The dynamic rhetorical structures of TESOL conference abstracts

Caroline Payant, Jack A. Hardy — Fri, 03 Jun 2016 14:24:56 -0700

In English Language Teaching (ELT), conferences have developed into valuable venues for both researchers and practitioners to learn and share their knowledge bases. Attending and presenting at academic conferences has become an important form of scholarship and professional development for researchers, in-service teachers, and pre-service teachers. In the field of ELT, the TESOL International Convention and Language Expo is a highly prestigious event but, for those wanting to present, highly competitive. The conference abstract is the basis of being granted permission to present at such conferences and, as such, is a critical gate-keeping genre. The goal of the present empirical study is to examine rhetorical features of successful conference abstracts (N=16) with the hope that the results will help teachers write their own conference proposals. Using genre analysis (Swales, 1990), the rhetorical structures of conference abstracts for TESOL 2014 were collected and annotated for rhetorical moves and steps following Halleck and Connor (2006). This detailed analysis uncovered rhetorical patterns common to all conference abstracts. Despite this, variations within proposals were identified in terms of number of moves and specific sequencing. Guidance and tips for novice writers are presented, and connections are made to local TESOL affiliates, such as BC TEAL.

Reducing the Affective Filter: Using Canine Assisted Therapy to Support International University Students’ English Language Development

John-Tyler Binfet, Megan L. Trotman, Heinrich D. Henstock, Haley J. Silas — Sat, 04 Jun 2016 19:41:34 -0700

This exploratory mixed-methods study examined the influence of an on-campus canine therapy program on linguistically diverse international students’ perceptions of their English language development and stress. Participants were recruited from English language support classes at a mid-size western Canadian university and were randomly selected from a larger pool of participants indicating interest in the study. Seven participants attended five canine therapy sessions in which they interacted with certified therapy dogs working as part of a campus initiative to reduce stress and homesickness on campus. Both formative and summative data collection was done with students completing weekly stress assessments, responding to summative questions asked in an interview, and elaborating on their views in a focus group discussion. The following key themes emerged with students describing: 1) decreased overall stress; 2) improvements in their sense of belonging in the campus community with dogs as social catalysts; and 3) increased opportunities to practice oral language skills through interactions with dog handlers and fellow students in the lab. Implications are discussed within the context of reducing the affective filter for language learners and increasing accessibility to programs for international students.

BC TEAL Journal

The dynamic rhetorical structures of TESOL conference abstracts

Reducing the Affective Filter: Using Canine Assisted Therapy to Support International University Students’ English Language Development