As language learning involves the acquisition of thousands of words, teachers and learners alike would like to know how vocabulary learning can be fostered, especially in EFL settings where learners frequently acquire impoverished lexicons, despite years of formal study. Research indicates that reading is important but not sufficient for second-language vocabulary learning, and that it should be supplemented by post-reading activities to enhance students' vocabulary knowledge. The present study investigates the effects of two types of post-reading activities: discrete written tasks on their own and a combination of written tasks along with interactive tasks on the vocabulary acquisition of young learners in an EFL setting. A total of 62 Grade 6 students in two classes in a public school in Turkey participated in the study. Data were collected by the Cambridge English Test (CYLET) and Vocabulary Knowledge Scale (VKS). Results showed that the experimental group students outperformed the control group students in acquisition of both selected and unselected vocabulary items. The use of interactive tasks as post-reading activities proved to be an effective way of enhancing the L2 vocabulary knowledge of young learners.

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Critical thinking, a vital skill for the 21st century, has become a desirable educational outcome by educators. Promoting students' critical thinking has been a concern in various educational settings and the role of teachers is considered to be the most significant factor for successful instructional implementations. The present study aims to examine the effects of WebQuest-supported critical thinking instruction on the critical thinking disposition levels of Turkish pre-service teachers (PTs) of English and to determine whether receiving WebQuest-supported critical thinking instruction leads to a change in the PTs' understanding of critical thinking. Data were collected from 60 freshman PTs studying at a state university in Istanbul, Turkey. Thirty PTs were assigned to the experimental group and received WebQuestsupported critical thinking instruction, while 30 PTs were assigned to the control group and received traditional text-only instruction. The study lasted seven weeks and data were collected by means of the Turkish version of the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory and semi-structured focus group interviews conducted before and after the treatment. Findings revealed that the WebQuest-supported critical thinking instruction produced statistically significant differences in the PTs' critical thinking disposition levels and the PTs demonstrated clearer awareness of critical thinking at the end of the study.

When technology is integrated into instruction in conjunction with effective teaching practices, it can enrich and enhance teaching and learning processes. With the changes in the nature of education wrought by advances in technology, teachers' key role in the successful integration of technology into the classroom has gained further significance. Therefore, it has become critical to understand the factors affecting teachers' technology integration. The present case study conducted with 70 university-level Turkish EFL teachers focuses on the factors affecting teachers' technology integration practices and specifically explores teachers' knowledge about computer software programs, personal computer-use habits, attitudes toward and self-confidence in integrating computer-based technologies into teaching, and their views about school climate and support. Analysis of the data coming from a questionnaire demonstrates that teachers know well about commonly-used software programs, they have positive attitudes toward using technology in their teaching, they have a high level of self-confidence in integrating technology into their teaching, they enjoy positive school climate among colleagues, but they see limited support from administration especially in terms of technological infrastructure and instructional encouragement. The findings of this study have implications regarding technology integration in the classroom in that teachers need to be provided with ample technology, along with administrative and technical support as well as continuous training specifically designed to address their identified needs in technology use and integration.

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