals. The paper is somewhat artificially divided into three sections: on intelligence, emotion, and personality. In addition to the normal list of works cited, the paper ends with other sources of further information, in hopes of making the paper as useful as possible.
We believe that it is not enough to just take in information when we listen, read, and watch. We must also critically analyze that information. One part of this critical analysis involves looking for stereotypes, the focus of this... more
We believe that it is not enough to just take in information when we listen, read, and watch. We must also critically analyze that information. One part of this critical analysis involves looking for stereotypes, the focus of this paper.
The paper has two main parts. In the first part, we briefly review some current thinking on the nature of the stereotypes. In the second part, we describe and demonstrate classroom techniques which may help students to critically analyze stereotypes.
The paper has two main parts. In the first part, we briefly review some current thinking on the nature of the stereotypes. In the second part, we describe and demonstrate classroom techniques which may help students to critically analyze stereotypes.
The definition of literacy has expanded to include not only the ability to read and write, but also the ability to analyze what we read and write. The purpose of this paper is to suggest ideas we educationists can use to help our... more
The definition of literacy has expanded to include not only the ability to read and write, but also the ability to analyze what we read and write. The purpose of this paper is to suggest ideas we educationists can use to help our students to do a particular kind of analysis. This analysis involves recognizing the many stereotypes which exist in literature and developing ways to examine these stereotypes after they have been recognized.
The paper has two main parts. In the first part, some current thinking on the nature of the stereotypes and the role of schools in their propagation, as well as in their analysis, is reviewed. In the second part, suggestions are described and exemplified for some classroom techniques - to be used mainly with the reading of literature - which may help students to become more fully literate.
This second part of the paper is the key one, and I would like to ask those of you listening to the paper and those who read it later to please contact me to share your experiences in this matter. Such a sharing is necessary, I believe, because, while much has been written on the need to help students become analytical readers and much theoretical work has been done on the processes involved in critical reading, I have seen little in terms of actual classroom activities. This gaping wound between theory and practice needs to be closed.
The paper has two main parts. In the first part, some current thinking on the nature of the stereotypes and the role of schools in their propagation, as well as in their analysis, is reviewed. In the second part, suggestions are described and exemplified for some classroom techniques - to be used mainly with the reading of literature - which may help students to become more fully literate.
This second part of the paper is the key one, and I would like to ask those of you listening to the paper and those who read it later to please contact me to share your experiences in this matter. Such a sharing is necessary, I believe, because, while much has been written on the need to help students become analytical readers and much theoretical work has been done on the processes involved in critical reading, I have seen little in terms of actual classroom activities. This gaping wound between theory and practice needs to be closed.
Schools can have an important effect on children's developing views of gender roles, and course-books form an important element of children's school experience. In 1996, we read an article by Anthea Fraser Gupta and Ameline Lee Su Yin... more
Schools can have an important effect on children's developing views of gender roles, and course-books form an important element of children's school experience. In 1996, we read an article by Anthea Fraser Gupta and Ameline Lee Su Yin that described gender bias in a 1980s primary school English coursebook series used in Singapore schools. We had carried out a previous study about gender and language (Ong, Zhuo & Jacobs 1997), and wondered whether more than ten years later, the present series, Primary English Thematic Series, or PETS for short, was an improvement on the past series, Primary English Programme or PEP? Both series were created by the CDIS (Curriculum Development Institute of Singa-pore), a branch of the Ministry of Education. In this article we describe how we set out to answer this question and what we found.
Everything changes over time, even languages. Despite language teachers, grammar books, and O Level exams, there's no way to stop languages from changing. One aspect of language change of particular interest to members and supporters of... more
Everything changes over time, even languages. Despite language teachers, grammar books, and O Level exams, there's no way to stop languages from changing. One aspect of language change of particular interest to members and supporters of AWARE is the ongoing shift from what some people call "gender-exclusive" English to "gender-inclusive" English. We will start this article by defining these two terms. Then, we will give you a brief report on a related study we conducted to find out the views and practices of a small group of English teachers from various Asian countries.
