This study investigated the hypothesis that it is possible to access the pattern of knowledge about teaching and learning (pedagogical knowledge) that experienced teachers utilize while they teach. This hypothesis was investigated through qualitative and quantitative analyses of verbal protocols obtained from teachers who simultaneously watched videotaped segments of themselves teaching and reported on thoughts they had as they taught these segments. Two sets of experienced teachers (N = 7) uniformly reported 20 to 21 categories of pedagogical thoughts that they claimed were in their minds while teaching. Of these, 7 to 8 were reported more frequently than others. The lists of predominant categories for both sets are headed by thoughts concerned with managing both the language the students hear and the language they produce (Language Management). Thoughts about students (Knowledge of Students), thoughts about ensuring the smooth transition of activities in the classroom (Procedure Check), and assessing student participation in and progress with the classroom tasks (Progress Review) were also among those that featured highly on both sets of teachers’ predominance lists. In terms of an approach in analyzing the thought processes of ESL teachers, the study suggests that a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods may be profitable.

This paper reports a study that examined the categories of pedagogical knowledge (knowledge related to the act of teaching) of novice ESL teachers as gleaned from their verbal reports of what they were thinking about while teaching and compared these categories to those found for experienced teachers in an earlier study (Gatbonton, 1999). The goal was to discover what pedagogical knowledge these learners have internalized after having completed a teacher-training program and how this knowledge compares to that of teachers who have had more experience than they have had. The novice and experienced teachers' pedagogical knowledge were examined specifically in relation to language management (how to handle language input and student output), procedural issues, and handling student reactions and attitudes. The results of the study show that the pedagogical knowledge of novice teachers is comparable to that of experienced teachers in terms of major categories but not in terms of details within these categories. Implications for teacher training are discussed.

Although most teachers claim to practise communicative language teaching (CLT), many do not genuinely do so. In this paper, we examine some of the reasons for teachers' resistance to CLT use. We provide a theoretical analysis that focuses on one of the greatest challenges facing CLT methodology -how to promote automatic fluency within this framework. We meet this challenge by proposing a CLT methodology designed to meet specific criteria that will enhance learners' fluency, while addressing teachers' commonly held reservations about CLT. The assumptions and design criteria of the methodology presented here can be operationalized for research purposes, allowing CLT to be evaluated in systematic outcome testing.

Situated in the context of learning second language (L2) pronunciation, this article discusses from information-processing and pedagogical perspectives the role of repetitive practice with L2 input and of explicit focus on its form-related (phonological) properties. First, we report the results of an auditory word-priming experiment with 60 L2 learners of Spanish varying in degree of L2 pronunciation accuracy; these results suggest that both repetition and focus on form have measurable benefits for processing L2 speech. Next, we discuss these findings in terms of information processing and its relationship to L2 pronunciation teaching. Finally, we describe a communicative framework for teaching L2 pronunciation that is compatible with the outlined information-processing principles, that is, a framework that includes meaningful repetition and form-focused activities within a communicative context. THERE IS CLEARLY NO SINGLE PATH TO BEcoming skilled in any cognitive task, and learning to perceive and produce the sounds (phonology) of a second language (L2) like native speakers of that language is no exception. According to a recent survey of L2 pronunciation teaching practices in a North American context (Breitkreutz, Derwing, & Rossiter, 2001), pronunciation instruction is characterized by variety in the methodologies used, items taught, and learner strategies emphasized. Although such diverse approaches may not be equivalent to one another in terms of how well they result in spontaneous, native-like L2 speech (Derwing, Munro, & Wiebe, 1998), they nevertheless illustrate the assumptions theorists have made about L2 pronunciation learning.A comparison of two pronunciation tasks will suffice to identify at least two of these assumptions.

In this article we discuss the theory and practice of a “creative automatization” process by which learners can develop the automaticity component of fluency in second language production in a classroom setting. The techniques for this approach are designed to provide students with ample opportunities for repetition and practice within a wholly communicative context, without the shortcomings usually characteristic of pattern drills or other more traditional methods. Five specific design criteria are presented to help teachers in developing their own activities for promoting fluency within this framework.