The current study investigated whether the change toward more gender-inclusive English that is taking place in Inner Circle countries is also gaining acceptance for English usage in an Outer Circle country: Singapore. Data for the study... more
The current study investigated whether the change toward more gender-inclusive English that is taking place in Inner Circle countries is also gaining acceptance for English usage in an Outer Circle country: Singapore. Data for the study came principally from a questionnaire completed by students at a Singapore junior college and from writing scripts of students at the same college. Results suggest that gender-inclusive English was viewed favourably by many students. Perhaps even more tellingly, gender-inclusive forms appeared in many students' writing. Thus, it appears that a ripple effect has occurred, in which changes in Inner Circle countries and in their varieties of English have been a factor in changes in Outer Circle forms.
All languages change (Fromkin and Rodman 1993). Language educators must be aware of these changes and help keep their students up to date with them. One area of change in the English language is the controversial shift from... more
All languages change (Fromkin and Rodman 1993). Language educators must be aware of these changes and help keep their students up to date with them. One area of change in the English language is the controversial shift from gender-exclusive language, such as "Everyone should do his duty" and" Man has done great damage to the environment," to gender-inclusive language such as "Everyone should do their duty" and " People have done great damage to the environment" (Crystal 1995). We present two studies on the use of gender-inclusive English. The first assesses Asian second-language educationists' views on this shift in the use of English. The second gathers information on how Singaporean students view and use gender-inclusive English.
Teaching materials both reflect societal attitudes and help to perpetuate those attitudes. Previous research on language teaching materials has found evidence of sexism. The current study examined sexism in the English language coursebook... more
Teaching materials both reflect societal attitudes and help to perpetuate those attitudes. Previous research on language teaching materials has found evidence of sexism. The current study examined sexism in the English language coursebook series used in most of Singapore primary schools. This study followed-up on research by Gupta and Lee (1989) that investigated the previous coursebook series and was published in this same journal. Variables examined in the present study included the visibility, roles, and relations of females and males, as well as the use of gender exclusive and gender inclusive language in the coursebooks. Also, two of the people involved in the writing of the coursebooks were interviewed. Results suggest less sexism exists in the current series, although in many areas males continue to predominate. Reasons for this imbalance are discussed and solutions are offered.
This paper explores the use of the relative pronoun (who) with nonhuman animals. The paper looks at what dictionaries, an encyclopedia, grammars, publication manuals, newspapers, and news agencies say and do relative to this issue. In... more
This paper explores the use of the relative pronoun (who) with nonhuman animals. The paper looks at what dictionaries, an encyclopedia, grammars, publication manuals, newspapers, and news agencies say and do relative to this issue. In addition to investigating the views and practices of these authoritative publications, the study also searched a 100-million-word collection (corpus) of spoken and written English. The study found that while some reference works reject or ignore the use of (who) with nonhuman animals, other works discuss the possibility, and (who) does occur in the corpus with nonhuman animals. Explanations for such usage include psychological closeness with particular nonhuman animals and/or features shared with humans. The paper suggests that the use of (who) with nonhuman animals might play a role in promoting human attitudes and behaviors beneficial to fellow animals. However, it cautions that the correlation between language use, on the one hand, and attitudes and behaviors, on the other hand, is not a perfect one.
This chapter will focus on the design and implementation of content-based classroom ESL/EFL projects built around "global issue" topics linked to themes such as peace, human rights and the environment. It will explain how second language... more
This chapter will focus on the design and implementation of content-based classroom ESL/EFL projects built around "global issue" topics linked to themes such as peace, human rights and the environment. It will explain how second language project work designed from a global education perspective aims both at the development of language skills and at the promotion of global awareness, international understanding and social responsibility. The chapter will outline the features of a global education approach to foreign language teaching, discuss key factors to consider in designing ESL/EFL project work around world problems and social issues, and describe examples from different parts of the world of global issues project work by second language students.
This is a draft version of the English textbook for non-English majors at Indonesian universities. I think many elements of the book represent good ideas in both pedagogy and environmental education.
This essay describes the development of an English coursebook that drew upon environmental education for the content. The book was designed to assist Indonesian university students in learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL). The... more
This essay describes the development of an English coursebook that drew upon environmental education for the content. The book was designed to assist Indonesian university students in learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL). The three authors of the present essay served as the book’s three editors. The authors of the individual lessons in the coursebook were lecturers at Indonesian universities.
The essay begins with a brief introduction to environmental education. Next, common methodological foundation of environmental education and second language instruction are considered. These include learner centeredness, connecting class activities with students’ lives outside school, curricular integration, a focus on learning for meaning, valuing diversity, concern for process and long-term effects, a preference for cooperation rather than competition or individualism, and teachers as fellow learners. Student participation in environmental education is emphasized. Finally, the process of the book’s development is described and sample materials are shown and explained.
Keywords: environmental education, English teaching, second language instruction, foreign language instruction, teaching methodology, curricular integration.
The essay begins with a brief introduction to environmental education. Next, common methodological foundation of environmental education and second language instruction are considered. These include learner centeredness, connecting class activities with students’ lives outside school, curricular integration, a focus on learning for meaning, valuing diversity, concern for process and long-term effects, a preference for cooperation rather than competition or individualism, and teachers as fellow learners. Student participation in environmental education is emphasized. Finally, the process of the book’s development is described and sample materials are shown and explained.
Keywords: environmental education, English teaching, second language instruction, foreign language instruction, teaching methodology, curricular integration.
This fantasy script tells the story of a secondary school student who admires butterflies, becomes a butterfly temporarily, and rallies her schoolmates to do what they can to protect butterflies.
Most of us eat at least three times a day. More people are becoming aware that what we eat affects not just our taste buds, our waistline and our wallet, it also affects the environment. We have green cars, green schools and now green... more
Most of us eat at least three times a day. More people are becoming aware that what we eat affects not just our taste buds, our waistline and our wallet, it also affects the environment. We have green cars, green schools and now green food, though we’re not yet talking about green M&Ms! Yes, the food choices we make can help the environment if we eat more fruits and veggies and less or no animal products. There are the two main links between our diet and the big GW (Global Warming): eating meat wastes food and increases the production of greenhouse gases.
The point of this article is not to say that humans and other animals are completely the same upstairs. The point is that maybe we should not be too quick to assume that we are superior and, based on that superiority, that it is,... more
The point of this article is not to say that humans and other animals are completely the same upstairs. The point is that maybe we should not be too quick to assume that we are superior and, based on that superiority, that it is, therefore, only right for other animals to die for our well-being, for example, when apes are used for medical research.
To make us even more humble, we should bear in mind that we are the only animal that seems to have the ability (or is it a disability?) to make other species extinct. For instance, yes, lions hunt and kill antelopes, but they do not wipe out an entire herd, because that would be bad for the antelopes and bad for the lions. Something to devote our superior minds to pondering, don’t you think?
To make us even more humble, we should bear in mind that we are the only animal that seems to have the ability (or is it a disability?) to make other species extinct. For instance, yes, lions hunt and kill antelopes, but they do not wipe out an entire herd, because that would be bad for the antelopes and bad for the lions. Something to devote our superior minds to pondering, don’t you think?
Jacobs and Goatly (2000) examined the presence of environmental issues in ELT coursebooks published since 1990. Seventeen randomly-selected coursebooks were analysed in order to find the percentage of activities related to environmental... more
Jacobs and Goatly (2000) examined the presence of environmental issues in ELT coursebooks published since 1990. Seventeen randomly-selected coursebooks were analysed in order to find the percentage of activities related to environmental issues. The purpose of this paper is to explain the rationale behind the creation of a set of environmental education materials that would simultaneously teach English to non-English majors at Indonesian universities. The thinking behind both the environmental education and English learning elements of the materials is explained.
The bad news: The worldwide environmental crisis continues to worsen. The good news: More and more teachers and students want to help protect the planet. As one result of this trend toward environmental protection, we see the increasing... more
The bad news: The worldwide environmental crisis continues to worsen. The good news: More and more teachers and students want to help protect the planet. As one result of this trend toward environmental protection, we see the increasing integration of environmental education in all aspects of the curriculum, including language education. International, regional, national, and local governments and institutions encourage this movement. Today, language materials commonly feature units on the environmental, along with other global concerns.
This chapter discusses how to develop materials which integrate environmental education in language instruction. The project began as a collaboration between three members of an RELC course (from Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand), myself (an RELC lecturer from the U.S.), and an instructor in RELC's Language Teaching Institute (from the U.K.), who joined us later. We shared a common interest in encouraging the use of the environment as a theme in language instruction. As our students differed widely, we decided to develop materials for a range of proficiency levels, in the hope that the materials could serve as a model for teachers and materials developers, as well as being used in classrooms.
This chapter discusses how to develop materials which integrate environmental education in language instruction. The project began as a collaboration between three members of an RELC course (from Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand), myself (an RELC lecturer from the U.S.), and an instructor in RELC's Language Teaching Institute (from the U.K.), who joined us later. We shared a common interest in encouraging the use of the environment as a theme in language instruction. As our students differed widely, we decided to develop materials for a range of proficiency levels, in the hope that the materials could serve as a model for teachers and materials developers, as well as being used in classrooms.
This article paints an optimistic picture of the role we second language teachers can play not only in improving our students’ language proficiency but also in infusing global education into our classes as we join with our students to... more
This article paints an optimistic picture of the role we second language teachers can play not only in improving our students’ language proficiency but also in infusing global education into our classes as we join with our students to address global concerns, such as peace, prosperity, environmental protection, and human rights. The article is divided into four parts. The first part describes global education and identifies organizations of second language educators participating in global education. The second part of the article focuses on two key areas of global education: peace education and environmental education. Next, we address questions that second language teachers frequently ask about including global education in their teaching. Lastly, we supply lists of print and electronic resources on peace education and environmental education.
Why we should write before and while reading, not only after reading.
Talks about seeking help from classmates from different cultures to figure out how to do referencing of names from the classmates' cultures.
About the how and why of doing outlines as part of writing. One new idea may be Reverse Outlines, outlines written after a draft(s) is done.
A brief document encouraging students to use the learning support services offered by the university.
This blog post encourages students to work in a distributed, steady manner in order to succeed. Even better, students can apply this steady approach with classmates, in order to encourage and teach each other.
This article begins with a section that describes cooperative learning and explains eight cooperative learning principles. The second section discusses the interface between cooperative learning and language pedagogy. Next is a section... more
This article begins with a section that describes cooperative learning and explains eight cooperative learning principles. The second section discusses the interface between cooperative learning and language pedagogy. Next is a section about the why and how of reading aloud by teachers. The heart of the article resides in the last and longest section which describes techniques for integrating cooperative learning with reading aloud by teachers. These techniques include ones that can be used before, while and after the teacher has read aloud to the class.
This Powerpoint presentation, prepared for the teachers at a Singapore secondary school, presents about 12 strategies for teaching in a student centred manner. The strategies are divided into three sections: feedback, questions and... more
This Powerpoint presentation, prepared for the teachers at a Singapore secondary school, presents about 12 strategies for teaching in a student centred manner. The strategies are divided into three sections: feedback, questions and students teaching
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This presentation from the 2015 Asian Festival of Children's Content begins with a discussion of boys lagging behind in reading and academics generally. The main part of the presentation offers suggestions for helping boys find reading... more
This presentation from the 2015 Asian Festival of Children's Content begins with a discussion of boys lagging behind in reading and academics generally. The main part of the presentation offers suggestions for helping boys find reading materials and building their motivation to read.
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This is the conference presentation version of the article by the same title also found on this website
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This is a children's book I wrote with LOH Wan Inn, with a theme related to valuing the strengths of other animals, and seeking ways that we humans can collaborate with rather than dominate our fellow animals
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The use in education of small groups of two to four members receives substantial support from both theory and research (e.g., (Deutsch, 1949, 1962; Gillies, 2007; Johnson & Johnson, 2006; Lewin, 1935; Sharan, 1999; Slavin, 1995; Vygotsky,... more
The use in education of small groups of two to four members receives substantial support from both theory and research (e.g., (Deutsch, 1949, 1962; Gillies, 2007; Johnson & Johnson, 2006; Lewin, 1935; Sharan, 1999; Slavin, 1995; Vygotsky, 1978, Webb, et al., 2009). This theory and research suggests that people learn more and gain affective benefits when they spend some time collaborating with others. However, in the author’s experience, workshop facilitators and other educators are often reluctant to ask participants to form small groups and to participate in small group activities, especially when participants have not met each other or for whatever reason may be uncomfortable interacting with one another. Thus, workshop facilitators and other educators may hesitate to use small group activities. This paper proposes a wide variety of ideas that educators can try to increase people’s willingness to form groups and participate in group activities. These ideas are divided into three groups: before the event, at the beginning of the event and at the end of the event and beyond.
This is a conference paper, a three-page introduction to humane education
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The author, Larissa Zimberoff, is a journalist specializing in the intersection of food and technology. The book looks at different types of what she calls New Food, including algae, fungi, peas, alternatives to eggs and cow's milk,... more
The author, Larissa Zimberoff, is a journalist specializing in the intersection of food and technology. The book looks at different types of what she calls New Food, including algae, fungi, peas, alternatives to eggs and cow's milk, upcycled foods, high-tech farming, cell-based meat, and what might come next, including cautions to bear in mind
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This is a review of Stibbe, A. (2015). Ecolinguistics: Language, ecology, and the stories we live by. Abingdon, United Kingdom: Routledge. The review seeks to interest readers in doing their own ecolinguistics research. The book’s ten... more
This is a review of Stibbe, A. (2015). Ecolinguistics: Language, ecology, and the stories we live by. Abingdon, United Kingdom: Routledge. The review seeks to interest readers in doing their own ecolinguistics research. The book’s ten chapters begin with Chapter 1, an introduction which defines key terms and lays out the organisation of the book. The book’s next eight chapters each deal with one type of story, although the stories overlap: ideology, framing, metaphor, evaluation, identity, conviction, erasure and salience. As is obvious, these are not stories in the typical meaning of story. Instead, ‘story’ here has two main meanings: a cognitive meaning that represents the world in people’s minds and a linguistic manifestation of how language is used to attempt to achieve representations of the cognitive meaning. The book’s tenth and final chapter is a conclusion which provides an overview of the current state of ecolinguistics and offers suggestions for its future. After the conclusion is a very useful glossary of more than 100 of the terms used in the book, mostly terms from linguistics, but also terms from other areas, such as cognitive science and communications studies.
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This presentation with F. M. Ivone at the online 2021 International Association for Intercultural Education discusses how cooperative learning can be done online, and maybe it can be even better than face-to-face
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This paper considers potential contributions applied linguists can make towards important real-world issues which demand social engagement and action. One case in point is how applied linguists can contribute towards the achievement of... more
This paper considers potential contributions applied linguists can make towards important real-world issues which demand social engagement and action. One case in point is how applied linguists can contribute towards the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We provide an illustrative study in which we utilized computer tools to investigate media reporting as a way to promote awareness of basic human needs. The study examined the relative coverage of issues of basic human needs (particularly extreme scarcity of food, clean water and sanitation), and of the COVID-19 outbreak, in four major newspapers from Malaysia, Singapore, the UK and the US. Findings were reported and reasons explored with insights from the literature and professionals working in the media and related sectors. The distribution of media coverage, we argue, reflects not a mere crisis of numbers but a crisis of responsibility and values. This paper, we hope, serves to highlight how applied linguists and language educators can be more socially engaged; they can make a contribution to the wider discussion concerning, among other important issues, the role and responsibility of media in shaping the public’s views and actions on issues that are at the heart of human sustainable development.
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I recently co-authored an article on infusing cooperative learning in distance education: http://www.tesl-ej.org/wordpress/issues/volume24/ej93/ej93a1/ That article wasn't very practical. Attached is the draft of a second article that we... more
I recently co-authored an article on infusing cooperative learning in distance education: http://www.tesl-ej.org/wordpress/issues/volume24/ej93/ej93a1/
That article wasn't very practical. Attached is the draft of a second article that we are promising will be more practical, with 9 lesson plans. We need help to see if the lesson plans really are practical. Thus, we wonder if you and/or your colleagues would like to try out one or more of the lessons and let us have your ideas for improvements.
thx --george.jacobs@gmail.com
That article wasn't very practical. Attached is the draft of a second article that we are promising will be more practical, with 9 lesson plans. We need help to see if the lesson plans really are practical. Thus, we wonder if you and/or your colleagues would like to try out one or more of the lessons and let us have your ideas for improvements.
thx --george.jacobs@gmail.com
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The title says it all
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Distance Education has always been a good idea. Now, distance learning is a necessity in many contexts. But cooperative learning is also a good idea. This paper addresses how to infuse cooperative learning in distance education. I need... more
Distance Education has always been a good idea. Now, distance learning is a necessity in many contexts. But cooperative learning is also a good idea. This paper addresses how to infuse cooperative learning in distance education. I need your help to make this paper as helpful as possible.
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This paper looks at the value of students and others interacting in very large groups of tens and even 100s of members of the same group. The paper begins by looking at disadvantages of larger groups and then at their advantages, before... more
This paper looks at the value of students and others interacting in very large groups of tens and even 100s of members of the same group. The paper begins by looking at disadvantages of larger groups and then at their advantages, before proving advice on how to facilitate groups regardless of their sizes. This advice including dividing resources and roles, promoting common identity, encouraging rewards and celebrations, using groups of different sizes, taking advantage of communication technology, and paying attention to the development and use of collaborative skills. The authors' conclusion is that groups can be beneficial if those involved carefully attend to the groups' functioning.
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This article reports research on the occurrence of terms related to food in textbooks written for students of English as an Additional Language. Ten such textbooks were examined. Of the 3767 total activities in the textbooks, 641... more
This article reports research on the occurrence of terms related to food in textbooks written for students of English as an Additional Language. Ten such textbooks were examined. Of the 3767 total activities in the textbooks, 641 activities (17%) contained at least one reference to food, and seven of the books contained an entire unit focused on food. The number of instances of food terms found in the textbooks totalled 2311, of which 1254 were categorized as general food terms, e.g., restaurant, and 1057 were categorized as specific foods, e.g., chocolate. Of the specific foods, 399 were categorized as being of plant origin, 252 as containing ingredients of animal origin, 339 as either plant or animal origin, but likely to contain ingredients of animal origin, 61 as being somewhat evenly divided as to how often they were exclusively of plant origin, and 6 as usually containing only ingredients of plant origin. The specific food terms were also classified as either regular foods used in main meals (529), or as at fun foods, eaten in casual contexts (528). These results are discussed for their classroom implications, and suggestions are made for future research.
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This 20-page course handout advocates for the use of cooperative games in the teaching of languages, although the ideas in the handout have implications for the teaching of other subjects. The first topic in the handout is why to use... more
This 20-page course handout advocates for the use of cooperative games in the teaching of languages, although the ideas in the handout have implications for the teaching of other subjects. The first topic in the handout is why to use games. Next, when and how to use games is discussed, before examining types of games. Then, the focus narrows to cooperative games, including the rationale for their use based in part on Social Interdependence Theory. The main section of the handout delves into 15 ideas for making games cooperative.